A total of 44,000 HIV/AIDS patients in Tanzania will get anti-retroviral drugs for free by the end of this year, reports Xinhua.

The health ministry announced Wednesday that the government had set aside $20 million for the purchase of anti-retroviral drugs and the free drug distribution programme would benefit 23,000 Tanzanians infected with HIV/AIDS.

According to the ministry, the government has dispensed free-drugs to 21,000 patients, including 4,240 children, in 96 health centres.

An estimated two million people have been infected with HIV/AIDS in the east African country with a population of 35 million.

The disease claims some 140,000 lives a year and has made 12 percent of the country's children AIDS orphans.

Tanzania has planned to provide up to 500,000 HIV/AIDS suffers with free-drugs in a period of five years.