The topic of Access to Essential Medicines has been introduced and explored in the four previous CAL modules.

Now in CAL 5, the aim is to showcase various solutions and strategies are being used worldwide to tackle this incredibly urgent and important issue.

We have supplied five such case-studies. Many more exist, and as has been outlined in previous modules this is an issue that will need to be tackled on many fronts. These case studies highlight the activities of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), public-private-partnerships (PPPs) and also students.

Case Study - Medicines Sans Frontiers

Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines

Case Study - Oxfam

Medicines for Life

Case Study - GAVI Alliance

Case Study - International Trachoma Initiative

Case Study - Universities Allied For Essential Medicines

Tackling the access and research gaps

These all demonstrate that to truly face up to the issue of access to essential medicines, a global commitment by governments, organisations (both for- and not-for profit) and also civil society is needed.  The Millennium Development Goals (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals) show that such a multi-disciplinary promise can take place - to solve the disproportion of healthcare and medicines a further promise must be created: granting citizens in all countries access to a basic yet essential level of healthcare.

We hope you have enjoyed and learnt from these modules on Access to Essential Medicines.  Please, use this knowledge to teach others about the issue and most importantly - to take action.  Students are well-placed to exert pressure in many different ways...the question is how will You?

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