JOTHI* Press Release (English translation):
Indonesia to Expand Access to AIDS and Hepatitis B Treatments
The rising number of HIV cases
in the Indonesian community is growing beyond expectations. A series of
prevention efforts that have relied on significant funds including
international aid, have failed to achieve targets set for reducing the number
of new HIV cases. At the same time, the number of AIDS cases has increased
sharply.
Table 1: List of active substances, the name of the patent holders, patent
numbers and duration of patent terms
An HIV infection will be recognized as AIDS if an AIDS
related condition or symptom appears; symptoms of such infections are commonly
referred to as concomitant infections. As of June 30, 3012, the number of
people infected with HIV in Indonesia was reported as totaling 118,865
infections, 86,762 cases of HIV and 32,103 cases of HIV/AIDS cases. As a result
of the speed with which the infection is spreading, the need for drugs that can
control the HIV virus has become urgent.
Treatment of HIV has been recognized to be one of the
most effective prevention methods, because each patient who is treated can stay
healthy and it can safely be said that they will not transmit the virus to
others. But there are serious challenges facing the treatment of HIV patients.
If we employ a calculation commonly used by the WHO, it would appear that at
least 79, 283 people taking part in HIV and AIDS programs in Indonesia are in
need of HIV treatment. In March 2012, only 27, 175 people were still taking
ARVs, meaning that only 1 out of 3 people in need of the drugs were receiving
treatment.
Seeing the importance of
HIV treatment for prevention and the preservation of lives, the Indonesia Network
of People Living with HIV (JOTHI) led an advocacy effort in September 2009 to
encourage the provision of HIV drugs in Indonesia. These efforts are supported
by other organizations such as ITPC Indonesia and other partners, who provide
support to the government of Indonesia to help map out possibilities for expanding
access to AIDS treatment in Indonesia. For more than two years, advocacy efforts
focused on issues ranging from access to treatment to the government’s right to
use patents to produce essential medicine. These efforts helped encourage the
formation of teams to design policies for ensuring supply of HIV drugs that were
then submitted to the President.
The strong commitment of the
Government of Indonesia to implement such
policies is evidenced by the signing of
Presidential Regulation No. 76 of 2012 which allows
for the use of patents on 7 HIV and
hepatitis B medicines. These regulations ensure the provision of
essential medicines against AIDS and
hepatitis B in
Indonesia until 2024.
The Presidential Decree provides the Minister
of Health with the authority to appoint
pharmaceutical companies to exploit the
patents on the antiretroviral and antiviral drugs (summarized in the table
above) for and on behalf of the government.
The Presidential decree also revokes the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 83 of 2004 as amended by
Presidential Decree No. 6 of 2007
on the implementation of the government
use of patents on anti-retroviral treatments.
Presidential Regulation No. 76/2012
includes a larger number and variety of patents
than previous decrees. The Presidential
Decree No. 83/2004, allowed
government use of patents on nevirapine and lamivudine until the end of their patent
terms, October 31, 2011 and
June 28, 2012 respectively. Presidential
Decree No. 6 of 2007
allowed the government use of patents for efavirenz until August 7,
2013, the end of the patent term.
JOTHI expresses the
highest appreciation for the seriousness of the
Government of Indonesia’s actions with regards to HIV/AIDS, and in particular to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
the late Minister of Health Mrs. Endang
Sedyaningsih, the Minister of Health
Mrs. Nafsiah Mboi, Minister of Justice Mr. Amir
Syamsudin and many others who have supported efforts to expand access to treatment for AIDS and Hepatitis
B. (JOTHI /
SFP)
*JOTHI is the Indonesian Network of People Living with HIV
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