E-DRUG: Consultation on WHO road map on access to medicines and vaccines 2019-2023 (2)
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Dear colleagues,
Thanks for allowing personal contribution to this process on an important subject. I am of the view that the key starting point to the future policy recommendation, must be articulation of access to medicines as part of the right to health:
Human rights and health at,
http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detai/human-rights-and-health
Access to essential medicines as part of the right to health, at http://who.int/medicines/areas/human_rights/en
Generally, access to medicines as part of the right to health, and also the right to quality health care, are both often not referred to in policy and strategy formulations on making available and thereby, access to medicines. Clearly this is a sensitive starting point for any government: The potential to be taken to task by citizens over lack of medicines in the supply chain, and therefore lack of access to essential medicines, is present; and I believe one or two countries have had that experience in the past.
There are realities to face: For example, limited financial, human and material resources are evident in any country one can consider; poor policies for procurement and supply chain set- up, management, services are other areas. The inability or unwillingness to use other sector expertise in service provision (eg, investing in the private sector to provide solutions, particularly as there is evidence of successful use private in many support areas in the public health system). The Zero Draft Consultation report has highlighted most of these challenges.
Given that making medicines available at every service delivery point through out the year is a policy commitment but an operational challenge for most governments, this fact in itself possibly acts as (stated or unstated) justification for not basing planning, policies and strategies for sustainable access to medicines, on these Rights.
However, I am of the view that it is correct that these Rights are articulated as the foundation for access to medicines. That starting point will enable governments and their partners in healthcare to commit to investing in making access to medicines a reality. The development of 'access to medicines' policies and implementation strategies; governance and management of all these commitments and actions, will go towards securing access to medicines.
Regards,
Bonnie
Bonface Fundafunda PhD., MBA., B.Pharm
Zambia: +260 973 315 052
Email: bcfunda@hotmail.com