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Malawians with HIV get pay rise | Malawians with HIV get pay rise |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Malawian civil servants with HIV are to be given a pay rise by the government. | Malawian civil servants with HIV are to be given a pay rise by the government. |
Health Minister Marjorie Ngaunjeb said all civil servants affected by the disease would receive an extra $35 a month to help them buy more food. | Health Minister Marjorie Ngaunjeb said all civil servants affected by the disease would receive an extra $35 a month to help them buy more food. |
"We thought [it] would go a long way in improving their nutritional requirements which are essential to their wellbeing," she told Reuters. | "We thought [it] would go a long way in improving their nutritional requirements which are essential to their wellbeing," she told Reuters. |
Tens of thousands of Malawians die of Aids every year with about 7% of the 13m population infected. | Tens of thousands of Malawians die of Aids every year with about 7% of the 13m population infected. |
Another government official said that the extra money should help those with HIV prolong their lives. | Another government official said that the extra money should help those with HIV prolong their lives. |
Losing large numbers of trained staff is a major problem for the countries worst affected by HIV/Aids, such as Malawi. | Losing large numbers of trained staff is a major problem for the countries worst affected by HIV/Aids, such as Malawi. |
The BBC's Raphael Tenthani in Blantyre says the government is the country's largest employer with about 120,000 civil servants. | |
Their monthly salaries average about $70, AFP news agency reports. | |
After years of silence, the authorities spoke out about the crisis in 2004, when a programme to tackle HIV/Aids was launched. | After years of silence, the authorities spoke out about the crisis in 2004, when a programme to tackle HIV/Aids was launched. |
Then President Bakili Muluzi revealed that his brother had died from the disease. | Then President Bakili Muluzi revealed that his brother had died from the disease. |
Last year, the government called on all sexually active people in the country to take an Aids test. | Last year, the government called on all sexually active people in the country to take an Aids test. |
The UN estimates that 80% of people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa do not know they have the virus. | The UN estimates that 80% of people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa do not know they have the virus. |