Burkina Faso to Purchase Generic AIDS Drugs From Indian CompanyApril 23, 2003 The government of Burkina Faso on Tuesday signed a contract
to purchase generic AIDS drugs from the Indian pharmaceutical
firm Cipla. Health Minister Alain Yoda said the deal will bring
down prices of AIDS medicine to $37-$70 per month. Under an
earlier agreement reached with a European company, treatment cost
up to $150 a month. However, prices remain "an obstacle for the
treatment of a great number of people who really need them," Yoda
said. About 6.5 percent of Burkina Faso's 12 million citizens are
infected with HIV, according to a recent UN study. Currently only
675 people in the country are being treated with AIDS drugs, Yoda
said. About 45 percent of the nation's population survives on
less than $120 a year.
Adapted from:Back to other CDC news for April 23, 2003 Associated Press 04.22.03; Brahima Ouedraogo This article was provided by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is a part of the publication CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update.
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