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Universal access implies that all people should be able to have access to information and services that are: Equitable - accessible - affordable - comprehensive - sustainable.

In 2006, People living with HIV, community groups, civil society organisations, governments and international organisations in Eastern and Southern Africa participated in a country-led process to set ambitious targets for achieving Universal Access HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010. This process gave national leaders and a wide range of participants in the response to HIV the opportunity to better understand HIV transmission patterns, identify obstacles, revisit existing systems of programme delivery, ascertain community needs and select priority intervention.

The targets focus on what could be achieved if the following obstacles can be addressed:

• Predictable and sustainable financing
• Strengthening human resources and health systems
• Access to affordable commodities
• Stigma, discrimination, gender and human rights

Review of National reports in 2008 demonstrated that Universal Access has catalyzed an accelerated and strengthened national HIV response with more results-based planning and a general overall increase in access to services. National political leadership and coordination were found to be critical to scale up. However more emphasis was needed on addressing the obstacles to scale up which would not support reaching universal access but also the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Specifically, there is a need to accelerate progress on HIV-prevention efforts, and to better utilise the resources available within civil society and people living with HIV.

Universal access has generated a continuing engagement with national partners to monitor and review progress towards universal access. This has resulted in a number of countries revising their national targets to ensure a sharper focus on areas in need of additional support.

Country factsheets

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