The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOH) posted that they changed national health insurance coverage on drugs as of July 1. They informed the details of insurance coverage modifications last Friday.

According to new reimbursement guidelines, antitussives and expectorants are now covered by insurance when two active ingredients are prescribed for upper respiratory diseases or three active ingredients for other respiratory diseases except asthma.

Adding one combination oral suspension is eligible for reimbursement only for pediatric patients under age 6 when used without redundancy or overdose. Parenteral antitussives and expectorants are reimbursed only for urgent care.

Sulfamylon Cream is reimbursed for severe burns on the areas like the face, hands and joints with bacterial infections for two week use. Otherwise patients should bear the entire cost of the drug.

MOH also changed its reimbursement guidelines for eleven classified drug items including oral cyclosporins and leukotriene modulators.

Among the affected drugs by the guidelines, Avandamet is not reimbursed for patients with acidosis, kidney disorder, liver disorder, cardiovascular disease, diabetic ketonacidosis or severe lung dysfunction.  

In January, the Government of Thailand ordered compulsory license on three pharmaceutical substances including Kaletra (Abbott). Thailand is running ‘Thai Program of Universal Subsidized Access to AIDS Treatment’ from 2004 and 80 thousand patients are benefited from this program.
Drugs for second-line treatment are about 14 times more expensive than the first-line drugs. Thereforesecuring inexpensive second-line drug is essential for the success of this program. If Thailand cannot supply these medicines, many patients would have to die.

Compulsory license is a measure to make balance between patent right of the patent holder and health right of the public, and is essential to secure the health right of Thai people.

Abbott announced that they would lower the price of Kaletra from 2200$/year to 1000$/year in 40 countries. This reveals that Abbott has been enjoying extra profitof 1200$ per year per patient. Don’t they know that this amount of money could be a matter of life and death to patients in the third world? Moreover, Abbott lowered the price for the sake of securing its exclusive right on Kaletra, not for patients’ life.

Patients in Korea also are suffering from expensive medicines. In 2001, leukemia patients had to pay 6000-8000 dollars a month to buy Glivec. When patients asked Novartis to lower the price, Novartis replied that it won’t sell Glivec in Korea.
Glivec is not the only case. BMS is preparing to sell even more expensive leukemia drug than Glivec, and Roche stopped supplying one of its product in Korea because it was not satisfied with the price. Moreover, as now Korea has reached agreement on KORUS FTA, the door is wide open to Big Pharmas to enjoy lucrative profit.

Korean Government changed the National Health Insurance and Medicare system and restricted access to medicine and medical care to save 380 million USD in its budget in a year. However, by KORUS FTA, National Health Insurance will have to pay extra 1 billion USD to the Big Pharmas every year.
Korean Government should follow Thai Government that endeavors to supply inexpensive medicines to its patients.

We strongly support the compulsory license ordered by the Thai government. Compulsory license is an important device to provide essential medicine in a stable base, and to prevent erroneous high-pricing policy of Big Pharmas. Whether we live in Thailand, Korea, or the US, we are in same position ofbeing extorted by Big Pharmas. That’s why we stand here to express our solidarity with Thai people.

Today is the common action day to support the decision of Thai government and to condemn Abbott for bargaining over patients’ life. Patients and activists of Great Britain, France, USA, India, Germany, Switzerland, Argentina, Brazil, Kenya, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, China, Vietnam, and Indonesia are joining this common action today. We will fight together with patients all over the world to support the compulsory license that the Thai government has ordered. We will also continue to fight against KORUS FTA and drug policies that make drugs more expensive.

Here is our request.
- We request Abbott to stop its attempts to block compulsory license on medicine.
- We request Abbott to lower the price of Kaletra in every country.
- We request Abbott to supply Kaletra to every country where there are HIV/AIDS patients.
- We request Abbott and other Big Pharmas to stop their attempt to change the law and systems of countries in favor of their profit.
- We request Korean Government to break KORUS FTA that ensures the profit of Big Pharmas.

