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Dept for International Development

Answer

Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to expand the use of proven effective drug combinations for AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria treatment in developing countries. [220771] Mr. Gareth Thomas: The UK Government are committed to increasing access to medicines in developing countries, including drug treatment programmes for HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria. In recent years, there has been considerable progress in making medicines for the treatment of HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria more affordable. The UK has worked with the pharmaceutical industry to encourage differential pricing that provides affordable medicines for developing country use. This includes recommendations agreed with industry on differential pricing from the UK Working Group on Increasing Access to Essential Medicines in Developing Countries in November 2002. The UK supports developing countries to make use of internationally agreed flexibilities in the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPs) agreement, that allow recourse to the use of generic versions of proprietary medicines where there is a public health need. The UK has pledged £259 million to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM). 49 per cent. of GFATM grants go towards the procurement of drugs and commodities for AIDS, TB and malaria resulting in 130,00 people on HIV treatment, 385,000 treated for TB and 300,000 people treated with effective artemisinin containing treatments (ACTs) for malaria. Additional commitments for each of the three diseases are set out as follows: The HIV and AIDS Treatment and Care Policy, published in June 2004, sets out the UK's commitment to increasing access to HIV treatment in developing countries. The UK has provided £3 million to support the work of the World Health Organisation on HIV and AIDS, with a strong focus on its role supporting the target of 3 million people on treatment by 2005 (3 by 5). In total, the UK has committed to spend £1.5 billion on HIV and AIDS from 2005-07, a significant part of which will support increased access to treatment. The UK has provided £2 million to the Stop TB Partnership since 2002. The Partnership has established mechanisms, which support countries to access stable supplies of effective anti-TB medicines. DFID is the largest funder of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) partnership, having contributed £48 million to date. The UK is working with RBM and other partners to secure greater international commitment for affordable pricing of ACTs. DFID Kenya has also recently awarded a start up grant of £35,000 to support increased cultivation of artemisia annua in Kenya. This is the key raw material for ACT production and is currently in short supply. Effective health systems are equally important if all medicines are to be delivered safely. The UK has committed over £1.5 billion since 1997 to help developing countries strengthen the health and supply systems. Increasing Access to Essential Medicines in Developing Countries: UK Policy and Plans', published in June 2004, gives further information on UK positions and activities in this crucial area.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

431 c1955-6W;431 c1947-8W; 220771

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Access Developing countries Development aid Health services Diseases Drugs Disease control HIV/AIDS Medical treatments Tuberculosis Malaria

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk