Nearly 3 million people are now receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in low- and middle-income countries, marking an important step in the history of the HIV/ AIDS epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

The year 2007 saw nearly 1 million more people (950,000) receiving ART, bringing the total number of recipients to almost 3 million, the Geneva-based UN agency said in a report on progress in HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

According to the report, the rapid scale-up of ART can be attributed to a number of factors, one of which is the increased availability of drugs, in large part because of price reductions.

Another factor is the improved ART delivery systems that are now better adapted to country contexts. A third factor is increased demand for ART as the number of people who are tested and diagnosed with HIV climbs.

"This represents a remarkable achievement for public health," said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan in a statement.

"This proves that, with commitment and determination, all obstacles can be overcome. People living in resource-constrained settings can indeed be brought back to economically and socially productive lives by these drugs," she said.

The report noted, however, that a total of 9.7 million people worldwide are in need of ART. That means that an estimated 6.7 million in need are still unable to access life-saving medicines.

It urged countries and the international community to work together to strengthen both prevention and treatment efforts in order to realize universal access to HIV prevention, treatment care and support.

(Xinhua News Agency June 3, 2008)