<div class="gmail_quote">From: <b class="gmail_sendername">shila kaur</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kaur_shila@yahoo.com">kaur_shila@yahoo.com</a>></span><br><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px; "><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold">21
March
2011</span></font></b></span><br><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; "><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; "><div style="font-size: 12pt; "><div>
<h1 style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " align="center"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="text-transform:uppercase;font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt"> </span></font></b></h1>
<p style="text-align: center; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold"> </span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: center; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><font face="Arial" size="4"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:14pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">TOP 30
MEDICINES
TO
SAVE
MOTHERS
AND
CHILDREN</span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: center; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><font face="Arial" size="4"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:14pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: center; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><font face="Arial" size="4"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:14pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">WHO
releases
list
of
drugs
that
need
to be
available
everywhere</span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">Geneva</span></font></b><b><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">--</span></font></b><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">The World
Health
Organization's
(WHO)
first
ever
list
of
priority
medicines
for
maternal
and
child
health
recommends
to
countries
which
medicines
are
most
important
for
saving
lives.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">Access to
appropriate
medicines
is
vital
to
achieving
global
health goals<a rel="nofollow" title="" href="#12edca1b0ce270a9__edn1" name="12edca1b0ce270a9__ednref1"><span><sup><span><sup><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">[i]</span></font></sup></span></sup></span></a>.
More
than
eight
million
children
under
the
age
of
five
still
die
every
year
from
causes
such
as
pneumonia,
diarrhoea
and
malaria.
An
estimated
1 000
women
die
every
day
due
to
complications
during
pregnancy
and
childbirth.
Almost
all
of
these
deaths
occur
in
developing
countries
and
the
vast
majority
can
be
prevented
when
the
right
medicines
are
available
in
the
right
formulations
and
are
prescribed
and
used
correctly.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">Compiling
the
list</span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">The top
30
priority
list
was
compiled
by
experts
in
maternal
and
child
health
and
medicines
who
analysed
the
WHO
Model
List
of
Essential
Medicines<a rel="nofollow" title="" href="#12edca1b0ce270a9__edn2" name="12edca1b0ce270a9__ednref2"><span><sup><span><sup><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">[ii]</span></font></sup></span></sup></span></a>
and
the
latest
WHO
treatment
guidelines
to
establish
which
medicines
would
save
the
most
lives.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">Haemorrhage,
or
severe
bleeding,
is
the
leading
cause
of
maternal
death.
It
can
kill
a
healthy
woman
within
two
hours
of
giving
birth.
An
injection
of
oxytocin
immediately
after
delivery -can
stop the
bleeding
- and
can
make
the
difference
between
life
and
death.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">Other
medicines
on
the
list
for
mothers
include
medicines
to
treat
infection,
high
blood
pressure
and
sexually
transmitted
infections
as
well
as
drugs
to
prevent
preterm
birth.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">Every year,
pneumonia
kills
an
estimated
1.6
million
children
under
the
age
of
five
years,
yet
research
has
shown
that
treatment
with
simple
antibiotics
could
avert
as
many
as
600
000
deaths.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">Improving
access
to
Oral
Rehydration
Salts
(ORS)
and
zinc
tablets
would
save
many
of
the
1.3
million
children
who
are
dying
annually
from
diarrhoea.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">Appropriate
doses
of
the
right
combinations
of
antimalarials
and
antiretrovirals
are
critical
to
reducing
child
deaths
and
suffering
from
malaria
and
AIDS-related
illness. </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">Most
priority
medicines
are
not
available
where
needed</span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">Surveys<a rel="nofollow" title="" href="#12edca1b0ce270a9__edn3" name="12edca1b0ce270a9__ednref3"><span><sup><span><sup><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">[iii]</span></font></sup></span></sup></span></a>
conducted
in 14
African
countries
show
that
children's
medicines
are
available
in
only
35%
to
50%
of
public
and
private
centre
pharmacies
and
drug
stores.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">The
availability
of
medicines
in
developing
countries
for
maternal
and
child
health
is
compromised
by
poor
supply
and
distribution
systems,
insufficient
health
facilities
and
staff,
low
investment
in
health
and
the
high
cost
of
medicines.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">"We
know
that
basic,
cheap
oral
rehydration
salts
and
zinc
stop
children
from
dying
from
diarrhoea,
and
we
recommend
that
all
countries
make
them
accessible.
But
our
surveys
show
that,
at
present,
ORS
is
available
in
less
than
half
of
pharmacies
and
kiosks
in
African
countries
and
zinc
is
not
available
at
all
in
many
places.
