Uganda's first $10M order for local ARVs

Uganda's recently commissioned antiretroviral and anti-malarial drugs plant starts production with a bang, reports the East African Business Week, as the government places an order for a consignment of ARVs worth around $10.0 million.

The nation's Health Ministry is raising $4.3 million and other government departments will supply the remaining $5.7million to buy the drugs, a move that is believed will mark a new era in the management of HIV/AIDS in the country. The ministry of health is handling the procurement of ARVs which will be deployed in the national AIDS treatment program in which up to 100,000 Ugandans are getting free treatment.

Statistics indicate that, despite reaching 42% of the population in need of antiretroviral therapy in 2005, this number continues to grow each year, for example, rising to 129,000 in 2007 and projected to reach 238,000 in 2012 - far outstripping the capacity of the system to respond.