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Thousands of health staff needed to dispense AIDS drugs

    JOHANNESBURG

    Some 100,000 health care workers will be needed to distribute anti-AIDS drugs in Africa, the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

    Africa is home to an estimated 70 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide.

    During a recent visit to Singapore, WHO director-general, Dr Lee Jong-Wook said: "It's difficult to grasp the magnitude of the problem. The 8,000 people dying every day from AIDS is equivalent to 30 jumbo jets crashing every day."

    Lee warned that WHO's aim to provide 3 million HIV-positive people in Africa with the latest available drugs by the end of 2005 was only achievable if workers were found to deliver the drugs.

    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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