This
list
is
designed
to
help
countries
prioritize,
so
that
they
focus
on
getting
the
most
critical
things
available
and
save
the
most
lives,"
said
Dr
Elizabeth
Mason,
Director
of
WHO's
Department
of
Maternal,
Newborn,
Child
and
Adolescent
Health.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">Medicines
appropriate
for
children
are
often
not
available,
partly
because
of a
lack
of
awareness
that
children
need
different
medicines
from
adults.
As a
result,
health
workers
are
forced
to
adapt
medicines
intended
for
adults.
Tablets
are
crushed
into
imprecise
portions
and
dissolved
into
unpalatable
drinks
that
are
difficult
for
children
to
swallow
and
are
potentially
ineffective,
toxic
or
harmful.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">WHO
recommends
that,
wherever
possible,
medicines
for
children
should
be
provided
in
doses
that
are
easy
to
measure
and
easy
for
children
to
take.
A
newly
developed
artemesinin
combination
tablet
for
malaria
is
dissolved
in
liquid
and
is
sweet
tasting,
making
it
easier
for
children
to
swallow
and
ensuring
that
they
receive
correct
and
effective
doses.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">"Medicines
produced
in
liquid
form
are
more
expensive
than
tablets
or
powders
and
are
also
more
difficult
to
store,
package,
and
transport,
due
to
their
bulk,
weight
and
need
for
refrigeration.
The
list
we
have
drawn
up
tells
manufacturers
exactly
what
they
should
be
producing
to
meet
countries
needs,"
said
Dr
Hans
V.
Hogerzeil,
Director
of
WHO's
Department
for
Essential
Medicines
and
Pharmaceutical
Policies.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">Other
life-saving
medicines
for
children
need
research
and
development</span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">The
top
30
priorities
list
also
features
five
urgently
needed
medicines
that
do
not
currently
exist
for
the
prevention
and
treatment
of
tuberculosis,
particularly
in
HIV-infected
children,
and
for
newborn
care.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">Treatment
guidelines
for
tuberculosis
in
children
have
been
developed recently
by WHO, but
the
recommended
dosage
requires
a
child
to
swallow
many
tablets
a day
over
a
long
period
of
time.
Combining
the
essential
ingredients
into
one
tablet
results
in a
pill
around
the
size
of a
one-euro
coin
--
too
large
for a
child
to
swallow.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">WHO
is
therefore
calling
for
more
research
to
develop
appropriate,
palatable
formulations
for
children.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><b><u><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></span></font></u></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><b><u><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></span></font></u></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><b><u><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">Notes
for the editors:</span></font></u></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">Ghana</span></font></b>
<b><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">
</span></font></b><b><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">hosts
the
18<sup>th</sup>
Expert
Committee
on
the
Selection
and
Use
of
Essential
Medicines</span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">The
drugs
on
the
priority
medicines
list
for
mothers
and
children
are
all
included
in
the
current
version
of
the
WHO
Model
List
of
Essential
Medicines
which
is
reviewed
every
two
years
by
the
Expert
Committee
on
the
Selection
and
Use
of
Essential
Medicines.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">This
year
the
Committee
is
reviewing
and
considering
16
applications
for
the
addition
of a
new
medicine
to
the
model
list;
7
applications
for
the
addition
of a
new
formulation;
and 9
applications
for
the
deletion
of a
medicine
from
the
list.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">In
addition,
the
Committee
will
discuss
and
provide
advice
on a
number
of
policy
items.
These
include
the
role
of
clinical
pharmacologists
in
relation
to
improving
use
of
medicines;
new
strategies
and
directions
for
improving
the
rational
use
of
medicines;
a
draft
document
on
how
to
develop
a
national
essential
medicines
list
and a
proposal
on
missing
essential
medicines
for
the
treatment
of
HIV
in
adults
and
children.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">The
18th
Expert
Committee
on
the
Selection
and
Use
of
Essential
Medicines
is
taking
place
in
Accra ,
Ghana
on
21-25
March.
</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB">Ghana</span></font>
<font face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">
</span></font><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB">adopted the
WHO
Essential
Medicines
concept
in
1998
for
guiding
the
development
of
the
pharmaceutical
sector
and
improving
access
to
medicines
for
the
population.
