E-DRUG: African Health Ministers Refusal to Accept loans for AIDS
drugs (2)
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I have been informed that
there is a document called the Declaration of Burkina from African
Ministers of Health which addresses their refusal to take any U.S. loan
funds. Has anyone seen this document, does it exist?
Below the statement of SADC Health Ministers which discusses
the loan issue from point 7.
Please note the statement is from SADC Health Ministers only, not
from all African Health Ministers. SADC comprises 14 countries, and
the health desk is coordinated by South Africa.
More information can be obtained from Dr Thuthula Balfour, SADC
Health Desk in Pretoria, South Africa, email: thuthb@health.gov.za
regards
Wilbert Bannenberg
E-drug co-moderator
WilbertBannenberg@compuserve.com
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STATEMENT BY SADC HEALTH MINISTERS
OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO, 31 AUGUST 2000
1. The Ministers of Health of SADC member states met in
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on Wednesday 30th August 2000,
during the occasion of the 50th session of the WHO Regional
Committee for Africa. At the meeting Ministers reviewed progress in
the regional HIV/AIDS programme.
2. Ministers recalled that at their last meeting held in Durban, South
Africa, on 8 July 2000, a decision was taken to develop a minimum
package that would guide countries in negotiations with
pharmaceutical companies offering drugs for treatment of HIV/AIDS
and related conditions at reduced prices, and also decided that this
be brought to the attention of the SADC Summit of Heads of State
and Government.
3. Ministers noted with appreciation that in the SADC Council of
Ministers meeting held in Namibia on 1-7 August 2000, the Council
approved the package, and the SADC Summit further endorsed it.
The document is entitled, Principles to Guide Negotiations with
Pharmaceutical Companies on provision of Drugs for Treatment of
HIV/AIDS and related conditions in SADC Countries.
4. Ministers were encouraged by the report given by the Director
General of WHO in the 50th Regional Committee meeting held in
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, that the first meeting of the Contact
Group that will dialogue with the pharmaceutical companies will
take place in Geneva on 29 September 2000. Ministers look forward
to the commencement of the dialogue with the companies. Provided
that issues discussed are broad, the dialogue can lead to affordable
and sustainable supplies of drugs to treat HIV/AIDS �related
conditions.
5. In discussing MTCT, the Ministers expressed concern that
Nevirapine has already been included on the WHO Essential Drug
List (EDL), given the fact that clinical trials are still being conducted
on the drug to resolve issues on resistance and breastfeeding
options. Of even greater concern was the WHO� response at the RC
50, that Nevirapine was included on the list prior to the availability of
current research results. Member States therefore recommended
that the inclusion of Nevirapine on the EDL be reversed until there is
conclusive evidence on safety and efficacy on this matter.
6. Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the provision of treatment
for HIV/AIDS related conditions in a manner that recognises the
need to strengthen health systems as a whole and in a sustainable,
comprehensive manner that does not divert resources from other
similarly important programmes.
7. Ministers also reflected on the announcement made on the 19th July
2000 by James A Harmon, the Chairperson of the US Export Import
Bank.
8. The essence of this announcement was the provision by the Export
Import Bank of a facility to provide financing for the sale to Sub-
Saharan African countries of HIV/AIDS related medicines, goods
and services.
9. The financing facility would amount to 1 billion dollars per year for 5
years. This programme would be available to 24 Sub-Saharan
countries and would be restricted to the purchase of products from
American Companies.
10. The Ministers of SADC reiterated their view that HIV/AIDS poses
the biggest health and developmental challenge in our region.
Consequently, finding a decisive, sustainable solution to the
challenges posed by this pandemic constitutes a central task
confronting the Ministers.
11. The Ministers committed themselves to exploring all positive
initiatives aimed at securing sustainable affordability of drugs.
12. The Ministers expressed some concern over the essence of the
offer from the US Export-Import Bank. In particular, the Ministers
noted that what is being offered is essentially a loan facility.
13. The Ministers expressed their hesitation in embracing an
intervention that does not essentially deal with the structural pricing
problems, but rather has the potential to aggravate an already grave
situation of indebtedness of SADC countries. The Ministers further
noted that this may exacerbate the problems of poverty in member
states- a clearly counter productive outcome given the important
role played by poverty in fuelling the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the
region.
14. The Ministers concluded by expressing their desire to engage the
US Government to ensure a more favourable dispensation that
would be both affordable and sustainable.
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