Uganda runs out of antiretroviral drugs after shortfall in aid

Ugandan government ministers have warned that the country is running out of AIDS drugs, blaming the global financial crisis and a successful testing policy.

The health ministry says that only 190 000 patients receive antiretroviral drugs out of the 357 000 who qualify for them. The health minister, Stephen Malinga, blames the shortages on the global economic crunch; a successful testing regime that has led to a rise in the numbers of people with access to the drugs; and policy changes that have increased the number of people …