World Health Organisation Issued New HIV Treatment Guidelines

The World Health Organization on 30 June 2013 introduced new guidelines for the treatment of HIV could help prevent millions of people dying of AIDS. The WHO says these guidelines represent a major shift in treatment policy.

The idea is to give a single pill combining three drugs to people who are HIV positive much earlier while their immune systems are still strong. Algeria, Argentina and Brazil are already doing this.

Ultimately, it means the number of people in developing countries, who are deemed eligible for drug treatment, will rise from 16 to 26 million. The World Health Organization estimates the guidelines will add 10 per cent to the overall cost of treating HIV and AIDS.