About 4 000 Namibian HIV patients who stopped taking their antiretroviral medication can now resume treatment following intervention from the US food assistance programme. Following President Geingob's declaration of drought emergency in May last year, the US Embassy committed more than US$8 million (around N$150 million) in food assistance to the most affected and vulnerable Namibians, including HIV patients. The food assistance programme, is intended to meet the nutritional gap of food insecure families affected by recent drought. Distributed by World Food Programme, food consist of maize meal, beans and oil. The distribution began in December last year in Kavango East and Kavango West and it was extended to other several regions of the country. The programme is funded by the Presidents Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).