The United Nations Secretary General Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, Stephen Lewis is to visit Angola on February 20-26 to analyse the matter with the national authorities and assess the efforts being developed by the Government in the fight against this disease, a press note reads.

According to the document issued by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Angola, Mr. Lewis will meet Government officials, visit hospitals working in the prevention and teatment of this sickness, as well as visit HIV/AIDS patients.

His agenda also includes a tour to the Southern Cunene province, where he will get acquainted with the extent of the situation with this illness in that Southern Province.

Spephen Lewis is being accompanied in this first visit to Angola by Anurita Bannis, his Special Adviser and Stephanie Nolen, journalist with the Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail.

In june 2004, the Angolan National Assembly (Parliament) passed the HIV/AIDS Act, which outlines the government responsibilities in the adoption of preventive measures, control, treatment and research leading to the combat of the illness.

In the same year, a source with the UNDP revealed that the number of nEw cases of AIDS in Angola will increase from 21,000 in the year 2001, to between 45,000 and 49,000 cases in the year 2005.

According to these forecasts, if the prevalence worsens, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS will jump from 344,000 in the year 2001, to between 638,000 and 749,000 people in the year 2005. The figure would therefore reach around 1.08 million and 1.65 million in the year 2010, it predicts.