Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development celebrates 25th anniversary with symposium on the "Right to Health: A Duty for Whom?"

Basel, December 2, 2004 - The Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development (NFSD) today reinforced its 25-year commitment to sustainable development and stakeholder-dialogue with a landmark symposium exploring the roles and responsibilities of key societal players in ensuring the right to human health.

 

The symposium focused on the complexity of healthcare issues facing the developing world and the need for public-private partnerships to combine the unique expertise and capacities of various stakeholders in creating viable and sustainable solutions. 

 

"In development politics, there are no solutions that are easy and persuasive at one and the same time," said Professor Dr. Klaus M. Leisinger, President and CEO of the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development and host of the symposium. "Though it might be an uncomfortable way to go, we are convinced that dialogue with critics and constructive engagement are essential to finding common ground for progress."

 

The symposium brought together over 500 international experts and stakeholders involved in healthcare and development issues, including: Paul Hunt, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health; Joan Kaufman, Director of AIDS Public Policy Training Project Asia Programs, Harvard University; Ioanna Kuçuradi, President of the National Committee for the 'UN Decade for Human Rights Education'; and Daniel Vasella, Chairman and CEO of Novartis.

 

One key topic was the role of pharmaceutical companies in ensuring access to medicines for people who cannot afford treatment. Participants explored the importance of creating basic health infrastructure like sanitation, transportation, distribution and education in addition to providing access to affordable and effective medicines.

 

"One vital way of improving health conditions for poor people of the world is to establish strong partnerships involving all parties - governments, NGOs, the private sector and international organizations," said Paul Hunt, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health. "The cooperation between The World Health Organization (WHO), the NFSD and Novartis to eliminate leprosy exemplifies this form of partnership."

 

The Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development has worked for decades with governments and international partners such as the WHO and other United Nations organizations on disease prevention and treatment programs and other basic healthcare services to promote economic, social and cultural human rights in developing nations. 

 

The results of this commitment include providing over three million multi-drug therapy treatments free of charge to cure leprosy patients around the world and donating 500,000 tuberculosis treatments to the WHO.

 

 

For more background information and pictures please access the electronic media kit at: http://novartis.imagedirector.net/album?album_code=trcucrqn6mkz

 

For the first time, the symposium was web cast. The web cast will be available during 3 months at: 

http://www.novartisfoundation.com/en/symposia/2004

 

For more information on the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development please consult http://www.novartisfoundation.com.

 

 

 

 

 

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