Argentine Gov’t doesn’t deliver drugs for Hepatitis C

Buenos Aires: Almost 1200 patients are under life risk. The Health Ministry that depends on president Cristina Fernández, had promised to deliver the needed drugs for the patients in november. However it didn’t happen and patients are under death risk.

It is about a new treatment, that recently was approved by ANMAT (National Administration of Drugs, Food and Medical Technology) that heals 99% of cases. The patients that suffer from Hepatitis C and need the treatment made a protest march in front of Nation Health Ministry to ask the gov’t to deliver the drugs for the 1157 patients under life risk.

The treatment has a high cost and is not accessible for all the patients. The ANMAT approved last november the last of three drugs that are part of that treatment.

“National authorities have made a commitment to deliver the drugs at the beginning of november and within a week to authorities change, we haven’t got any answer for our claim that would allow to save these patients lives that should start urgently the treatment” said some of the patients relatives.

The Facebook Group Buena Vida, that gathers the Hepatitis patients, published a letter to the president Cristina Fernández last wednesday. “A group of 1200 patients with chronicle Hepatitis C in cirrhosis state, some other transplant patients or just waiting for one. All people with serious illness that end at a hepatocarcinoma and death if it is not properly treated”. They remind Ms. Fernández that last “august Mr. Gollán, Health Minister had undertaken to deliver those 1200 treatment urgently. That commitment consisted in importing the drugs extraordinarily“.

“After long 4 months of promises, requirements, tests, ultrasonography, we clash against this reality that the Minitry says the treatments are not available. That means 1200 patients waiting for a miracle, are on the edge of death.” they said.

Source: Clarín