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Promise of cheap AIDS drugs for Rwanda

    JOHANNESBURG

    People living with HIV/AIDS in Rwanda could soon have access to affordable antiretroviral drugs, the UN has said.

    Stephen Lewis, UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, said in a statement that money coming from the World Bank, the Global AIDS Fund and the Clinton Foundation could provide a discount on drug prices.

    "Drugs should be availed at a cheap cost, meaning that they have to subsidised for the public. I am quite certain that this will succeed if the Clinton money comes and the global funds are made available," Lewis said.

    The government has only managed to cut drug prices from US $300 per month in 2000, to $100 per month at present, for the estimated 500,000 Rwandans living with HIV/AIDS.

    "There's very intense discussion in Rwanda on having antiretroviral drugs available for treatment and the UN family is ready to help," Lewis added.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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