WASHINGTON, Feb 23 (AFP) - The 15-billion-dollar US anti-AIDS program got officially underway with the release Monday of its first 350 million dollars and its five-year plan.
Secretary of State Colin Powell, Health Secretary Tommy Thomson, US anti-AIDS-HIV coordinator Randall Tobias and Aid for International Development (USAID) head Andrew Natsios made the announcement.
President George W. Bush announced one year ago the program to battle the disease worldwide.
Nine billion dollars are destined to 14 countries in Africa and the Caribbean: Botswana, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Guyana, Haiti, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Another list is to be announced soon.
The first 350 million dollars is headed to those countries representing half of the world's AIDS cases.
"This money will go to scale up programs that are providing anti-retroviral treatment; prevention programs, including those targeted to youth and safe medical practices programs; and programs to provide care for orphans and vulnerable children," Tobias said.
Five billion dollars are earmarked for ongoing bilateral programs in more than 100 countries and one billion was set aside for UN anti-AIDS campaigns.
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