ZIMBABWE: AIDS treatment plea at President's door

HIV-positive Zimbabweans and AIDS activists have taken their struggle for better treatment to President Robert Mugabe's doorstep.

According to the daily Standard newspaper, this step followed a recent petition for the government to regard the pandemic as a matter of urgency.

Activists also charged they were slighted on World AIDS Day when the government elected to discuss the national budget rather than acknowledging the hurdles encountered by HIV-positive people trying to access antiretroviral drugs.

Mary Sandasi, director of the NGO, Women's AIDS Support Network, noted: "Such actions as to have a major gathering taking place in [the capital], Harare, on such a big day clearly showed a disregard of the plight of people living with AIDS in Zimbabwe."

Theme (s): Care/Treatment - PlusNews,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]