[Ip-health] UN secretary-general lauds Thailand's CL move to increase access to AIDS drugs

[Kannikar KIJTIWATCHAKUL]

UN secretary-general lauds Thailand's CL move to
increase access to AIDS drugs

Manager Online, 10 December 2007

UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-Moon, lauds Thailand's
successful AIDS campaign and CL move to increase
access to AIDS drugs

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social
Development and Human Security Paiboon
Wattanasiritham, as Chairman of National AIDS
Prevention and Problem Alleviation Committee said that
UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-Moon, applauded
Thailand's outstandingly successful HIV/AIDS campaign.
  He particularly praised Thailand for issuing
compulsory licensing (CL), in an effort to bring
greater access to medicines for people living with
HIV/AIDS in the country, and said that he understood
Thailand's decision.

Mr. Ban just talked about it generally; he did not
mention specifically Thailand's CL decision.   He
simply expressed his admiration and understanding of
Thailand's efforts to remedy public health problems,
particularly in the area of HIV/AIDS treatment and
prevention.  For example, Thailand has campaigned for
access to medicines and prevention among children.
Over the past, Thailand has put in considerable
efforts, and the work has been satisfactory.   Many
key players in HIV/AIDS issues have been invited to
take participation in the campaign, for instance Mr.
Meechai Viravaidya .  Also, a special task force
within the Ministry of Public Health has been set up
to provide support and promote collaborative work on
HIV/AIDS issues, and AIDS committee has held several
meetings recently.  We need to prime the machine to
effectively solve the problems, especially in running
our campaigns, where assessment is needed on a regular
basis in order to bring improvements to our work.
Because children tend not to take preventative
approaches, we need to put in more efforts in our
prevention campaign and try to promote it beforehand,
says Paiboon.

.......

UN secretary-general lauds Thailand's CL move to
increase access to medicines

Post Today

UN secretary-general lauds Thailand's CL move and AIDS
policy

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, on December 10th,
welcomed UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-Moon on his
official visit to Thailand during 9-11 December, 2007
upon personal invitation from the Thai government.
After the bilateral meeting with the UN
secretary-general, the Prime Minister attended a
plenary discussion at the Ivory Room, Thai Koofah
Building.

According to a source, Mr. Ban, at the meeting,
applauded Thailand's efforts to issue compulsory
licensing (CL) in order to expand access to medicines
for its people.

Mr. Ban also praised Thailand, the Ministry of Public
Health in particular, for its successful HIV/AIDS
treatment program that had significantly reduced
number of new infections in the country.

In the joint press conference with the UN
secretary-general, the Prime Minister highlighted key
issues in Southeast Asia, for instance the latest
development in Myanmar, and stated that Thailand fully
supported the UN's role in Myanmar and UN special
envoy, Ibrahim Gambari.

During the next ASEAN summit hosted by Thailand in
mid-2008, UN-ASEAN summit will be held to further
discuss appropriate approaches to promote a broader
UN-ASEAN collaboration.

Mr. Ban also thanked the Thai government and Thai
people for the impressively warm welcome and said that
he was glad to have visited Thailand on the auspicious
of His Majesty the King's 80th Birthday Anniversary.

In addition, Mr. Ban had discussed other useful issues
and praised Thailand for being a good partner with the
United Nations.



Kannikar KIJTIWATCHAKUL (Kar)
Access to Essential Medicine Campaigner
MSF Belgium - Thailand Mission,
522 Mooban Nakorn Thai 14,
Ladphrao Soi 101/1,
Bangkapi, Bangkok 10240
Tel (+66) 2370 3087
Fax (+66) 2731 1432
Mobile (+66) 85-070-8954


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