The devastating impact of AIDS in the world – especially in sub‐Saharan Africa ‐ has led to an unprecedented global effort to ensure access to antiretroviral (ARV) medicines to treat the disease in every country where HIV is a threat. While the World Health Organization (WHO) goal of ensuring access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) for 3 million people by end‐2005 was not achieved, an estimated 1.3 million people who would not otherwise have been treated now have access to ART. This book is a
testament to the early treatment successes and the hidden challenges of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in resource‐poor settings. It is also a wake‐up call to the risk of treatment failure and the development of widespread ARV resistance unless all patients are given the continuing support they need to achieve full adherence to ARVs. AIDS is particularly challenging because of the need to achieve very high (at least 95%) levels of adherence to prevent treatment failure and the generation of ARV‐resistant virus.