...Western Drug Companies and the AIDS Epidemic in South Africa In December 1997, the government of South Africa passed a law that authorized two controversial practices. One, called parallel importing, allowed importers in South Africa to purchase drugs from the cheapest source available, regardless of whether the patent holders had given their approval or not. Thus South Africa asserted its right to import “generic versions” of drugs that are still patent protected. The government did this because it claimed to be unable to afford the high cost of medicines that were patent protected. The other practice, called compulsory licensing, permitted the South African government to license local companies to produce cheaper versions of drugs whose patents are held by foreign companies, irrespective of whether the patent holder agreed. The law seemed to be in violation of international agreements to protect property rights, including a World Trade Organization agreement on patents to which South Africa is a signatory. South Africa, however, insisted that the law was necessary given its own health crisis and the high cost of patented medicines. By 1997, South Africa was wrestling with an AIDS crisis of enormous proportions. It was estimated that over 3 million of the country's 45 million people were infected with the virus at the time, more than in any other country. However, although the AIDS epidemic in South Africa was seen as primary reason for the new law, the law itself was applied...
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...Western Drug Companies and the AIDS Epidemic in South Africa In December 1997, the government of South Africa passed a law that authorized two controversial practices. One, called parallel importing, allowed importers in South Africa to purchase drugs from the cheapest source available, regardless of whether the patent holders had given their approval or not. Thus South Africa asserted its right to import “generic versions” of drugs that are still patent protected. The government did this because it claimed to be unable to afford the high cost of medicines that were patent protected. The other practice, called compulsory licensing, permitted the South African government to license local companies to produce cheaper versions of drugs whose patents are held by foreign companies, irrespective of whether the patent holder agreed. The law seemed to be in violation of international agreements to protect property rights, including a World Trade Organization agreement on patents to which South Africa is a signatory. South Africa, however, insisted that the law was necessary given its own health crisis and the high cost of patented medicines. By 1997, South Africa was wrestling with an AIDS crisis of enormous proportions. It was estimated that over 3 million of the country's 45 million people were infected with the virus at the time, more than in any other country. However, although the AIDS epidemic in South Africa was seen as primary reason for the new law, the law itself was applied...
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...There is controversy over the fact whether the western countries are doing enough to help the poor. According to research, major problems are affecting global efforts in eradication of poverty by increased the price of basic need, which the poor cannot afford. If this problem is going to continuously happened, the amount of poor will increase. It is happening in Africa and Asia, where millions of people die every day which caused by problems like hunger and lack of medical care. Western countries are defined as the country that located at western hemisphere affairs such as United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, and America (Worldatlas, year unknown). These countries organise various projects to eradicate these issues so that poverty can be solved. Global poverty is defined as a lack of material wealth needed to maintain existence (The Three Dictionary,2011). This essay will seek to argue that western countries are doing enough to fight global poverty. These will be referenced on the three areas of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, improving the supply of medicine to those in need and providing education to young children. To begin with, western countries are doing enough to fight global poverty because they are eradicating hunger. Western countries provide food and daily needs for the poor through funding or organization like Millennium Development Goals by the United Nations. Around the world more than 2.5 billion of poor live in grinding poverty on less than $2 a day (the UN...
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...How did Western nations come to dominate much of the world in that late 1800’s? In the late 1800’s, Western Countries built overseas empires causing imperialism. Western nations had an advantage against the other nations that weren’t as strong. Europe had new economic and political powers that took over the world. The Europeans set out on an adventurous path to expansion known today as the “New Imperialism”. The domination was due to the motives that drove the New Imperialism, the western advantages, and the various forms of imperial rule that Western Nations used. This lead Europe to having an 80% influence on the world by the 1870’s. Economic interest, political and military motives, humanitarian and religious goals, and applying Social...
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...HERITAGE ASSESSMENT PAPER Heritage Assessment The multiple questions of Heritage Assessment Tool is no doubt a "sine qua non" or an indispensable guide to follow by nurses and providers when dealing with new patients of different races, ethnicities, religions, cultures, and other things that make each and everyone unique and different. This tool helps the nurses and providers to reach into the beliefs, and probably the superstitions of their patients, and this may guide them in providing proper care without making assumptions on the needs and ways of life of their patients. This tool also helps our patients to expound on the health aspects of their lives that may help in their treatments and wellbeing. It is a tool that propagates respect of beliefs, traditions, religions, cultures, and ways of life of patients among nurses and other healthcare providers. With this tool, the nurses and healthcare providers can work with the patients and marshal out care plans that are specific to their patient and congruent to their patient beliefs. For example, the Igbo people of Eastern Nigeria believe that a woman who just delivered a baby must not eat anything cold because it causes indigestion and does not help in healing the new mother's womb and intestines (Davis, 2015). Another example is from the beliefs Ewe people of Ghana. According to International Journal of Innovative Research & Development (IJIRD), when a child is born, an amulet on a string is immediately placed on...
