Govt earmarks Rp 10b for ARV

DENPASAR, Bali: The government has allocated around Rp 10 billion (US$1.05 million) for the purchase of Anti RetroViral (ARV) drugs, which help people with HIV/AIDS to live a longer and more productive life.

Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi said on Friday that the allocation would in 2004 benefit 40,000 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) across the country.

Sujudi said the funds would be directly dispersed to 25 hospitals in big cities throughout the country, including Sanglah General Hospital in Denpasar, Bali.

Currently, there are between 90,000 and 130,000 PLWHA in Indonesia. -- Antara