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In June 2013, the WHO released consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretrovirals (ARVs) [1]. The launch of these new guidelines is another milestone in the global endeavor toward universal access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) using the public health approach, pursuing the dual advantage of keeping HIV-infected people healthy and reducing HIV transmission.

The new guidelines promote initiating ARVs with a CD4þ T-cell threshold of 500 cells/ml or less for adults, adolescents, and older children. These guidelines further recommend ARVs, regardless of CD4þ T-cell count, for patients with active tuberculosis (TB), pregnant and breastfeeding women, and children younger than 5 years of age. This is a call for action to countries to further scale up provision of ARVs in addition to improving patient retention along the continuum of care.