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Government concern over AIDS spending

    JOHANNESBURG

    The upscaling of private- and public-sector HIV/AIDS drug programmes has been urged by Zambia's government, local newspaper the Times of Zambia reported on Wednesday.

    The call follows recent estimates that government expenditure was expected to increase as HIV/AIDS health costs rose by between 2.2 percent and 2.6 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the next decade.

    Labour and social security minister, Patrick Kafumukache, warned that escalated HIV/AIDS levels had already eroded domestic and foreign investment, and impacted negatively on investor confidence and production costs.

    Pivate and government savings had declined "because the basic treatment cost per patient is about twice the per capita GDP. Costs will also rise to provide the necessary staff training and infrastructure, to enable basic treatment and spending on social support," Kafumukache added.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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