Zimbabwe: AIDS Emergency Period Extended

Zimbabwe has extended the declaration of emergency on HIV/AIDS by a further five years, according to the Government Gazette, quoting Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa. "The Minister hereby declares an emergency for the period of five years with effect from 1st January 2003 to 31 December 2008" said Chinamasa. The extension will allow people continued access to generic drugs used in treating HIV/AIDS and related infections. The emergency declaration was in line with Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights, a World Trade Organization agreement that makes it possible for the government to procure, through the National Pharmaceutical Company, AIDS drugs from licensed dealers. The drugs are being given free of charge at about 35 centers to reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission. Official statistics indicate that at least 2,000 people die of AIDS every week in the country, and about 20 percent of the country's 12 million people are infected with HIV.

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