Access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the WHO European Region 2003-2005.
OBJECTIVE
To assess changes in access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) between the end of 2002 and the end of 2005, and to review the capacity for further HAART scale-up in the then 52 Member States of the WHO European Region.


METHODS
Analysis of data from four surveys evaluating access to HAART, supplemented by regional estimates of the number of people receiving HAART. Changes in access to HAART are evaluated in terms of changes in the number of people receiving HAART over time and changes in country-level HAART coverage.


RESULTS
During 2003-2005, the total number of individuals receiving HAART increased by an estimated 101,000, from 242,000 to 343,000 (a 42% increase); 85,000 were in the west region (a 36% increase) and 16,000 in the centre and east regions (a 229% increase). The number of countries providing "high'' coverage with HAART (>75% of those in need receiving it) increased from 29 to 38, and the number of countries providing no HAART declined from eight to four.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite high and increasing coverage in many European countries, access to HAART remained inequitable in terms of geographical location. By the end of 2005, all countries in the west provided "high'' HAART coverage as compared with half of countries in the centre and east. Six east countries still provided poor or no HAART coverage. Countries must address how to further equitably increase the number of people receiving HAART.
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark. anb@euro.who.int
Annemarie R
AR
Bollerup
Martin C
MC
Donoghoe
Jeffrey V
JV
Lazarus
Stine
S
Nielsen
Srdan
S
Matic
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005060:Europe; D005062:European Union; D014943:Global Health; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires