AIDS drugs for thousands by 2005

MALAWI: AIDS drugs for thousands by 2005

JOHANNESBURG, 5 Dec 2003 (PLUSNEWS) - The government of Malawi has pledged to provide free anti-AIDS treatment to some 50,000 people by 2005 with new funding from the Global AIDS Fund.

However, Vice President Justin Malewezi was quoted by the Associated Press agency as saying: "This programme can only work if we defeat the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS so that more and more Malawians enrol in voluntary counselling and testing programmes."

Research shows that only 3 percent of Malawians have been tested for HIV despite some 70,000 lives being claimed by AIDS-related illnesses each year.

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