There are plans to give the booklet a media launch and to use it in a range on information activities in and around the capital, Lusaka. Speeches by the president, vice president or minister of health will draw upon the booklet. There are also plans to hold an exhibition where the booklet is distributed and breakaway sessions are conducted to raise awareness of issues relating to AIDS and Men. A policymaker s meeting is planned for January, with details yet to be finalised. But the vast majority live in the world s poorest countries and cannot afford the high cost of such drugs, medical tests and consultations.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers claim that high prices reflect research and development costs.
Activists allege that they reflect the desire to make large profits. The price of antiretrovirals is not the only factor preventing treatment for AIDS reaching the developing world. Health care systems are often weak, with far too few doctors, nurses and medical facilities. Antiretrovirals are ineffective without regular laboratory tests and skilled personnel able to advise on the appropriate treatment. Click here for the report and related information .