South Africa's failure to fund an AIDS treatment programme is a "disgrace" and the country risks falling apart unless it tackles the AIDS crisis, campaigner and singer Annie Lennox says. South Africa has the world's largest AIDS epidemic. At least 5.7 million people are infected with HIV/Aids kills an estimated 1 000 people a day.

South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said this week the government's HIV programme had a shortfall of around one billion rand ($134 million) and that South Africa would not meet a target of providing life-prolonging drugs to 80 percent of HIV/AIDS sufferers by 2011. "This is a disgrace, this should not be happening. South Africa has many, many resources," Lennox told Reuters in an interview yesterday.

"It's a very young democracy, but at the same time if they don't address this issue, things are just going to fall apart in my opinion," she said.

South Africa, rich in natural resources, is battling its first recession in 17 years. The former Eurythmics star has set up a campaign called "Sing" (www.annielennoxsing.com) to raise awareness of the AIDS crisis in South Africa. Acknowledging South Africa faced a "massive" challenge, she said: "I think we have to give as much attention to this and full support to really try and make that challenge be met." If successful, it would offer a blueprint for the rest of the continent, she said. – Reuters