HIV/AIDS Drugs To Be Manufactured In Nigeria - UNAIDS

Dr Bilali Camara, UNAIDS Country Director, said on
Thursday that four companies will commence
production of anti-retroviral drugs in Nigeria.
Camara, who is also the UNAIDS Focal Point for
ECOWAS, disclosed in an interview with newsmen in
Abuja. He said the local production of anti-retroviral
drugs would enable people access treatment at a
cheaper rate. He added that it will also help those
on life treatment, stressing that people live on
treatment for 15 to 30 years.
"We have commenced negotiations with four
pharmaceutical companies; the companies have
been certified by the World Health Organisation
(WHO) for the general manufacturing practices," he
said. The official said WHO would assist to conduct
the prequalification processes, "and as soon as that
is concluded they will commence the production of
the anti-retroviral drugs in Nigeria''.
Camara said many West and Central African states
would benefit from the production, because nobody
is producing the drugs in this region. He added that
beside Nigeria, seven million other people may need
the drugs for treatment from West and Central Africa,
which shows that there is good return of investment
to the companies. In related development, Camara
said UNAIDS would enter into partnership with
telecommunication companies to ensure that basic
information about HIV/AIDS was advertised.
He said this would assist to further increase access
to treatment to 101 million people in Nigeria are
targeted. "We want to give more people access to
basic information on HIV/AIDS. We want our target
to know how to prevent mother to child
transmission of HIV where and how to get HIV/AIDS
related services.So that in the next few years we
have more people accessing the services which
many result into many infants born HIV positive
mothers and born infants without the disease," he
said.
According to him, "if we do it correctly it will effect
on the overall HIV transmission in the country''.
Camara said: "Things are going in the right
direction, more people are on treatment, more people
are accessing preventive measures and new
infections are coming down. It is not as speedy as
we want it but clearly things are on the right track."
Courtesy: nairaland news
Broadcast by Obele Calistus