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Doha agreement puts life before profit
By: Unknown
MSF Press Release, November 16, 2001
It is a huge relief to know that there will no
longer be a legal or commercial reason to let people die.
Nairobi - The
Kenya Coalition For Access to Essential Medicines1 today applauded the
success of the developing countries in Doha, Qatar. The Doha Declaration
on TRIPS2
and Public Health affirmed that governments are free to take all necessary
measures to protect public health. Very simply, it puts governments in the
driving seat to be able to put life before profit.
In practical terms, this means if pharmaceutical company prices are beyond
the reach of the poor, Kenya can disregard the patent without fear of
reprisal.
"This is a great victory that puts the responsibility squarely on the
shoulders of the Ministers for Trade and Health to bring down the cost of
essential medicines and increase access to life-saving treatments for the
Kenyan people," said Sisule Frederick Musungu an independent lawyer,
"The next step is to effectively use all existing provisions of the
law to make this a reality for Wanjiku."
"Nothing should prevent poor country governments to act in the
interest of their peoples health. For example, if tomorrow, we want to
have access to a basic life-saving medicine such as fluconazole3 for 18 ksh as opposed to
the current price of 662 ksh4
we can,"said Sophie-Marie Scouflaire, Regional Pharmacist for
Medecins Sans Frontieres. "In Kenya the immediate need is for the
Ministry of Health to speedily identify good quality generic suppliers and
register their medicines to make them available for use."
"It is a huge relief to know that there will no longer be a legal or
commercial reason to let people die," said Eva Ombaka of Ecumenical
Pharmaceutical Network "Kenyan and African lives can and will be
saved if everyone fulfils their responsibility."
Two years ago, many poor countries felt they were powerless against the
will of wealthy ones and their pharmaceutical companies. This week it was
clear, that the solidarity maintained by the 60 developing nations at the
WTO5
ministerial meeting in Doha has paid off. The victory in Doha is really
for people who need or will need access to life- saving or life- extending
medicines.
Footnotes:
1 - The Kenya Coalition on Access to Essential Medicines includes: Action
Aid, The Association of People living with AIDS in Kenya (TAPWAK); Health
Action International (HAI Africa); Network for people living with HIV/AIDS
(NEPHAK); Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya (WOFAK); Society for Woman and AIDS
in Kenya (SWAK); Nyumbani; International; CARE International; Médecins
Sans Frontières (MSF); DACASA; Kenya Medical Association (KMA); Consumer
Information Network; Campaigners for AIDS Free Society.
2 - TRIPS -WTO agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property
Rights
3 - Fluconazole an antifungal used to treat amongst other things
cryptococcal meningitis
4 - Price per 200 mg capsule
5 - WTO- World Trade Organization
To contact Medecins sans Frontieres or to get the
MSF Press Release www.msf.org
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