U.S. Gives R300 Million More for Military Aids Research
A R300 million agreement on HIV/AIDS research in the military was signed in Pretoria last week by SA Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota and US ambassador to South Africa Jendayi Frazer.
The agreement will boost the medical research capacity of the SA Military Health Service and advance Project Phidisa, a collaboration between the two countries on biomedical research (SouthScan v19/24).
The project is focused on improved clinical management, psycho-social support, and the development of effective family-oriented care for HIV-affected military families. It is currently conducting trials of a number of HIV treatment drugs.
From its inception the project, based at the main military hospital in Pretoria, has been effectively funded by the US, which is concerned at the capacity of African security forces operate with their ranks depleted by AIDS.
Lekota has said that between 17 and 23 percent of the SANDF is infected with HIV (SouthScan v19/17), but unofficial sources say the figure for troops is closer to 25 percent.
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02 Juin 2005 à 13:05 dans
- zsandf (anglais)
