Good news: Countries in WHO South-East Asia Region resolve to make essential medicines accessible
Member countries of WHO (World Health Organisation) South-East Asia Region on Tuesday committed to make essential medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and medical devices affordable and accessible to all, both within the Region and beyond.
“Access to safe, effective and affordable medical products vital to prevent sufferings and impoverishment resulting from high out-of-pocket expenses on healthcare by families, especially the poor,” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region, said, as health ministers and officials of the 11 Member countries signed the ‘Delhi Declaration’ to improve access to essential medical products.
Though significant efforts have been made by countries in recent years, as improving access to essential medicines is a WHO flagship priority programme in the Region since 2014, challenges remain in providing the right medical products at the right time to those in need.
To overcome challenges, the Delhi Declaration calls for allocation of sufficient financial resources by countries, as part of overall health financing strategies, to reduce out-of-pocket payments of families on essential medicines.
The declaration calls for strengthening national policies, regulation, supply chain management, and capacity to leverage intellectual property and trade for public health, to improve access to medicines and vaccines.
Signing the declaration at the Seventy-first Regional Committee Session of WHO South-East Asia Region, Member countries committed to developing an effective, transparent and participatory mechanism for regional price negotiation and pooled procurement to ensure accessibility and affordability of essential medical products for life threatening and rare diseases.
The Member countries committed to developing an essential medical products list, in particular essential diagnostics list, for improved patient care, affordability of quality tests, and greater capacity to diagnose diseases during outbreaks and strengthened capabilities of national laboratories. The declaration also emphasised on more appropriate use of antibiotics; and innovation and investment in R&D including for neglected diseases, and affordable medical products.
05.09.2018
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