Mexican President Announces Plan To Provide Drugs to All AIDS Patients

Mexican President Vicente Fox on Tuesday announced that the government plans to provide AIDS medications for "100%" of the country's AIDS patients by the end of the year, the Associated Press reports (Associated Press, 8/5). About 10,000 Mexicans who cannot afford to pay for their own treatment currently receive government funding for AIDS treatment, but it is unclear exactly how many more patients will receive assistance under the new plan (AP/Los Angeles Times, 8/6). Fox did not specify if the program would serve only individuals with AIDS or if the program would extend to all HIV-positive patients. The Mexican Health Department reports that in 2002 -- the most recent year for which data are available -- 16,231 new HIV/AIDS cases were reported, and between 116,000 and 177,000 Mexicans were already living with the disease. The department did not have data showing the number of individuals in the country who have developed AIDS, the Associated Press reports. Health department representatives on Tuesday were unavailable for comment, according to the Associated Press (Associated Press, 8/5).