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Access to treatment

Background paper on the concept of universal access (118kb)

The purpose of this paper is to support efforts towards provision of a universal access framework for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care by 2010, by clarifying basic concepts and definitions surrounding universal access and coverage.

Key issues covered by the paper include:

- what does universal mean?
- what does access mean?
- what determines and influences universal access?
- how to define targets associated with "universal access" and how to measure them?
- what is the role of a framework for universal access?

The paper is divided into two sections. The first is an overview of the concepts in general. The second applies them to the context of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care. There is also a glossary of terms in the annex, representing the highest level of agreement on health system-associated terms and used as a reference point by the WHO.

 

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