Botswana gets GSK’s modern HIV drug in largest ever Africa tender
By Ben Hirschler LONDON (Reuters) – An HIV drug first approved less than three years ago is to be rolled out in Botswana as a core medicine for newly diagnosed patients, following the largest ever tender secured by GlaxoSmithKline's HIV business in Africa. ViiV Healthcare, which is majority-owned by GSK, said on Friday it was the first time that Tivicay, or dolutegravir, was being made available as a first-line treatment as part of a national health programme in sub-Saharan Africa. Campaign groups like Medecins Sans Frontieres have been pushing for the new drug to be offered to people in developing countries since it was first approved in the United States in 2013, as the drug is well tolerated and extremely effective.
