Militaries to jointly tackle HIV/AIDS

The defence forces of South Africa and Namibia on Thursday agreed to set up joint programmes to help curtail the spread of HIV/AIDS in the region. According to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), the resolution follows a recent three-day session in Pretoria of the Joint Commission on Defence and Security of the Southern African countries. Mosiuoa Lekota, the South African Minister of Defence, said technical teams from both sides would meet in the coming months on ways to put the decision into effect. "They will make recommendations as to what joint programmes the two defence forces can or should undertake to undermine the spread of HIV/AIDS," Lekota said. The South African and Namibian delegations were headed by Lekota and his visiting counterpart, Erkki Nghimtina.