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NAM health ministers call for cheaper drugs

    JOHANNESBURG

    Health ministers from the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) adopted a declaration in Johannesburg on Tuesday stating that poor countries had a right to resort to special measures to source cheap medicines including treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS, news reports said.

    “Countries should not be hindered in their efforts to exercise the options available to them under international agreements ... to access life-saving and essential medicines,” the declaration issued at the close of the 25th NAM health ministers meeting was quoted as saying. The resolution was adopted by delegates from 33 countries and 20 health ministers.

    The resolution said poor countries should be allowed various options, including parallel importation of medicines and compulsory licensing. The health ministers also declared their support for the South African government in its court battle with 39 big pharmaceutical companies over measures to access cheap medicine

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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