Bangladesh to export anti-retroviral drugs

[Guest guest]

Production of HIV/AIDS drugs starts Beximco eyes at LDC's market

By Staff Reporter

Oct 26, 2003, 02:08

Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a leading pharmaceutical company of the

country yesterday formally announced the launching of a range of anti-

retroviral drugs for the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients.

This is for first time that any local pharmaceutical company in

Bangladesh has launched such sophisticated drugs to manage the deadly

disease of HIV/AIDS.

According to the officials of Beximco Chemical Division, the drugs

are available at " affordable " prices. " Depending on the intensity of

the disease, the treatment cost ranges between Tk 250 and Tk 600 a

day for each HIV/AIDS patient, " said a high official. " The price is

much lower compared to the existing world market prices. "

The official further said the Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd imports the

raw materials of the drugs in bulk form and then manufactures at its

local plant.

It is learnt that the Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd has planned to

export these drugs to least developed countries (LDCs), mainly

African and Caribbean nations. None of the LDCs manufactures HIV/AIDS

drugs.

The drugs were launched at a seminar on " HIV Situation in Bangladesh:

Role of Healthcare Providers " held at the Bangladesh China Friendship

Conference Centre in the city.

State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mizanur Rahman Sinha

attended the seminar as the chief guest.

Professor Md Nazrul Islam, Chairman of the Department of Virology of

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dr Najmus Sahar Sadiq,

Assistant Resident Representative of UNDP, SM Shafiuzzaman, President

of Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI), Nazmul

Hassan, Chief Operating Officer of Beximco Chemical Division and

General Secretary of BAPI and Afsar Uddin Ahmed, Director Marketing

also addressed the seminar.

Renowned physicians, representatives of the United Nations, NGOs and

healthcare providers attended the seminar.

Speaking on the occasion, Mizanur Rahman Sinha said despite multiple

initiatives by different national and global organisations, HIV/AIDS

is expanding its territory at an alarming rate.

He identified lack of knowledge regarding STD and HIV, presence of

commercial sex industry, low usage rate of condoms, high prevalence

of STD among the sex workers, widespread needle sharing by drug

users, etc which might contribute to spread of the disease.

Sinha said Bangladesh is still fortunate to be a low prevalent

country for HIV/AIDS although geographically it is located in

continuity with two very high prevalent nations.

The State Minister expressed his extreme happiness over the Beximco

Pharma's launching of such antiviral drugs for the first time in

Bangladesh. " It will definitely be helpful in treating the HIV

positive patients in the country, " he said.

Beximco Chemical Division's COO Nazmul Hassan said the introduction

of the drugs by Beximco in Bangladesh would significantly help

mitigating the sufferings of HIV/AIDS patients. For the first time in

Bangladesh, Beximco Pharma manufactured hi-tech anti-AIDS drugs using

its own resources and technological know-how. " It will also uplift

the image of Bangladesh in global arena as the manufacturer of

sophisticated drugs, " he said.

He mentioned that Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd is committed to provide

highest quality life saving drugs at an affordable price to treat HIV

patients in a better way.

UNDP Assistant Resident Representative Dr Najmus Sahar Sadiq

explained the global HIV/AIDS scenario. Some 42 million people are

now living with HIV/AIDS, and the prevalence of the disease is

highest in Africa, followed by South Asia. Some 3.1 million HIV/AIDS

patients died in 2001.

Virologist Professor Md Nazrul Islam narrated how the HIV is

transmitted to the human body and subsequently destroys the immune

system.

The three main ways the HIV virus is passed to a very young child

are: a) while the body develops in the mother's uterus

(intrauterine); at the time of birth; and c) during breast

feeding.

Among teens, the virus is most commonly spread through high-risk

behaviours, including unprotected sexual intercourse (oral, vaginal,

or anal sex), sharing needles used for injecting drugs, steroids and

tattooing.

He said AIDS results from infection with the HIV virus. HIV infects

and destroys lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell involved in the

body's immune (infection-fighting) response to invading germs.

Professor Islam said the presence of HIV in human body is not always

detectable. " If HIV is detected in any person, he or she should not

be advised to go to the market or any place where the concentration

of people is high, " he said.

Moreover, he said most of the deaths from HIV/AIDS are occurred due

to tuberculosis of the patients. " Other diseases, except tuberculosis

are manageable through the available anti-retroviral drugs, " he said.

Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd also donated the first batch of its anti-

AIDS drugs, comprising Diavix, Avifanz, Avifix, Triovix and Avilam,

to the National AIDS Committee for poor AIDS patients of Bangladesh.

Nazmul Hassan handed over the drugs to Prof Nazrul Islam, who is also

a member of the National AIDS Committee.

© Copyright 2003 by The New Nation

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