Cheaper AIDS drugs for developing countries

One of the world's biggest drug companies has pledged to offer deep discounts for AIDS drugs to developing countries.

GlaxoSmithKline says it would offer HIV/AIDS drugs at discounts in excess of 90 per cent for any non-profit organization that is able to deliver them to patients directly.

Drug companies have been under pressure from health and development groups to offer the expensive treatments more cheaply.

"We are not going to wait for the governments to close these deals but are going directly to NGOs (non-governmental organizations)," announced CEO Jean-Pierre Garnier.

Drugmakers have been offering the drugs at a reduced price through a United Nations program but it has been slow in getting to needed areas.

Oxfam, an NGO, is now calling on drug companies to extend their generosity to combat other diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and pneumonia.

"At last it's a very public recognition by a world drug leader that prices are a key issue to millions of people, especially in poor countries," Oxfam spokesperson Matthew Granger told CBC Radio.

The announcement by GlaxoSmithKline is welcome news to areas of Africa where one in 10 adults are infected.

One orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya had announced plans to circumvent international patent laws by directly importing drugs from India.

Two to three children dying every month

"In desperation, because we have had two or three dying every month, I ordered some drugs from India which only cost $20 US a month," said Father Angelo D'Agostino of the Nyumbani Children's Home.

The orphanage usually spends about $500 a month treating each child.

Oxfam officials say the real problem is a government's right to import or make their own low cost copies of patented drugs for their own people.

Of the 36 million people who have AIDS or HIV in the world, 25 million live in Africa suffer, and most can not afford the drugs to combat the disease.

Father D'Agostino says he is angry because many children have died waiting for cheaper AIDS drugs to be delivered.

"All the children who are buried here could have lived if we had the medication. There is no question about that," says D'Agostino.

"I know there is simply the greedy reluctance of these big companies. They have a lot of power in the world that is keeping (the children) from living."