Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

This dissertation has been motivated by the prolonged deficiency of access to advanced regimens of Antiretroviral drugs(ARVs) and efficient health services by people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Zambia, a least developed Member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Zambia‘s reality of dire provision of health services particularly essential medicines persists despite the urgent need for sustainable access to ARV drugs in poor African countries worst affected by HIV/AIDS, having been accentuated in the international declaration on Trade Related Aspects on Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and Public Health. Furthermore, under international human rights law of treaties, access to medicines including ARV drugs, has been recognised as a core component of the right to health and or life which needs to be progressively realised by governments, even in the advent of globalisation of domestic health services including provision of medicines. Whilst the Zambian government has highlighted lack of funds as the foremost impediment to efficient supply of health services particularly essential medicines. Conversely the WTO has pronounced lack of legal adoption of a plethora of flexibilities envisaged in its relevant international agreements by most poor Members, as the foremost impediment to fostering efficient public health service delivery including access to ARV drugs and therapy for PLWHA. Thus to assist in ascertaining whether the issue of deficient access to ARV drugs as a health service is as a result of legal unpreparedness in poor countries specifically Zambia; or whether it is due to provisions in the WTO trade agreements that foster globalisation of health services through liberalised trade in services and pharmaceutical patent protection of essential drugs. This dissertation will analyse the WTO‘s multilateral trade agreements and their legal impact on access to ARV drugs as a health service and a human right to health in Zambia. The foregoing analysis will be conducted through a desk review of literature on the subject, making use of paper and electronic sources. / Thesis (LL.M.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

A study entitled `Phenomenological study of ageing amongst the older persons in Zambia' was undertaken with the purpose of gaining an understanding of the ageing phenomenon within the Zambian context and provide frameworks that could be used by policy-makers and health professionals to formulate guidelines or interventions relevant to the lived experiences of older persons and the meaning attached to ageing or being old, and consequently maintain or improve the quality of life of older persons of Zambia. The objectives of the study were to describe (1) the lived experiences of the older persons of Zambia, and (2) the meaning they attached to ageing or being old within the Zambian context. A transcendental phenomenological design within the qualitative naturalistic approach was used to guide the research process and to assist the researcher to reach the purpose and objectives of the study. Focus group and in-depth individual interviews were conducted to generate data from twenty-seven (27) informants. Fifteen (15) informants participated in the focus group interviews and twelve (12) in in-depth individual interviews. In total, 24 in-depth individual interviews were conducted in term of two interviews per informants, and two focus group interviews. Data collection covered a period of three months. Coliazzi (1978) and Giorgi (1985) techniques for qualitative data analysis were used and verbatim excerpts form the transcribed interviews were used to support the themes that emerged from data and to provide a richer picture of the situation. Three frameworks derived from the findings of this study: (1) framework of the lived experiences of older persons of Zambia, (2) framework of the meaning of ageing or being old and (3) framework for understanding ageing within the Zambian context. The researcher believed that these frameworks would make a meaningful contribution toward the understanding and the development of policies and interventions that would assist in enhancing or maintaining the quality of life of older people of Zambia. The main findings of the results of this study indicated three most significant dimensions of the lived experiences of the older persons (health, socio-economic and psychosocial) that need to be taken into account when planning for any programs or interventions aimed at maintaining or improving the quality of life of older persons of Zambia. These interventions and programs should also address the negative feelings or meanings attached to the above experiences. The main findings of the results of this study also showed that the meaning of being old or ageing in Zambia does not depend on the health, socio-economic and psychosocial living experiences of the older person but it depends largely on the inner values of the older persons, such as spiritual, emotional and cultural beliefs. This means that maintaining or improving the quality of life of older persons in Zambia would require comprehensive programs or interventions that should take into account the health, socio-economic, psychosocial, spiritual, emotional and cultural needs of the older people. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

A study entitled `Phenomenological study of ageing amongst the older persons in Zambia' was undertaken with the purpose of gaining an understanding of the ageing phenomenon within the Zambian context and provide frameworks that could be used by policy-makers and health professionals to formulate guidelines or interventions relevant to the lived experiences of older persons and the meaning attached to ageing or being old, and consequently maintain or improve the quality of life of older persons of Zambia. The objectives of the study were to describe (1) the lived experiences of the older persons of Zambia, and (2) the meaning they attached to ageing or being old within the Zambian context. A transcendental phenomenological design within the qualitative naturalistic approach was used to guide the research process and to assist the researcher to reach the purpose and objectives of the study. Focus group and in-depth individual interviews were conducted to generate data from twenty-seven (27) informants. Fifteen (15) informants participated in the focus group interviews and twelve (12) in in-depth individual interviews. In total, 24 in-depth individual interviews were conducted in term of two interviews per informants, and two focus group interviews. Data collection covered a period of three months. Coliazzi (1978) and Giorgi (1985) techniques for qualitative data analysis were used and verbatim excerpts form the transcribed interviews were used to support the themes that emerged from data and to provide a richer picture of the situation. Three frameworks derived from the findings of this study: (1) framework of the lived experiences of older persons of Zambia, (2) framework of the meaning of ageing or being old and (3) framework for understanding ageing within the Zambian context. The researcher believed that these frameworks would make a meaningful contribution toward the understanding and the development of policies and interventions that would assist in enhancing or maintaining the quality of life of older people of Zambia. The main findings of the results of this study indicated three most significant dimensions of the lived experiences of the older persons (health, socio-economic and psychosocial) that need to be taken into account when planning for any programs or interventions aimed at maintaining or improving the quality of life of older persons of Zambia. These interventions and programs should also address the negative feelings or meanings attached to the above experiences. The main findings of the results of this study also showed that the meaning of being old or ageing in Zambia does not depend on the health, socio-economic and psychosocial living experiences of the older person but it depends largely on the inner values of the older persons, such as spiritual, emotional and cultural beliefs. This means that maintaining or improving the quality of life of older persons in Zambia would require comprehensive programs or interventions that should take into account the health, socio-economic, psychosocial, spiritual, emotional and cultural needs of the older people. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)