SA worried about affordability of HIV/Aids plan

South Africa says its worried that a programme aimed at fighting HIV/Aids could founder on a lack of financial resources.

Figures from the Department of Health say the national strategic plan, which aims to give 80%
of HIV-positive people access to antiretroviral therapy by 2011, will cost about R6 billion to implement this year, rising to R11 billion in 2011.

The Department says in a report posted on the United Nations (UN) web site, if the target is achieved, this will exceed 20% of the health budget. An estimated 500 000 people in South Africa are infected with HIV/AIDS each year and close to 1 000 die of related ailments every day.
- Reuters