HIV treatment costs enter a patent debate

The WHO regional director issued a message for the fourth annual observance on 31 August 2006.

The observance framed traditional practitioners as part of discussion on access to care across the continent.

The annual message brought public attention to medical practices used by African communities.

The 2006 observance marked a fourth year of continent-wide debate about traditional medicine and health systems.

A government decree enabled import or production of lower-cost versions of the HIV medicine.

Compulsory licensing allowed use of a patented medicine under conditions set by law.

The measure concerned efavirenz specifically and did not remove patent protection for every medicine.

The fifty-seventh WHO Regional Committee for Africa concluded on this date, reporting a declaration on traditional medicine.

The meeting’s reported declaration brought traditional care into a regional health ministers’ agenda.

WHO’s report of the Brazzaville meeting documents a policy discussion involving African traditional medicine.