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The biggest ARV programme in the world?

    JOHANNESBURG

    South Africa has the world's largest antiretroviral (ARV) treatment programme for HIV-positive people, government officials announced on Wednesday.

    According to government spokesman Joel Netshitenzhe, by the end of March this year, 134,473 patients were receiving the life-prolonging medication at state facilities, while an estimated additional 80,000 were receiving ARVs through private medical treatment and the non-governmental sector.

    "No other country has got the kinds of numbers that we are talking about - about 210,000 people who are under ART [antiretroviral treatment]," Netshitenzhe was quoted as saying.

    The government news agency, BuaNews, reported that Cabinet welcomed the progress made, but stressed that "much more needs to be done" to curb the spread of the pandemic.

    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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