UN voluntary workers could soon be making up for man-hours lost due to AIDS-related deaths in Zambia, the UN special envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa, Stephen Lewis, said on Friday.
In a statement at the conclusion of his three-day visit to Zambia, Lewis said he was taken aback by the lack of capacity in government departments adversely affected by the loss of skilled manpower.
In spite of its projected budget overrun, he said, there could soon be little or no economic development if the country did not prioritise tackling HIV/AIDS.
Expressing disappointment over the reluctance of international donors to release AIDS money, Lewis said he intended to persuade the United States to accelerate the release of the pledged funds.
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