|
Govt now ready to study effects of ARVs on users
2008-04-11 10:25:07
By Lydia Shekighenda, Dodoma
The government has said it is ready to study problematic HIV/Aids life-prolonging drugs (ARVs), that are said to have side effects to patients.
The Deputy Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Aisha Kigoda said this when she was responding to a supplementary question by Faida Bakari Mohamed (Special Seats, CCM).
The legislator had wanted a statement from the government on Anti-Retrovirals (ARVs), which have proved to be harmful to the patients.
Dr Kigoda said the government was ready to study the drugs, but advised the affected patients to report the matter to their doctors to ease further medical investigation on the drugs.
``Those with medical prescriptions and have noticed some side effects, they should quickly report back to the doctors who attended them. The doctors will refer the case to the Tanzania Food and Drug Authority for further investigation,`` she advised.
In the principal question, Halima Mamuya (Special Seats, CCM) had wanted to know the exact number of factories cuirrently manufacturing ARVs in the country, including the drugs bought by the government from the industries since they were set up.
``So far, there is only one factory which has been authorised by TFDA to produce ARVs...this is Tanzania Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd based in Arusha,`` she said.
According to the minister, the factory is jointly owned 60 per cent by Tanzanians and 40 per cent by government.
Dr Kigoda said TPI started production of ARVs immediately after it was registered by TFDA in 2005.
She added that the government failed to purchase drugs from the factory in the first two years, but bought drugs worth 3bn/- between 2007 and 2008 that could be used by 25,970 patients per year.
|
