Leaving no one behind: a call to increase access to HIV care for marginalised communities in the Americas

Elsevier, The Lancet Regional Health - Americas, Volume 4, December 2021
Authors: 
The Lancet Regional Health - Americas

40 years after the first case was reported, AIDS remains a global public health threat. According to UNAIDS data, in 2020, 1•5 million people were newly infected with HIV, bringing the global estimated number of people living with HIV (PWH) to 37•7 million. Despite the existence of both treatment and preventive medications, only 73% of eligible adults received lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART). The scenario in the Americas is not much different from the global picture. Currently, about 3•7 million adults live with HIV in the region, but only 71% have access to treatment. Although much has been achieved in the past decades, to meet the UN pledged goal to end AIDS by 2030, the region needs to take concrete and targeted actions now.