Anti-retroviral drugs cheaper now

Renata Ram, the UNAIDS Country Director for the Pacific and Fiji, stated that the cost of bulk purchasing antiretroviral (ARV) drugs has significantly decreased compared to a few years ago. She expressed this view on this week's episode of "Lens@177," highlighting the progress made in affordability.

Ms. Ram pointed out that each person living with HIV has different needs, and the required dosage of ARV drugs depends on their specific circumstances and the drug combinations used. She explained that it's impossible to specify exactly how much medication or how many pills a patient needs, but the drugs are now less toxic, cheaper, and easier to take compared to 15 to 20 years ago. In the past, patients had to take nearly 20 highly toxic pills daily, a stark contrast to current regimens.

Ms. Ram added that, as with any chronic medication, there may be some initial side effects when taking ARV drugs, but the body eventually adapts better. Regarding costs, she stated that they cannot provide exact figures because they use a bulk purchasing approach, where larger quantities result in lower costs. However, she affirmed that the current prices are much lower than they were 10 to 15 years ago, making treatment more accessible.

She also mentioned that while UNAIDS typically does not procure drugs for Fiji, it provides support when necessary, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms. Ram believes that Fiji is one of the most fortunate countries in the Pacific region, benefiting from strong governmental support.

"The Fijian government is committed to providing free medication for life to every person living with HIV. Therefore, the Fijian government is responsible for purchasing medication for people living with HIV residing in Fiji," Ms. Ram said. "However, they use the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) procurement system, which at least gives them access to UNDP prices, which are much cheaper than buying directly from any supplier. Fiji used to procure from India, but now through the UNDP system, they can get the drugs into the country faster and at a lower price, improving the efficiency of the supply chain."