Source: PIB & WHO
The 2019 World Conference on Access to Medical Products- Achieving the SDGs 2030 was held from 19-21 November 2019 in New Delhi.
Background
The World Health Assembly recently adopted resolution WHA 72.8 ‘Improving the transparency of markets for medicines, vaccines, and other health products’. Recognizing the critical role played by products, services, and innovation in public health to provide value to patients and health care systems around the world, the 11 member countries of the South-East Asia region adopted the Delhi Declaration on ‘Improving access to essential medical products in the South-East Asia Region and beyond’ in September 2018. It reaffirmed their commitment to making essential medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and medical devices affordable and accessible to all.
Who organized it?
It is being jointly organized by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the World Health Organization, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR); Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC); and Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI).
The specific objectives of the conference are to:
- Explore new approaches in the innovation landscape in medical products for achieving Universal Health Coverage and the SDG 2030 goals
- Identify regulatory mechanisms for improved access to quality and safe medical products
- Discuss the role of intellectual property and current trade agreements to promote access to medical products
About the conference
- Launched in the year 2017, the conference will take forward the previous two years’ recommendations being pursued at the international and national levels by key ministries in the Government of India.
- Achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs 2030) agenda requires an enabling trade and legal regime for public health, with access to medical products, sustained dialogue and engagement with key stakeholders.
- In this regard, the conference seeks to take forward the international and national agenda on access to medical products.
- It will provide a forum to promote dialogue on universal health coverage (UHC); regulation of medical products and access; and legal and trade landscape in the context of access to medical products
