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High cost of ARVs puts AIDS patients at risk
Rumbidzai Nyoni, The Chronicle (Zimbabwe)
September 29, 2006

http://www.chronicle.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=360&cat=1&livedate=9/29/2006

THE lives of scores of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Bulawayo are reportedly in danger as a majority of them are failing to access antiretroviral drugs because of the high costs.

A number of PLWHAs are now getting the drugs from the Bulawayo City Council clinics following the decentralisation of the Government’s Opportunistic Infections Clinics to the local authority’s health centres.

However, the council clinics are charging more compared to Government hospitals.

In an interview, Mr Wilson Phiri, a representative of the support groups in the city said a number of PLWHA’s were now vulnerable to immunosuppression because they were defaulting treatment due to the high cost of the drugs at the clinics.

"To date, we have seven members of the association who have died because they had defaulted on their course since they could not afford the drugs," he said.

Mr Phiri said when they were moved to the council clinics they were paying $100, which was a little more than what they paid at hospitals.

"Two months ago, we were told that the fees had gone up to $850 per month if you are registered with the Government and $800 if you are under the Medecins San Frontieres.

"Many of us are unemployed because of our health and we cannot afford the $850 which the clinics are charging," he said.

Mr Phiri said National Aids Council used to facilitate for them to get the drugs from the clinics for free.

Efforts to get a comment from BCC public relations officer, Mr Pathisa Nyathi, were fruitless as he was said to be out of town.

The price of a monthly course of imported ARVs at pharmacies went up from $10 000 to $12 000 in July while in August it rose to $16 000. On Friday, the price went up to between $18 000 and $20 000 for patients who are buying their own drugs.

Locally Manufactured drugs were increased to $25 000 up from $20 000. In August, they were being sold for $15 000 while in July they cost $10 000.

Locally manufactured drugs are more expensive compared to imported ones because of the high cost of raw materials.

Approximately 600 0000 HIV positive people in the country need treatment although the Government’s ARV programme caters for 42 000 people because of foreign currency shortages.

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