SA delegation to Brazil get vital opportunity to learn from counterparts as SA patent reform process gathers pace October 9th 2013, Johannesburg – SECTION27, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) congratulate the Brazilian government on taking bold steps to promote access to affordable medicines, and welcome new Continue Reading
Public Consultation on Draft National Policy on Intellectual Property, 2013 The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and SECTION27 invite their members, interested members of the public, government officials and local media to attend a consultation regarding the Draft National Policy on Intellectual Property, 2013, which was recently Continue Reading
SECTION27, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have released a statement welcoming the DTI’s call for public comments on the National Policy on Intellectual Property (IP). Please follow the link to read the full press statement. SECTION27, TAC, MSF response to DTI draft I.P. policy
SECTION27 and partner organisations the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), the Rural Health Advocacy Project (RHAP) and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have released a report detailing continued drug stock-outs in the Eastern Cape. Please follow the link to access it. EC_Drug_Stockouts_5_months_on June 2013
Thousands of people living with HIV and TB still risk death and drug-resistance in the Eastern Cape due to ongoing interruptions to their supply of life-saving drugs. A new report released five months after a coalition consisting of the Rural Health Advocacy Project (RHAP), Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and SECTION27 first raised the alarm about the crisis at the Mthatha medical depot, paints a grim picture.
SECTION27 and the TAC have released a statement highlighting recent improprieties by pharmaceutical companies and calling for more vigilance from all stakeholders in ensuring that we meet the goals of the National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS, TB and STIs.
SECTION27, along with 43 other organisations and 10 individuals, including John Sulston, joint winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine signed a letter expressing concern over the current resolution contained in A66/23 on CEWG follow up. Read the letter attached. Joint Letter to the 66th World Health Continue Reading
Read the submission SECTION27 made recently to the Health Professional Council of South Africa (HPCSA) on guideline tariffs for medical and dental services. S27 Submission on HPCSA Ethical Tariff
On 9 – 10 November 2012, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), SECTION27 and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) brought together global treatment activists to discuss guiding principles and access maximising provisions for terms and conditions that should be sought in the licenses negotiated by the MPP and others.
In early December, the Mthatha medical depot – serving more than 300 medical facilities in the North-eastern region of the Eastern Cape for medical supply needs – faced severe supply and delivery disruptions of life-saving HIV and tuberculosis [TB] treatment for over 100,000 patients. Stripped of 70% of its workforce due to suspensions in a labour dispute, the faltering management of the depot collapsed and critically compounded existing stock shortages at the depot, hospitals and clinics in the area. Orders had not been processed, supplies not received and, ultimately, drugs not dispensed to patients most in need. As a result, the danger of treatment interruption for HIV and TB patients was a perilous reality.
After Section27 and the Rural Health Advocacy Project (RHAP) received pleas for help from distressed health care workers on the ground and with the consent of the responsible health authorities, MSF and TAC started a coordinated response. MSF hired a temporary workforce and cleared the backlog of drug orders by coordinating stock reception, order processing and deliveries to affected facilities. TAC set up and maintained a drug stock-out hotline and monitoring network to help prioritise essential drug delivery to clinics. The Department of Health complemented the MSF/TAC intervention by sending three experienced pharmacists to assist at the Mthatha depot. Read the full report here
After responding to a drug distribution crisis at Mthatha medical depot between 7 December and 24 January, the medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières /Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is handing all activities back to Eastern Cape health authorities. The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) will mobilize 25 volunteers to assist in the handover
We are joined today by over 40 activists from all parts of the world, including organisations of people living with HIV, MSF, as well as individual experts and lawyers who have fought for the rights of people to access affordable quality medicines. In this room is the residue of experience from the many successful battles that changed the landscape of the response to HIV and in doing so has prevented millions of deaths.