 |
|
| Deputy president: S. Africa not to desert people with HIV/AIDS |
| CCTV.COM 2003-08-04 13:08:10 |
|
The South African government will not desert its people with HIV/AIDS, even though the epidemic is raising huge challenges in the country. Deputy President Jacob Zuma made the remark on Sunday in Durban during a national workshop.
Opening the first South African conference focusing on AIDS, Zuma also called on big business to do far more to address the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS. He said they could provide much more in the way of effective services for the workforce and their families. Zuma told the 2,700 delegates that the government has been working hard to stem the advance of HIV/AIDS.
"Some people sometimes feel that the government is not caring enough for people that are affected by HIV/AIDS by not providing them with anti－retrovirus therapy. We are in the process of finalizing several international agreements that will ensure access to medication to the many infected people," said Zuma.
Zuma noted that plans to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS must be accompanied by plans to alleviate and eradicate poverty. He also said that the national treasury had set aside some 3.3 billion rand, or some 440 million US dollars, to fight HIV/AIDS through June, 2005.
South Africa has an estimated 4.7 million people infected with HIV/AIDS. AIDS activist groups say some 600 South Africans die each day from HIV/AIDS.
|
|
Editor: Yang Feiyang CCTV.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
