At the 41st UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) Meeting on Agenda item 1.3 – Executive Director’s Report to the 41st PCB, delivered by Dr. Sumit Seth, First Secretary on 12 December 2017

I thank you, Mr. Chair,

At the outset, the delegation of India would like to thank the Executive Director, Dr Michel Sidibe for his remarks. We sincerely appreciate the leadership provided by him and the UNAIDS team in propelling the Global AIDS response in the right direction.

2. More than 80% of the quality antiretroviral drugs used globally are supplied by the Indian pharmaceutical industry. We are committed to ensuring that the quality generic ARV drugs from India continue to be available to all those who need it. We firmly believe that the TRIPS flexibilities need to be fully utilised and further strengthened.
3. Access to safe, effective, quality and affordable medicines remains critical to combating AIDS, without which we cannot visualise putting People Living with HIV on treatment. The role played by India’s robust pharma industries in facilitating affordable access Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs is widely recognised, not only in the developing countries but also in the developed world. India continues to build on the success of accelerated reversal of the AIDS epidemic and reiterates its committed to a Fast track strategy.

 Mr. Chair

4. The delegation of India agrees with the Executive Director’s assertion that the focus should be on prevention and preparedness - to deal with multiple interlinked global health challenges.  
5. We share the concern at the funding situation of UNAIDS. This calls for a renewed collaboration and strengthened global partnership based on shared and equity-based responses. Our success will depend on our ability to identify, mobilise and sustain the required financial resources and effectively implement the identified actions.
6. There is a dire need for a fully funded and sustainable - Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework. UBRAF provides an instrument to maximise the coherence, coordination and impact of the United Nations response to AIDS by combining the efforts of the UN Cosponsors and UNAIDS Secretariat. We are aware that UNAIDS requires un-earmarked funding to fulfil its role in setting the global framework for the Global AIDS response. In other words, UNAIDS require funding with no strings attached.

Mr Chair,

7. Ending discrimination and enabling full participation of HIV affected people should be the core of our collective response to fighting with AIDS. India is fully committed to this idea. We have passed the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Legal Act in April this year. One of the main rationales behind this law is to deal with stigma and discrimination associated with HIV infection and AIDS. This new law will go a long way to ending this discrimination.

Mr Chair,

8. Capacity building and technology transfer for developing robust and affordable healthcare systems in developing countries will help fast-track the efforts to eliminate the epidemic by 2030. India believes that capacity building should involve civil society and other stakeholders to the maximum extent possible considering the level of interaction and confidence, the civil society commands among the affected population.
9. UNAIDS should continue to support robust country-owned, and country-led AIDS response and give equal emphasis to quality changes and innovations for maximum impact. India stands ready to contribute its part and is committed to strengthening its collaboration with the international community.
10. We take this opportunity to thank UNAIDS and other development partners for their continued support towards India in this fight.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

­­

***