HIV treatment includes the use of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) to attack the virus itself, and medications to prevent and treat the many opportunistic infections that can occur when the immune system is compromised by HIV. In light of research findings, WHO released a guideline in 2015 recommending starting HIV treatment earlier in the course of illness.

-Combination ART, first introduced in 1996, has led to dramatic reductions in morbidity and mortality, and access has increased in recent years, rising to 28.7 million people (75% of people living with HIV) in 2021.

-The percentage of pregnant women receiving ART for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV increased to 81% in 2021, up from 46% in 2010.

-Access to ART among children has more than doubled since 2010, with treatment coverage rising from 18% in 2010 to 52% in 2021.

-Approximately 68% of all people living with HIV are virally suppressed, which means they are likely healthier and less likely to transmit the virus. Viral suppression varies greatly by region, key population, and sex.