President briefs CARICOM colleagues on anti-retroviral drugs
Guyana Chronicle
November 16, 2003
GINA – President Bharrat Jagdeo has informed his colleagues in CARICOM of Guyana’s ability to produce antiretroviral (ARV) treatment for persons living with HIV/AIDS at a lower cost than was previously offered.
The President briefed other leaders at a special two-day meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government, which ended on Friday last in Castries, St. Lucia.
On November 12 last, the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Company (GPC) announced that it was lowering the prices of antiretroviral to Guyana and the Caribbean.
New GPC, which started production of antiretroviral in 2001, is the only producer in Guyana of the antiretroviral treatment for persons living with HIV/AIDS. Guyana is also the only country in the Caribbean to manufacture ARVs.
A release from New GPC noted that in light of its ongoing commitment to the global battle, it continues to significantly reduce the cost of these drugs, with the cost of mono-therapy currently being as low as US$54 annually per patient and triple therapy available at prices below US$195 per annum.
According to the CARICOM Secretariat, the Special Meeting was decided upon when the Heads met in Montego Bay, Jamaica last July to celebrate the community’s 30th anniversary.
The Georgetown-based secretariat noted that the heads of government are to pay particular attention to issues surrounding governance of the community, the key requirements for the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and energy.
The report from the breakfast meeting with four CARICOM Heads had in September with President of the United States George Bush was also discussed.
Other issues on the agenda were trade matters, to be dealt with at the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) being held currently in St. Lucia.
Accompanying President Jagdeo to this Special Meeting were the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Rudy Insanally and Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Clement Rohee.
To address the serious treat of HIV/AIDS in the region, Pan Caribbean Partners against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) was established at the 12th Inter-Sessional Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government in February 2001.
PANCAP recently held its Annual General Meeting and a five-day workshop on HIV/AIDS, Law Ethnics and Human Rights in Georgetown.
Part of the decision was the review of progress made and challenges that may occur as the region battles the HIV/AIDS epidemic. One of the major challenges highlighted was the high cost of antiretroviral treatment.
Guyana through its national AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), officially launched the HIV/AIDS expanded treatment and care programme in October last. (See Rickey Singh column)