Members of “Patient-social representation council” NGO and “Onom”
foundation held press conference on Monday opposing distribution of free
hepatitis C virus drug “ Harvoni” provided by US Based Pharmaceutical company “Gilead
Sciences” for Mongolia in Arkhangai province.
Earlier, Government announced it selected Arkhangai province
to distribute the free trial medicine provided by the US pharmaceutical
company. Government said Arkhangai aimag tops the list of highest hepatitis C
infection in the nation justifying its decision to distribute the drug in that
province.
Dr.Naranbaatar Dashdorj, board chairman of Onom foundation
refuted the government claim and said Arkhangai province ranks lowest in liver
cancer cases of the nation citing brochure “health indicators-2016” and until
now, national liver hepatitis virus distribution study haven’t been done.
According to Naranbaatar, death due to liver cancer is twice
more higher in eastern province Sukhbaatar than Arkhangai province and selection
of Arkhangai province for handout of free liver hepatitis drug is purely
political, motivated by desire to gain support of local constituents.
Naranbaatar and others demanded the drug should be given to
those socially vulnerable and can’t afford virus hepatitis treatment and
medical professionals who infected during performance of their official duty.
Naranbaatar and others criticized Health Minister
Tsogttsetseg and Baatarbileg, lawmaker elected from Arkhangai province for
favoring Arkhangai province over other provinces with similar liver disease situations.
Baatarbileg, former governor of Arkhangai province and
lawmaker sitting in the parliament representing the province developed proposal”
Arkhangai aimag free of C hepatitis virus” in May, 2016 and met with
representatives of “Gilead Sciences” company requesting their help to treatment
of virus hepatitis C in his province.
The company accepted the request and stated it would donate
3,000 Harvoni drugs for this. In Feb, Gilead Science shipped 1000 man dosage or
3,000 boxes of the drug to Mongolia.
According to health ministry, it was Arkhangai province and
the lawmaker Baatarbileg that were better and more enterprising over other
provinces and received the help of US
pharmaceutical company.
Currently, there are 130 thousand active Virus C hepatitis carriers in Mongolia
including 52.5 thousand people urgently requires hepatitis treatment. In
addition, there are about 400 people with chronic hepatitis virus infection.
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| Dr.Naranbaatar and others critical of selection of Arkhangai province |
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| Dr.Naranbaatar and others critical of selection of Arkhangai province |
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