Date:01/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/01/stories/2004120107580500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

DFID to increase aid to India

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, NOV. 30. The UK's Department for International Development (DFID) plans to increase its aid to India to 300 million pounds within the next three years from the present 123 million pounds. India will remain Britain's biggest bilateral aid programme, announced Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for International Development, UK, while addressing the press after visiting the Government General and Chest Hospital here on Tuesday.

Doctors complimented

Mr. Benn expressed happiness at the `anti-retroviral' (ARV) treatment being given to HIV positive patients at the hospital and said that the challenge was to get ARV to greater number of people. He complimented the doctors and staff of the hospital for their dedicated work for TB and HIV patients. He was accompanied by the Principal Secretary, Health, I.V. Subba Rao, and Director, State AIDS Control Society, K. Damayanthi.