The progress of AIDS responses is now regularly measured in the region and the quality and depth of national monitoring and evaluation is continually improving.  Analysis of the 2007 reports and a comparison with previous years indicates that many countries are now effectively scaling-up HIV treatment and care and some of the work needed to prevent new HIV infections despite often facing considerable resource and other challenges.  The scale-up of treatment and prevention of mother to child transmission services suggest the most encouraging progress.  Unfortunately the increase in coverage and reach of prevention and care services lag behind the increases seen in treatment. In addition despite improved data overall there are also considerable gaps in the monitoring and reporting on all aspects of the AIDS response in many countries.

   
Although there are some undeniable successes the 2007 data confirms that the rate of progress in expanding access to all services essential to a comprehensive AIDS response is failing to keep pace with the expansion of the epidemic in Eastern and Southern Africa.  We know that globally for every person who started on antiretroviral therapy in 2007 another 2.5 persons become infected.  The ratio is thought to be more marked in Eastern and Southern Africa.
 In 2000, UN Member States, through the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals, committed to work toward a safer, healthier and more equitable world with a series of targets to be reached by 2015. 

The following year, in 2001, Member States gathered for the first-ever United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS, unanimously embracing a series of time-bound targets in the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS.  In 2006, Member States adopted the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, restating their commitment to achieve the time-bound targets agreed on in 2001 and to move towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010. 

As of 18 March 2008 21 Member States in Eastern and Southern Africa had reported national information against some or all of the 25 core indicators developed to track implementation of the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS.  The core indicators that emerged from the Declaration cover a broad array of variables, such as HIV prevalence among young people aged 15-24, coverage of antiretroviral therapy and key HIV prevention interventions, services to support children orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV, and national adoption of recommended HIV policies.