Concord Times (Freetown)
Osman Benk Sankoh And Sulaiman Momodu
4 April 2001
Freetown — People with HIV, the virus which leads to AIDS will soon be spared of the death sentence as government will soon get drugs for the treatment of HIV cases.
This is apparently good news as the AIDS virus is said to be on the increase. Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. I. I Tejan Jalloh yesterday confirmed that arrangements were in progress for the drugs to be imported.
The drug Viramune for the treatment of the mother - child situation would be distributed free of cost while the Viramune 500mg tablets for adults will be made available at reduced prices for HIV chronic cases.
Concord Times gathered that the drug Viramune has already been registered with the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone thus adding to the list of drugs that should be sold in pharmacies.
The Ministry's Public Relations Officer, Mr. Jonathan Abass Kamara said that communication has been established and maintained with a South African based German company regarding registration of Viramune which he noted has been done and data control, monitoring ,and pricing which are in progress.
Ministry officials yesterday said frantic efforts are being made to ensure that AIDS does not claim more lives.
"We have lost thousands of people as a result of the war so the Ministry is doing all it can to ensure that HIV treatment drugs get to Sierra Leone without delay," a senior Ministry official said.
Meanwhile the Minister has confirmed that 500, 000 test kits for HIV have been offered to his Ministry from the US.
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