2007.4.26

Korean Federation of Medical Groups for Health Rights (KFHR)
[Association of Physicians for Humanism/ Association of Korea Doctors for Health Rights/ Korea Dentists Association for Health Society/ Korean Pharmacists For Democratic Society/ Solidarity for Worker's Health]

Solidarity for HIV/AIDS Human Rights of Korea NANURI+
[Public Pharmaceutical Center/ Korean Pharmacists For Democratic Society/Sarangbang group for Human Rights/ Solidarity for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Human Rights of Korea/ Korean gaymen's Human Rights Group 'Chingusai' ]

Health Right Network
Consolidation for Medical Consume
Solidarity for People’s Health Rights(SPHR)
People’s Solidarity for Social Progress
Intellectual Property Left (IPLeft)
Korea HIV/AIDS Network of Solidarity (KANOS)
Korea Leukemia Patients Group

Jo Tae-Geun    

  South Korean officials said Friday that rapid ‘progress’ was being made in free trade agreement talks with the United States(Kor-US FTA), reinforcing possibility that the 10-month-long negotiations can be wrapped up by an end-of-March deadline.

A senior South Korean negotiator, speaking on condition of anonymity, said full agreement is expected to be made

Jo Tae-Geun    

  Chapter 11 of the North America Free Trade Agreement allowed corporations or individuals to sue Mexico, Canada, or the US for compensation when actions taken by those governments (or by those for whom they are responsible at international law, such as provincial, state, or municipal governments) had adversely affected their investments. It is so called investor-state claim,

△Press conference pointing out the danger of ISD on Korea-US Free Trade Agreement ⓒJung Taek-Yong, Voice of People

It has been invoked in cases where governments have passed laws or regulations with intent to protect their constituents, that also impact a corporation’s bottom line. Language in the chapter 11 defining its scope states that it cannot be used to “prevent a Party from providing a service or performing a function such as law enforcement, correctional services, income security or insurance, social security or insurance, social welfare, public education, public training, health, and child care, in a manner that is not inconsistent with this Chapter.”

If the proposed investor-state dispute system is introduced through the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement, the government policies coping with real estate speculation, balanced development, and efficient use of land will be ineffective, experts warned.

Under the ISD terms, in the case of a suspected unfair advantage, individuals or private companies would be able to file for international arbitration against the government, legislature, or judiciary of the other nation.

The People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, and Rep. Choi Jae-cheon and the Citizens Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ), announced the results of a joint study on effects of the FTA on domestic real estate policies at a press conference on February 1.

According to the study’s findings, the two nations possess significantly different policies when it comes to compensation during forcible land expropriation. This situation arises when development plans call for existing landowners to leave the area in question, and the government steps in to facilitate the move. South Korea decides the amount of compensation granted to these relocated landowners based on the land price shortly before the announcement of the development plan, while the U.S. bases its compensation on the land price from between six months to three years after the announcement.

In South Korea, skyrocketing real-estate prices have continually fueled controversy, with nearly all presidential candidates in every race placing priority on policies to curb the phenomenon. As a result, in the early 1990s, the government stressed the public use of real estate, and put into place various policies limiting development and multiple real estate holdings by the private sector. During last year alone, the government announced complementary measures to control the soaring real estate prices, with many types of short-term development investment being designated as illegal land speculation.

According to the study, under the Korea’s system, compensation for cases of expropriation can be delivered in the form of bonds or cash, while the US only offers compensation via cash. Therefore, if Seoul wishes to compensate using bonds, it can be subject to international arbitration suits brought forth by U.S. investors, the study said.

△Represantative Choi(The second from left) ⓒJung Taek-Yong, Voice of People

In South Korea, if land is designated by the government as being restricted from development, compensation is not required for potential losses due to the lack of the landowner’s ability to develop the land. This will incur lawsuits from the U.S. as a type of indirect expropriation, the study said.

