AFRICA/MOZAMBIQUE - AIDS, national emergency: almost 100.000 lives at risk

Tuesday, 27 July 2004

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Rome (Fides Service) - According to the Mozambican health ministry unless the government launches an aggressive campaign to distribute free antiretroviral therapy as many as 100,000 people may die of AIDS before the end of this year. The ministry warns that AIDS is now a “national emergency” as numbers of HIV infections continue to rise .
National Health Department sources say Mozambique needs at least 18 million dollars to treat 150,000 patients
At the moment only 7,000 patients are receiving anti-retroviral therapy. It is estimated the 14.9% of Mozambicans aged 15 to 49 are HIV+.
Although no investigations have been made to identify the causes for the accelerated spread of HIV/AIDS in Mozambique, experts say lack of information and education in some sectors of the population is one reason and that improved standard of living in other sectors could be another. (AP) (27/7/2004 Agenzia Fides; Righe:16; Parole:165)