Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
BBC News - November 28, 2005
Madeleine Morris, BBC News, Johannesburg
It had aimed to get three million people in poor countries on HIV drugs by the end of this year, but the WHO admits that target will be missed.
Three by Five, as it is known, was the much heralded programme to promote HIV treatment to the poorest of the poor.
Begun just two years ago, it was always an ambitious aim.
When the WHO announced in June that only one million of the three million people it had hoped to have on drugs were receiving them, it became apparent that the ambition would not be fulfilled.
In an interview with the BBC, the head of the programme, Jim Yong-Kim has said sorry.
"All we can do is apologise," he said. "I think we have to just admit we've not done enough and we started way too late."
Exactly how many people are on treatment will not be known until early next year.
'Saving lives'
But Dr Kim says despite missing the target, the programme has not been a failure.
"Before Three by Five, there was not an emphasis on saving lives," he said.
"Many leaders in the world were saying we just have to forget about this generation of people who are infected, we're really thinking about the next generation.
"So something has happened that's extraordinary."
HIV drugs, or anti-retrovirals, greatly improve the quality of life and life expectancy for people infected with HIV, but the most optimistic estimates suggest only one in 10 Africans and one in seven Asians are currently getting the treatment they need.
According to UN figures out last week over 40 million people worldwide are now infected with the HIV virus.
051128
BB051127
Copyright © 2005 - BBC. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the BBC.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation UK, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2005. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2005. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.
.