NAMIBIA: Free AIDS drugs amid Global Fund delays

Namibians are still waiting for the release of more than US $170 million awarded by the Global AIDS Fund almost two years ago to tackle AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

A local newspaper, The Namibian, reported that the government was close to signing an agreement for the release of the first instalment of around $22 million to combat the three diseases, but was unable to say when this would take place.

At least $18 million of the grant is expected to provide anti-AIDS drugs to 13,000 of the estimated 230,000 HIV-positive patients at 35 state hospitals by the end of 2006.

Free AIDS treatment is now offered at the larger state hospitals in each of the country's 13 regions.

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