In addition, the South Korean system, which applies surcharges and heavy transfer taxes to profits earned from land development – in an attempt to curb South Korea’s fierce land speculation problem – will amount to ‘indirect expropriation’ under the currently proposed terms of the FTA. According to the civic groups, if South Korea accepts the ISD system as part of the FTA, South Koreans would likely file lawsuits against the government’s current real estate policies in place for curbing land speculation, as they would then be discrimatory against South Korean investors because foreign investors would be exempt from the regulations, protected by the ISD system.

The study also said that “the forces of real estate speculation in South Korea may be able to neutralize the government’s anti-speculative policies by jumping into the speculation game in the South Korean real estate market through investing in U.S. property funds,” referring to the fact that unlike Korean investors, U.S. property funds, as foreign investors, can avoid the government’s anti-speculative policies through being protected by the ISD system.

In all, the study said that 21 South Korean laws would clash with the terms of the ISD.

2007-02-06 ⓒThe Voiceofpeople

Jo Tae-Geun    

△KDLP Lawmakers in a hunger strike ⓒVOP

South Korean and U.S. negotiators opened a new round of free trade talks amid tight security on Monday as nine leftist Korean lawmakers began a hunger strike outside the meeting site.

Authorities deployed 15,000 riot police in Seoul to deter anticipated large-scale protests against the talks. Farmers and factory workers argue that the envisaged free trade deal with the U.S. will devastate their livelihoods.

The Korean Democratic Labor Party’s lawmakers went on a hunger strike against the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement talks in front of the Shila hotel where the talks convened.

“If agreed on, the free trade agreement will trample on the lives of Korean people,” Rep. Kwon Young-ghil of the KDLP told while fasting in front of the hotel.

“We will continue a hunger strike until they cease the negotiations.” Kwon spoke of rumors that Seoul and Washington have decided to finalize their talks by the end of February.

Rep Kang Gi-Gap said “the KDLP lawmakers will do sit-in strike here in front of the hotel until the end of the 6th round of the Kor-US FTA talks.”

Rep. Kang argued that Korean government is cheating its own people by distorting the results of the each round of talks. We the lawmakers of the KDLP are aware of it and that’s why we’re here to go on a hunger strike.”

Rep. Roh Hoe-Chan said “if agreed, the Kor-US FTA would deepen social polarization which is the most serious issue of our time. and it would make Korea ‘a land of the richest 1%’.”

Rep. Roh also stressed that “President Roh Moo-Hyun should explain for whom he’s trying to negotiate. For the riches? Or for America? He has given no answer until now.”

As it became dark around the hotel, the 9 lawmakers were preparing for sleeping outdoors.

△2400 students gathered at the park, Gwanghwamoon for stopping KorUS FTA. ⓒLee Jae Jin, Voice of People

About 2400 students of 11 universities nationwide gathered at Seoul on 12. They wandered about in the street to let people know that they were against KorUS FTA. While they wandered, they were wearing costumes of cow.

After that, they gathered at Yeollin citizen’s park at Gwanghwamoon in the evening and had an assembly. They saw a film about their fight and agreed they have to stop KorUS FTA.

President Kim Jung Hun, of the committee of Oriental medical school said “KorUS FTA will destroy our medical system, so it will menace the right for the health. And will bring about the oriental medical’s collapse. That’s why we are against KorUS FTA.”

Sheo Jung-Hwan    

  Even oriental medical doctors began to object to the proposed Kor-U.S. Free Trade at all.

U.S. delegation called on Korea to open its oriental medical market last month’s talks.

Korean delegation didn’t rejected the offer at that time and they are going to talk about it again this month.

Thus the herb doctors and students of oriental medical colleges decided to launch the campaign for anti-FTA finally.

△Protesters, especially oriental medical doctors, demanding stop the Kor-US FTA negotiation. ⓒPhoto by Kim Cheol-Soo, Voice of People

The Oriental Medical Profession’s Alliance against KorUS FTA including the NGOs of the doctor, student, professor etc. have been showing variety events since last month.

It anounced that the debates on the mutual authorization of the doctor’s license, candlelight rallies and bike marching etc. were scheduled before the 6th talk start at 16 Jan.

