Children affected by HIV are better cared for, African countries will benefit
This Tuesday, December 1, is World AIDS Day. The pandemic is still just as virulent and despite the progress made, the goals are far from being achieved. Among the advances, UNITAID, an international drug procurement organization linked to the WHO, announced on Tuesday an agreement that will enable better care for HIV-positive children in developing countries. The cost of treatment will be greatly reduced and several African countries will benefit.
From $ 480, the cost of child-friendly treatment in the recipient countries rises to $ 120 per year. This price divided by four will be allowed by an agreement signed between Unitaid and two generic drug manufacturers, Viatris and McLeods.
More precisely, it is the cost of one of the main components of the treatment, dolutegravir, which will decrease by being produced by these two companies, in the form of soluble tablets suitable for children under 20 kg, for $ 36 per child and year. , against more than 400 for the original formula.
This follows the approval of this drug by the FDA, the US Drug Administration, on November 19, just a few months after the patented product.
Six African countries touched first
DTG 10mg will first be available in six African countries during the first half of 2021. Benin, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda and Zimbabwe will be the first recipients before a gradual expansion of the device.
About 1 million 700,000 children worldwide are HIV-positive, but only half of them receive treatment and 100,000 die each year.
Covid-19 raises fears of a recovery from AIDS. This is 38 million people in the world living with the virus.
► To read as well: Senegal: the country relies on HIV self-tests
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