From 3 by 5 to universal access: an equity advocacy opportunity for access to antiretroviral therapy in Malawi?

Abstract

Why the move to universal access when we haven\'t yet met the 3 by 5 target ? What does universal access actually mean? Does this new focus on universal access offer an opportunity for advocacy for equity? The onus is for countries to define – through consultative processes – what ‘universal\' access means, rather than working to global targets and putting together plans and processes to meet universal access. The theory is that these country consultative processes will feed into regional consultative processes, which for southern and eastern Africa will be held in Zimbabwe from 7-10 March, 2006. These regional consultative processes in turn will shape the Africa-wide consultation from the 4-6 May, 2006, and ultimately influence the Global Steering Committee. Malawi Medical Journal Vol. 18 (2) 2006: pp. 55