Zimbabwe's Office of the Attorney General on Wednesday dropped charges against four U.S. health workers, a New Zealander and a Zimbabwean arrested September 10 on charges they had illegally provided medical services.
The six were initially accused of running HIV/AIDS clinics in Harare and Mutoko without authorization. The Americans work under the auspices of the Allen Temple Baptist Church AIDS Ministry in Oakland, California.
Reports said the California-based medical workers have been traveling to Zimbabwe three or four times a year at their own expense to provide antiretroviral drugs, vitamins, clothing and food to poor people with AIDS.
Dr. Anthony Jones, Dr. David Greenberg, health workers Gloria Crowell and Gregory Miller, New Zealander Andrew Cheyne and Zimbabwean Dr. Tembinkosi Ncomanzi were earlier freed on $200 bail apiece.
Their lawyer, Jonathan Samkange, told VOA Studio 7 reporter Jonga Kandemiiri that the physicians intend to seek a license that will allow them to operate in the country without further difficulties.
