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Caroline
Sorry I had to make this public.
Em
Hong-Kong
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Local company now manufacturing anti-retrovirals
Health Reporter
A ZIMBABWEAN company, Varichem
Pharmaceuticals, is now manufacturing generic anti-retroviral drugs taken by
people living with the HIV virus to prolong their lives.
Speaking at a
two-day workshop on access to treatment which ended yesterday in Selous, the
sales representative for Varichem Pharmaceuticals Mr Lorance Mukucha said the
company had started making the drugs, which were now available in pharmacies in
the country.
Varichem combines in its Stalanev 40 the three recommended
drugs --- Lamuvidine, Nevirapine and Stavudine.
Varichem also markets a
combination of Lamuvidine and Zidovidine and sells the Nevirapine drug, which
reduces chances of HIV transmission from the mother to child at birth,
separately.
Nevirapine is taken by a mother during labour if she tests
HIV positive while the baby is also given a dose of the syrup two or three days
after birth.
Mr Mukucha said the drug is sold particularly in private
health institutions offering maternity services as public hospitals offer the
drugs for free.
At least 43 out of 58 district hospitals in the country
are included in the programme to prevent parent-to-child transmission of HIV and
offer Nevirapine.
Mr Mukucha said Varichem is soon expected to
manufacture more anti-retroviral drugs, namely Stalenev 30, Indinavir,
Stavudine, Lamuvidine and Zidovudine.
"It is, however, important to note
that anti-retroviral drugs do not cure HIV/Aids nor do they prevent transmission
of the virus except for Nevirapine, which prevents transmission from the mother
to child," said Mr Mukucha.
It has been revealed that the
anti-retroviral drugs manufactured by Varichem are expensive when sold in
pharmacies despite the fact that they are manufactured locally.
People
living with HIV/Aids have expressed disappointment at the high cost of the drugs
as most of them are sold at less than $50 000 at Varichem and yet pharmacies
sell them for over $200 000.
"Wholesalers, pharmacies and organisations
can buy anti-retrovirals at a cheaper price at Varichem although individuals
would have to access them in pharmacies where mark-ups would have been put."
"Doctors can also acquire the drugs directly from Varichem for their
patients at a cheaper price than that at pharmacies," said Mr
Mukucha.
The Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri
Museveni, Uganda is in
anarchy"
Groupe de communication Mulindwas
"avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans
l'anarchie"
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