The number of people receiving the life-prolonging anti- retroviral drugs rose from 46,871 at the end of January, to 49,833 at the end of February, to 53,414 at the end of March. The number of new patients receiving ARV therapy in March was 3,581 - the largest ever jump in a single month.
60 per cent of those receiving anti-retrovirals are women, and 3,683 are under the age of 15. There are now 166 health units in the country offering ARV treatment, covering all Mozambican cities and all districts, urban and rural.
Not surprisingly, the largest number of patients (18,552) is in Maputo city, followed by Sofala province (5,761), and Gaza (5,197).
It is estimated that, of the over 1.4 million HIV-positive Mozambicans, about 300,000 have now reached the stage of the disease at which they ought to be taking anti-retrovirals.
Contrary to expectations raised during the visit to Mozambique of Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva in November 2003, the pharmaceutical plant which Brazil promised to build so that Mozambican could produce its own anti-retroviral drugs still does not exist.
But the report said that a viability study on the costs of such a factory, and containing various scenarios for the production of medicines, has been completed and was delivered to the Health Ministry in late April.
As for legislation on AIDS, the report noted that the Assembly has now received, from NGOs working in the area, a draft bill on the defence of the human rights of HIV-positive citizens.
So far, the only specific legislation passed by the Assembly on AIDS was a law of 2002 to protect HIV-positive workers from dismissal or discrimination at the workplace.
No more general legislation on stigma and discrimination against HIV-positive people yet exists. The matter will now go before the Assembly's Legal Affairs Commission, and the report hoped that a bill on the matter could be passed in the October- December parliamentary sitting.
The report recommended inspection of existing legislation which may need amendment to include aspects related to AIDS, and the defence of HIV-positive citizens.
In the debate of this report, Ismael Mussa, of the former rebel movement Renamo, protested at the exorbitant prices charged by Mozambican Television (TVM) and Radio Mozambique for broadcasting anti-AIDS advertisements.
He called on the radio and television to reduce their prices. Indeed, since these are public service advertisements, "why shouldn't they be broadcast free of charge ?", Mussa asked.
Unfortunately, some other Renamo deputies believe that the best way to fight AIDS is by abolishing sex education in schools.
Manuel Pereira claimed that schools contribute to the spread of AIDS by teaching children about condoms. As a result "children want to experiment", he claimed.
He wanted to return to the days of "morality" in the schools, when there were matters "that you couldn't speak to children about".
The current situation could have been avoided, alleged Pereira, if people only listened to "what the churches preach".
SOURCE: AIM
