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Praise be to God, and peace and prayers upon His prophet Mohammad and all God’s prophets and messengers.
The Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences, true to its forward look to events touching upon its goals and interests, has become aware of the upcoming era of “Globalization”, entailing such cohesion and even merging between countries at various levels including commerce, with its two aspects: production and marketing. It is obvious that scientific and informational superiority will put those who own it (the elite few) at a distinctive advantage over those who don’t. Unable to compete, and under the new situations created by World Trade Treaty (including the TRIPS), the developing and less developed nations will face a kind of invasion that national sovereignty and territorial borders cannot resist, with inevitable reflections on the economic, political and social spheres, including health and health-care.
It is regrettable that the Islamic World’s position so far is not among the productive mighty but rather the weakly recipients. It faces the double challenge of negotiating and ameliorating the offered or imposed terms, as well as recruiting all its strengths – material and spiritual – to build up an effective and influential presence in this world. Moreover, it should assume the pioneering role of revising the values of compassion, fairness and human fraternity, embedded in God’s religions and invoked by human decency, and introduce them in the realm of world politics and economics, to nurture fairness, peace and happiness for all. A concerted effort should be made to study Globalization in detail, how to maximize its positives and minimize its negatives, and put a human face on it.
Because of these considerations the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences saw fit that the topic for its seventh international conference be “Globalization and its influence on development and health-care in Islamic countries”, to assess the implications of its concomitant treaties and agreements in the field of health and medicine and devising any relevant safeguards. The conference was held jointly with the World Health Organization represented by its Eastern Mediterranean Office (EMRO), and the Islamic Organization for Education, Sciences and Culture (ISESCO).
His highness
Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait, graciously
bestowed his patronage on the conference, held on 9-13 Muharram, 1324H
: 23-27 March 2002, Ce. The opening session took place in the grand hall
of the Islamic Medicine Center. It started with a recitation from the
Holy Quran, followed by the speech of his highness the Emir (patron of
the conference) read by H.E. Dr. Mohammad Ahmad Al-Jarallah, minister
of health, then Doctor Hussain Al-Jazaeri, regional director of WHO, Mr.
Mohammad Al-Ghemeri representing Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Tuwaijri, director
general of ISESCO, and finally Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Awadi, chairman of
the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences.
The sessions were then held at the Crown Plaza Hotel, the participants included a select group of religion scholars, physicians and scientists of various disciplines. The conference comprised a number of areas each with relevant divisions and subtopics.
These were :
- Influences of Globalization on Islamic countries especially in cultural and social aspects.
- World Trade Treaties relevant to Health, and challenges facing Health in the third millenium.
- Environmental challenges ensuing upon Globalization and their possible impact.
- The effect of TRIPS and similar legislations on the chances feasibility, risks and pricing in the drug industry in developing countries.
- The moral and ethical aspects of globalization from the universal and Islamic perspectives.
After lengthy scrutiny of the presentations, in depth survey of the discussions and examination of individual written suggestions, the Drafting Committee came to the following Recommendations :
1. The Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences, in collaboration with WHO/EMRO and ISESCO, is to establish a working team of maximally five experts to undertake the following assignments :
(b) To prepare an action plan on how to maximize the positives and minimize or eliminate the negatives of globalization in the field of Health; and immunize societies against its cultural and social undesirable impacts.
(c) To do a detailed and analytical reading of WTO agreements particularly TRIPS and GATS and identify appropriate equilibrium between mutual rights and responsibilities, especially in areas pertaining to public health and to pharmaceutical drugs (herbal or chemical).
(d) Plan to establish a Data Base on TRIPS and other legislation bearing on drug production, imports, exports and procurement of raw materials. The list should also include the production of generic drugs and a roster of relevant experts.
(e) Establish adequate networking, updating and communication between workers in the fields of health and of continuing education.
(f) Study the flow of services and professionals between various countries and how to optimize it; as well as expanding the use of tele-medicine.
The working team should feel free to resort to any measures necessary and conducive to achieving its goals. Its term of action shall be six months following its first meeting.
2. The Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences, in collaboration with EMRO (Cairo), will recruit another working group of maximally five members, to monitor the new developments and future course of globalization pertaining to Health issues, and the various responses of different countries to the requirements of WTO. Recommendations are offered to maintain and deepen the dialogue about globalization and Health in Islamic countries utilizing the information network.
