Don't Hold Your Breath

A single story in today's New York Times proves the two stars of Kannada journalism wrong. Here it is:

Former President Bill Clinton plans to announce today that his foundation has negotiated lower prices on AIDS tests and on two important AIDS drugs.

Four companies, from the United States, India and China, will offer rapid H.I.V. tests for 49 cents to 65 cents, which will reduce the typical cost of a test in poor countries by half, Mr. Clinton said in a written statement. Another four companies - three from India and one from South Africa - will make the antiretroviral drug efavirenz for as little as $240 per patient per year. One of the Indian companies, Cipla, will also make the antiretroviral abacavir for $447.

The most common three-drug combination pill for H.I.V. now costs $136 per year, so the new drugs, even at steep discounts from the thousands of dollars they cost in the West, can easily triple the cost of therapy. But as patients become resistant to their first-line drugs, doctors must have new options.

The William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation acts as a broker, meeting with the health ministries of about 50 poor countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and with drug makers.

In July 2004 Mr.Vishveshvara Bhat was not at all happy when Bill Clinton was appointed by the UN as an envoy in its initiatives against the HIV and AIDS. Here is what he wrote then:
While Mr.Bhat was upset about Clinton's involvement, Mr.Ravi Belagere saw a sinister conspiracy. For him AIDS/HIV were "specters" created by "countries like US" to sell drugs manufactured by US companies and "swindle" millions of dollars from India!

Here is what he wrote:
Now that Mr.Clinton and his foundation have made major headway in supplying test-kits/drugs for AIDS/HIV patients in developing countries -- test-kits/drugs manufactured in countries like India -- can we expect our star journalists to revisit this story?