The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has welcomed the medium term expenditure framework on HIV/AIDS announced by the Minister of Finance, Trevor Manuel, last week. "Our preliminary understanding of the budget is that approximately R12 billion will be directed towards HIV/AIDS over the next three years." However, the TAC said they were concerned at the disappointing statement released by the Government Communication and Information Services (GCIS), which made it clear that the release of the operational treatment plan had been delayed yet again.