Abuja — President Olusegun Obasanjo has directed that concerted action be taken to provide cheap locally produced HIV/AIDS drugs in the country.

At a meeting in the State House Abuja on July 3, the President set up an inter-ministerial committee under the leadership of the Minister of Health, to implement the initiative of increased local production of the drugs.

Members of the committee are the Ministers of Finance, Industries, Science and Technology, the Nigerian Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control, Nigerian Institute for Medical Research, National Committee for Action Against AIDS and EMCURE Pharmaceutical Ltd.

The President told the meeting that his Administration was "determined to encourage the production of HIV/AIDS drugs in the country in order to sustain the treatment initiative for those infected with the disease".

He said the committee's work should not be limited to the HIV/AIDS drugs alone, but any other area of cooperation in the medical field that will lead to the improvement of the health of Nigerians.