Tuesday, August 23, 2011

NEW ANTI-RETROVIRALS FACTORY TO START OPERATING BY 2013

The new pharmaceutical factory which will manufacture anti-retroviral medicines is expected to start operating in 2013, according to Jose Luiz Telles, head of the Brazilian Osvaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), who was speaking in Maputo on Saturday.Work is underway on the construction of the new factory, which should be completed early in 2012. This will be followed by the installation of equipment.According to Jose Luiz Telles, “2013 will be a special year for Mozambicans, with the beginning of the manufacturing of anti-retroviral drugs, along with medicines to treat high blood pressure and diabetes”.The factory, which will employ 88 Mozambicans, will manufacture 20 different medicines for the treatment of a number of diseases, especially anti-retroviral drugs for people living with the HIV virus. It will reduce the country's dependence on imported drugs.This project has been under preparation since 2003, when Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva visited Mozambique. However, it was only in 2009 that the Brazilian Senate gave the green light for the project to be implemented.Both countries are also working towards the establishment of a medicines regulatory agency, which will evaluate and certify drugs manufactured and sold in Mozambique.The new regulatory body, to be named Agencia Sanitaria Nacional, will regulate, supervise, audit and standardise medicines and related products, including foods and cosmetics, sold in the country.

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