On Tuesday, the United States and South Africa announced a new $3.4 million program aimed at curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS among South Africa's teachers.

In the eastern KwaZulu-Natal province, close to 22 percent of teachers are HIV-positive. Teachers in the northern Mpumalanga state and the coastal Eastern Cape region also have high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates. The project will target teachers in these three regions. A study by South Africa's Human Sciences Research Council found the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate among teachers at 12.7 percent, with 21.4 prevalence in teachers ages 25-34.

Under the two-year program funded by the US government, 15,000 school representatives will train peers on issues including fighting stigma and encouraging testing, awareness and condom use.

The program will also provide about 2,300 teachers and their spouses who have CD4 cell counts lower than 200 with free antiretroviral drugs.

A 2004 study also found rural areas in South Africa to be "hotspots" for teachers with AIDS. Last year, 4,000 teachers died of AIDS; 80 percent of those were under age 45.

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