President Thabo Mbeki

South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday unveiled an expanded treatment programme for pregnant women and babies with HIV, in a new drive to rein in the disease in the world's worst-affected country. Zuma said that all babies with HIV will receive treatment at public facilities from next April, while women will receive care earlier in their pregnancies in a bid to prevent transmission to newborns. "This decision will contribute significantly towards the reduction of infant mortality over time," he said in a nationally televised speech to mark World AIDS Day. An estimated 5.7 million of South Africa's 48 million people have HIV, including ... Read Full Story

South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday unveiled an expanded treatment programme for pregnant women and babies with HIV, in a new drive to rein in the disease in the world's worst-affected country. Zuma said that all babies with HIV will receive treatment at public facilities from next April, while women will receive care earlier in their pregnancies in a bid to prevent transmission to newborns. "This decision will contribute significantly towards the reduction of infant mortality over time," he said in a nationally televised speech to mark World AIDS Day. An estimated 5.7 million of South Africa's 48 million people have HIV, including ... Read Full Story

President Jacob Zuma, once ridiculed for his comments on AIDS, was to unveil Tuesday new measures to combat the disease which has hit South Africa harder than any other country. Zuma announced in late October that he would use World AIDS Day to announce "extraordinary measures" to rein in the disease that has hit 5.7 million of South Africa's 48 million people. "President Zuma wants to see an enhancement of prevention, treatment, the end of stigma as well as improved care and support for those living with the virus and their families," his office said in a statement ahead of the speech. Officials have ... Read Full Story

PRETORIA (Reuters) - South Africa, with the world's highest HIV caseload, will roll out life-prolonging anti-retroviral drugs to significantly more people infected with the virus from next year, President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday. Zuma announced a new era in the approach to AIDS in South Africa, where at least 5.7 million people are infected with HIV and former President Thabo Mbeki was accused of failing to address a sickness that kills an estimated 1,000 people a day. "Let there be no more shame, no more blame, no more discrimination and no more stigma. Let the politicization and endless debates about HIV and AIDS ... Read Full Story

The United States is giving South Africa $120 million for AIDS treatment drugs in response to a plea from President Jacob Zuma that underlines his new approach to fighting the epidemic in the country with the world's heaviest AIDS burden. His predecessor's health minister distrusted drugs developed to keep AIDS patients alive, instead promoting beets and garlic treatments. Zuma, who took over after April elections, and his health minister have said former President Thabo Mbeki's AIDS policies were wrong. Zuma's government has set a target of getting 80 percent of those who need AIDS drugs on them by 2011. "This additional funding is in ... Read Full Story