title: Factors impacting the provision of antiretroviral therapy to people living with HIV: the view from Haiti.
abstract: Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and has the highest number of people living with HIV in the Caribbean, the region most impacted by HIV outside of Africa. Despite continuous political, socioeconomic and natural catastrophes, Haiti has mounted a very successful response to the HIV epidemic. Prevention and treatment strategies implemented by the government in collaboration with non-governmental organizations have been instrumental in decreasing the national HIV prevalence from a high of 6.2% in 1993 to 2.2% in 2012. We describe the history and epidemiology of HIV in Haiti and the expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART) over the past decade, with the achievement of universal access to ART for patients meeting the 2010 World Health Organization guidelines. We also describe effective models of care, successes and challenges of international funding, and current challenges in the provision of ART. We are optimistic that the goal of providing ART for all in need remains in reach.
authors.affiliation: Haitian Group for the Study of Kaposi's Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections (GHESKIO), Port-au-Prince, Haiti. vrouzier@gheskio.org.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rouzier
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.forename: Jean W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Pape
authors.forename: Jean-Gregory
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Jerome
authors.forename: Joelle Deas
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Van Onacker
authors.forename: Willy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Morose
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Fernet
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leandre
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Severe
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.forename: Marie-Marcelle
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Deschamps
authors.forename: Serena P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Koenig
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000191:economics*; D006078:Government Programs / Q000191:economics*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health / Q000191:economics*; D055818:Public-Private Sector Partnerships / Q000191:economics; D000078329:Workforce; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents