A record 6.6 million patients in poor countries received antiretroviral treatment in 2010

An estimated 6.6 million people with HIV in low and middle income countries were receiving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment at the end of 2010, up by a record 1.4 million over 2009, says a report by UNAIDS, the joint UN agency on HIV and AIDS.

The gains include nearly half a million children, almost 50% more than the 275 000 who were receiving treatment in 2008.

Despite the expanded access to antiretroviral (ARV) therapy “a major treatment gap remains,” warns the report. It says that about nine million people who were eligible for treatment were not receiving it as of …