PHA-Exch> Campaign launch: stop the stock-outs! access for all!

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: HAI Africa info at haiafrica.org

HAI Africa and OXFAM and their national partners in Kenya (CIN, KETAM,
KEHPCA, EPN), Madagascar (SISAL), Malawi (MHEN), Uganda (AGHA, HEPS,
NAFOPHANU), Zambia (NZP+, TALC) and Zimbabwe (CWGH) announce the launch of
the Stop Stock-outs campaign.

http://www.stopstockouts.org

Access to essential medicines is a human right and a cornerstone of an
effective primary health care system. Access to free essential medicines
determines whether people live or die, suffer pain and discomfort or have
their ailments cured, recover from illness or endure life-long disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines essential medicines as “those
that satisfy the priority health care needs of the population... Essential
medicines are intended to be available within the context of functioning
health systems at all times, in adequate amounts, in the appropriate dosage
forms, with assured quality, and at a price the individual and the community
can afford.” At the World Health Assembly in 1977, our governments made a
commitment to ensure these essential medicines are available in public
health facilities.

Yet today, over 30 years later, public health facilities in Africa have in
stock only about half of a core set of essential medicines. These are
medicines used to treat common diseases such as malaria, pneumonia,
diarrhoea, HIV, TB, diabetes and hypertension – all of which are among the
highest causes of death in Africa. Stock-outs disproportionately affect the
poor, and this is exacerbated in rural areas where stock-outs are the worst.
To compound these problems, stock-outs force people in already dire
circumstances to buy medicines at much higher prices from the private
sector. Due to these excessively high prices, patients are frequently forced
to go without medicines needed to treat serious conditions that are
otherwise treatable or preventable. Too often, stock-outs unnecessarily
leave patients facing serious illness or death.

The “Stop the Stock-outs” campaign is calling on governments and health
departments to end stock-outs now by:
*Providing financial and operational autonomy to the national medicines
procurement and supply agency
*Giving representation of civil society on the board of the national
medicines procurement and supply agency
*Ending corruption in the medicine supply chain to stop theft and diversion
of essential medicines
*Providing a dedicated budget line for essential medicines
*Living up to commitments to spend 15% of national budgets on health care
*Providing free essential medicines at all public health institutions.

The failure to properly stock public health clinics and pharmacies with
essential medicines stems in part from economic constraints and bureaucratic
obstacles. But above all, it is a failure of political will. If governments
commit to having medicines on pharmacy shelves, they can do it.

We call on African governments to honour this commitment to provide
essential medicines. We also call upon international allies and civil
society actors to assist them.  It is time to STOP THE STOCK-OUTS and ENSURE
ACCESS TO MEDICINES FOR ALL!

CURRENT CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES:

1. Regional launch, press conference and launch of the campaign website
http://www.stopstockouts.org on 26 February 2009 in Nairobi

2. Kenya launch.  The Kenya campaign partners are pleased to welcome
everyone to a public forum on medicines on 26 February at 4pm at Panafric
Hotel, Nairobi.  The program includes testimonies from consumers, a recited
verse on health and human rights, short presentations by policymakers and
civil society, and an open plenary discussion.  Please RSVP to
info at stopstockouts.org

3. Information on the other country launches and activities will be posted
shortly on http://www.stopstockouts.org

The Stop Stock-outs partners appreciate the support of OSI for this
campaign.

mailto:info at haiafrica.org
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