India to give free HIV drugs

 By LUKE KAMA

THE Government of Papua New Guinea will receive a year’s free supply of HIV/AIDS medicine and medical equipment from India, Indian High Commissioner to PNG Nagendra Kumar Saxena says. 

Saxena said the Government of India has increased its assistance to PNG and was looking at focusing on improving government’s priority areas of development including health, education, infrastructure and law and order.

“India is a rising power, a emerging as a global leader in science, technology, innovations and start-ups and whose economic success is the envy of the world,” he said.

“Almost up to 100 per cent of the medicine supplied by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is manufactured and supplied by India. 

“We have not supplied medicines directly to PNG, and this year we have made arrangements with the Government to support the health sector to supply free medicine and medical equipment to improve the health services in the country.”

Secretary for Health Pasco Kase told The National last week that the first list of medicines and medical equipment was submitted to the Indian High Commission.

“When Prime Minister Peter O’Neill visited India last year, he met with Indian Prime Minister who has agreed to provide free HIV/AIDS medicine and medical equipment to PNG,” Kase said.

“We have submitted the first list of medicines and medical equipment to the Indian High Commission in Port Moresby last November.

“It costs millions of kina, but we are grateful that the Government of India will meet all the cost.”

Saxena told The National that the first list of medicines and medical equipment requested by the PNG Government through the Ministry of Health and HIV/AIDS was submitted to the Government of India.

“We have received the first list of medicines and medical supplies requested from the Ministry of Health and HIV/AIDS and we have delivered the list to India already.

“The Indian Government is working on the procurement process of the medicines and the medical equipment and it will be supplied free of charge to the people of PNG through the NDoH soon, once the procurement is done,” he said.

He said they were looking at increasing health capacity building in the country through providing scholarships for medical personnel.