Access to ARV in rural areas

[Guest guest]

Dear forum members,

If anybody has contacts with representatives of any of the Indian

drug companies (Cipla, Aurobindo, Genix Pharma, ....) that make

antiretroviral drugs at reduced cost, please forward the following

message to them.

Through the efforts of the NGO READ (based in Andimadam, Ariyalur

district of Tamil Nadu), a number of HIV awareness/destigmatization

programs have been initiated in rural villages. With the help of

several local doctors, a number of HIV-positive patients have been

identified, and some of them may be able to afford some

antiretroviral drugs. The local doctors have no experience with ARV,

and also don't know how to get access to these drugs, without having

to send the patient on a day-long trip to a big city. This is a rural

area with limited internet access.

I've read in interviews with representatives of some of the Indian

drug companies, the statement that they work closely together with

local doctors, clinics, and NGO's, so that " ....drugs can be

delivered to the patient's doorsteps. "

Using the information e-mail address that is listed on their

respective websites, I've e-mailed these companies for the following:

1). Information on the drugs & drug combinations, especially their

current price list. One set of booklets and any other information

that they would send could be used for the HIV information resource

center that we are starting, so that many local doctors and NGO's can

consult it, and discuss it with patients.

2). Any information on the easiest way for doctors or NGO's

(especially those in rural areas) to order these drugs (where are

their nearest representatives in the cities?).

After several e-mails during the past 3 months, we still haven't

received a single response, which puzzles me....

Hopefully through the AIDS-India mailing list, this message can

reach the right person at these companies, so a productive exchange

of information can start. I'm sure there are many other doctors and

NGO's in other distant rural areas that may have similar questions,

so many more people may benefit from these answers.

Thanks for your help.

Best regards,

Dr. Koen Van Rompay, D.V.M., Ph.D.

University of California (, USA) and

Sahaya International (www.sahaya.org)

E-mail: kkvanrompay@...

READ (RURAL EDUCATION AND ACTION DEVELOPMENT)

1926 Sakthi Vinayagar Street

VILANDAI-ANDIMADAM POST

ARIYALUR DISTRICT

TAMIL NADU - 621801

INDIA

PHONE NO: +91-4331-42583,42483

E-MAIL:readpen@...

Website:www.sahaya.org

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