Wall Street Journal Examines Zimbabwean Clinic’s Efforts To Treat HIV/AIDS Patients With Antiretroviral Drugs
The Wall Street Journal on Thursday examined efforts by the Bulawayo, Zimbabwe-based Mpilo Chest Hospital to provide HIV/AIDS patients with antiretroviral drug treatment and other care. The clinic, which is funded by the Zimbabwean Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Medecins Sans Frontieres and CDC, shows some of the "hope" and "many of the challenges" of using Western aid money to treat HIV/AIDS patients in Africa, according to the Journal. The clinic as of last week was treating 153 HIV-positive patients with antiretroviral drugs; however, 300 people who need the drugs are on a waiting list and an additional 480 people are scheduled to be evaluated by doctors. All appointments to see doctors at the clinic for HIV/AIDS services have been filled until January 2005, according to the Journal. The clinic aims to treat 1,500 HIV-positive people with antiretroviral drugs over the next five years. Although the clinic treats patients with drugs purchased by the health ministry and MSF, drugs purchased by the U.S. government have yet to arrive, according to the Journal. When those drugs "finally do arrive," they are expected to cost twice as much as those MSF purchases from Indian generic drug makers, the Journal reports (Schoofs, Wall Street Journal, 7/1).
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