AIDS plan to benefit thousands more

Kenya plans to provide anti-AIDS treatment to more than 180,000 HIV-positive people by 2005 through its new social health scheme. According to a local newspaper, The East African Standard, Health Minister Charity Ngilu was hopeful that the forthcoming National Health Social Insurance Scheme would cater for all people, regardless of their economic status. Ngilu urged ambassadors and development partners to support the new health plan and assist the government in mobilising additional resources. Research shows that only 19,000 of the country's estimated 1.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS presently have access to antiretroviral drugs.