A United Nations envoy says US President George Bush’s policies could lead to a devastating rise in AIDS infection in Africa.

The UN’s Secretary General’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa Stephan Lewis, a former Canadian UN Ambassador, says the policy of promoting abstinence through religious groups is leading to more unprotected sex as less condoms are being distributed in Uganda.

Condon supplies have dwindled partly because the countries biggest financial sponsor for HIV/AIDS work is the United States and President Bush wants to promote the idea that people should not have sex as a way of not passing on the infection.

Normally Uganda needs between 150 and 180 million condoms a year but only 32 million have been made available.

However, Uganda’s Health Minister Jim Muhwezi says the comments are part of a co-ordinated sleaze campaign against Uganda and there is no shortage of condoms in the country.