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| Govt.
pledges drugs for all at lowest prices Health Minister P. Dayaratne addressing health officials and experts representing 18 Asian countries - that means more than three billion people - said the government would study legislation to ensure that public health got priority over trade marks or patents in the import and sale of medicinal drugs. The Minister made the pledge at the end of a three day regional consultation held at the Hotel Plaza (Oberoi) in Colombo to work out new national drug policies through which billions of people in the third world could get quality drugs at affordable prices. At workshops held during the consultation it was found that Sri Lanka was one of the few countries that still did not have a national drug policy based on the hallowed principles of the prophet of modern medicine Prof. Senaka Bibile. Ironically most of the other 18 Asian countries represented at the consultation were successfully implementing Prof. Bibile's policies though his own country has still not honoured him by doing what he wanted Sri Lanka to do. The consultation organized by the Colombo based Asia pacific office of Health Action International and third world network came to the conclusion that the traditional issues of essential drugs - ie. Drug efficacy, safety of drugs, saving of health expenditure through focus on essential drugs- have been overtaken in recent years by issues of drug access caused by patents, especially after TRIPS came into force after 2000. Third world director Martin Khor said, "TRIPS has placed constraints on member countries, for example they no longer have flexible policy space to exempt drugs and food or other sectors from patentability as they had before and the period for patents has been mandatorily fixed at longer terms than existed in most countries. TRIPS has tilted the balance between IP holder and public interest in favour of the IP holder vis-a-vis consumers and producers that are not IP holders. As a result, prices of drugs and other items and the cost of production have escalated." Despite this adverse recent situation participants at the Colombo workshop yesterday affirmed that TRIPS did have certain provisions and several degrees of flexibilities that allowed WTO members to take certain measures to over-ride patent-holders' exclusive rights . The workshop extensively discussed these flexibilities and measures, especially compulsory licensing, parallel importing and government use. Legal expert at the workshop illustrated how many developed countries (such as the United States and Britain had for years been making use of these measures for the benefit of their people. In relation to health, the workshop analysed the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health, November 2002 and noted that this declaration has reaffirmed the rights of WTO members to make use of the measures like compulsory licences and parallel imports. It has also politically and legally strengthened the ability and attitude of developing countries to make use of these measures aimed at providing access of the public to affordable medicines for all. Health officials, health activists and experts from 18 Asian countries representing some 3 billion people concluded an important three-day consultation in Colombo yesterday on the WTO/TRIPS agreement and access how to provide quality drugs to the people at affordable prices. The health officials agreed that with the assistance of the Doha Declaration it was now vital for developing countries to make maximum use of the flexibilities in TRIPS with the aim of promoting public health. National implementation through formulating appropriate measures, policies and legal provisions and laws on patents was now the most important step. WHO representative Prof. Krishantha Weerasuriya, advisor on essential drugs and national drug policy for South Asia concluded the consultation on an uplifting note. He said that while accompanying Health Minister Dayaratne yesterday to the ninth floor of the Hotel, the Minister had pointed out that it was he as a civil engineer who had built the Hotel elevators 25 years ago. Prof. Weerasuriya said he hoped Minister Dayaratne would now help uplift Health Care service to the hallowed level where the well-being of the patient would be the center piece. Dr. K. Balasubramaniam Asia Pacific Co-ordinator of Health Action International and main organiser of the seminar and workshop said the objective of this Regional Consultation was to make a collective dream come true - "our dream that a day would dawn when we are certain that every person would have regular and easy access to essential medicines irrespective of whether that person can or cannot pay for it". Deafening city
sounds to be silenced Following several complaints of loud sound systems being used by some people, the Public Health Department has trained 12 inspectors and a doctor to measure sound levels and take necessary steps to ensure less sound pollution. Accordingly, the department would take action against the offender under the Nuisance Ordinance Act if they exceed the sound limits, Chief Medical Officer of Health, Pradeep Kariyawasam said. No action has been taken so far against such nuisance cases as there had been no proper system to establish that the offenders were exceeding the stipulated sound level and due to the absence of trained staff in this sphere. Parties that continue overnight, festivals and carnivals that seem to frequently spring up in Colombo seem to have brought as much complaints as the entertainment it provides. Often, the disturbance caused by the use of loudspeakers during these functions has been ignored by the organizers leaving the people in the neighbourhood spend a sleepless night and sometimes spoiling a much needed quiet moment in one's own house. Veteran
broadcaster Cyril speaks no more Starting as a relief announcer, he rose to high ranks and was in charge of various services and controller of programmes. The funeral takes place tomorrow at 5 pm at the cemetery in Hunupitiya Wattala. |
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