NEHAWU
*NEHAWU Media Statement, 20 July, 2011 **NEHAWU fully behind the establishment of a state-owned and managed pharmaceutical company *
NEHAWU welcomes the decision by the ANC in its Lekgotla last weekend to explore the possibility of establishing a state pharmaceutical company. The union has been consistently calling for the implementation of this ANC decision that was adopted at its 2007 Conference in Polokwane for a long time and we are happy that the ANC is acting on it. We affirm our conviction that an essential part of the route to the attainment of the goal of a Long and Healthy Life for All South Africans is to establish a state-owned and managed pharmaceutical manufacturing entity.
Our union strongly believes that South Africa is well-poised in the current period to benefit from a state-based manufacture of pharmaceutical products. This would increase the capacity of the state to provide an uninterrupted supply of medicines at a scale which the National Health Insurance (NHI) would require. However, the creation of a state owned enterprise must be accompanied by a pharmaceutical sectoral strategy.
NEHAWU also believes that at the heart of our drive to expand domestic production of pharmaceuticals must be more than just narrow economic considerations. This endeavour must enable the country to adequately respond to the health needs of the population as reflected in the extent and nature of our disease burden. In addition to having one of the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS and TB in the world, South Africa is also facing an increase in non-communicable and lifestyle diseases.
All of these have severely impacted on the country's average life expectancy at birth which is now estimated to be below 50 years and even worse amongst working class communities. If we are to succeed in attaining the Millennium Development Goals medicines must be freely available to treat our people.
*Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat Office* * **For further information, please contact: Sizwe Pamla (NEHAWU Media Liaison Officer) at 011 833 2902 - 082 558 5962 or email: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> *
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