Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
BBC News - Wednesday, 3 December, 2003
Christian Fraser, In Nairobi, Kenya
The multinational companies will invest millions of dollars in infrastructure and healthcare training programmes to help support the public sector.
In many developing world countries the private sector already plays a key role in primary health care provision.
But experts say further investment in public-private partnerships will be crucial in the fight against HIV/Aids - particularly in poor and remote areas, where there are few resources.
The seven companies, which include Anglo-American, Chevron-Texaco, Heineken and India's Tata Steel, will provide the hospitals, satellite clinics and healthcare workers needed to support incoming investment.
The companies will now set up pilot programmes in Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, India and Russia.
United front
The companies, of course, have a vested interest in supporting this fight against the pandemic.
In areas where infection rates are accelerating their work forces have been decimated.
The World Health Organisation and UN Aids have welcomed the move.
They say by making full use of the resources of these huge multinational companies they can better focus their technical support on the countries which are hardest hit.
This commitment from the private sector, they say, will further enhance their efforts to get three million sufferers on life saving anti-retroviral drugs by 2005.
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