Written by a leading expert in the field, this book provides a clear and incisive analysis of the different perspectives of the global response to HIV/AIDS, and the role of the different global institutions involved. The text highlights HIV/AIDS as an exceptional global epidemic in terms of the severity of its impact as a humanitarian tragedy of unprecedented proportion, its multi-dimensional characteristics, and its continuous evolution over more than two decades.

The careful analysis in this volume critically reviews key issues in the global response, including:

• HIV/AIDS as a development challenge

• North-South power relationships and tensions

• international and regional partnerships between donor governments and recipient countries

• governance of global institutions and impact on the capacity of developing countries to respond effectively to the epidemic

• prevention versus treatment as options in HIV/AIDS services

• how to make the money work in support of effective AIDS financing.

Providing a comprehensive but easy to read and compact overview of history, trends and impacts of HIV/AIDS and the global efforts to respond effectively this book is essential reading for all students of international relations, health studies and international organizations.