International efforts led by the WHO, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Harvard Medical School have created access to high quality “second line” drugs at sharply reduced prices (up to 94%).

Head of the national health department’s TB control programme, Dr Refiloe Matji said a WHO committee would visit South Africa next month to assess whether “we are managing MDR-TB correctly”.

“They will consider factors such as how much we are paying for these drugs at present and the outcomes of our TB management programmes,” Matji said.

Only once this visit has taken place will South Africa be able to apply for the MDR-TB drugs at the reduced prices.

“The main concern is not only the drugs, it is also ensuring that these drugs are not misused. We can’t afford to have people who also develop resistance to the second line drugs,” Matji cautioned.

WHO announced in Geneva that some countries would be able to save as much as 94% of their current spending on the drugs needed to treat MDR-TB.

According to the statement, MSF was instrumental in the negotiations with the pharmaceutical industry for the second line drugs, which currently cost as much as US $19,000 (about R152 000) per course to treat one person.

The WHO and its international partners are helping countries to ensure that these drugs are used effectively and are providing technical support to improve the treatment available to sufferers of MDR-TB.

WHO is also working to ensure proper use of these drugs via a multi-agency collaboration known as the “Green Light Committee”, which assists countries benefiting from the reduced prices in planning their intervention to achieve the best possible treatment outcomes.

South Africa will send its application to this committee once the WHO delegation has completed its assessment following next month’s visit.

Last year 119 638 people were treated for TB in South Africa. In 1995 the figure was 61 821. – Health-e News Service