Patients seek lower prices for HIV drugs

JAKARTA (JP): "I hate to admit this. But, I'd rather let my child die because I cannot afford his treatment any longer," a father whose 21-year-old son is infected with Human Immuno- deficiency Virus (HIV) said on Thursday, almost in tears.

"I'm not a rich man. I have four other children to look after," Ismail, a resident of Kwitang, Central Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post after a gathering between physicians, family and people with HIV and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Like Ismail, many others suffer from the high cost of the therapy and the drugs to minimize the effects of the virus which attacks the human immune system.

Ninety percent of the 200 patients, aged between 23 and 24 years on average, under treatment at the AIDS special study group of the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital are from poor families.

Physician Samsuridjal Djauzi said that 78 percent of the young patients were narcotics users who contracted the virus through unsterilized syringes.

For the required one year of preliminary therapy, a patient may have to pay Rp 88 million for the drugs she/he has to take. And there is no guarantee that the patient will be cured.

A West Jakarta resident, a woman in her 40s whose brother is one of the HIV/AIDS patients, told the Post that she had spent Rp 38 million in the last six months on the treatment.

"Doctors say we cannot stop the treatment. Perhaps the drugs my brother takes may eliminate the virus in his blood plasma, but not in his cells. He has to continue the therapy until the vaccine to kill the virus is found," she said.

Lucky S. Slamet, head of the division of drugs for communicable diseases of the Food and Drug Control Agency (BPOM) said that the agency and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare are seeking a way to provide more affordable drugs for the poor.

"The price we charge here actually is the same as the price in the drug' producer countries. But, still, only a few of our people can afford it," she said.

A physician, Salamun, who is also anti-drug activist, pointed out that the high price of the drugs also contributes to the increase in the number of HIV-infected people, who mostly are from low-income families.

He also deplored the policy of state-owned Health Insurance Company (Askes) which cuts off people with HIV/AIDS from the scheme. (bby)