Statement: South Africa Approves AIDS Treatment Program

Today's a historic day in the global fight against HIV and AIDS. By approving a nationwide treatment program for people living with AIDS, the South African Cabinet sets in motion a plan to provide more than a million South Africans with medicine that can extend their lives, and help prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. I applaud President Mbeki and his government for their leadership and commitment to stopping the scourge of AIDS in South Africa.

I am pleased that my Foundation has been able to assist in the development of this program, and I look forward to our continued cooperation as it is being implemented in the months to come. I believe South Africa's decision could help pave the way for even further reductions in the price of drugs used to treat people with AIDS, and this new treatment program could provide an example for other nations in Africa and elsewhere in the world to follow.

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