World Food Program said last week it had received from Malawi a donation of 10,425 metric tons of maize worth $1.8 million. "The contribution will ensure that tens of thousands of vulnerable Malawians continue to receive crucial food assistance until the end of 2007," said Dom Scalpelli, WFP's director in Malawi. "Food is absolutely crucial to the fight against HIV/AIDS, people affected by the pandemic are already starting to benefit from the latest donation by the Malawian government, and thousands more will now receive vital food assistance in the coming months." Malawi has an adult HIV/AIDS prevalence of 14 percent, and the country records some 78,002 AIDS-related deaths annually. WFP, which already assists more than 110,000 AIDS-affected people monthly in Malawi, plans to ramp up its operations and reach 203,000 by December.

www.aegis.org