AIDS treatment in Asia

A major constraint is the high cost of ARVs, as both first- and second-line drugs are still unaffordable to most governments. Cheaper generic drugs are now produced by a number of pharmaceutical manufacturers in Asia, and together with the increasing availability of lower-cost branded ARVs, it’s hoped that this will make it easier for governments to obtain and distribute the drugs. Yet even where drugs are available, the poor state of healthcare in many Asian countries, particularly a shortage of trained doctors, is hindering governments' abilities to organise life-long treatment programmes for millions of people living with HIV
The availability of AIDS treatment has more than tripled in Asia since 2004. At the end of 2007 an estimated 420,000 people in the region were receiving antiretroviral drugs (ARVs). Although this rise is encouraging, access to treatment varies widely across the region. There is evidence that the majority of countries in Central, South and South-East Asia have laws that impede access to HIV services among injecting drug users.²² Overall it is estimated that three quarters of people in need of ARVs in Asia still have no access to them.²³