title: The HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa: thinking ahead on programmatic tasks and related operational research.
abstract: Until now, we have all been desperately trying to run behind the HIV/AIDS epidemic and catch up with it, but despite all our efforts, the epidemic remains well ahead of us. In 2010, the antiretroviral treatment (ART) gap was about 60%, AIDS-related deaths were almost two million a year, and on top of these figures, for every one person started on ART, there were two new HIV infections. What is needed to change this situation is to think ahead of the epidemic in terms of the programmatic tasks we will be faced with and try to act boldly in trying to implement those tasks. From a programmatic perspective, we: a) highlight what needs to fundamentally change in our thinking and overall approach to the epidemic; and b) outline a number of key task areas for implementation and related operational research.
authors.affiliation: Médecins sans Frontières, Operational Centre Brussels, Medical Department, MSF- Luxemburg, Luxemburg. zachariah@internet.lu
authors.forename: Rony
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zachariah
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Van Damme
authors.forename: Vic
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arendt
authors.forename: Jean Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Schmit
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Harries
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003140:Communicable Disease Control; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs; D009874:Operations Research
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents