Need the medicines!No access? Take action!

Eva M A OmbakaMember, Health Action

InternationalDar es Salaam, Tanzania

Medicines are essential part of life

Cannot leave health/medicines needs (esp. developing countries and the poor) to profit -seeking industry. Put public health before profit

Say no to a system that is not working!

Increasing access to medicines

Six C's are needed (Devi Sridhar): Coalitions, Civil society, Citizenship, Compromise, Communication and Collaboration.

Increasing access to medicines

First: developing countries must form a coalition that comes together to achieve a very specific objective and does not fragment. Unequal power between drug companies and

many developing countries E.g. NEPAD; Doha, Regional communities

Increasing access to medicines

Second: CSOs committed to health issues must continue to push the issue onto the political agenda. E.g. CSOs playing a role in research-provide data Activists can campaign e.g. loud support for

the implementation of the TRIPS safeguards Undertake advocacy work with policy

makers and funders Be part of agenda setting

Increasing access to medicines

Third: citizens in developed countries need to pressure their governments to prioritize health concerns through lobbying, protesting and supporting CSOs e.g. Health Gap Act Up Paris

Increasing access to medicines

Fourth: the various stakeholders must compromise to a certain extent so that progress can be made e.g. HAI/WHO pricing study MeTA IGWIG

Increasing access to medicines

Fifth: health activists must communicate to the media, so that the media can frame the issue of access to essential medicines in an appealing manner. Collect information at grassroots Document, document, document!! Publish research findings

Increasing access to medicines

Sixth: developing countries, CSOs and citizens in developed and developing countries must collaborate to ensure that the barriers to access to essential medicines are overcome. Kenya coalition on access to medicines TAC in South Africa

Increasing access to medicines-individual actions

Be a resource! Skills Profession Time Financial In-kind

Increasing access to medicines-individual actions

Use medicines carefully, rationally-it’s a precious resource

Be informed-local situation, international situation

Have a moral compass-not lose your independence individually or in groups

Support alternative sources and life styles

Pharmacy? Grocery store? Trained? Expired? Rational? . . .

Increasing access to medicines-individual actions

Join others e.g. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Community-Based Organizations (CBO) Faith-based organizations e.g. YM/W/CA,

Ramakrishna Mission etc Voluntary (patient) health organizations Networks/Movements e.g. PHM; HAI – in

Africa, Asia/Pacific, Latin America, Europe; EPN; ReAct; etc etc

Get involved.....Thank you!