Anti - AIDS drugs should not run out.

2005-11-06T07:31:00.000-08:00

ARVS' Shortage Looms As Forex Crunch Bites

Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)
October 9, 2005 Posted to the web October 9, 2005
Bertha Shoko
HIV positive Zimbabweans could be living on the edge of death following revelations that the country's sole manufacturer of Anti-Retroviral drugs (ARVs) is failing to import raw materials used in the production of the vital medication.
The Standard understands that Varichem Pharmaceuticals Private Limited, the country's sole manufacturer of generic ARVs is facing problems due to shortages of foreign currency needed for importation of raw materials. The foreign currency crunch is also understood to be affecting the whole pharmaceutical industry, which faces insurmountable hurdles in sourcing hard currency from the official market.
Varichem manufactures the ARV combination Stalanev that contains the active ingredients, staduvine, lamudivine and nevirapine. Stalanev is used as a first line in the management of HIV. The other combination it manufactures contains Zidovudine and lamudivine also used as an alternative to Stalanev.
Highly placed sources at Varichem told The Standard that the pharmaceutical company was last allocated foreign currency by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe through the auction system on 18 July 2005. The sources said the pharmaceutical company requires more than USD$350 000 a month but could require more as demand for ARVs increases.
If a foreign currency injection is not made as a matter of urgency, they warned, the country could run dry of the ARVs on the private market where the majority of people using the anti-Aids drugs source them.
"The pharmaceutical industry is forex-intensive and therefore lack or shortage of foreign currency will affect operations in a big way. Right now, the shortage of foreign currency is only affecting the private sector and if anything is not done, there will be no ARVs on the private market," the sources said.
There are fears also that the shortages might affect government's public ARV programme, carried out at major institutions such as at Harare Central and Parirenyatwa hospitals in Harare.
About 30 000 HIV positive people against a backdrop of more than 300 000 who need the drugs, are benefiting from this scheme which has failed to expand since its inception last year due to limited resources and lack of external funding.
Contacted for comment, Dr David Parirenyatwa, the Minister of Health and Child Welfare, referred questions to Varichem saying they would be in a better position to say exactly what is happening.
"Varichem may have its challenges like any organisation, but they would be in a better position to tell you. As for our government run ARV programmes they have been able to keep up with the supplies we need," Parirenyatwa said.
An official with Varichem told The Standard that the company was working flat out to reverse the impending drug shortages.
"Our parent ministry, the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, is aware of this problem and they are assisting us by seeking dialogue with the central bank," said the official.
Other players in the drug procurement and distribution industry confirmed that the pharmaceutical industry faced a foreign currency crisis.
Benson Tamirepi, the managing director of Health Care Resources, told The Standard that most of the drugs being manufactured by Varichem have a "high import content" and therefore required foreign currency.
Tamirepi, whose company distributes pharmaceuticals, surgical medication and equipment from Varichem and other companies, said the government must prioritise allocation of foreign currency to health institutions.
Other than Varichem, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe recently licensed two Indian companies, Ranbaxy and Citla, to supply Zimbabwe with generic drugs, while Caps Holdings Limited has been awarded a licence to manufacture ARVs. These other players might help avert the pending drug crisis.

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Anti - AIDS drugs should not run out.