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...WESTERN DRUG COMPANIES AND THE AIDS EPIDEMIC IN SOUTH AFRICA | | | | | | | | INTRODUCTION The AIDS epidemic in South Africa is at an extreme where 4.2 million of the country’s 43 million citizens are afflicted. This translates into one in every ten citizens being infected with the virus. Additionally 34 million Sub Saharan African citizens have been afflicted and 11.5 million have died and that total accounts for 83% of the world’s AIDS related deaths. Treatment is available in the form of an anti-retroviral, but it is very costly and as such unaffordable for the already impoverished nations in Africa. The AIDS crisis and the expensive treatment have caused the government of South Africa to pass laws authorising the practice of parallel importing and compulsory licensing. Parallel importing allows importers to purchase the medication from the cheapest source whether or not the patent holders gave approval and compulsory licensing allows the government to license local companies to produce cheaper versions of the drug patented by foreign companies with or without their consent. The passing of the law by the South African government caused a legal dispute with the US drug companies regarding intellectual property rights, compulsory licensing and parallel importing. The dispute caused a debate among public health officials, activists, law makers and the drug companies over the importance of public health versus corporate profits and the bad public relations...
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...Ebola, biological warfare against Africa? [pic] A handout picture taken and released on September 21, 2014 by the Spanish Defense Ministry shows a military medical team transferring, from Freetown airport in Sierra Leone to Spain, Roman Catholic missionary Manuel Garcia Viejo, who contracted the deadly Tue Sep 23, 2014 7:27AM GMT 12 378 130 By Abayomi Azikiwe Related Interviews: • [pic]‘US seeks militarized response to Ebola’ A team of eight experts and journalists visiting the southern region of the West African state of Guinea were found dead in the town of Nzerekore on Sept. 20. Reports indicate that they were there to educate people about the nature of the disease for the purpose of its prevention. Reports from Guinea say that the delegation had met with elders in the community but were later attacked by youths. Investigations into the details of the killings are ongoing. There is tremendous mistrust surrounding the spread of the Ebola virus disease in some West African states where the epidemic has had an impact. Doctors Without Borders reported in April that their teams were forced to withdraw from Macenta in Guinea after being stoned by youths who said they were there to spread the disease. Newspaper articles and rumors have circulated that the outbreak is a direct result of biological warfare being waged by imperialist countries against the African continent. Although no one knows what the motivations were of those who carried out the killings in...
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...Jyn Allec R. Samaniego HNF 61 Z Mam Ma-Ann Zarsuelo May 7, 2015 Position Paper: Western Medicine versus Traditional Medicine The Limitations of Traditional Medicine from the Needs of the Society In this time of modern technologies, we have found new ways of treating and curing disease. However, traditional medicine that was derived from old cultures is still available. Some people still prefer this kind of method, but some stick to conventional one which is the western medicine. Western medicine is related to scientific method and emphasize measurable biochemical processes that drive disease, treatment and health. It relies on new modern technologies to alleviate disease and cure symptoms (“knowledgewharton”, n.d.) On the other hand,traditional medicine is the sum total of the knowledge, skills, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness (Qi,n.d.) Is it still better to use traditional medicine? It may be natural, has less side effects and holistic but I think that is too old and slow compared to the western medicine which is more accurate, more advanced and is readily available. Traditional medicine may heal you but it is not optimized for effectiveness. It also takes time before it works. It may also contradict to your condition and may not be effective (“holistic”,n.d.) Specially...
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...In the late 1800’s, Western Imperialism expanded aggressively. Imperialism is the domination by one country of the political, economic, or cultural life of another country or region. Although the Europeans had established colonies earlier, they previously had little direct influence over people in China, Africa, or India. Expansion takes place when one territory is deemed more powerful than other territories or people. Geographical, physical, and or technological obstacles may assist or impede in the expansion process. At the end of the 19th century the United States became a colonial power after moving across the North American continent to the Pacific Ocean. American colonies in the Philippines, Caribbean, and Hawaiian Islands were...
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...territory; non-provision of public services; widespread corruption and criminality; refugees and involuntary movement of populations; and sharp economic decline. The level of government control required to avoid being considered a failed state varies considerably amongst authorities. Furthermore, the declaration that a state has "failed" is generally controversial and, when made authoritatively, may carry significant geopolitical consequences. Example: Modernization theory Discussion Question:In what ways has the first world adversely affected Africa’s development? Does modernization theory have any validity in regards to Africa? The modernization theory of the 1950s is rooted in capitalism and suggests that society drastically change by giving up the traditional views and adopts new ideas and values. The theory is mainly about Africa leaving their traditional ways behind in favour of the European way of...
