According to a WHO report, only one million people are currently receiving life saving AIDS treatments, leaving the organization almost certain that they will not be able to meet their goal.
The WHO announced the "Three by Five" target in December 2003. At the time, just 400,000 people were receiving the drugs.
However, as problems continue to arrise and with December just six months away, there seems to be very little change in the future.
According to the WHO, there are not enough single pill versions of drugs, there are very few AIDS medicines for children, and technical problems with supplies persist.
Many countries also lack a coordinated strategy to distribute the drugs, and lack sufficient staff to monitor patients on the treatment.
The WHO is hoping that the $27 billion USD, pledged globally for HIV treatment for the 2005-2007 period, will be converted into hard cash, during a conference next week of the G8 nations.
WHO Director-general Lee Jong-Wook says, "The challenges in providing sustainable care in resource-poor settings are enormous, as we expected them to be... But every day demonstrates that this type of care can and must be provided."
