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Zambia declares Aids emergency
03/09/2004 21:00 - (SA)
Lusaka - The Zambian government on Friday declared a five-year emergency in connection with the Aids pandemic to allow for cheap generic anti-retroviral drugs to be produced locally.
The Aids emergency will be in force from August 2004 to July 2009 and local drugs manufacturers will be allowed to produce cheap Aids medication for local consumption.
"In view of the pandemic and the high cost of patented anti-retroviral drugs... the minister has signed a statutory instrument (law) to declare an emergency," said commerce permanent secretary Davidson Chilipamushi.
He said the law would allow for the manufacture of life-prolonging Aids drugs during the five-year emergency period, but the medication ccould not be exported.
"Companies, persons who wish to manufacture, use or sell any generic drugs will henceforth require a written authorisation, during the declared period of emergency," said Chilipamushi.
Zambia is one of the countries in southern Africa, which have been hard hit by Aids, with one in five adults infected with HIV and Aids.
About 12 000 people are benefiting from subsidised anti-Aids drugs and the government hopes to put another 100 000 people on the programme by the end of next year.
- AFP
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