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Strong laboratory support urged for AIDS plan

    JOHANNESBURG

    South Africa's health ministry has urged the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) to expand its services to support the implementation of the government's HIV/AIDS care and treatment plan.

    The plan will be implemented in at least one service point in every health district across the country and is expected to distribute antiretroviral drugs to around 53,000 people living with HIV/AIDS over the next four months.

    Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said in a recent statement: "I am sure you will appreciate that we rely on the NHLS to provide services in all these districts, not only to support the implementation of the programme ... but to strengthen the whole health care system and infrastructure, especially in disadvantaged areas, which do not have a good network of laboratory services."

    The NHLS would also have to strengthen and expand its capability for testing the viral load and CD4 count, which were essential in the diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS.

    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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