Clinton in Lesotho Opens Pediatric Clinic That Will Provide Antiretroviral Drugs to More Children

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 20 Jul 2005 - 16:00 PDT

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Former President Clinton on Monday at the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Maseru, Lesotho, opened a $27,000 pediatric clinic that will provide antiretroviral drugs to 650 more children than the 100 children the hospital currently serves,... Reuters reports (Lekhetho, Reuters, 7/18). "Every child has a right to life, to grow up, to have a healthy life, to dream their dreams and get educated," Clinton said, adding, "I hate to see children dying." Clinton praised the Lesotho government for doing a "remarkable job in a short time" to fight HIV/AIDS, but he said the country has "a long way to go." He called on people to help the government in efforts to curb the spread of the virus (AFP/Yahoo! News, 7/18). "Your country needs you. It cannot exist with 30% of adults that are HIV-positive," he said (Reuters, 7/18). Clinton said a lack of donor funding is "the major constraint" preventing the country from implementing a universal treatment program (SAPA/SABCNews.com, 7/18). Clinton is on a weeklong tour of six African nations to promote the work of the Clinton Foundation in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Clinton began his tour in Mozambique and will travel to South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda later this week (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 7/18).

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