ZAMBIA: HIV/AIDS NGOs still waiting for government treatment policy

The Zambian government still has to come up with a policy on the treatment of HIV-positive people, the Network of Zambian People Living With HIV/AIDS (NZP+) said on Wednesday. In November 2002 Health Minister Brian Chituwo announced that the government would use money from the Geneva-based Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to provide antiretroviral drugs to 10,000 HIV-positive Zambians. "We still do not know what the government selection criteria is for its commitment to treat 10,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, or when it will get the UN Global Fund money," NZP+ Chairman Martin Chisulo, told the UN news service PlusNews. Earlier this week, National AIDS Council acting director Dr Alex Simwanza said there were budgetary constraints to the government's commitment to supply Zambians with HIV/AIDS drugs. HIV/AIDS treatment was expensive and the government would have to halt the provision of other services if it were to treat everyone infected with HIV, Simwanza said. Simwanza added that Global Fund officials were expected in the country this week, and that the government would sign a funding contract with the Fund before the end of the month.