About Us

 

“It is time to act! It is time to act for all of us who believe

in human dignity and justice.”

- Olle Hansson, campaigner for the rational use of drugs

Our Beginnings

Health Action International (HAI) was born out of the sheer determination and the indefatigable courage of a group of healthcare activists who wanted to resist the ill-treatment of consumers by multi-national drug companies.

At the end of the 34th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva on 29 May 1981, representatives of non-governmental organisations from 26 different countries around the world formed an international coalition. The alliance comprised of a broad network of consumer, professional, development action and other groups. Their key intention was to resist the monopoly run by drug multinationals through community action at grassroots level. The abuse of the sick and poor was to be no longer tolerated.

In March 1986, Action for Rational Drugs in Asia (ARDA) was founded at the Planning Meeting for the Asian Drug Campaign in Penang, Malaysia. ARDA was hosted by Consumers International Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (CIROAP) and was to function as the Asian arm of the HAI network.

In 2001, ARDA parted from CIROAP and relocated to Colombo, Sri Lanka. In March 2002, ARDA relieved its name and Health Action International Asia-Pacific (HAIAP) was registered as a non-governmental organisation in Sri Lanka with a legal entity of its own.

Our Vision

HAIAP upholds health as a fundamental human right, and aspires to build a just and equitable society in which there will be, amongst others, regular access to essential medicines to all who need them, irrespective of their ability to pay for medicines and facilities.

Our Mission

HAIAP actively promotes the concept of essential drugs and their rational and economic use through advocacy, evidence-based research, education and action campaigns.

The main objectives of HAIAP are tripartite. Our main focus areas are:

  • Direct Poverty Reduction - poverty and health are intricately linked, as such we aim to increase access to essential medicines needed by the world’s poor and to ensure that available medicines are used rationally.
  • Social Development - encouraging the involvement and strengthening the capacity of local civil society to demand equitable access to essential drugs through medicines policies that reflect the health needs of citizens.
  • Policy Development - providing cutting-edge expertise, knowledge and guidance in shaping global, regional and local medicines policies that are results of an inclusive democratic process whereby all stakeholders, including patients and consumers, are involved.

Our Team

HAIAP consists of a broad network of individuals and organisations. Presiding over this active network is a 7-member Governing Council representing the entire the region.

HAIAP Governing Council:
 
Dr Qassem Choudhury (Bangladesh) - Chairperson
Dr Mira Shiva (India) - former Chairperson
Dr Rajitha Wickramasinghe (Sri Lanka) - Treasurer
Dr Niyada Anguslee (Thailand
Dr Edelina de la Paz (Philippines)
Dr Anwar Fazal (Malaysia)
Dr Tariq Bhutta (Pakistan)

HAIAP Membership:

HAIAP’s membership base is a fusion of individuals and organisations that work at top, middle-range and grassroots level, some of whom are also ordinary citizens.

Full members
Associate members

HAIAP Staff:

The HAIAP office is based in Colombo, Sri Lanka and currently act as the main operations base for the Asia-Pacific region.

Name Position Email
Dr K Balasubramaniam Advisor/Co-ordinator bala@haiap.org
Jinani Jayasekera Project Officer jinani@haiap.org
Meghana Bahar Communications & Information Officer meghana@haiap.org
Dilhani Kamalaneson Senior Secretary/Administrator dilhani@haiap.org
R A Gunaratna Office Clerk  
Gilles Angles Intern