Africa: children's access to prophylaxis may improve after medical study, new WHO recommendations.

On November 22, 2004, days after The Lancet reported that the cheap antibiotic co-trimoxazole (Septra, Bactrim, and other brand names) had dramatically reduced death in a group of Zambian children with HIV, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNAIDS and UNICEF released a statement recommending the drug for all children with HIV symptoms in poor countries. But activists say the global health authorities' seemingly quick action came years--even decades--late, and it will take a lot more work to actually deliver the drug's lifesaving promise.