Short-Term Rationing of Combination Antiretroviral Therapy: Impact on Morbidity, Mortality, and Loss to Follow-Up in a Large HIV Treatment Program in Western Kenya

Abstract

Since the beginning of the HIV pandemic, almost 60 million people have been infected with HIV and 25 million have died from HIV-associated illnesses [1]. Sub-Saharan Africa is the region most affected by the pandemic and is home to 68% of all people living with HIV worldwide [1]. Since 2002, the international drive to scale up antiretroviral treatment has gained tremendous momentum [2], and by the close of 2009, an estimated 5.2 million persons were receiving combination antiretroviral treatment (cART). While this represents important progress, this still is only about 35% of the people who are estimated in need of treatment according to current standards of care