Topic: Insuring Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals
Country: Rwanda
Delegate Name: Kyle Buffin
School: Kalamazoo Central High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Rwanda position papers GLIMUN 2012 committees
In recent years, Rwanda has been one of several sub-Saharan countries to make large strides toward public health. It is the belief of Rwanda that maintaining a consistent supply of pharmaceuticals is essential to achieving public health; however we have found this to not be easily accomplished. Two of the most substantial problems we have faced are the issues of counterfeit drugs, and high prices. We feel multi-national corporations are very responsible for these dilemmas and must take steps to improve.
With HIV/Aids being one of Rwanda’s largest issues, we appreciate the effort which has been shown by UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNDP and WHO towards focusing business heads down a path of progress , however we feel that the UN, through the WHO needs to start taking more direct action into the pricing of drugs. Not only do advancements need to be made in the research of HIV/ Aids but these medications need to be cheap enough to be effective to a developing country such as Rwanda. Creating a medication helpful to Rwanda is not enough, it must be practical in order to be put to use. It is the job of the World Health Organization to create rules which will govern the corporations importing medications to developing countries.
Not only has there been an issue recently with the pricing of pharmaceuticals but there has also been a constant problem with importing of counterfeit pharmaceuticals to developing countries. Rwanda urges the World Health Organization to take steps in order to limit these harmful drugs. There is the possibility of strong regulation on all imports to countries. This would be effective, and would require almost simple cooperation between the governments of developing countries and corporations. There are also ways which pharmaceuticals can be tracked from the distributor. It would be in Rwanda’s interest to have the World Health Organization look into further the ways of tracking medicine which is known to be legitimate. From this step onward the road to eliminating counterfeit drugs is much simpler.
