COST OF ARV DRUGS IN ZIMBABWE SOAR

An increase of more than 100 percent in the price of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs is likely to put the medication beyond the reach of hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans living with HIV, the U.N. Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) reports.

Some pharmacies have increased the price of a monthly course of ARVs from approximately $120 to between $320 and $400, telling IRIN the price hike was an inevitable outcome of soaring inflation and a scarcity of foreign currency.

"People think the price increase is severe and unnecessary, but all we are doing is passing on the costs of procurement to keep the supply chain running," one pharmacist told IRIN. "We import these products, so we need to keep the prices at a level where we can supply the country and remain viable at the same time."

"We understand the importance of ARVs to the country, but we cannot sell them at prices that may lead us to close shop. The government needs to do something to ensure that ARV manufacturers are given priority in sharing the little foreign currency that comes in," another pharmacist said.

More than 300,000 Zimbabweans require ARV therapy, but the government ARV program has only reached 50,000 people, according to IRIN. The country intends to make ARVs available to 160,000 people, but the government recently conceded that the program was lagging behind schedule.