Multimillion dollar British boost for AIDS orphans

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is to receive a US $88 million British grant for its work with children orphaned by AIDS in developing countries. According to UK Under-Secretary of State for International Development, Gareth Thomas, most of the money will be spent in sub-Saharan Africa. "The international community, working with developing countries, needs to scale up its response, not only with AIDS but with the developing orphan crisis," Thomas was quoted by the Associated Press as saying. UNICEF will use the funds as part of a three-year $300 million UK plan to support AIDS orphans, raise awareness among local and international governments, and work to reduce transmission of HIV from mothers to infants.