MAPUTO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- World Bank support for the fight against HIV/AIDS in Mozambique, known as the MAP project, will be extended for a further 12 months to allow the use of the remaining funds to implement a five year (2003-2008) project, AIM reported on Tuesday.

    About 22 million U.S. dollars are still available and this sum can be used in programs to prevent HIV infection, and in increasing the availability of anti-retroviral drugs, Health Minister Ivo Garrido said after a meeting of the management of the National AIDS Council (CNCS) on Monday.

    Garrido said that a mission from the World Bank will be in Mozambique from December 1 to 12 to work with the CNCS in determining how the money will be used.

    "We shall first assess implementation of the project since it began in 2003, and we shall then find the best ways of using the funds allocated to the project, decide how disbursements should be made, and speed up the approval of proposals presented by civil society organizations", said Garrido.

    Monday's meeting also discussed a report from the reference group on means of preventing the spread of HIV infection, prior to its presentation to the government on Tuesday, as well as preparations for the events that will mark December 1, World AIDS Day.