Panafrican News Agency - December 3, 2001

It is hoped that a further reduction in prices of the ARVs drugs by several other multinational pharmaceutical companies will ensure that the runaway scourge is effectively reined in.

The Phillips Pharmaceutical Limited, distributors for Bristol Myers Squibb and Merck Sharp Dohme (MSD), have announced price reductions on HIV/AIDS drugs of between 80 and 97 percent.

The two companies have subsequently appointed Kenya's Mater Hospital in Nairobi to dispense their products under the emblem of Increased Access Initiative Programme.

Under the programme, both drug companies seek to accelerate the availability of life saving medicines in the developing countries where the HIV/AIDS pandemic has had widespread, and devastating effects on people's lives.

The ravages of the scourge has also placed a heavy burden on health care systems throughout a continent already under severe resource constraints.

The companies argue that at these new prices, they will not profit from the sale of the drugs owing to the huge drop from the previous prices.

These developments come in the wake of fervent campaigns by world leaders to force multinational pharmaceutical companies to reduce the prices of ARVs drugs to save lives in Third World countries.

Mater Hospital, which is one of the few healthcare institutions that have been appointed HIV/AIDS treatment centres in Nairobi, is recording huge numbers of patients who voluntarily test for HIV/AIDS before starting on a treatment course.

Initially, the hospital received between 40 and 60 AIDS patients a month, but this number shot up following the announcement of reduction in prices of ARVs drugs.

The hospital's health services marketing manager, Sunita Nathoo, says the majority of AIDS patients who seek treatment at the hospital fall within the 25-45 years age bracket.

She says the increase in the number of patients at the hospital has been spurred by the reduced treatment costs.

Mater Hopital, she says, is effectively using cheap triple combinations, including that of Stocrin (20mg), Zerit (40g) and Videx (100mg) which goes for Ksh 5,597 (40 US dollars), Stocrin and Combivir which costs Ksh 9,163 (80 dollars) and Stocrin, Retrovir and Videx which goes for Ksh 9,831 (41 dollars).

All these are one-month combination dosages.

While doctors prefer the triple dosages because of their effectiveness in slowing the virus, the new prices have meant that the drugs which were unaffordable for the majority of patients before, are now more accessible.

A single dose of Stocrin, for example, used to cost Ksh 17,745 (230 dollars) per packet of 90 tablets. A single packet of Zerit containing 60 tablets used to go for Ksh 13,650 (170 dollars) while a packet of Crixian containing 180 tablets would cost Ksh 24,840 (290 dollars).

Nathoo says that the triple combination therapy has had great success in-patients whose conditions were diagnosed early enough.

She stresses the need for early diagnosis to aid cheaper, more effective management.

"We sometimes receive patients whose conditions have deteriorated so much so that they are brought there in a coma," Nathoo said adding, "this often means more time in hospital, and much higher medical expenses".

"Nevertheless, Mater Hospital does not turn away patients who arrive at the hospital to seek treatment. This is because most of our patients are (medically) covered and always get to pay at the end of the day."

But not everybody can afford to pay at the end of the day. Even with the hugely reduced prices, some patients still find the costs particularly high.

Which is why, says Nathoo, the government should move in to subsidise treatment costs in all health institutions to enable more and more HIV/AIDS patients get affordable treatment.

She notes: "After declaring the scourge a national disaster (in 1998), the government should be seen to be committed to eradicating the disease. Of course, everybody would like to help, but our sympathy and desire to assist is impeded by limited resources."
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