Health sector responses to HIV/AIDS

Strengthening health systems is a necessary prerequisite for reaching the target of universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010. Health services play a crucial role in prevention, HIV counselling and testing, control of sexually transmitted infections, provision of adolescent-friendly health services, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and provision of treatment and care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The high demand for all these services presents a tremendous challenge to health authorities in developing countries. The entire sector therefore needs strengthening using a systems approach.

Over the past two decades, HIV has shifted from a health sector issue alone to a development issue. Programme responsibilities have moved from the health sector to multisectoral AIDS councils often housed in the office of the President or Prime Minister. With the recent introduction of large-scale ART programmes, the focus has moved back to the health sector. This has brought quick fixes for scaling up ART without strengthening the sector from a systems approach.