Antiviral drugs to be distributed free of charge

The Government of Moldova has allocated more than 54 million lei for combating the pandemic influenza A (H1N1). 31 million lei of this sum will go to purchase antiviral drugs that will be distributed free of charge to infected persons, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the Ministry of Health, the persons infected with pandemic flu will be treated free of charge. The family doctors will give the antiviral drug Tamiflu to persons who have pandemic flu-like symptoms. The first batch of 200,000 Tamiflu capsules will be brought into Moldova from France this week. The drug was bought by the Moldovan Government and will be distributed to all the infected persons free of charge, even to those who do not have health policy. 20,000 vaccines against pandemic flu will come to Moldova early in December. They are offered by Romania in humanitarian aid. By November 11, the National Scientific Practical Center of Preventive Medicine has recorded 990 suspect cases of the pandemic flu A(H1N1). 164 samples are now being examined. So far, the virus has been detected in 467 cases. Four persons have died. The children made up 13% of the infected persons.