the recent ebola crisis in west africa only underlines the imperative to collectively address the problems not only of access but also of innovation see box indeed for such reasons millennium development goal mdg included a focus on improving access to affordable essential medicines in developing countries the world bank for example estimated a loss of about per cent of gross domestic product for these three worstaffected countries in bthe ebola crisis has thus underlined the urgent need for intensified international and national action to improve access to health care and medicines