[Ip-health] The Global Fund: A Means To Control Developing Countries

[Gaelle Krikorian]

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Act Up-Paris
Press Statement =AD october, 9, 2002


The Global Fund:
A Means To Control Developing Countries

In June 2001 the UN General Assembly Special Session launched the Global
Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which developed countries
committed themselves to funding.

To reach the required $10 billion a year, each country had to contribute
only 0.05% of its GNP. Yet, at present, there is only $500 million in the
Global Fund's account, that is less than 5% of what the Fund had planned to
raise. France, for example, the 5th economic power in the world, has only
pledged a paltry contribution of $ 50 million a year and the first
installment has only now been sent to the Global Fund.

The first round of fund applications was assessed in April 2002. However, t=
o
date, despite urgent needs, no money has yet been distributed. Thus, in
Morocco, for example, general access to antiretrovirals which the governmen=
t
had planned to start in September, is at a standstill for lack of money
promised by the Global Fund.

Not only are the Member States on the Fund Board of Directors unable to giv=
e
out the money, but they are presently busy setting up operations to control
drug procurement and intellectual property regulations in the countries tha=
t
might benefit from the Fund. Such issues will be tackled at a meeting of th=
e
Board in Geneva on October 10 and 11.
The sole aim of some developed countries, first and foremost, of the United
states, is to make sure there is no access to generics, but only to
brand-name medicines sold by multinational pharmaceutical companies. Thus
the Global Fund totally exceeds its authority, both its mandate and its
duties.
The WHO and the WTO are the international regulatory and advisory
institutions in charge of health and intellectual property. The Global Fund
is only supposed to collect and distribute funding. In no way can it manage
drug procurement policies in developing countries or become the means for
multinational corporations to fight access to generics.

Act Up-Paris denounces the policy of developed countries which, regardless
of the repercussions on infected people and on the spreading of the
epidemic, divert the Fund from its professed objectives.
By refusing to allocate the necessary funds, by misusing the Fund authority
to control poor countries, developed countries bring discredit on themselve=
s
and doom this initiative to failure.



Press Person: Ga=EBlle Krikorian =AD Tel : + 33 6 09 17 70 55 =AD + 33 1 49=
 29 44
75



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Ga=EBlle Krikorian
Vice-President

North/South Commission
Act Up-Paris

BP 287 - 75525 Paris cedex 11

Tel: 33 1 49 29 44 75
Port: 33 6 09 17 70 55
Fax: 33 1 48 06 16 74
E.mail: galk@noos.fr



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