Anti-retroviral factory on the cards

Mozambican President Armando Guebuza declared last week night that the local production of anti-retroviral drugs, in a factory to be built with Brazilian investment, “will certainly increase the number of Mozambicans with access to these medicines”.

He was speaking in Maputo at a state banquet offered in honour of his Brazilian counterpart, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, who was on a two day visit to Mozambique. Guebuza said that the number of HIV-positive Mozambicans receiving the life-prolonging anti-retroviral therapy have risen from about 6 000 in January 2005 to over 100 000 now.At first only 20 health units could offer anti-retroviral therapy, but now it is accessible in over 200 units, and in all of Mozambique’s 128 districts.Once the drugs are locally produced, it should be possible to increase significantly the number of people receiving the therapy, and so “Mozambicans are awaiting this factory with great expectations,” said Guebuza.About 1,5 million Mozambicans are believed to be HIV-positive.The most recent epidemiological surveillance data showed that 16 per cent of Mozambicans aged between 15 and 49 years are carrying the virus.Guebuza said that Mozambique and Brazil both “put the fight against hunger and poverty at the centre of their government actions and their bilateral co-operation, because they believe that this is how to step up inclusiveness and the sharing by citizens in the economic growth that we are experiencing”.Lula told the guests at the banquet that South-South increases in trade and investment can be a powerful instrument to face the economic turbulence arising from recession in the rich north.”We need our own responses to the challenges of development,” said Lula.But Mozambique and Brazil could not do much on their own to fight the effects of a world financial crisis.Instead they needed to unite with other countries of the South.Expressing confidence in the partnership between Mozambique and Brazil, Lula suggested to Guebuza that the two presidents set up a joint group to identify and explore new investment and market opportunities.”In this way we will bring equilibrium to our trade balance, and we will generate jobs for more people in Mozambique,” said Lula.He was pleased to have Guebuza as a partner in the area of biofuels.He said that Brazil and Mozambique are both well aware of the potential of ethanol and biodiesel in creating energy security, and in generating income and employment.He stressed that renewable fuels can be grown without damaging the availability of food crops.Brazil, he said, is eager to embark on cooperation with Mozambique in biofuels.”We want to multiply the number of producers of energy, and democratise the world’s energy production and market,” he declared.”It makes no sense that decisions affecting the entire world are taken without considering either the large emerging economies, or Africa.”Nampa-AimGuebuza said that the number of HIV-positive Mozambicans receiving the life-prolonging anti-retroviral therapy have risen from about 6 000 in January 2005 to over 100 000 now.At first only 20 health units could offer anti-retroviral therapy, but now it is accessible in over 200 units, and in all of Mozambique’s 128 districts.Once the drugs are locally produced, it should be possible to increase significantly the number of people receiving the therapy, and so “Mozambicans are awaiting this factory with great expectations,” said Guebuza.About 1,5 million Mozambicans are believed to be HIV-positive.The most recent epidemiological surveillance data showed that 16 per cent of Mozambicans aged between 15 and 49 years are carrying the virus.Guebuza said that Mozambique and Brazil both “put the fight against hunger and poverty at the centre of their government actions and their bilateral co-operation, because they believe that this is how to step up inclusiveness and the sharing by citizens in the economic growth that we are experiencing”.Lula told the guests at the banquet that South-South increases in trade and investment can be a powerful instrument to face the economic turbulence arising from recession in the rich north.”We need our own responses to the challenges of development,” said Lula.But Mozambique and Brazil could not do much on their own to fight the effects of a world financial crisis.Instead they needed to unite with other countries of the South.Expressing confidence in the partnership between Mozambique and Brazil, Lula suggested to Guebuza that the two presidents set up a joint group to identify and explore new investment and market opportunities.”In this way we will bring equilibrium to our trade balance, and we will generate jobs for more people in Mozambique,” said Lula.He was pleased to have Guebuza as a partner in the area of biofuels.He said that Brazil and Mozambique are both well aware of the potential of ethanol and biodiesel in creating energy security, and in generating income and employment.He stressed that renewable fuels can be grown without damaging the availability of food crops.Brazil, he said, is eager to embark on cooperation with Mozambique in biofuels.”We want to multiply the number of producers of energy, and democratise the world’s energy production and market,” he declared.”It makes no sense that decisions affecting the entire world are taken without considering either the large emerging economies, or Africa.”Nampa-Aim