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Downplay of HIV/AIDS crisis - US senator

    JOHANNESBURG

    HIV/AIDS in South Africa is "well-managed", and is having little effect on life expectancy or the economy, a visiting delegation of US senators has heard.

    However, delegation leader Bill Frist said the apparent denial of the scope of the crisis could jeopardise the country's chances for a large share of America's US $15 billion global HIV/AIDS plan.

    President George W Bush recently signed into law the five-year plan for AIDS relief in most of Africa and the Caribbean.

    The Chicago Tribune quoted Frist as saying: "If the US is going to be investing taxpayers' money ... we need to make sure it's invested with the full cooperation and support of governments."

    Frist said he was disappointed that South Africa's Minister of Trade and Industry, Alec Erwin, seemed to be downplaying the country's HIV/AIDS crisis during a recent meeting.

    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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