E-drug: Mozambique to get AIDS drug plant
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Mozambique to get Aids drug plant
BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/3245505.stm
Brazil has pledged to build a plant in Mozambique to produce
anti-retroviral drugs for HIV/ Aids sufferers. President Luiz Inacio Lula
da Silva gave his support to the project on a visit to the southern
African state. "We intend to produce anti-retroviral drugs here... in the
shortest possible time," said the leader who is best known by his
nickname Lula. He was speaking on a five-nation tour of the continent
which is also due to take him to Namibia and South Africa.
Brazil has emerged as something of a model for the developing world
in the fight against the HIV/Aids epidemic, having developed cheap
copycat generic drugs to the anger of global pharmaceutical
companies. An aggressive and highly effective campaign to promote
safe sex in the media has also helped the Latin American giant keep
the infection rate to less than 1% of its population. This contrasts
sharply with infection rates in southern Africa where they are known
to reach 30% in parts and about 16% in Mozambique specifically.
Brazil was earlier said to be planning to construct three factories in
Africa as a whole but Lula would not be drawn on the exact timetable
for construction, saying only on Wednesday that it would be "in the
near future".
"The fight against HIV/Aids is one of the greatest challenges for us
and we are confident that Brazil's... rich experience in this regard will
be a valuable contribution to our struggle against the epidemic,"
Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano said on Wednesday at his
meeting with Lula in the capital, Maputo.
The Brazilian leader's visit to Mozambique was due to include a tour
of a centre for treating sufferers in the city.
Trade campaign
Lula and his Mozambican counterpart also discussed commercial ties
and Mr Chissano voiced support for the Brazilian leader's campaign
against farm subsidies in wealthy nations which undermine
developing countries' export markets. "We are sure that the role of
Brazil will be crucial in our efforts against the... farm subsidies and
the struggle to obtain access for our products to the markets of the
developed world," he said.
Lula began his African tour with visits to two other former Portuguese
colonies - Sao Tome and Principe, and Angola - where he held talks
on developing trade and other ties. He is due to travel on to Namibia
on Thursday and will round off the visit in South Africa at the
weekend.
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