Access to Medication in the Context of Pandemics Such as Hiv/Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria

A/RES/58/179View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 117b Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, published in 2004.

What’s in this document?

24 operative paragraphs

Recognizes that access to medication in the context of pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria is one fundamental element for achieving progressively the full realization of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health;

Welcomes the commitment of the World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS to work with the international community to support developing countries in achieving the global target of providing antiretroviral medicines to 3 million people infected with HIV/AIDS by the end of 2005, the “3 by 5” target;

Takes note with interest of the interim report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health;¹⁷

¹⁷See A/58/427.

Calls upon States to develop and implement national strategies, in accordance with applicable international law, including international agreements acceded to, to progressively realize access for all to prevention-related goods, services and information as well as access to comprehensive treatment, care and support for all individuals infected and affected by pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria;

Also calls upon States to establish or strengthen national health and social infrastructures and health-care systems, with the assistance of the international community as necessary, for the effective delivery of prevention, treatment, care and support to respond to pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria;

Further calls upon States to pursue policies, in accordance with applicable international law, including international agreements acceded to, which would promote:

The availability in sufficient quantities of pharmaceutical products and medical technologies used to treat pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria or the most common opportunistic infections that accompany them;

The accessibility and affordability for all, without discrimination, including the most vulnerable or socially disadvantaged groups of the population, of pharmaceutical products or medical technologies used to treat pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria or the most common opportunistic infections that accompany them;

The assurance that pharmaceutical products or medical technologies used to treat pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria or the most common opportunistic infections that accompany them, irrespective of their sources and countries of origin are scientifically and medically appropriate and of good quality;

Calls upon States, at the national level, on a non-discriminatory basis, in accordance with applicable international law, including international agreements acceded to:

To refrain from taking measures that would deny or limit equal access for all persons to preventive, curative or palliative pharmaceutical products or medical technologies used to treat pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria or the most common opportunistic infections that accompany them;

To adopt and implement legislation or other measures, in accordance with applicable international law, including international agreements acceded to, to safeguard access to such preventive, curative or palliative pharmaceutical products or medical technologies from any limitations by third parties;

To adopt all appropriate positive measures, to the maximum of the resources allocated for this purpose, to promote effective access to such preventive, curative or palliative pharmaceutical products or medical technologies;

Also calls upon States, in furtherance of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS,6 to address factors affecting the provision of drugs related to the treatment of pandemics such as HIV/AIDS and the most common opportunistic infections that accompany them, as well as to develop integrated strategies to strengthen health-care systems, including voluntary counselling and testing, laboratory capacities and the training of health-care providers and technicians, in order to provide treatment and monitor the use of medications, diagnostics and related technologies;

Further calls upon States to take all appropriate measures, nationally and through cooperation, to promote the research and development of new and more effective preventive, curative or palliative pharmaceutical products and diagnostic tools, in accordance with applicable international law, including international agreements acceded to;

Calls upon States, at the international level, to take steps, individually and/or through international cooperation, in accordance with applicable international law, including international agreements acceded to, such as:

Facilitating, wherever possible, access in other countries to essential preventive, curative or palliative pharmaceutical products or medical technologies used to treat pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria or the most common opportunistic infections that accompany them, as well as extending the necessary cooperation, wherever possible, especially in times of emergency;

Ensuring that their actions, as members of international organizations, take due account of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and that the application of international agreements is supportive of public health policies that promote broad access to safe, effective and affordable preventive, curative or palliative pharmaceutical products or medical technologies;

Welcomes the financial contributions made to date to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, urges that further contributions be made to sustain the Fund, and calls upon all States to encourage the private sector to contribute to the Fund as a matter of urgency;

Calls upon the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS to mobilize further resources to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic and upon all Governments to take measures to ensure that the necessary resources are made available to the Programme, in line with the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS;

Calls upon States to ensure that those at risk of contracting malaria, in particular pregnant women and children under five years of age, benefit from the most suitable combination of personal and community protective measures, such as insecticide treated bed nets and other interventions that are accessible and affordable, in order to prevent infection and suffering;

Also calls upon States to provide the necessary support for the World Health Organization Roll Back Malaria and Stop Tuberculosis Partnerships in their ongoing measures to combat malaria and tuberculosis;

Calls upon the international community, in particular the developed countries, to continue to assist developing countries in the fight against pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, through financial and technical support as well as through the training of personnel;

Invites the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to give attention to the issue of access to medication in the context of pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and invites States to include appropriate information thereon in the reports they submit to the Committee.

Access to Medication in the Context of Pandemics Such as Hiv/Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria

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