UNITED Nations (UN) envoy on HIV and AIDS in Africa, Stephen Lewis has criticised the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for imposing stringent conditions on developing countries when accessing funds.

Mr Lewis was speaking on arrival at the Lusaka International Airport yesterday.

He said the two institutions should become flexible especially that many developing countries were fighting to reduce the effects of HIV/AIDS on their economies.

Mr Lewis said he had been holding discussions with officials from the two lending institutions so that they could become flexible.

He said he had been calling for debt cancellation and added that once debts were cancelled, governments should channel the money to HIV/AIDS programmes.

Mr Lewis was particularly impressed with Zambia, saying the country had become an example worth emulating by others in Africa.

Since part of the debt for Zambia was written off, Government had channeled some funds to HIV/AIDS programmes.

He commended the Government for introducing free Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART), saying most people living with the virus that he saw during his last visit had shown signs of improvement.

The decision to offer free ART was a model that other governments on the continent should emulate and they could do well to learn how Zambia was managing it.

He, however, said it was important for people to realise that a cure for AIDS had not yet been found and the only remedies that seemed to be available at this stage were the preventive measures that were known by many.

Mr Lewis said scientists were trying to find an AIDS vaccine and revealed that the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation had set aside some resources meant to help find the necessary vaccine.

The UN envoy is on a four-day visit and during his stay he will hold meetings with Government officials, UN representatives and non-governmental organisations dealing in HIV/AIDS among others.

He will also visit health centres in both rural and urban areas.