NAMIBIA: Brazil shares its AIDS drug pledge

During his recent five-nation African tour, Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva pledged to make antiretroviral drugs more accessible to Namibians living with HIV/AIDS.

The pledge was made soon after an announcement by Lula da Silva that his country would build a factory in Mozambique for the manufacture cheap of anti-AIDS drugs.

According to local newspaper, The Namibian, the South American country's support was expected to come in the form of technological know-how for producing drugs to treat the estimated 230,000 people in Namibia who are living with HIV/AIDS.

Lula da Silva said: "We wish to prevent the aggravation of a situation that is already dramatic, and which represents an imminent threat to the social and economic stability of certain African nations."

Brazil has emerged as a model for the developing world in the fight against HIV/AIDS by defying multinational drug companies and manufacturing generic versions of patented drugs.

Theme (s): Care/Treatment - PlusNews, Children,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]