Zimbabwe is to receive 105 million U.S. dollars from a special United Nations fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, the state-controlled Herald newspapapr reported Friday, according to DPA. Anti-AIDS programmes will receive more than 62 million dollars from the Global Fund to fight AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Anti- malaria programmes will get around 30 million dollars while more than 13 million dollars will be used to fight tuberculosis, it said. "It is government's hope and also that of many AIDS patients, most of whom cannot access anti-retroviral drugs privately, that the state would be able to provide treatment to as many as 100,000 people by the end of the year," the paper said. Around one in every four adult Zimbabweans is estimated to be living with HIV, the virus that can lead to AIDS. However, only 30,000 Zimbabweans are currently receiving anti-retrovirals (ARVs), the drugs used to fight the effects of HIV, the Herald said. Although as many as 500,000 people might be buying ARVs privately, the spiralling prices are making them increasingly unaffordable, the paper said. The paper quoted Health Minister David Parirenyatwa as saying the government wants to step up anti-retroviral treatment. "Of course, that is an issue we would definitely want to look into because we know the importance of treatment," he said.
