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Wednesday, 29 June 2005 12:43

BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk

HIV drug target unlikely to be met

The World Health Organisation has admitted that the target of distributing HIV drugs to three million people by the end of the year is unlikely to be met.

The “three by five” target of getting Aids drugs to three million people by the end of 2005 was set in 2003 when just 400,000 people were receiving the drugs.

Officials have said that even if the goal is not reached, great progress has been made and the target had served its purpose by encouraging the improvement.

WHO figures for January revealed that 700,000 people were receiving the drugs.

Dr Kim Jim of the HIV/Aids programme said: "It is going to be extremely difficult to reach that target, but the point is that we are going to get to three million.

"The scale-up is happening in every single country in the world."

In many countries a lack of staff and funding has held back progress on drug dissemination and WHO officials are hopeful that next week’s meeting of the G8 will result in a cash boost.

However, aid agencies have been warned that only half the funds needed for HIV treatment this year will be made available.

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