"The drugs are now available in both public and private hospitals," Health Minister Brian Chituwo told parliament.

Patients are required to contribute a monthly 40,000 kwacha (about eight dollars / seven euros) toward their treatment.

The anti-retroviral drugs cost around 90,000 kwacha and the government has been criticised for charging a levy. Many say it is too costly for the southern African country where three quarters of the 11 million-strong population lives on less than a dollar a day.

One in every five Zambians is believed to be HIV positive.

The health minister told lawmakers that his government was consulting with various interests groups to try and organise free medicine.

"We recognise that the cost-sharing measures are a hinderance to the universal access to ARV's for patients," Chituwo said but added that the government introduced a fee to avoid the abuse of the AIDS drugs.

Children under the age of five and people older than 60 years can access the drugs without any cost.

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa announced in January this year that his government would provide free anti-retroviral drugs to about 100,000 patients by next year through the public health system.

Chituwo said that target was still on track.

"We intend to provide ARV's to 100,000 people by the end of 2005."

The government has opened anti-retroviral treatment centres in all the nine provinces and around 300 doctors have been trained in administering the medicine.

TERRA.WIRE