The leadership of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is facing intense global criticism for its decision to terminate the Access Campaign, with discussions expected to surface during the organization’s general assembly in Geneva on Thursday (27th).
The move has been labeled a victory for the technocratic faction within MSF, which advocates for a stricter focus on humanitarian aid rather than engaging with broader political issues that affect patients’ access to medicines.
A coalition of over 100 civil society organizations and 250 individuals has signed a letter to MSF’s leadership and board, demanding the reversal of the decision to disband the renowned unit. The signatories argue that this action will inflict “catastrophic and irreparable damage” on efforts to ensure access to health technologies for communities served by MSF and beyond.
Prominent signatories include former MSF leaders such as Dr. Unni Karunakara (former international president), Kris Torgeson (former international secretary general), Gorik Ooms (former general director), and Dr. Tido von Schoen-Angerer (former executive director of the Access Campaign). Other notable figures, including Dr. Mariângela Simão, former WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines, and former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, have also voiced their support for the appeal.
“The dismantling of the Access Campaign’s core structure, capacities, expertise, and networks will reverberate throughout the access to medicines movement and beyond,” the letter states. “This will be another blow to the already-diminishing space for patient activism and civil society, which is essential for holding pharmaceutical companies and governments accountable to ensure that medicines are not a luxury.”
Critics argue that closing the Access Campaign undermines MSF’s mission and its ability to challenge the policies and practices that restrict access to essential medicines. The campaign has been instrumental in advocating for affordable, life-saving treatments for vulnerable populations, making significant strides in the fight for global health equity.
The decision to close the campaign has sparked a fierce backlash within and outside the organization, highlighting the ongoing tension between MSF’s traditional humanitarian focus and its role in broader political advocacy. As the general assembly approaches, the debate over the Access Campaign’s future is set to intensify, with many hoping that MSF’s leadership will reconsider their stance in response to the growing outcry.
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