General comments by India on Consideration of the draft resolution A/HRC/41/L.13 “Access to medicines and vaccines in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health” delivered by Ambassador Rajiv K. Chander, Permanent Representative of India, Permanent Mission of India, (Geneva, 11 July 2019) General comments by India on Consideration of the draft resolution A/HRC/41/L.13 “Access to m..
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General comments by India on Consideration of the draft resolution A/HRC/41/L.13 “Access to medicines and vaccines in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health” delivered by Ambassador Rajiv K. Chander, Permanent Representative of India, Permanent Mission of India, (Geneva, 11 July 2019)

General comments by India on Consideration of the draft resolution A/HRC/41/L.13 “Access to medicines and vaccines in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health”

delivered by Ambassador Rajiv K. Chander, Permanent Representative of India,

Permanent Mission of India, (Geneva, 11 July 2019)

Mr. President,

As a member of the core group on the resolution under consideration, I compliment the distinguished Ambassador of Brazil for introducing the draft resolution.

Mr. President,

2. This Council has made some seminal contribution in recognizing access to medicines as a fundamental component of the right to health. However, barriers related to R&D needs and the full use of TRIPS flexibilities and medical innovations, threaten the full realization of right of health for millions of people. It has resulted in sky rocketing prices for life saving medicines and vaccines and increase in health care costs have pushed hundreds of millions into impoverishment every year.

3. We need to once again place the human rights dimensions of access to medicines and vaccines at the center of our efforts to create favourable conditions at the national, regional and international levels to ensure the full realization of the right to health and health related goals of Agenda 2030. It would be timely for this Council to take into account recent developments and have a constructive discussion on reaffirming the importance of the human rights while considering access to medicines and vaccines. The full-day intersessional seminar proposed in the draft resolution would be helpful in identifying good practices, key challenges and new developments relevant to access to medicines and vaccines as one of the fundamental elements of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

4. In conclusion, we thank the delegation of Brazil for leading the negotiations on the draft resolution in a most transparent and inclusive manner. We thank all delegations for their constructive participation and engagement in the discussions. As a member of the core group, we believe that we could accommodate different perspectives and present a balanced text. We hope the resolution under consideration will be adopted by consensus. We thank all co-sponsors and request member states to support the resolution.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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