A/61/338 76. In developed countries, a course of antibiotics for pneumonia may be bought for the equivalent of two or three hours’ wages; in developing countries, a course may cost one month’s wages. In developed countries, one year’s HIV treatment may consume the equivalent of four to six months’ salary and, in most cases, will be covered by health insurance; in many developing countries, one year’s HIV paediatric treatment may consume the equivalent of an adult’s income for 10 years. Such striking inequalities are deeply repugnant and underscore the importance of developed States’ responsibility for international assistance and cooperation. 77. For present purposes, however, the crucial point is that in developed countries most medicines are paid from public funding, whereas in developing countries the majority of households buy their medicines with money from their own pockets. In developing countries, inadequate public funding in the health sector makes medicines less affordable, especially for those living in poverty. Corruption 78. In some medicine supply systems, corruption is endemic. Products are diverted; unofficial “fees” are required for customs clearance; counterfeit medicines are permitted to circulate and so on. Corruption can be deadly. As Dora Akunyili, head of Nigeria’s Food and Drug Authority, put it: “Drug counterfeiting, facilitated by corruption, kills en masse and anybody can be a victim”.46 79. Those living in poverty are disproportionately affected by corruption in the health sector because they are less able to afford small bribes for services that are meant to be free, or to pay for private alternatives where corruption has depleted public health services. 80. The right to health includes participation, access to information, transparency, monitoring and accountability. Each of these features helps to establish an environment in which corruption cannot survive. In short, a right-to-health policy is also an anti-corruption policy. Thus, the application of the right to health can help to reduce corruption in health systems in general, as well as medicine supply systems in particular. Conclusion 81. As mentioned in paragraph 42 above, the Special Rapporteur is preparing, by way of a consultative process, guidelines for States and pharmaceutical companies on access to medicines. In the meantime, he wishes to emphasize the crucial importance of all States having an up-to-date national medicines policy and detailed implementation plan. The policy should include a national list of essential medicines. At the turn of the century, almost 100 States did not have a national medicines policy.47 Two thirds of those with a policy did not have an implementation plan.48 The Special Rapporteur fails to see how any State can be in conformity with its right-to-health obligations if it does not have an up-to-date and appropriate national medicines policy, implementation plan and essential medicines list, prepared by way of a participatory inclusive process. In this context, he urges States to give close attention to WHO’s commendable work on access to medicines, including its Medicines Strategy, Countries at the Core (2004-2007). 18 06-51997