During heated discussions on the topic of access to essential medicines at the 134th session of the World Health Organization’s Executive Board, India delivered the following statement on Thursday, 23 January 2014 expressing solidarity with the Republic of South Africa in light of the Pharmagate exposé.
The issue raised by Namibia on behalf of the African Group and South Africa on the issue of attempts being made by certain big pharma companies needs serious consideration. The Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health is very clear and unambiguous in this regard. Let me just quote the last part of Para 4 of the Declaration where the Ministers said and I quote, “In this connection, we reaffirm the right of WTO members to use, to the full, the provisions in the TRIPS Agreement, which provide flexibility for this purpose.As regards the purpose, the Ministers affirmed that the Agreement can and should be interpreted and implemented in a manner supportive of WTO members’ right to protect public health and, in particular, to promote access to medicines for all. Here they referred to all medicines and not just essential medicines.
We therefore strongly support S. Africa in its efforts to defend the spirit of Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health so that it can provide access to medicines at an affordable cost.