ETHIOPIA: Free HIV/AIDS drugs for Christmas

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society has announced plans to distribute free antiretroviral drugs, starting mid-December, to people living with HIV/AIDS.

Getachew Gezahegn, an official for the society, was quoted by the Agence France Presse news agency as saying: "The society is preparing to distribute the drugs free of charge to low-income HIV-positive people in Addis Ababa, with the first beneficiaries to be sex workers."

The society said it expected between 300 and 1,500 people who were incapable of meeting the current cost of anti-AIDS drugs to come forward for free treatment.

Generic versions of antiretroviral drugs, recently imported from India, sell at around US $40 per person for a month's supply.

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

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