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Govt ’must uphold high ARV standards’
2005-12-10 10:18:16
By Simon Kivamwo
Thai Pharmaceutical Consultant Dr Krisana Kraisintu has warned that the recently inaugurated antiretroviral (ARVs) generics risk international ban if the government and people involved in the war against HIV/Aids will not back the manufacturer to ensure high standards are upheld.
Dr Kraisintu issued the warning in Dar es Salaam yesterday during the official launch of the TT-VIR tablets, the first life prolonging drugs for the people living with HIV to be manufactured locally.
The Arusha-based Tanzania Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited (TPI) will manufacture the TT-VIR, which is a combination of Nivirapine, Lamivudine and Stavudine, with officials estimating that a monthly cost per dose would not exceed $20 (about 22,000/-).
The challenge to the government and other stakeholders should be to support TPI in maintaining the standards set by the World Health Organisation for ARVs, Dr Krisana who is the brain behind the TPI’s landmark achievements, said.
She said that after more than three years of serious work, TPI was now sure of supplying the drugs to the needy.
However, she said, the challenge would be to maintain high standards.
She said that local production of generic ARVs was the only way by which poor countries, including Tanzania, could enable its people to access the life prolonging drugs, and hence, slow down the sharp rise in Aids-related mortality and orphans.
Health Minister, Anna Abdallah said, the availability of generics in developing countries would alleviate the suffering of HIV/Aids patients.
She said that the availability of the drugs should encourage more Tanzanians to go for voluntary HIV testing.
’It is encouraging to see TPI leading us to this stage after making drugs easily available here,’ she said.
She noted that local production of the drugs had become possible through technology transfer arrangements with Thailand.
The minister said that the government was also happy that two Germany-based organisations, Action Medeor and InWent, had committed themselves to facilitating Dr Krisana in her bid to conduct Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) training in Tanzania.
She warned that, if GMP were not carried out it would be impossible to contain the spread of HIV, which causes Aids.
She warned that Tanzania’s economy would shrink by 25 per cent by 2015 if the spread continues in its current rate.
With the help of funding from donors, the government began giving out free ARVs last year.
Currently, between 25,000 and 30,000 people living with the virus receive free ARVs.
According to the government’s ARV-roll out plan, over 500,000 will be on life prolonging drugs by 2008
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