'There has been a severe shortage of the drugs in the country,' the organisation's country director William Paton told DPA. 'The funds will cover three months and after that, we will make further considerations.'

But while the Global Fund is putting money in, the government is taking it out.

HIV activists are furious that the government chose to divert $15 million earmarked for ARVs to buy shares in a drug factory and pay health worker wages. They are demanding that the government refund the money.

However, Health Minister Stephen Malinga has instead raised the idea of making patients pay for part of the drug cost.

Such a scheme is not viable for the poor.

'I cannot even feed my children and when I am told that I will have to buy the drugs, where will I get the money?' Bagagga, who was abandoned by her husband, asked.

Christine, 48, another AIDS sufferer from Central Uganda, says that while the drugs were free at first, patients quickly had to begin paying $3 per visit.

'Later, we were told that there were no drugs,' the widower said. 'It was like telling us: 'Go home and die'.'

The end result is that only 190,000 people are receiving ARVs in Uganda out of 357,000 who qualify for treatment, according to the health ministry.

Health charities say that the number of people who qualify may be as high as half a million.