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DRUGS FOR HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS NOW AVAILABLE IN NORTH WEST
Free drugs for treating HIV-positive patients are now available in the North West hospitals, thanks to a partnership agreement between Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and the Department of Health.
Pfizer has donated free Diflucan (Fluconazole) for treating HIV/AIDS patients in the public sector who develop oesophageal candidiasis or cryptococcal meningitis. "This partnership represents an important development in our fight against HIV\AIDS," said Dr Molefi Sefularo, MEC for Health in the North West. This programme will run until the end of 2002.
Fluconazone is already available at Mmabatho Medical Stores and can be immediately distributed to hospitals. It will be available in all District and Regional Hospitals in the province. The MEC pointed out that this drug will be made available at clinic level once all relevant training and required administration measures have been put in place.
Pfizer and the department have agreed on special procurement and dispensing mechanisms to ensure that the drugs are utilised for the specified indications only and to reduce the potential for stock losses.
The Department of Health has already moved swiftly to develop programme policy and guidelines for its staff which are intended to ensure uniformity in the distribution and prescription of the donated drug to HIV-positive patients with oesophageal candidiasis and cryptococcal meningitis.
It is important to note that Fluconazone is not an HIV/AIDS curing drug. It treats an opportunistic infection.
Contact: Cornelius Monama on 082 578 4063
Issued by: office of the MEC for Health, North West, 7 May 2001