Since
then,
the
Ghana
National
Drugs
Programme
has
led
the
development
and
revisions
of a
National
Drug
Policy,
treatment
guidelines,
and a
national
Essential
Medicines
List.</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><b><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">Related
links:</span></font></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.who.int/childmedicines" target="_blank">Essential medicines for
children</a></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs348/en/index.html" target="_blank">Fact sheet
on maternal mortality</a><a rel="nofollow" name="12edca1b0ce270a9__Hlt286762363"></a></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs178/en/index.html" target="_blank">Fact sheet
on children: reducing mortality</a><a rel="nofollow" name="12edca1b0ce270a9__Hlt286762371"></a></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs331/en/index.html" target="_blank">Fact sheet
on pneumonia</a><a rel="nofollow" name="12edca1b0ce270a9__Hlt286762382"></a></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs330/en/index.html" target="_blank">Fact sheet
on diarrhoeal diseases</a><a rel="nofollow" name="12edca1b0ce270a9__Hlt286762390"></a></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.who.int/topics/pharmaceutical_products/factsheets/en/index.html" target="_blank">Fact
sheets on pharmaceutical products</a></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.who.int/selection_medicines/committees/expert/18/en/index.html" target="_blank">18th
Meeting of the WHO Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential
Medicines </a></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<h5 style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><b><i><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">For more
information,
or to
arrange
interviews
with
experts,
contact:</span></font></i></b></h5>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">Deirdre
DIMANCESCO</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">Medicines
Access
and
Rational
Use,
WHO</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">Tel: +41
22
791
4560</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">Email: <a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:dimancescod@who.int" target="_blank">dimancescod@who.int</a></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">Olivia LAWE
DAVIES</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">Maternal,
Newborn,
Child
and
Adolescent
Health,
WHO</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="FR">Tel: +41
22
791
1209,
Mobile:
+41
79
475
5545</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="FR">Email: </span></font><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:lawedavieso@who.int" target="_blank"><span lang="FR">lawedavieso@who.int</span></a></span></font><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="FR"></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="FR"> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 0mm; margin-right: 0mm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0mm; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt" lang="FR"> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><br clear="all">
<hr width="33%" align="left" size="1">
<div>
<p><a rel="nofollow" title="" href="#12edca1b0ce270a9__ednref1" name="12edca1b0ce270a9__edn1"><span><sup><font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt"><span><sup><font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:9pt">[i]</span></font></sup></span></span></font></sup></span></a>
<font size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt">
</span></font><font size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt" lang="EN-GB">Millennium
Development
Goals
4, 5
&
6:</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left:36pt"><font face="Symbol" size="1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;font-size:9pt" lang="EN-GB"><span>·<font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><span style="font:7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</span></font></span></span></font><span dir="ltr"><font size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt" lang="EN-GB">Reduce
child
mortality;</span></font></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:36pt"><font face="Symbol" size="1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;font-size:9pt" lang="EN-GB"><span>·<font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><span style="font:7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</span></font></span></span></font><span dir="ltr"><font size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt" lang="EN-GB">Improve
maternal
health;</span></font></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:36pt"><font face="Symbol" size="1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;font-size:9pt" lang="EN-GB"><span>·<font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><span style="font:7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</span></font></span></span></font><span dir="ltr"><font size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt" lang="EN-GB">Combat
HIV/AIDS,
malaria
and
other
diseases.</span></font></span></p>
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p></div>
<div>
<p><a rel="nofollow" title="" href="#12edca1b0ce270a9__ednref2" name="12edca1b0ce270a9__edn2"><span><sup><font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt"><span><sup><font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:9pt">[ii]</span></font></sup></span></span></font></sup></span></a>
<font size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt">
</span></font><font size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt" lang="EN-GB">The WHO
Model
List
of
Essential
Medicines
is
</span></font><font size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt">a
guide
for
the
development
of
national
and
institutional
essential
medicine
lists
that
can
be
used
as
the
basis
for
procurement
and
supply
of
medicines,
schemes
that
reimburse
medicine
costs,
medicine
donations
and
to
guide
local
medicine
production.</span></font></p>
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p></div>
<div>
<p style="margin:0mm 0mm 0pt"><a rel="nofollow" title="" href="#12edca1b0ce270a9__ednref3" name="12edca1b0ce270a9__edn3"><span><sup><font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt"><span><sup><font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:9pt">[iii]</span></font></sup></span></span></font></sup></span></a>
<font size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt" lang="FR">
</span></font><font size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt" lang="FR">Jane
Robertson,
Gilles
Forte,
Jean-Marie
Trapsida
&
Suzanne
Hill.
</span></font><font size="1"><span style="font-size:9pt">What
essential
medicines
for
children
are
on
the
shelf?<i><span style="font-style:italic"> </span></i><i><span style="font-style:italic">Bulletin
of
the
World
Health
Organization</span></i>
2009;87:231-237.
doi:
10.2471/BLT.08.053645</span></font></p></div></div></div></div></div>
</div><br>
</div></div><br>