The World Health Organization has issued new guidelines recommending that all people infected with HIV begin antiretroviral treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis. In addition, WHO recommends the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for all individuals considered to be at substantial risk of getting infected with HIV.

The new guidelines are a bold step forward that build on recent research findings in HIV prevention and treatment and pave the way for achieving better desired public health outcomes. The guidelines align well with the newly-announced PEPFAR prevention and treatment targets, which include providing 12.9 million adults, pregnant women and children with access to antiretroviral treatment, 13 million male circumcisions for HIV prevention, and reducing HIV incidence by 40 percent among adolescent girls and women in the highest burden areas in sub-Saharan Africa by the end of 2017 with PEPFAR support.

As one of PEPFAR’s lead implementing partners, ICAP looks forward to working with our in-country partners to help put these important new recommendations into practice and to helping reach PEPFAR’s new targets.

Commenting on the new guidelines, Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, director of ICAP, emphasizes that, “focusing on what we know works and having ambitious targets to aim for are two critical elements to stemming the global HIV epidemic.”