Dr. Banu Khan, the national AIDS coordinator in Botswana, says the government expects to pay about $600 per person for a year's treatment.

Most of the cases resulted from drug abuse, Irene Hunt, the city's AIDS coordinator, said yesterday.

The White House's acting global AIDS coordinator said it should improve treatment in poor countries.

Mr. Johnson, currently New York City's AIDS coordinator, now takes it as a sign of mental health not to hide his condition.

Mr. Bush's new global AIDS coordinator, Randall Tobias, is about to announce the first round of grants, which will total $350 million.

The Mayor said that Mr. Ashe's revelation had not influenced his decision to appoint an AIDS coordinator.

The Administration's debate over the role of the AIDS coordinator reflects differing opinions among people who have played leading roles in speaking out on the issue.

The most formidable is Randall L. Tobias, the global AIDS coordinator for the White House.

Mr. Clinton had been accused of taking too long to select an AIDS coordinator by advocacy groups who questioned his commitment to battling the epidemic.

"We've had reports of girls 11 or 12 years old actively soliciting to support their crack habits," said Barbara Ford, the AIDS coordinator for Newark.