“In Korea, one can become a oriental medical doctor after he finish the six year course in college and pass the exam. In U.S., however, almost everyone can enter the institutions and get the herb doctor’s license. Those are not same” Park Yong-shin, the head of yong oriental medical doctor’s committee for faithfull care, said.

“”Dealing with the care is dealing with the civil’s life”", the alliance declared.

2007-01-09 ⓒThe Voiceofpeople

Jo Tae-Geun    

△The KPA founding ceremony on 9 Jan ⓒVOP

The Korea Progressive Alliance, ‘a new hope for the progressive front’ has been founded on 9 Jan in Bakbum Memorial Hall.

The KPA declared in its statement that “we founded the KPA to give a new hope to the people by concentrating all achievements of the progressive movements. And we will strive for unifying the front to struggle against conservatives.”

It also stressed that “we will overcome simple solidarity among various social movements to pursue universal value of our time such as anti neoliberalism, peace and anti-Americanism and struggle for people’s democracy.”

The particiants who represent each mevement are the following figures.

Cho Jun-Hoo, chairman of the Korean Confederation of the Trade Unions, Moon Kyung-Sik, chairman of the Korean Peasants League, Moon Sung-Hyun, leader of the Korean Democratic Labor Party, Yoon Geum-Soon, chief of the National Women’s Alliance, Jung Kwang-Hoon, chief of the People’s Alliance, Oh Jong-Ryal, chief of the National Democracy and People’s Alliance, Rev. Han Sang-Ryel, chief of the Reunification Alliance.

△The KPA founding ceremony on 9 Jan ⓒVOP

Oh Jong-Ryel from NDPA said “we’re on the point launching the KPA which many senior activists in labor, reunification, democracy movements have dreamed of. This is the place where we confirm our goals which are smashing the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement, and achieving peace, reunification and indepenence.”

Oh also defined the victory of the people as founding independent regime by the people and achieving nation’s reunification. And he added that he will give his life for unity of the progressive movement and the victory of the people.

The KCTU chaiman Cho said “it is honored to be a party of the KPA with 800,000 members of the KCTU. We will strive for the victory of the people.”

2007-01-11 ⓒThe Voiceofpeople

Story by MUGUMO MUNENE
Publication Date: 1/10/2007  
More than 100,000 delegates are expected to attend the World Social Forum conference to be held in Nairobi in a fortnight.

Organisers said yesterday the preparations for the conference were almost complete.

Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, where the World Social Forum will be held in two weeks time.
They expected the meeting, to be held at the Moi International Sports Centre, to be attended by former Zambian President Dr Kenneth Kaunda, South African Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel laureate Prof Wangari Maathai and Mrs Mary Robinson, a former President of Ireland.

They will be joined by several dignitaries, government ministers, scholars and world renowned human rights activists. The organisers of the conference, which will be held in Africa for the first time, said they were working on the final details relating to traffic movement and security.

“Recently, three of us met with the planning permanent secretary Edward Sambili to present a progress brief for onward transmission to the Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura,” organising committee coordinator Onyango Oloo said.

Conference organisers

A second meeting between the forum team and Mr Muthaura was planned for later this week to identify government departments required to support the conference organisers, especially on security and traffic.

“We have told the participants that they bear the biggest responsibility for their own security.  

“We don’t expect them to be careless with their valuables or to walk in dark places at night. In any case, Nairobi is no more insecure than other large cities of the world and we have to pull this through and make Kenya and Africa proud,” Mr Oloo said.

The secretariat has attracted a large number of volunteers, who will work with the police and security firms.

At Kasarani complex, a committee has been detailed to oversee the installation of sound and communication equipment, Internet centres and media rooms.

The meeting will take place between January 20 and January 25 and will comprise over 1,000 activities taking place in the 106 spaces provided at the complex.

It will open with a procession to Uhuru Park and end in a show of African music and culture “so that we can give it a face of Africa,” Mr Oloo added. “The World Social Forum is an open meeting place for ordinary people to get a platform for debate and exchange of ideas by groups and movements opposed to a world dominated by globalisation capital and any form of imperialism,” said a statement posted on the meeting’s web site.

