HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment: A Clinical Course for People Caring for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS

Only about five percent of the 30 million people in poor countries who need treatment for HIV infection are receiving it. As the need for treatment grows, so does the demand. The June 2001 Declaration of Commitment by the United Nations General Assembly states that "Prevention, care, support and treatment for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS are mutually reinforcing elements of an effective response and must be integrated in a comprehensive approach to combat the epidemic." Encouraged by global support for expanding access to treatment and by a decrease in the price of antiretroviral drugs, programs are increasingly seeking ways to add a treatment component to their prevention, care, and support services.

This facilitator's guide presents new knowledge and skills for delivering and organizing clinical care and treatment services for people living with HIV/AIDS. It is shaped by FHI's longstanding work in HIV-related prevention, care and support activities in more than 60 countries. Recently, FHI began supporting public and NGO efforts to deliver strengthened HIV care and support, including antiretroviral treatment (ART), in three countries at the district level.