US DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR AFRICAN AFFAIRS TOURS QUEEN II
	Maseru, June 15 - People should know how HIV/AIDS is transmitted, so as to make wise choices to keep healthy and safe, the United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ms Carol Thompson has said. During her visit to Queen Elizabeth II hospital on Thursday, Ms Thompson said Lesotho and the US are more focused on HIV/Aids, saying the US supports Lesotho in the fight against the pandemic. She mentioned that the support the US provides to Lesotho includes ways to provide treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS, testing services, and counseling to people living with the disease. She indicated that the US government and its people are providing over M42 million in bilateral assistance to Lesotho, adding that the US is the largest single contributor to the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, and Tuberculosis which provides sizeable grants to Lesotho. She said the US is working with the government of Lesotho to develop medical staff, doctors and nurses, adding that there are about five doctors from US serving the country of Lesotho. Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Lesotho hosted a stakeholders’ lunch with Ms Thompson on Thursday, where she showed that her government is assisting a number of programs in the country which include: prevention of mother to child transmission, stand-alone, mobile and facility-based voluntary testing and counseling, the Ambassador's girls scholarship program and others. Ms. Thompson also indicated that the US is exploring ways to assist the government of Lesotho to address shortage of health care-workers. She commended Lesotho for its Know Your Status campaign and the dedication of the people, adding that the campaign is an essential tool to stem the tide of HIV. Ms Thompson said the US shares Lesotho's views in moving in a positive direction, citing the 2002 general elections and the local government elections of 2005 as admirable accomplishments which give hope for irreversible democracy. She pledged her government's support for Lesotho in free, fair and transparent national elections in 2007. During her visit to Lesotho, Ms Thompson visited Population Service International offices (PSI), met the First Lady Mrs 'Mathato Mosisili and toured Queen Elizabeth II hospital. LENA
	Source: LENA