“Everybody who is interested in changing the world for the better is invited to join the discussion. So far, we have 15,000 Kenyans who have registered and we are expecting more than 100,000 delegates from other countries,” one of the chief organisers, NGO activist Oduor Ong’wen said yesterday.

However, the meeting is expected to put a strain on accommodation and the already congested transport system in the city.

The forum has been held annually since 2001 to coincide with the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the meeting which brings together government dignitaries, intellectuals, industry captains and chief executives of rich nations.

Kenya Airways has joined hands with the forum to facilitate the movement of the delegates from Africa and beyond. The airline will offer special discounted rates for all the delegates travelling to the conference and will promote the conference’s activities in all the countries it operates in.  

The airline formalised the partnership on January 4, by signing a memorandum of understanding with the secretariat.  

“We are glad to be the official partner of the World Social Forum. The success of this initiative will have a lasting impact on the country’s economy especially in the tourism sector,” said Kenya Airways Head of Marketing Michael Okwiri at the signing ceremony.  

Mr Ong’wen said the forum will critique poverty-creating national and global policies and construct democratic and people-centered alternatives based on shared values:  

“In order for the 2007 World Social Form to be a real instrument of social transformation, the agenda for discussions will be linked to peoples’ concerns, especially Africa’s concerns on the Global development agenda,” said Mr Ong’wen.

Information available at the secretariat in Nairobi advises delegates arriving for the conference to make their own accommodation arrangements and gives a list of hotels in Nairobi and their contacts.

List is divided

The list is divided into those that cost $100 or more per night, those that cost $20 to $100 per night and those charging below $20 dollars a night.

Besides traditional accommodation in hotels, the organising committee is planning to provide cheap stays for groups by putting up a camp at the sports centre. They plan a separate youth camp with a capacity to accommodate 1,000 participants at the same venue which has been pegged at $10 per night.

The meeting will have as its motto — People’s struggles, people’s alternatives — Another world is possible.  

Participants will discuss, Aids, gender, privatisation of public property, landlessness, peace and conflict, brain drain, youth, international debt and trade.

Jo Tae-Geun    

  The US Forces casualties in Iraq exceeded three thousand before the year of 2007 began. The casualties outnumbered the victims of the 9.11 which was the cause of the war in Iraq. Moreover death of of the innocent Iraqi civilians was not counted while the American casualties were reported in detail. It is death without flowers and tombstones.

But insisting that the withdrawal means a defeat the Hawks in the US became unduly stubborn. Contrary to the expectation that the executing Sadam Hussein would weaken the Sunni resistance the civil war in Iraq is being intensificated. Increasing number of dead bodies of theUS military proves it.

It seems that the Iraqi war would obviously bring a curse of death until the end of Bush administration and even when the new president comes out in 2008.

Meanwhile the execution of Hussein will be recorded in the history as an example that shows how inhumane and abnormal the US emperialism is. There is no eternal friend or enemy for the US. It only needs servant countries that follow its will.

Sadam Hussein was merely a miserable ‘proxy monarch’ who lived as a puppet of the US emperialism rather than a dictator executed by the people.

Once he fought against Iran on behalf of the US, mistakenly invaded Kuwait to keep the US defence budjet and the military-industrial complex. At last he bacame well-timed enemy desperately needed by the US after 9.11. Therefore death of Hussein has a thread of connection with that of numerous dictators as they were once created and then destroyed by the US.

So we are angry with the action taken by the US although we do not cry for his death. It does not came out from sympathy. Rather we are worried because the death of Hussein would deepen the civil war, kill more innocent Iraqi civilians, and sacrifice American soldiers who must be undoubtedly daughters and sons of the American workers. Prices for ‘a political show’ to recover ever-decreasing Bush’s job approval are way too expensive.

Again we appeal to the conscientiousness of America. Now that the Iraqi civilians, more than hundred times of the 9.11 victims died, and the same number of American soldiers are also killed in Iraq, isn’t it time to end the war?

2007-01-03 ⓒThe Voiceofpeople