Angola's government on Wednesday adopted a program that aims to provide antiretroviral drugs to people living with AIDS, especially to pregnant women and children. The program's main goal is to reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission, said the Council of Ministers, which is headed by President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. The scheme calls for creating medical centers with the specific task of caring for AIDS patients throughout Angola. The government expects to receive funding from UNAIDS, WHO, and several NGOs. Experts estimate that 43,748 people are infected with HIV in Angola, though only 5,112 cases have been reported to public health officials. Last week an Angola-based NGO, the Justice, Peace, and Democracy Association, asked parliament to consider a bill that would protect people with HIV, who are discriminated against by their relatives and employers.

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