E-drug: World Aids Day: MSF press statement
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
TIME TO START TREATMENT:
AIDS treatment is working in developing countries
Geneva, World AIDS Day, December 1st 2001 - - M�decins Sans Fronti�res
(MSF) today challenged national governments and the international
community to put words into action in tackling AIDS treatment in
developing countries. Small-scale treatment programmes set up by MSF
and other organisations and governments in developing countries are
helping show the way. ARV treatment may not be easy, but it's
definitely possible. In Guatemala, Thailand, Malawi and other
developing countries, hundreds of people who would have died are
instead able to lead normal, productive lives.
In MSF's projects, ARV triple therapy is part of a comprehensive
approach to caring for HIV/AIDS patients. MSF's first experiences
treating patients with ARVs in the field have been very encouraging:
although the treatment is no miracle cure, it extends and improves the
quality of people's lives. In the United States, where ARV treatment
has been available since 1996, the new drugs have reduced mortality by
up to 90%. In Brazil, a country with a very effective national AIDS
programme, ARV treatment saved the government US$ 472 million between
1997 and 1999, because fewer patients were hospitalised or treated for
opportunistic infections.
"Gaining access to ARV drugs here in Guatemala is revolutionary,
because in most of Central America, these medicines are not
available", said Dr Belen Pedrique, the Medical Coordinator of one the
MSF projects in Guatemala. "We've seen the quality of our patients'
lives improve dramatically. Thanks to the treatment, they suffer from
fewer opportunistic infections and can return to work and take care of
their families again. Being able to provide treatment completely
changes the perspective of caring for people living with HIV/AIDS."
"Since prices of ARV drugs have fallen, and will continue to fall, as
a result of public pressure and generic competition, there is now no
excuse not to start ARV treatment wherever possible", said Dr Bernard
P�coul, director of MSF's Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines.
"National governments of developing countries must show leadership,
and donor countries must give the financial support necessary to set
up and expand treatment programmes. An NGO can only show that
treatment is possible, but it doesn't have the mandate or the
resources to mount large national treatment schemes - that is a job
for governments ", Dr P�coul concluded.
Access to affordable medicines remains a major obstacle in treating
patients in developing countries, but it is not the only challenge.
MSF will continue working with its local counterparts and partners on
prevention, counselling, monitoring and palliative care. Making
existing treatment accessible to more people, reducing the cost of
drugs and tests, and simplifying treatments to better suit the
demanding conditions in developing countries are among MSF's
priorities in the coming months and years.
MSF has HIV/AIDS programmes in almost 30 countries around the world.
Since 2000, the organisation has launched nine small-scale programmes
providing ARV treatment in Cambodia, Cameroon, Guatemala, Kenya,
Malawi, South Africa and Thailand.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
M�decins Sans Fronti�res is an independent humanitarian medical relief
organisation aiding victims of armed conflict, epidemics, and natural
and man-made disasters. Founded in 1971, MSF currently works in more
than 80 countries around the world. The organisation was awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.
--
To send a message to E-Drug, write to: e-drug@usa.healthnet.org
To subscribe or unsubscribe, write to: majordomo@usa.healthnet.org
in the body of the message type: subscribe e-drug OR unsubscribe e-drug
To contact a person, send a message to: owner-e-drug@usa.healthnet.org
Information and archives: http://www.healthnet.org/programs/edrug.html