AFX | January 16, 2004
President Levy Mwanawasa announced today that his government will provide free anti-retroviral drugs to about 100,000 patients by next year through the country's public health system.
In a state-of-the-nation address to parliament, Mwanawasa said 10,000 HIV-infected people have so far been put on anti-retroviral therapy provided by the government.
"The pandemic has devastated our nation by decimating the productive age group among the population and consigning our citizens to the grave early, leaving in its wake orphans, widows and widowers," Mwanawasa said.
Anti-retroviral therapy costs about 200 usd per month in Zambia, where the majority of people live below the poverty line, earning less than one dollar per day.
"This demonstrates our commitment to providing a whole continuum of treatment, care and support to people living with HIV/AIDS," the president said.
Mwanawasa added that his government decided to procure the AIDS drugs in an attempt to mitigate the impact of the disease on the economy of the impoverished southern African country.
One in every five adult Zambians is estimated to be HIV-positive.AFX:
