African Commission Adopts Resolution on Access to Health and Needed Medicines in Africa

On November 24, 2008, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights adopted a resolution calling on governments to promote, protect, and fulfill access to essential medicines.

The commission adopted Resolution 141 (Access to Health and Needed Medicines in Africa) following advocacy by the human rights and access to medicines clinical group, a collaboration of the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria and the Washington College of Law at American University. OSI's Law and Health Initiative and Access to Essential Medicines Initiative provided support to the clinical group.

The resolution states that "access to needed medicines is a fundamental component of the right to health and that States parties to the African Charter have an obligation to provide where appropriate needed medicines, or facilitate access to them.” 

Under direction of the commission, the Working Group on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will further define state obligations and “develop model monitoring and assessment guidelines.” 

For the complete text of the resolution, please see: http://www.achpr.org/english/resolutions/resolution141_en.htm.