US to triple AIDS spending

The US is set to spend $55 billion to battle HIV/AIDS in the next five years.

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill to more than triple government spending in Africa and other badly affected parts of the world.

The bill marks a huge increase from the $16.5 billion authorised during the first five years of an initiative launched by President George W Bush in 2003.

Initially focused on Vietnam, Guyana, Haiti and 12 African nations, the program will be expanded to include Malawi, Swaziland and Lesotho as well as some Caribbean nations.