More people able to benefit from ARVs in South Africa
FoTAC celebrates the announcement on 12 August by South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe that all people with HIV with CD4 counts below 350 cells/mm3 will be offered antiretroviral treatment.
Until then, the guidelines only provided for treatment for people with CD4 counts below 350 cells/mm3 if they were pregnant or had active TB. All other patients had to wait until their CD4 counts fell below 200 cells/mm3. Civil society has been calling for this policy change since the antiretroviral treatment guidelines were last updated. It is a measure that will improve the quality of life of many people with HIV, reduce mortality and reduce new infections.
