South Africa: Not Enough Drugs to Handle a Pandemic

30 April, 2009 in South Africa

source: allAfrica
UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
29 April 2009

Johannesburg — South Africa, the country with the most resources in Africa, has two suspected cases of swine flu, but does not have adequate supplies of the antiviral drugs known to be effective in treating the rapidly spreading disease that has so far claimed more than 150 lives in Mexico, according to an expert.

“I know for a fact we haven’t stockpiled. If you don’t have a national stockpile, that’s it – you’re not going to get the drugs in time,” said Ed Rybicki, a virologist who teaches at the University of Cape Town.

In the absence of a vaccine for swine flu, antiviral medicines such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) have been used to treat the disease.

Dr Lucille Blumberg, of the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases, confirmed on 29 April that two suspected cases of swine flu were being investigated. South Africa is a major transit hub for the continent and a destination of [continue reading]

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