Aids drugs programme criticised

China's
programme of providing free Aids drutgs to HIV-infected farmers is flawed because the
drugs are old and there are not enough doctors capable of administering them, AFP
reported. Earlier this year. China began manufacturing the drugs, older ver-sions whose
patents had expired. and in April it started giving them to patients in various central
provinces.
Foreign Aids workers have said that the drugs are less effiective than
newer versions and that many patients are dropping out of the programme because the
drugs cause strong side effects, including vomiting and diarrhoea. The head of the
programme under the Centre for Disease Control responded by saying that the drugs.
although not the best, are still effective and that the chief obstacle to the success of the
programme is a lack of qualified doctors who are needed to help patients stay on the
treatment.