Nigeria Content Online

The federal
government has approved the sum of N1.319 billion for the purchase of
anti-retroviral drugs for HIV/AIDs patients in the country, in a bid to
sustain its policy on free treatment of people living with HIV/AIDs,
minister of state for information and communications, Labaran Maku, has
said.

There is an appropriation in the 2010 budget for the ministry to procure the ARV drugs.

Mr. Maku, who
briefed journalists on Wednesday’s federal executive council meeting,
said for the sustenance of government policy, as well as the health of
its citizens, council approved the contracts, which is expected to be
executed in eight weeks.

The drugs to be
procured include “100,000 packs of Tenofovir (30’s), in the unit price
of N3,150.00 and in the total sum of N31.5million; 200,000 packs of
Zidovudine/ Lamivudine (60’s), in the unit price of N1,352.00 and the
total of N270.4million; 371,091 packs of Zidovudine/ Lamivudine/
Nevirapine (60’s), in the unit price of N1,629.00 and the total
contract sum of N604.5million; 247,000 packs of Efavirenz (30’s), at
the unit price of N850.00 and the total contract sum of N209.9million;
and 300,000 Nevirapine (60’s), at the unit price of N676.20 and in the
total of N202.8million.”

Government started
the free treatment with Anti-Retroviral drugs in 2001 and, through 262
centres, provides service to about 6500 people.

Mr. Maku also said the council approved a five-year national health
plan that will gulp N3.997 trillion. Funding for the new policy, which
the minister said is aimed at upgrading the nation’s health facilities
and giving value for money, is expected to be sourced from proceeds
(tax) from the sale of tobacco and alcohol.