News / National
'Economic crisis won't affect ARV supply'
20 Jun 2019 at 20:32hrs | Views
Health Minister Obadiah Moyo says Zimbabwe is in a safe zone regarding the allocation of Anti Retroviral Drugs (ARV) despite the country's economic collapse.
Moyo called on Zimbabweans living with the HIV virus not to panic as the country has enough stocks until 2020.
"With regards to ARVs, we are in a safe zone. I do not want people to panic unnecessarily. The issue which was of concern was that of the costs and that has since been addressed," said Moyo.
"On the first line of treatment, we have got adequate supplies up to the end of the first quarter next year. For the second line treatment, up to the end of this year but like I said, everything is under control."
Moyo said the government, in a bid to improve medicine supplies, has decided to work directly with Indian suppliers.
"Eighty percent of our medicines come from India. At the same time we also learnt about how we could benefit by working as an African or Southern Africa group to bring medicines into Southern Africa by buying in bulk. This will make sure that it will be cheaper on arrival and at the same time the issue regarding special active pharmaceutical ingredients," said Moyo.
"You know, the Indians are also buying from China these active ingredients; so we can also buy them from China. For the benefit of our manufacturers, it will be much cheaper because currently, they are just buying raw materials and those raw materials cost a lot of money because they have to be mixed but if we buy the active pharmaceutical ingredients, we will be saving a lot of money and currency. It was a big lesson and it is a meeting which is worthy attending each and every year."
Moyo called on Zimbabweans living with the HIV virus not to panic as the country has enough stocks until 2020.
"With regards to ARVs, we are in a safe zone. I do not want people to panic unnecessarily. The issue which was of concern was that of the costs and that has since been addressed," said Moyo.
"On the first line of treatment, we have got adequate supplies up to the end of the first quarter next year. For the second line treatment, up to the end of this year but like I said, everything is under control."
Moyo said the government, in a bid to improve medicine supplies, has decided to work directly with Indian suppliers.
"Eighty percent of our medicines come from India. At the same time we also learnt about how we could benefit by working as an African or Southern Africa group to bring medicines into Southern Africa by buying in bulk. This will make sure that it will be cheaper on arrival and at the same time the issue regarding special active pharmaceutical ingredients," said Moyo.
"You know, the Indians are also buying from China these active ingredients; so we can also buy them from China. For the benefit of our manufacturers, it will be much cheaper because currently, they are just buying raw materials and those raw materials cost a lot of money because they have to be mixed but if we buy the active pharmaceutical ingredients, we will be saving a lot of money and currency. It was a big lesson and it is a meeting which is worthy attending each and every year."
Source - Byo24News
