[Ip-health] eight nations to work together to build factory for generic ARVs and condoms

[Mike Palmedo]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=655&ncid=655&e=4&u=/oneworld/20020802/wl_oneworld/1032_1028300327

Portuguese-Speaking Nations Adopt Joint Anti-AIDS Plan
Fri Aug 2,10:13 AM ET

Mario Osava,Inter Press Service

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 1 (IPS) - The Community of Portuguese-Speaking 
Countries (CPLP), which admitted the newly independent nation of East 
Timor ( news - web sites) as its eighth member, agreed on a joint 
program against AIDS ( news - web sites), to include the construction of 
a laboratory to produce generic drugs and a condom factory.

<snip>

With an initial budget of 30 million dollars, the program will entail 
the construction of a laboratory in Mozambique that is to produce 
affordable generic versions of the antiretroviral drugs used to fight 
the AIDS-causing HIV (  news -  web sites) (Human Immunodeficiency 
Virus), as well as a condom factory in Angola.

This is an ''exemplary case of cooperation'' to address an extremely 
pressing need of the African nations that belong to the CPLP, said 
Brazilian ( news - web sites) President Fernando Henrique Cardoso.

The CPLP is made up of Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, 
Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tomé and Príncipe and, as of Thursday, East 
Timor.

According to United Nations (  news -  web sites) figures, around 13 
percent of the population is living with HIV in Mozambique, 5.5 percent 
in Angola, and 2.8 percent in Guinea-Bissau, compared to 0.7 percent in 
Brazil and 0.5 percent in Portugal.




-- 
Mike Palmedo
Consumer Project on Technology
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Fax: 202-234-5176
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mpalmedo@cptech.org