Aida Libombo, Mozambique's deputy health minister, has announced that the government is working hard ensure that the number of HIV-positive people in the country receiving antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in the country increases from 25,000 to 55,000 by the end of this year.

"HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, and in Mozambique in particular, has reached a scale that goes well beyond the public health arena, affecting social and economic aspects of the lives of individuals, households and communities," said Libombo.

The new treatment target is attainable, she added, because more financial resources have been made available through the increase of the country's HIV/AIDS budget and support from the private sector and international partners.