By Garwin Davis, Assistant News EditorHIV PATIENTS will now be seeing a huge reduction in the cost of drugs, following the signing of an agreement this week between the Ministry of Health and major pharmaceutical distribution companies.
Minister of Health John Junor, told a press conference in Ocho Rios yesterday that his Ministry, which had been in negotiations with the drug companies, trying to get them to lower the prices of anti-retroviral drugs, struck a deal on Tuesday. This is with the understanding that the reduction would not facilitate corruption.
"In making their offers, all the pharmaceutical companies were concerned that if they offered significant reductions to the private sector the HIV patients may not benefit fully because of possible inefficiencies in distribution," he said.
The Minister is attending a conference in Ocho Rios hosted by the Pan American Health Organisation and World Health Organisation on "The Challenge of the HIV/AIDS Pandemic".
Concerns were also raised at yesterday's press conference about the re-export or leakage of the drugs offered at a lower price in Jamaica than elsewhere. Mr. Junor said that his Ministry "was committed to working with the private sector to ensure that the persons living with AIDS in Jamaica are the ones to benefit from this initiative.
"There are approximately 20,000 persons living with HIV infection in Jamaica. An estimated 4,000 are said to be in need of anti-retroviral drugs. The Minister said that because of the high cost of HIV treatment drugs, less than 5 per cent of persons with AIDS who are in need of the drugs are currently taking them.
"This is unacceptable in a global situation where anti-retroviral drugs have dramatically improved the survival and quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS."
The deals are as follows: Glaxo Smith Kline pharmaceutical company has offered to reduce the cost of Combivir from over US$4,000 per year per patient to $US1,022. Bristol Myers Squibb will be offering a 90 per cent decrease from existing prices in developed countries for its anti-retroviral drugs while the drug company, Merck, is offering an 85 per cent reduction. The fourth company, Boehringer Ingelheim, is reducing the price on tablets by 56 per cent.
"This will open up a tremendous opportunity for HIV sufferers to have easier access to treatment," Mr. Junor added.
The Minister said, however, that the reduction in the cost would not mean that his Ministry would now be footing the bill. "I want to make it clear that the Government will not be providing universal health care for persons," Mr. Junor said. "If we provide care for 100 persons over a five-year period that would be $50 million. There are other costs, which would make that figure a lot more. We have to tread carefully here."
