Countries are making rapid progress in scaling up HIV testing and treatment across several regions, participants at an event entitled “90–90–90 target workshop: a vehicle for knowledge translation of treatment as prevention” heard.
Taking place at the 21st International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, the event saw the launch of advance draft copies of a new UNAIDS report, 90–90–90: on the right track towards the treatment target. The report highlights best practices and provides examples of countries that are already coming close to achieving the 90–90–90 targets, which are that 90% of people living with HIV know their HIV status, 90% of people who know their HIV-positive status are accessing treatment and 90% of people on treatment have suppressed viral loads.
The meeting heard that in at least 10 countries from diverse regions, HIV treatment coverage either doubled or almost doubled from 2012 to 2015, reinforcing the feasibility of rapid scale-up. Especially encouraging is the rapid expansion of treatment services in certain fragile settings, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the proportion of people living with HIV receiving HIV treatment also doubled, from 16% to 33% between 2012 and 2015. These encouraging results from diverse countries provide credibility to the attainment of the 90-90-90 targets. However, challenges remain and many countries are struggling to achieve the third 90 target.
The report outlines steps that are needed to expedite gains towards each of the three 90s. Technological and service delivery innovations rapidly need to be brought to scale, communities must be empowered to lead the push to end the epidemic, new resources must be mobilized to reach the final mile of the response to HIV and steps must urgently be taken to eliminate social and structural barriers to service access.
“The world is uniting around the Fast-Track response. The 90–90–90 targets have mobilized extraordinary global efforts and are achieving results. We have a fragile window of opportunity to achieve 90–90–90 by 2020 and lay the foundation to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.”
Michel Sidibé, Executive Director, UNAIDS
“Long-term sustainable funding is critical to the success of 90–90–90. Investment of US$ 100 million in the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria saves 60 000 lives, prevents 3.4 million new infections, mobilizes US$ 300 million in domestic resources and saves US$ 2.2 billion in development gains.”
Ade Fakoye Senior Adviser on HIV, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
“Declining global investment in malaria led to a resurgence in the disease. The Fast-Track response will become a train wreck if sustainable financing is not secured for the HIV response.”
David Ripin Clinton Health Access Initiative
“The UNAIDS Prevention gap report shows that significant disparities and inequities persist in progress towards the 90–90–90 targets. Inadequate funding is at the core. The US$ 7 billion gap in investments needed for a comprehensive response to HIV is just a rounding error in the budgets of some of the larger donors. We have never had more powerful tools to achieve the end of the AIDS epidemic by 2020. Now is not the time to reduce investment.”
Asia Russell Executive Director, Health Global Access Project
“Many people living with HIV here at AIDS 2016 are alive because of global solidarity behind treatment access at Durban AIDS 2000.”
Lilian Mworeka International Community of Women Living with HIV
