Access: everyones issue. USAIDs Paul DeLay sees lessons and challenges in unequal opportunities for treatment and care.

This paper presents an interview with Dr. Paul DeLay director of the US Agency for International Developments Division of HIV/AIDS. The topic of the interview focuses on the crucial factors affecting access to care and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS in the developed and developing nations. It was observed that peoples access to HIV treatment in developed nations varies considerable from developing nations. In developed countries like the US AIDS cases are viewed as a special case and should be treated with utmost care. If compared with the situation in developing nations AIDS patients are considered as social outcast. Furthermore he made mention of factors that limit access to treatment and care which include: 1) attitude towards the utilization of health care system; 2) the cost of treatment; and 3) complexity of treatment. Developing nations in Africa Asia the Caribbean eastern Europe and Latin America still believe that prevention of the infection is the best means when resources are limited. However people who have received effective care tend to live for a long time and can be productive in their communities and jobs. Furthermore other related factors such as gender sexuality economic status social status ethnicity occupation and social stigma associated with the disease greatly affects HIV treatment and care accessibility.