Subject: SUPREME COURT CHALLENGE: COSTA RICA
From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 1997 15:02:01 +0600 (GMT)

News from Triangulo Rosa: Please feel free to repost or reprint.

COSTA RICAN COURT HEARS ARGUMENTS ON AIDS MEDS

San Jose
Costa Rica
13 September, 1997.

By Richard Stern

The Costa Rica Supreme Court has begun to hear arguments in the case of
William Garcia a 29 year old psychology student who is gravely ill with
AIDS.  William filed an appeal with the Court on the 28th of August, asking
the government funded  health care  provider,  the "Caja Costarricense de
Seguro Social" (CCSS)  to provide him with the retroviral medications that
he urgently needs to save his life.  The CCSS has refused to provide any of
these medications to AIDS patients here, with the exception of AZT which is
given to pregnant women.

William who has suffered from repeated opportunistic infections, has lost 50
pounds since February,  and currently weighs just 85,  although at present
he is not hospitalized.

The Medical Director of the CCSS, Julieta Rodriguez,   filed an affadavit
last week with the Supreme court stating that the new medications do not
meet the criteria for inclusion in the CCSS "official list" medications
She stated that they are highly toxic as well as "too expensive" for the
government to buy."  She indicated that the price per patient  would be
about $900  per month. But Guillermo Murillo, AIDS Coordinator for the
gay/lesbian  Association Triangulo Rosa  indicated that this estimate is
highly inflated.  "The actual price would be more like $500 per month,
because the pharmaceutical companies are offering discounts if the
government buys the medications," he said.

Javier Moya a private physician who examined William on Wedneday stated in
his  affidavit that "it is imperative that William begin to take  a
retroviral  "cocktail"  as soon as possible. Without them his life
expectation is 3 - 6 months or less."   

Next Tuesday,  Ignacio Salom, the CCSS physician officially charged with
caring for William, will testify before the Supreme Court judges. 

Marco Castillo, Garcia´s lawyer, expressed cautious optimism stating that it
"unusual for the Court to hear arguments so quickly. They are clearly making
the case a priority."   

At the moment there are about 300 people in Costa Rica who urgently need
access to the new medications.  About 1200 cases of AIDS have been diagnosed
here since the epidemic began. There are an estimated 10,000 HIV+ persons
here.  Costa Rica´s population is 3 million.

William  has no income and the government has denied his application for a
pension. He comes from a family of 7 children and his parents are both
retired and live on  an income of less than $200 monthly.
From 1994-96, William worked in  a hotel, and contributed the required 23
percent of his income to the government´s health/social security system.
Currently he lives with  his brother and sister-in-law in the San José
suburb of Alajuela.

Triangulo Rosa has established a special fund to help with William´s
expenses, including food supplements as well as  taxi  fares so that he can
attend medical and  legal appointments.  For more information about this
fund, please contact Triangulo Rosa as listed below.  

Triangulo Rosa: "William Fund"
Apartado 366-2200
Coronado,  Costa Rica
Tel:  506-234-2411
Fax: 506-223-3964
e-mail: [email-masked]