I did not see 60 Minutes Sunday evening, but I have long been aware of the problem of AIDS in Afica. Actually I was reading an article the other day, I am not sure what magazine, which said that pharmaceutical companies were going to begin decreasing the price of drugs such as AZT by up to ninety percent in African nations. Apparently they have been under a lot of fire laterly for the absurdly high price of their drugs. I believe the drugs needed can add up to over $1000 dollars monthly. Of course, we must wait and see if this comes to fruition. Also the article seemed to suggest that the companies could lower the prices without losing money all along which just makes me wonder...
Sadly, I do not think that anyone will be jumping on the "bandwagon" to help these countries. This issue has been in and on the fringes of the media for years and yet little has changed. Even though I think that this goes without saying, I have to say that if AIDS was reaching epidemic proportions in some European country, I think that the response would have been much swifter and more effective. This may be a pessimistic view, but I am more inclined to believe that it is pragmatic. I think that if anyone is going to help us (the peoples of the African Diaspora) it will have to be us. And becoming aware of these issues is the first step in that process.
[This message has been edited by Little32 (edited July 03, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Little32 (edited July 03, 2000).]
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