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Civil society assists AIDS drug rollout

In the first structured civil society response of its kind in South Africa, a network of 90 NGOs in KwaZulu-Natal province, on the country's eastern seaboard, is helping the government to roll out anti-AIDS drugs.

The province is estimated to have an HIV prevalence rate of 33 percent, compared to the national average of 25 percent.

Although the provincial Department of Health has stated its interest in cooperating with the NGOs, no official recognition of collaboration has been given.

The department's spokesman, Dumisani Shange, told the UN news service, PlusNews, that "the minister is very much committed to include civil society in the fight against HIV/AIDS," but did not elaborate on the details of cooperation with the NGO network.


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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