One Year of The WTO Under Okonjo-Iweala : Challenges of Access to Medicine for Africa

Chika Ezeanya-Esiobu Photo from Sanchez SMTN5

In the 1990s , millions of HIV / AIDS patients in Africa died as a result of patents placed on the manufacturing of medications by pharmaceutical companies in the Global North . Since the past two decades , however , the WTO has worked with representatives of developing countries , advocacy groups and regional organizations to ensure that pharmaceuticals prioritize public interest over profit-making . Progress has been made , but thefinal destination in that conversation is still an appreciable distance away . South Africa and India are currently pushing for a waiver of patents on COVID vaccines to enable them to produce cheaper , generic versions for distribution to less financially viable economies . While it took heavy global convergence to extract compliance from pharmaceuticals in the case of HIV / AIDS , it appears a consensus will be more easily reached this time . A WTO chief who is not afraid to speak out in favour of Africa and other developing countries does make a lot of difference . Hopefully , African countries will be spared the worst effects of the pandemic , if access to vaccines and other medications cease to prize capitalist accumulation over human life and suffering .