Zim Lacks AIDS Drugs to Expand. 11/7/10
Zimbabwe may not have enough anti-AIDS drugs to comply with World Health Organisation recommendations
11 June 2010
Harare - Zimbabwe may not have enough anti-AIDS drugs to comply with World Health Organisation recommendations on providing treatment to people with HIV, a top health official said on Sunday.
Zimbabwe is currently treating about 200 000 people whose immune systems have been severely weakened by the disease, but the WHO recommends that treatment should start earlier.
The co-ordinator of HIV treatment in the health ministry, Tsitsi Mutasa Apollo, said: "The number of people in need of treatment will double if we follow the World Health Organisation plan.
"We are likely to experience more drug shortages," said Apollo.
The new guidelines would mean about 500 000 people need treatment, the paper said.
Zimbabwe's prevention and treatment campaign relies on donor funding after a near decade of economic crisis that crippled health services.
The country imposes an Aids levy on workers to fund drug procurement for over 1.6 million people living with the virus.
Last year HIV infected 13.7% of adults, down from a high of 33% in 1999.
The decline has been attributed to donor-backed prevention campaigns which promotes safe sex and discourages multiple sexual partners.