WHO, US FDA DEAL TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HIV/AIDS DRUGS IN AFRICA

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reached an agreement with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that should expand the number of HIV/AIDS drugs available to poor countries. The US FDA and the WHO have agreed to share confidential testing data on anti-AIDS drug to be used in global treatment programmes. The deal will help expand the US government's US$15bn PEPFAR AIDS treatment scheme. A number of African countries hardest-hit by HIV/AIDS, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, had refused to accept medicines from PEPFAR as they had not been approved by the WHO.

PEPFAR was launched in 2003 with the aim of combating and providing treatment for HIV/AIDS in 123 countries worldwide. Of the 123 countries 15 were identified as "focus countries," which account for nearly 50% of global infections. PEPFAR aims to provide treatment for 2mn people in "focus countries" and prevent a further 7mn infections. Of the 15 focus countries, 12 are in Africa, Botswana, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.