Mbeki finally takes initiative on Aids epidemic

South Africa, which is fighting the highest caseload of Aids in the world, has hired seven international pharmaceutical firms to help deliver anti-Aids drugs in state hospitals.

The move comes in the wake of a UN report warning that 90 million Africans - 10 per cent of the continent's population - could be infected by the HIV virus in the next 20 years if more is not done to combat the epidemic.

The South African initiative was seen as a sign that President Thabo Mbeki is taking the disease that has ravaged his population seriously and will speed up a long-delayed national prescription plan.

The virus has infected five million South Africans, one in five adults, the UN says. At the current rate of infection, South African teenagers have a greater than 50 per cent chance of contracting HIV. More than 60 per cent of South Africa's new infections occur in people under the age of 25.

Africa's biggest generic drug maker, Aspen Pharmacare; GlaxoSmithKline Plc; Merck's South African unit MSD and the private German drugmaker Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals are among the firms awarded tenders to supply Aids drugs in state hospitals, which hold the greatest number of Aids sufferers. The Johannesburg-based Abbott Laboratories, the US firm Bristol-Myers Squibb and India's Cipla Ltd are also part of the deal, which expires in 2007.

The health department said the project would begin in six to eight weeks. Representatives of the firms and provincial health procurement officials would meet every three months to ensure drug supplies.

The government had faced criticism over its delay in enlisting the support of the private sector in the fight against Aids after it had shortlisted firms to involve in the programme but not proceeded with the scheme.

Last month, the Health Minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, said estimates of people on the drug programme launched in 2003 ranged between 28,000 and 31,000, well short of a 53,000 target set for the end of this month. Activists say the figure is below 20,000.

- INDEPENDENT