World Health Assembly (WHA) Okays use of traditional medicine

Report has it that:

• N5.15b fake drugs seized in global crackdown

• India, China top global sources of counterfeit medicines

A RESOLUTION for a better integration of the use of traditional medicine was among the proposals adopted as the 67th World Health Assembly (WHA) closed at the weekend.  

According to a press statement by the WHO, traditional medicine covers a wide variety of therapies and practices, which varies from country to country and region to region.

The statement reads: “The strategy aims to build the knowledge base for national policies and strengthen quality assurance, safety, proper use and effectiveness of traditional and complementary medicine through regulation. It also aims to promote universal health coverage by integrating traditional and complementary medicine services into health care service delivery and home care.”

The Health Assembly adopted revised provisions on yellow fever vaccination or revaccination under the International Health Regulations (2005). These include extending the validity of a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever from 10 years to the extent of the life of the vaccinated person. 

The Assembly also adopted resolution on addressing the global challenge of violence, in particular against women and girls.

Meanwhile, law enforcement agents have arrested 237 people worldwide in a 10-day crackdown on fake drugs, resulting in the seizure of counterfeit and unlicensed medicines worth N5.15 billion (£18.6 million/$31.4 million) even as global-health campaigners and researchers are protesting against a proposal they say would allow drug companies raise prices for needed medicines in many developing countries, including Nigeria.

Britain’s healthcare watchdog in a report monitored by The Guardian said the haul of 8.4 million doses of medicines included potentially-harmful slimming pills, controlled drugs such as diazepam, anabolic steroids and anti-impotence pills. 

The British Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which was responsible for seizing products worth £8.6 million, said that the INTERPOL-co-ordinated operation was conducted between May 11 and 21, 2014.

The crackdown also targeted 10,603 websites, leading them to be closed down or suspended through having their domain name or payment facilities removed.

MHRA Head of Enforcement Alastair Jeffrey said in a statement: “The medicines recovered during these raids were being held in appalling conditions, such as a dirty old building with broken windows, with medicines lying on the floor in bin bags. 

“Criminals involved in the illegal supply of medicines through the Internet aren’t interested in your health; they are interested in your money.”

“India was the source of 72 per cent of the illicit medicines seized in Britain, while China accounted for 11 per cent”, the MHRA added. 

According to the WHA, member-states will work to strengthen the role of the health system in addressing violence. WHO will develop a global plan of action to strengthen the role of national health systems within a multi-sectoral response to address interpersonal violence, in particular against women, girls and children.

The WHA approved a resolution to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis and proposals to improve global co-ordination of efforts to address non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancers, heart disease and stroke. 

The resolution noted the importance of implementing appropriate measures to protect groups such as people who inject drugs from infection and to improve their access to diagnostics and treatment. As most people with chronic Hepatitis B or C remain unaware of their infection, there is also a need to improve screening.

WHO’s Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, said: “This has been an intense Health Assembly, with a record-breaking number of agenda items, documents and resolutions, and nearly 3,500 registered delegates. This is a reflection of the growing number of complexity of health issues, and your deep interest in addressing them.”

As requested in the resolution, WHO will develop a draft global action plan to combat antimicrobial resistance, including antibiotic resistance for presentation to the World Health Assembly for approval next year.

The WHA mandated WHO, in co-operation with national regulators, to continue its important role globally in medicines regulation through establishing necessary norms and standards, supporting regulatory capacity-building and strengthening safety monitoring programmes. Through its pre-qualification programme, WHO is requested to continue to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of selected priority essential medicines, diagnostics and vaccines.

Also, following the adoption of a resolution on health technology assessment (HTA) at the Health Assembly, WHO will support capacity-building for health technology assessment in countries. It will provide tools and guidance to prioritize health technologies and intensify networking and information exchange among countries to support priority setting.

Source: NG Guardiannews