Food shortages obstruct HIV/Aids treatment

Food shortages are affecting people taking antiretroviral treatment for HIV/Aids in the central American island of Haiti.

People in the French-speaking nation live to 53 on average if they are male or 56 on average if they are female, with almost half of the population under 15 years of age.

Aids is the biggest recorded killer on the island while data keeping for all other deaths is poor.

Irin reported that 60 per cent of Haitians lived below the poverty line of less than $2 (£1.25) a day.

Almost a third of the population are expected to face food shortages before the end of the hurricane season.

HIV/Aids medication works better if it can be taken with food and the side effects are also said to be minimised.

Reynold Grand Pierre of non-governmental organization that supports HIV/Aids treatment sites in Haiti, GHESKIO said: "It's difficult to assure [antiretroviral] adherence without that food support."

Charity Espoir Anaise has been distributing food on behalf of the UN World Food Programme and Catholic Relief Services.

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