E-DRUG: Documentary about illegal medicine use in Africa
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News release Pharmaciens Sans Fronti�res Comit� International of 8 June-04
Success for "Tiim" at the 5th International Pharmaceutical Forum in
Ouagadougou.
This year, the conference theme was: "The pharmacist in the context of
poverty reduction in Africa"
Presented on Friday 4th June under "Strategy against the illegal medicine
market", Tiim generated a very involved discussion.
Nearly 400 people attended the film screening. The audience was mainly
composed of dispensing pharmacists, students and ministry representatives
from 24 African countries and 3 European countries.
All participants enjoyed the film as much for it cinematographic quality as
for the public health message of promoting the use of Generic Essential
Drugs and the dangers of using street drugs.
Among the criticisms made by the audience were the lack of shocking scenes
related to amphetamin use and the silence of the film on the source of
supply in the street medicine market.
For the Pharmaciens Sans Fronti�res team which supports the implementation
of the National Pharmaceutical Policy in the northern area of Burkina Faso,
"Tiim" is a working tool to stimulate discussion among the population and
health workers and to promote awareness among participants without using
"guilty conscience", "moralism" or "fear" which crushes much of the
discussion in the bud.
Its primary objective was not to investigate the origin of street drugs but
to promote behaviour change among the populations, who should be aware of
hazards posed by drugs to their health and that of their children.
The issue of the harmful role played by certain NGOs in the field of supply
and distribution of drugs was raised by many African pharmacists and in this
connection, Dr. Rose N'Gono Mballa, Essential Drugs and Medicines Department
of Afro WHO representative, recalled the 12 WHO guidelines for drug
donations
and pointed out that both the donor countries and the recipient countries
are expected to take due account of these guidelines, as the WHO has no
authority to impose international regulation on this issue.
Many participants from the neighbouring countries have asked for a copy of
the film, that will be shown at school level.
Copies are available :
- at the office of PSF-CI in Ouagadougou, 01 BP 6477 Ouagadougou 01
Burkina-Faso - Email: psf@fasonet.bf
- at the office of Cinomade, Email cinomade@hotmail.com
Ghislaine Soulier
Responsable Communication
PSF
4 voie Militaire des Gravanches
63100 Clermont-Ferrand - France
T�l : 04 73 98 23 59 - Fax 04 73 98 24 90 - Mobile 06 25 47 40 16
E-mail : g.soulier@psf-ci.org
Site Web : www.psfci.org
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