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More free anti-AIDS drugs announced

Zambia has announced plans to provide free antiretroviral drugs to at least 100,000 people living with HIV/AIDS by 2005. In his recent state-of-the-nation address to parliament, President Levy Mwanawasa said 10,000 HIV-positive people were already benefiting from the government's previous free anti-AIDS drug programme. Mwanawasa was quoted by Agence France-Presse (AFP) as saying: "This demonstrates our commitment to providing a whole continuum of treatment, care and support to people living with HIV/AIDS." Research shows that in Zambia, where the majority of people earn less than a dollar per day, anti-AIDS drugs still sell for about US $200 per person per month.

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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