Permanent Mission of India

Geneva

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Concluding Statement by India at the WHO Member State Consultations on the Draft Roadmap for access to medicines and vaccines 2019-23 – Delivered by Dr. Sadre Alam, First Secretary

We take this opportunity to summarize and reiterate our key recommendations:

2. We want a roadmap that would result in the progressive achievement of genuine and equitable access to medicines and vaccines in terms of availability and affordability to ensure health and promote well-being for all, the Sustainable Development Goal 3.

3. We strongly recommend the inclusion of the following in the roadmap, as appropriate:

• The WHO would fully and adequately support and promote: the use of traditional medicines for enhancing, both access and choice; the full use of TRIPS flexibilities, development and use of generic medicines as substitutes and local manufacturing of medicines and vaccines to meet public health objectives; and the full exploitation of new and emerging technologies including digital technologies for enhancing access;
• The WHO would mobilize and provide all necessary assistance, cooperation and resources through proactive advocacy and multi-stakeholder partnerships for fostering pooled and local R & D, helping build national capacities and strengthen the health systems for ensuring access and;
• The Roadmap aims at paving the way for Health for all and Universal Health Coverage through the progressive achievement of genuine and equitable access to medicines and vaccine for all in a measurable and time bound manner as a first step in the road to access to all health products, technologies and services.

4. Further, we request the Secretariat to provide the following information:

• What according to it are the main elements of access to medicines and vaccines, the primary and core goal of the roadmap, and whether a revised roadmap would include this description?; In this regard, are any benchmarks to measure progress made in achieving this access to medicines and vaccines envisaged in a revised roadmap? If yes, what would they be? Would there be a mid-term review and or end term review of the roadmap? If yes, how would this be done?
• Clarify whether a summary of the key outcomes of the Member State and non-state actors consultation process would be prepared and shared publicly; Whether a revised roadmap substantively incorporating these would be submitted and if so, when?

5. We also request the Secretariat to plan and organise such consultations better in future to use the limited time and resource of Member States and within WHO effectively and efficiently.

6. Lastly, we hope that the constructive suggestions and engagement of us, Member States through this consultative process would help the Secretariat present a roadmap which could be collectively owned and acted upon.

Thank you.

11 September 2018