[e-drug] Media advocates support access to treatment campaign

[Omololu Falobi <editor@nigeria-aids.org>]

E-drug: Media advocates support access to treatment campaign
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nigerian journalists meeting at a roundtable on Thursday have called
on the federal government to provide legislation that would ensure
easy access to essential medicines for all Nigerians.

At a Media Advocates Meeting on Access to Essential Medicines in
Nigeria held at the Media Resource Centre on HIV/AIDS in Lagos,
the journalists also pledged their support for the campaign to secure
access to essential medicines in the country. 

Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria convened the Media
Advocates Meeting on behalf of the Coalition on Access to
Essential Medicines in Nigeria, a network of over 25 organisations
who support the vision of improving the public health of the
population. The objectives of the advocates meeting was to
intimate members of the press on the activities of the Coalition so
far as well as seek their input on the campaign's strategies. The
meeting also examined how to build a network of journalists that
will join forces with the Coalition in achieving the common objective
of securing easy and affordable access to essential medicines for
Nigerians.

During the meeting, examples were cited of many drugs, which
costs higher in Nigeria than many countries in Europe and North
America. For instance, 250 mg of zidovudine (a drug used in the
care of people living with HIV) cost 1.68 US dollars in the UK
where it is produced but costs 2.3 US dollars in Nigeria. Similarly,
ceftriaxone, an injection used in treating people living with
HIV/AIDS, cost 3.85 and 6.3 Dollars in UK and Nigeria respectively.

It was noted that the prices for these drugs would be lower in
Nigeria, if the Nigerian government took advantage of exceptions in
the law that provides for intellectual property rights, which allows
for a number of options in cases of national health emergencies. 

A comparison of the prices of 100 mg of zidovudine tablet shows
that it cost 0.1, 0.2, 0.2 and 1.19 Dollars in Brazil, India, Thailand
and Nigeria respectively. The other three countries were able to
reduce the price of the drug because production/importation of
generic drugs were allowed there.

Based on those and many other findings, the journalists suggested
that parallel importation, compulsory license and Bolar exception
should all be emphasized in the Intellectual Property Bill, which the
Nigerian government is about to pass into law. 

The journalists also agreed that patent is a key factor in determining
the price of drugs and, therefore, access to those drugs. Patents
essentially give their holders monopoly rights over the product or
process for stipulated period with the likely freedom to charge
whatever price they wish irrespective of the consumer's purchasing
power. This, it was pointed out, put patients at a disadvantaged
position especially in developing countries like Nigeria, thus
providing access to treatment to only the richest minority rather
than to the general public.

Earlier, the journalists had listened to presentations by three
representatives of the Coalition; Princess Olufemi-Kayode of
JAAIDS who gave a welcome message, followed by briefings from
Dr. Pat Matemilola, Coordinator of the Nigerian Network of People
Living with HIV/AIDS and Mr. Olatubosun Obileye of Medecins Sans
Frontieres (MSF). 

Obileye briefed on the provisions of the TRIPS, basics of Intellectual
Property Rights (IPR) and MSF's work in other countries on the
access campaign. He also took the journalists through an
understanding of health exceptions concepts such as parallel
importation, compulsory license and Bolar exception. 

In his own presentation, Matemilola intimated journalists on
activities of the coalition. He also gave a practical, personal
experience of how lack of access to essential drugs affects the
survival of millions of Nigerians living with life-threatening diseases
such as HIV/AIDS and malaria in Nigeria and how the press could
be supportive of the access campaign in the country.

Many of the fourteen journalists who attended the meeting
promised to join members of the coalition at their next meeting,
which holds on Wednesday October 10 2001.

Besides individuals, corporate members of the coalition include:
Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria, Centre for Right to
Health (CRH), Lifescope Africa, Network Project for the disabled,
International Network of Rational use of Drug (INRUD), Medical
Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims, Educare Trust and the
Nigeria AIDS Alliance (NAA).

Others include: Society for Women and AIDS (SWAAN), Health
Matters, Communication for Change, Save the World Organisation,
Huri-Laws, National Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS,
STOPAIDS, Development of Africa through Law, Project Shield,
Social and Economic Rights Action Centre (SERAC), Civil Society
Consultative Group on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CiSGHAN), Access to
Justice and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).

For further information about the Coalition, see:
http://www.nigeria-aids.org/reports.cfm?read=74
Also see: http://www.nigeria-aids.org/reports.cfm?read=75

Omololu Falobi
Project Director
Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria
42 Ijaye Road, Ogba, Lagos
Tel: 234-1-7731457
Web: www.nigeria-aids.org
Email: editor@nigeria-aids.org


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