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Prevention of Global Pandemics:
Recommendations to the G8 Summit
Civil G8 International NGO Forum, March 9-10, 2006, Moscow
Based on Consensus

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Preamble

Against the background of the accelerating rate of global development, the issue of infectious diseases is taking on a growing importance as a major threat to all countries of the world transcending international borders and irrespective of local differences in health care systems.

However, the effective fight against infectious diseases depends primarily on the amount of financing available for funding scientific research, preventive medicine and health care which needs to be available to all groups of the population.

Any lack of funds, high prices for medication and weak preventive medicine measures will affect first and foremost the most vulnerable social groups which include the following:
• prisoners and those released from prisons trying to reintegrate into society.
• the underprivileged and impoverished, immigrants and those seeking asylum, displaced persons and victims of conflicts and natural disasters
• disabled persons
• the homeless as well as children who are victims of violence
• drug addicts and alcoholics.

It is the duty of the world community to provide these groups with appropriate health care to prevent such diseases as TB, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, malaria, polio, gastrointestinal infections and new threats such as bird, or avian flu.

Additionally, current threats arising from political instability aggravate issues of biologi-cal security.

In relation to this, the representatives of NGOs from different countries held a meeting in Moscow, 9 – 10 March 2006, that resulted in this contribution in order to draw to the attention of the Leaders of the G8 issues of health security. In summary, it is recommended that the G8 Leaders continue to fulfill their previous commitments on health issues and in addition, consider the following initiatives proposed by the representatives of civil society.


Recommendation 1

G8 Leaders should recognize that funding and other resources allocated for handling health matters on a global scale are insufficient and require both more effective spending policies and as well as a significant increase in financing in order to:

• prevent, diagnose, treat and cure infectious diseases for all groups of popula-tion including vulnerable social groups
• support scientific research on infectious disease including studies of bird migration in connection with avian flu.

It is necessary to continue to fulfill the commitments of previous G8 Summits on health matters and to consider opportunities for supplementary measures due to the development of new challenges in infectious diseases.


Recommendation 2

G8 Leaders should ensure access of all groups of the population and especially vulnerable social groups to medicines and other measures for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.

In order to do this, it is necessary to develop:

• comprehensive national plans on prevention, health care and psychological support for drug addicts, alcoholics and homeless persons as well as children who are victims of violence and children neglected by their parents;
• programs for rehabilitation of prisoners and those released from prisons in order to reintegrate them into society, this should include the involvement of volunteers and students;
• training programs for medical personnel and other specialists capable of managing the above mentioned issues effectively.

Recommendation 3

G8 Leaders should recognize that it is necessary to increase institutional and other investments for fostering Research & Development activities in order to develop more efficient and affordable medicines against such diseases as TB, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, malaria, polio, gastrointestinal infections, avian flu and other socially important diseases.

In relation to this, G8 countries are recommended to cooperate in this area especially in fundamental research of the origins of infectious diseases and their prevention. International centers, foundations and international programs should be established to conduct joint international scientific studies of infectious diseases.

Investments in new hi-tech enterprises producing innovative medicines for prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of infectious diseases need to be jointly supported.

The existing production of affordable medicines for prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of infectious diseases needs to be supported.

Opportunities to assist those countries which are not capable of providing adequate public health care for their population, especially in preventing global pandemics, have to be considered.

Recommendation 4

G8 Leaders should work collaboratively towards integration of existing international and national pandemic surveillance systems into a global surveillance system. It is necessary to provide adequate funding and share necessary information. This newly established global surveillance system should be subject to civil society institutions' oversight

Recommendation 5

G8 Leaders should promote the elimination of any legal impediments and not allow any form of discrimination in providing access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of infectious diseases for all social groups and particularly for vulnerable social groups and non-citizens temporarily located within the territories of G8 countries.

Recommendation 6

G8 Leaders should actively cooperate with all countries on the issues related to avian flu both on governmental and civil society levels.

Recommendation 7

G8 Leaders should develop an effective mechanism for involving NGOs representing people affected by any of the above mentioned infectious diseases in the preparation of the above mentioned international and national programs and plans. Additionally, it is recommended that G8 Leaders find opportunities to actively support and finance such NGOs.

Additional Recommendations
(no consensus was found)

1. G8 Leaders should consider opportunities for cooperation on issues related to containment of violence that has transformed into new forms over the past few years and requires new approaches to be developed and implemented. G8 countries should develop a set of additional measures and plans of activities in relation to this issue.

2. G8 Leaders should promote a common international understanding of the social and psychological basis of modern juvenile laws that form social policy in relation to juveniles.

and The proposals made by NGOs of Russia and recommended for consideration as an input to human rights section


Coordinator
Health Section, International Civil Forum:
Prof George A. Komarov (Russia)

Editorial Committee:
Prof. Anes G. Zarifyan (Kirghizia)
Mary Collins (Canada)
Dr. Natalya A. Yanul (Russia)

Source: Civil G8

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