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... also effected to number of rhino in the world. One of numerous reasons for poaching rhinos is superstitious usage of their horns. In East Asia, rhino horns are used to produce traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments. In Viet Nam, people see it as an esoteric medicine which can cure fevers, maintain beauty, and treat terminal illnesses. However, scientists shown that the main component of rhino horns is keratin, the same as in human nails. It means Vietnamese spend thousands of dollars for pharmacological equivalent to buy their fingernails. Moreover, in some Middle East countries, rhino horns are used to make hafts or amulets, representing for social status of locals. It had a devastating effect on population of rhino. Poachers can earn huge amounts of money if they huckster to the other countries through the network of transnational trafficking without the controlling of the authorities. The cost of one kilogram horn powder is $66.000 - more expensive than gold. Therefore, illegal hunters find all the possible artifices to get their purposes. They utilize diversified technologies such as silenced sedatives, night sight scopes, specialized equipments and experience freelances. Tom Milliken, director of the wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic's east and southern Africa program, said: "Heavily armed people are moving into protected areas to kill rhino. Those charged with their protection face great challenges and gun fights are part of the equation. There is...
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...comity of nations, Liberia came to be viewed as a country that significantly contributed to the destabilization of the subregion through encouragement and support given to various armed groups that allegedly attacked Sierra Leone, Guinea and La Côte d’Ivoire. Liberia, nevertheless, is also associated with legendary contributions to Africa and the world at large. These contributions range from the fields of politics to sports, medicine, and religion. In the area of politics, Liberia produced Angie Brooks Randolph, the first African female President of the UN General Assembly. In sports, specifically in soccer, Liberia produced George Oppong Weah, the only African so far to capture two major football titles: World Best from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and European Best from the European Football Association (UEFA). In medicine, Liberia produced the renowned cardiologist, Jerome Ngana, and the prominent AIDS researcher, Stephen Kennedy. In religion, Liberia produced Prophet Wade Harris, founder of the Protestant Methodist Church, La Côte d’Ivoire; Canon Burgess Carl, former Secretary General of the All Africa Council of Churches; William R. Tolbert, Jr., President of the World Baptist Alliance, and Liberia’s 19th president who was overthrown in a bloody coup in 1980; and Herman Brown, one of the first blacks to serve as Special Assistant in the office of the Archbishop of...
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...of central and western Asia. It starts from Chang’an, the capital of ancient China, to Mediterranean ending at Rome. The overall length of this road is about 6440 kilometers. As the main commodity transported on this road is Chinese silk, it is called Silk Road. It is an important trade channel for those people of China, central Asia, western Asia, southeastern Asia, Europe, Africa, and America to friendly exchanges. The physical and spiritual communication caused by the Silk Road not only riches the physical lives of these regions around this road but also hugely impacts their culture and social structure. One of the most important contributions made...
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...Africa before the Transatlantic Slave Trade Racist views of Africa In the last 50 years much has been done to combat the entirely false and negative views about the history of Africa and Africans, which were developed in Europe in order to justify the Transatlantic Slave Trade and European colonial rule in Africa that followed it. In the eighteenth century such racist views were summed up by the words of the Scottish philosopher David Hume, who said, ‘I am apt to suspect the Negroes to be naturally inferior to the Whites. There scarcely ever was a civilised nation of that complexion, nor even any individual, eminent either in action or in speculation. No ingenious manufacture among them, no arts, no sciences”. In the nineteenth century the German philosopher Hegel simply declared ‘Africa is no historical part of the world.’ This openly racist view, that Africa had no history, was repeated by Hugh Trevor-Roper, Regius Professor of History at Oxford University, as late as 1963. Africa, the birthplace of humanity We now knowWe now know that far from having no history, it is likely that human history actually began in Africa. The oldest evidence of human existence and that of our immediate ancestors has been found in Africa. In July 2002 further evidence of the existence of early hominids in Africa was found with the discovery of the fossilised remains of what has been called Sahelanthropus tchadensis, thought to be between 6-7 million years old, in Chad. The latest...
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...† WENDY O. KALBERG, M.A., CED,† AND PHILIP A. MAY, PH.D.† Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, National Health Laboratory Services, South Africa, and the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research ABSTRACT. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in a second primary school cohort in a community in South Africa. Method: Active case ascertainment, two-tier screening, and Institute of Medicine assessment methodology were employed among 857 first grade pupils, most born in 1993. Characteristics of children with FAS were contrasted with characteristics of a randomly selected control group from the same classrooms. Physical growth and development, dysmorphology and psychological characteristics of the children and measures of maternal alcohol use and smoking were analyzed. Results: The rate of FAS found in this study is the highest yet reported in any overall community in the world, 65.2-74.2 per 1,000 children in the first grade population. These rates are 33-148 times greater than U.S. estimates and higher than in a previous cohort study in this same community (40.5-46.4 per 1,000). Detailed documentation of physical features indicates that FAS children in South Africa have characteristics similar to those elsewhere: poor growth and...
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