Namibia Welcomes Price Cuts for Antiretrovirals

Namibia has welcomed the price reductions for antiretroviral drugs announced by Gilead Sciences and will consider buying drugs from the firm. Gilead Sciences has announced it is ready to ship its antiretroviral HIV drug Viread to every country in Africa and to 15 other impoverished nations at US$1.30 a day for the once-a-day dose. Nonprofit organizations such as the Clinton Foundation, started by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and WHO will subsidize the cost of the drugs. Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Kalumbi Shangula said, "If the drug is according to our new treatment protocol, we will buy it." Gilead said the US$1.30 fee covers the cost of manufacturing the drug and administering a program to process requests and quickly ship the drug directly to eligible treatment programs in 53 African nations and 15 other countries classified by the UN as least developed. The program will be operational by the second quarter of this year.

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