"It is also shocking to note that 33 percent of pregnant women in the country are infected with HIV," Rangarirai Chiteure of the non-governmental Zimbabwe Aids Prevention and Support Network told New ZIANA news agency.

The government, which has for the past year administered anti-AIDS drug Nevirapine to pregnant women to reduce HIV transmission to babies, plans to introduce free anti-retroviral drugs to tens of thousands of HIV-infected people this month.

With about 24.6 percent of its adult population infected with HIV or AIDS, the southern African country has one of the world's highest prevalence rates. AIDS kills an estimated 3,000 people in the country weekly.

TERRA.WIRE