E-DRUG: SADC may buy Aids drugs in bulk
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[SADC = the Southern African Development Community;
This is a press write-up about the meeting of SADC Ministers of
Health, held in Johannesburg 4-5 November. WB]
November 06 1999 at 02:09PM
Southern African Development Community (SADC) health ministers will
consider buying anti Aids drugs in bulk.
They told reporters in Soweto, south of Johannesburg, on Friday that
they were also considering compulsory licensing of such drugs to make
them more affordable.
The SADC ministers met at Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital to find
ways of tackling the spiralling HIV/Aids pandemic.
The ministers noted scientific evidence indicating that
anti-retroviral drugs such as Zidovudine (AZT) and Nevirapine could
decrease the chances of babies born to HIV-positive mothers being
infected by about 10 to 15 percent.
They said, however, although they were encouraged by the results of
the drugs, they were concerned about the toxicity of such drugs.
Zambian Health Minister Nkandu Luo said the SADC was grateful to
scientists for the research they had done on anti-retroviral drugs -
but the body wanted to be certain of the safety of such drugs before
making set decisions.
South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang defended
President Thabo Mbeki's stand on AZT, saying Mbeki chose not to make
the drug freely available to pregnant woman until he was satisfied
there had been enough research done on the drug.
She said the country's Medicines Control Council was conducting its
own investigation into AZT and a decision on the drug would only be
taken once all research areas had been exhausted.
The ministers committed themselves to immediately stepping up efforts
to start programmes in the region aimed at promoting and supporting
voluntary counselling and testing of HIV-positive people.
They said such counselling would require enormous resources because
counsellors would have to be trained to deal with people living with
the disease and their families.
Zimbabwe Health Minister Timothy Stamps said his country planned to
put a three percent surcharge on income and company tax to fund the
country's national Aids policy.
He said the charge would yield Z$1,6 billion and the money would be
managed by the National Aids Council.
The ministers said co-ordinated action by scientists was needed to
speedily develop effective and affordable vaccines to provide some
protection against HIV strains common in the region.
They agreed to work together and share information on blood safety
legislation and to support the World Health Organisation
Collaboration Centre on Blood Transfusion Technology in Harare,
Zimbabwe.
Sapa
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