AFR/RC41/R8: African initiative on essential drugs The Regional Committee,
Having considered the contents of document DAP/MAC(3)/91.6 on the African Initiative on Essential Drugs presented by the Regional Director;
Having been reminded of the current unsatisfactory drug situation in a number of Member States of the African Region;
Noting with dismay that there are still far too many drugs circulating in the African countries and that many of these drugs are fake, of substandard quality and of little therapeutic value;
Recalling the unanimous decision of Member States to support the decentralization of activities in accordance with the Three-phase Health Development Scenario endorsed during the thirty-fifth Regional Committee meeting in Lusaka in 1985 which involved strengthening of the central, intermediate and district levels and consequently of WHO infrastructures down to the country level;
1. INVITES the Member States:
(a) to endorse the efforts being made by the Regional Director in collaboration with the Action Programme on Essential Drugs in Geneva regarding plans aimed at raising funds for the implementation of the Initiative at regional, subregional and country levels;
(b) to promote self-sufficiency by encouraging community participation in essential drugs programmes through such schemes as the Bamako Initiative in support of maternal and child health and primary health care in general;
(c) to cooperate with WHO in appointing a national to serve as focal point to work closely with the WHO Representative in each country in the implementation of the Initiative on Essential Drugs;
(d) to intensify contact with the WHO Representative at country level in the implementation of the essential drugs and vaccines programme;
(e) to promote collaboration with international, governmental and nongovernmental organizations in the implementation of the Initiative;
(f) to set up within the context of regional as well as continental economic cooperation groups, viable regional or subregional pharmaceutical production units;
2. REQUESTS the Regional Director:
(a) to give all support possible - technical and financial - to the Initiative at regional, subregional and country levels;
(b) to render technical support to the Initiative and encourage the establishment of sustainable financing mechanisms for the supply of essential drugs and vaccines;
(c) to cooperate with governmental and non-governmental organizations as well as the pharmaceutical industry and donor agencies in mobilizing funds for the Initiative;
(d) to collaborate with relevant international agencies to support the African Region in setting up viable drug producing units;
(e) to report to the forty-third Regional Committee meeting on the progress made in raising funds, strengthening the WHO country offices, and implementing national programmes within the Initiative on Essential Drugs.
September 1991, 41, 15
