E-drug: Re: Drug donations and the Kosovo crisis (cont'd)
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Dear Colleagues,
I would like to refer to the discussion on drug donations and the Kosovo
crisis and inform you that WHO, Regional Office for Europe, issued on
Tuesday 27 April a press release of which the text is copied below. A
number of reports of drug donations that were innappropriate were made at
early stages of the conflict by our staff in Albania, in the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia and in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Ministries of Health of the recipient countries together with international
agencies in the field have actively recommended donor agencies to follow
guidelines for drug donations as well as the procedures established in the
respective countries to ensure the efficient coordination and management of
donated medicines.
More information can be found on the WHO/EURO web page: www.who.dk
Gilles-Bernard Forte
Adviser
Programme for Pharmaceuticals
WHO Regional Office for Europe
gfo@who.dk
Press release EURO/10/99
Copenhagen, April 1999
Drug donations for Kosovo refugees:
WHO says, follow the guidelines!
Tons of drugs and medical supplies are pouring into Albania, the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Yugloslavia
(Serbia and Montenegro). Inspired by intense media coverage of the Kosovo
refugees' plight, charities, nongovernment organizations, governments and
individuals have responded with huge generosity to alleviate the suffering
of the refugees. The problem is that not everyone is going about it in the
right way.
The governments of these countries report that some relief cargoes have been
sent without prior notice or the required clearance, on arrival they are
forwarded directly to camps which are not equipped to manage, store or
distribute them. Large loads of hospital and surgical equipment have also
been sent to camps which do not currently need them. The fear is that this
will lead to a repetition of what happened in Bosnia and Herzegovina and
Rwanda: the stockpiling of unused drugs which will expire and deprive
patients of their benefit. The present priority is for medicines to treat
chronic and non-communicable diseases among women, children, elderly
refugees and internally displaced persons.
"We applaud the tremendous outpouring of humanitarian support for the
Kosovar refugees and displaced persons," notes Dr Jo E Asvall, WHO Regional
Director for Europe. " All donors, however, must pay close attention to the
internationally accepted guidelines for drug donations and to the specific
requirements and rules of the Ministries of Health of Albania, of the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) and of the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in order to improve access to essential drugs
for the most vulnerable and to avoid inappropriate donations."
Necessary measures to ensure efficient coordination of incoming drug
donations are being taken by the national authorities, with the support of
WHO and other agencies present in the field. They are carrying out
systematic evaluations of drug supplies and the health needs of the
refugees.
These are the addresses, and contacting numbers of the units in charge of
the coordination of drug donations in the recipient countries. They must be
contacted in order to get updated and accurate information on the medicines
needed and the necessary procedures to follow to ensure that the donations
reach the end users.
Albania
Commission for Humanitarian Aid
Ministry of Health
Boulevard Bajram Curri
Tirana
Tel./fax +355 42 64 636 or +355 42 64 632
The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Dr Ljubica Dragisic
Yugoslav Red Cross
Belgrade
Tel. +381 11 624 352
Web site: www.yu.skoh
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Professor Dragan Danilovski
Undersectary
Ministry of Health
50 Divizija bb.
91000 Skopje
Fax: +389 91 113 014
Additional information on drug donations and daily reports on the health
situation can be found on the WHO/EURO World Wide Web page.
For more information, contact:
Dr Richard Alderslade Regional Adviser Partnerships in Health and Emergency
Assistance Tel.: +45 39 17 1468 or 1455 Fax.: +45 39 17 18 85 e-mail:
epk@who.dk Internet: www.who.dk / Kosovo crisis WHO Regional Office for
Europe
Franklin Apfel or Annette Andkjaer Communication and Public Affairs WHO
Regional Office for Europe Scherfigsvej 8, DK-2100 Copenhagen �, Denmark
Tel.: +45 39 17 13 36 or +45 39 17 13 44 Fax: +45 39 17 18 80 Fap@who.dk
fap@who.dk or ana@who.dk Press releases on World Wide Web site:
http://www.who.dk/cpa/cpa.htm
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