Mozambique plans to build pharmaceutical plant

Mozambique is planning to build a $23 million (£11.7 million) pharmaceutical plant to manufacture drugs for HIV, Aids and malaria.

The nation's deputy health minister, Aida Libombo, has announced that the country plans to use funding from international donors to build the plant, reports Reuters.

It is reported that pharmaceutical producers in Brazil will monitor the work done by the new plant and aid in the transfer of drug-producing technology to the African nation.

Around 500 people in Mozambique are estimated to be infected with the HIV virus every day.

Mr Libombo told the news agency: "We are in a process of organizing the operational process for the installation of the anti-retroviral drug factory. Everything has already been agreed upon.

"There is no doubt about it. We are definitely going to install it."
An estimated 22.5 million in sub-Saharan Africa are affected by HIV and Aids, according to Aids charity Avert.