3. The IOMS shall suggest to the Islamic Conference Organization the idea of a unified Joint Negotiatory Team collectively and more effectively representing the member states in future negotiations with WTO.
4. Islamic countries are urged to establish a combined drug industry and a common drug market, and formulate such strategies and policies as to ensure self dependence and high quality within reasonable pricing.
5. The Regional Consultancy Research Committee of EMRO (Cairo) is to prepare a document to help developing countries strategize their policies in scientific research. This includes more investment in ‘development and research’ (RD) in medical sciences on part of the state and the private sector (especially pharmaceutical, assigning a percentage of its income). Applied epidemiological research and field studies should get priority over basic research. Research should be geared towards the actual needs of the community.
6. The health authorities in Islamic countries are called upon to fully keep up their duty to ensure the provision of health care for all citizens and inhabitants observing equity and quality, even when the private sector assumes part of the responsibility.
7. Policy decision makers in Islamic countries are called upon to ensure adequate representation of health ministries in delegations sent to international conferences or other forums pertaining to health issues, and their participation in preparing the relevant protocols or technical agreements and attending preparatory meetings. Public debate of significant health agreements should be invited and encouraged.
8. Policy decision makers in Islamic countries should legislate and formulate the necessary steps to co-ordinate the work of different offices and administrations (even in different ministries) that handle health issues, to eliminate conflict and counterproductive decisions (such as imposing taxation on raw material necessary for drug production or imported drugs).
9. Calls upon decision makers in Islamic countries to ensure that governments will not encourage production of material that is harmful to health (such as tobacco and alcoholic drinks), since the government will be bearing the cost of treating the victims and all ensuing loss including their hampered productivity. Seeking commensurate compensations from the companies producing these materials should also be pursued.
10. The WHO is called upon to keep up its role in vigilantly defending the rights of developing countries particularly their disabled and vulnerable groups, whose needs might not be given serious consideration by international agreements. The WHO must continue its leading role in promoting the concept of “essential drugs” and vaccines. The WHO must also continue efforts to protect the national medicinal plants and the local cultural heritage and knowledge, in accordance with the Bio-diversity Convention recommendations.
11. The IOMS is to invite Islamic countries to take initiatives aiming at protection of the environment from all causes of pollution in land, sea and air, and ensuring the commitment of all countries to the international standards and recommendations. “Clean Technology” is to be used whenever possible. Stringent measures should be taken against biological pollution.
12. The WHO is requested to negotiate on behalf of the developing and least developing countries the purchase of essential drugs at minimal prices, affordable by the purchaser. Transfer of the technology to produce drugs which are out of patent but still clinically useful could greatly help, given for free or at nominal price.
13. Governments are called upon to adopt ‘health insurance’ as a serious option towards defraying the cost of health care. Social and co-operative health insurance are to be implemented and the insurance net should be expanded to include sectors that are often uncovered.
14. Revitalize the role of civic society organizations in such areas like endowments, religious and charitable organizations to contribute to financing programs of social solidarity, and allocate adequate resources for charitable and community health institutions.
15. All efforts should be made to uphold religious and spiritual values and bring them to bear on the purely materialistic outlook of globalization. Professional and commercial ethics should be re-emphasized. Life-styles should be consistent with Islamic guidelines so as to maintain normal health and avoid anti-Islamic health wrecking life-styles.
16. Appeal is made to multinational drug companies to make drug donations (or sell at nominal price) to developing and least developing countries, apply a differential pricing policy, and allocate a portion of the company’s research budget for particular diseases afflicting only those poor countries.
17. The IOMS is to convey these recommendations to all authorities and quarters of concern.
As it came to its conclusion, the conference reiterated its gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait, for his patronage the conference and continual support of IOMS. Thanks were also raised to His Highness Sheikh Saad Al-Abdallah Al-Sabah, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and to His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and First Deputy to the Prime Minister, and to the Kuwaiti Government and Kuwaiti people, for their continuous care and support of IOMS and its message.
Dr. Abdel Rahman Al-Awadi, Chairman of IOMS, was assigned the task of sending appreciation cables to His Highness the Amir, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Health, Dr. Mohammad Al-Jarallah, for the warm reception and gracious care accorded the delegates.
The participants expressed their cordial thanks to IOMS, EMRO and ISESCO for holding this and similar conferences to discuss matters that concern and influence the health and welfare of Muslims and of humanity at large.