An analysis by Global Fund Observer published this week shows that just under half of the countries eligible to apply to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria are providing antiretroviral therapy to less than 25% of those who need it, or still have more than 25,000 in need of treatment despite higher levels of coverage.
The analysis is based on data provided by the Global Fund and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief rather than individual country estimates of treatment coverage, together with estimates of numbers in need of treatment from the Kaiser Family Foundation's Global Health Facts website.
The full results are available at the Global Fund Observer website.
Highlights from the data are summarised below.
Enormous numerical need
South Africa (1.24 million); Nigeria (555,000), Zimbabwe (472,000) Tanzania (304,000), Kenya (293,000), Mozambique (280,000), Uganda (235,000), Ethiopia (220,000), Malawi (189,000), Zambia (179,000), China (155,000), Côte d’Ivoire (138,000), Cameroon (134,000).
Very poor coverage
Less than 10%: Sudan, Iran, Pakistan, Ukraine, Nepal, Bangladesh, Tajikistan, Madagascar, Egypt – predominantly countries where injecting drug users make up the majority of people with HIV.
Other notable examples of low coverage
South Africa (28%); China (19%); Indonesia (15%); Nigeria (26%) – low coverage in some of the wealthiest countries on the list.
Making stronger progress
Botswana (81%), Brazil (80%), Namibia (88%), Rwanda (71%), Senegal (58%); Thailand (61%); Zambia (46% - substantially better than any neighbouring country).