The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has signed agreements with seven companies to buy 18 medicines to treat tuberculosis worth $6.72 million.

An Interfax-Ukraine correspondent has reported that the contracts were signed with four Ukrainian companies – private joint-stock company Medpharcom Center (Kyiv), private joint-stock company Tekhnoloh (Uman), public joint-stock company Kyivmedpreparat and YURiA-Pharm LLC (both based in Kyiv) and three international companies - Lupin Ltd, Macleods Pharmaceuticals and Svizera Europe.

First batches will arrive in April 2016.

Around $1 million has been saved on the purchase of the medicines via UNDP.

Country director at UNDP in Ukraine Jan Thomas Hiemstra said that at present the signing one more agreement is being prepared. A total of 24 bids were received during procurement of anti-tuberculosis medicines, including 11 from Ukrainian companies.

According to the agreements signed, two medicines that are not registered in Ukraine will be shipped. The medicines have the WHO prequalification and all the required quality certificates.

Health Minister of Ukraine Alexander Kvitashvili said that the medicines will be registered under the procedure foreseen in a cabinet resolution for the registration of medicines bought via UNDP.

"It will take seven days to register medicines bought by the international organization," the minister said.