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African Health Ministers Give Cool Reception to Drug Company's Offer to Supply Important AIDS Drug Free

Aired July 8, 2000 - 6:00 p.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR: This weekend, thousands of doctors, researchers and public health activist are gathering in Durban, South Africa. That's the site this year of the annual international summit on the epidemic. On the eve of the conference, American health officials presented some new figures on these state of AIDS in the United States. Officials warn five million Americans are at high risk because of their drug and sex practices. Currently, about 40,000 Americans are infected each year, down from 100,000 in mid '80s. And they while infection rates are holding steady at 1 to 4 percent among gay men, there are fears of a resurgence because of complacency. Still, those numbers pale in comparison to the developing world, where the virus continues to run rampant. Meanwhile on Saturday, African health ministers gave a cool reception to a drug company's offer to supply an important AIDS drug free of charge.

CNN medical correspondent Eileen O'Connor with more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EILEEN O'CONNOR, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The South Africa government is ready to open a widespread pilot program using Navarapene, an antiretroviral drug, to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, the virus at that causes AIDS. Navarapene's the manufacturer, Beringer Ingleheim (ph), says it will provide the drug for free. But officials here say it is paying for council, and delivering the medication that's a problem.

DR. JAMES MCINTYRE, CHRIS HANI BARAGWANATH HOSPITAL: With short causes of Navaropene, the cost aspect of the drug is about a small part of the real cost.

O'CONNOR: Studies indicate use of the drug could cut the rate of transmission in half. Every year here, 70,000 to 80,000 babies are infection with the HIV from her mothers. Because one in four of the pregnant women that come to clinic like this one in Soweto have HIV, doctors are also looking at a microbicide, a gel that a women can use vaginally before sex to prevent AIDS. It's especially important in male-dominated societies, where females find it difficult to demand their partners use condoms.

DR. HELEN REES, MEDICINE CONTROL COUNCIL: Women also need to have other methods that are truly he female-controlled. O'CONNOR: prevention programs like Love Life in South Africa, with its provocative ads, are aimed at getting younger Africans to practice safe sex. But such programs take political courage, discussing what has been taboo.

DR. ZWELI MKHIZE, PROVINCIAL MINISTER OF HEALTH: Well, our major faux pas and our major priority is actually forecasting on improving the information that will change the attitudes of our people so that prevention becomes possible.

O'CONNOR (on camera): And all takes money, not just pay for the latest treatments, but to create the infrastructure, the clinics, the counselors, even the clean water, to implement the programs the experts already know work in fighting this pandemic.

(voice-over): For 11 million people, in Sub-Saharan Africa, it is too late. At this cemetery, they conducted to 30 to 40 funerals every Saturday. Teachers, doctors, engineers, mothers and fathers, their loss to societies like South Africa, rebuilding after years of apartheid, is incalculable.

Eileen O'Connor, CNN, Durban, South Africa.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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