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Health Minister to address UNGASS

    JOHANNESBURG

    South African health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang is among scores of government officials converging on New York for the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on AIDS on Wednesday.

    According to the South African Broadcasting Corporation, the minister is expected to address the opening session of the conference and touch on South Africa's anti-AIDS successes since the previous special session in 2001.

    South Africa pledged together with more than 180 countries five years ago to accelerate the global battle against AIDS and reverse escalating infection rates.

    However, despite a more than fourfold increase in financing for AIDS programmes, including prevention treatment and care, the country is still grappling with rising prevalence rates.

    UNAIDS noted in its 2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic that an estimated 5.5 million people were living with the HI virus in South Africa, making it the country with the highest number of HIV-positive people in Africa.

    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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