26 May 2004

Regional scheme launched to lower drugs costs

1:50 pm on 26 May 2004

Seven South Pacific countries have agreed to join a scheme design to bring down the cost of medical drugs.

Radio Fiji says the scheme will be based at the newly-built Fiji Pharmacy centre which opens in Suva today.

It will involve the bulk purchasing of drugs at a discount and making them available to regional countries at an affordable price.

The Japanese government has funded the construction of a new centre at a cost of 10-million US dollars.

The Japanese ambassador in Suva says apart from Fiji, the countries which have agreed to purchase drugs through the centre are Niue, Nauru, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands, Kiribati and the Marshall Islands.