E-DRUG: Appeal to companies to continue supply of medicines to Sudan
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Greetings
As we all know, improving access to quality medicines improves health, reduces suffering and extends lives.
The World Health Organization report that people lack access to essential medicines where they cannot obtain the product they need to prevent or treat a medical condition.
This could be due to many reasons, one of which is the non-availability of the needed product,
and this is now the reality in Sudan as a direct result of international sanctions.
The Federal Ministry of Health is concerned that people are not able to find their treatment for life-threatening diseases. The Ministry believes that these international sanctions are putting the health of Sudanese people at risk, especially with regard to children and women.
The National Medical Supplies Fund (NMSF) is responsible for all activities related to the supply of medicines and medical appliances for all government health facilities (more than 5,000) at both central and state levels. The NMSF aims to improve the quality of pharmaceutical services provided by public health facilities and guarantee equal access to all without discrimination. It is a non-profitable organization working with the Federal Ministry of Health, which provides health care services to all Sudanese people by promoting access to essential medicines and promoting rational use of these medicines.
The severity of the international economic sanctions imposed on Sudan has limited access to health services in general, and resulted in shortages of specific medications. Among our essential medicines are some that can only be sourced from international pharmaceutical companies. An example is an inhaler with a long acting beta agonist/corticosteroid combination for asthma.
The resolution to stop exportation of these medicines to Sudan in compliance with economic sanctions will deny the access of vulnerable Sudanese people to these life-saving quality medicines and will create an imminent crisis.
We thus implore and urge all activists who work hard to improve access to medicines to kindly request companies involved in the provision of life saving medicines to Sudan, and other countries affected by sanctions, to ensure sufficient and regular supply of such medicines, which in turn save lives and reduce suffering of patients, especially vulnerable groups.
Yours sincerely
Gamal Khalafalla Mohamed Ali
Director General
PhD, MSc, PG Dip. (Health Econ.) B.Pharm (Hon)
Central Medical Supplies Public Corporation (CMS)
P.O. Box 11995
Khartoum
Sudan
e-mail:gamalkh@cms.gov.sd
E-DRUG: Appeal to companies to continue supply of medicines to Sudan (2)
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Dear Dr Gamal Khallafallah
If it is true that due to sanctions the Sudanese population has
insufficient access to medicines, then this constitutes a human rights
violation. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
(CESCR) mentioned, in paragraph 41 of its General Comment No. 14 (2000)
on the right to the highest attainable standard of health (article 12
of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights):
"States parties should refrain at all times from imposing embargoes or
similar measures restricting the supply of another State with adequate
medicines and medical equipment. Restrictions on such goods should
never be used as an instrument of political and economic pressure. In
this regard, the Committee recalls its position, stated in General
Comment No. 8, on the relationship between economic sanctions and
respect for economic, social and cultural rights."
Although the General Comment is legally not binding, the opinions of
the CESCR are highly authoritative and it is likely that the UN Human
Rights Council (HRC) will acknowledge such explication of sanction as a
violation of the Right to Health. Sudan could file a complaint with the
HRC, based on violation of the right to the highest attainable
standards of health.
Sincerely,
Willem Scholten.
Willem Scholten Consultancy
Willem Scholten PharmD MPA
Consultant - Medicines and Controlled Substances
Wielsekade 64
3411 AD Lopik, the Netherlands
E: [1]wk.scholten@xs4all.nl
E-DRUG: Appeal to companies to continue supply of medicines to Sudan (3)
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Hello Gamal,
I share your sentiments on the issue raised because of the public health impact on health service delivery especially on the poor. This is more important as these economic sanctions are targeted at the wealthy that most times do not need these life saving products or can source them through private means at more exorbitant prices.
However, your current request for assistance is very generalized and may not gather the required momentum for the desired change, except if the companies are already known and will be wiling to play ball, with increased public appeal/pressure
You may consider listing the life-saving products the companies are unwilling to supply due to the economic sanctions.
Suppliers that were supplying them before now and other possible generic alternatives that may be acceptable to Sudan.
Willingness of NMSF to accept from alternative quality sources along with possible incentives from the Government
This will assist to increase the public appeal to these companies and possibly the economic powers that placed sanctions on Sudan to consider some exceptions for live saving products for the poor.
Regards
Innocent Ibegbunam, MPH,
BPharm.Director,
HIV/AIDS Program
John Snow, Inc. Nigeria
Innocent Ibegbunam <innoibegbunam@yahoo.com>
E-DRUG: Appeal to companies to continue supply of medicines to Sudan (3)
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Dear Gamal,
Willem Scholten has provided correct advice to Dr Gamal in Khartoum on this subject. Even at the height of local difficulties in the early to mid 1990s when I worked on the Revolving Drug Find in Khartoum, we did not experience sanctions on medicines. I had mentioned to Dr Gamal that Access to Essential Medicines is a Human Right, and the advice from Willem sums it up very well.
It will be interesting to learn the opinion of WHO on this situation in Sudan.
Regards,
Dr Bonface Fundafunda
Managing Director
Medical Stores Limited
Mukwa Road
Lusaka
Zambia
Dir line: +260211246510
Mobile: +260979252900
Email: bonface.fundafunda@medstore.co.zm
Email: bcfunda@hotmail.com