DISTINGUISHED EXPERTS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
It is a great pleasure to welcome you to this Consultation on the Regional Framework for Action on Access to Essential Medicines in the Western Pacific (2011–2015).
You are here to help us finalize the Framework, which will guide our work and collaboration with you over the next five years.
As you know, the Western Pacific Region is extremely diverse in terms of demographics, disease patterns and economic development.
A few countries in the Region are successfully applying pharmaceutical policies and regulatory measures, thus setting some of the best examples in the world.
However, many countries still lag behind in applying basic standards and face many challenges to improve access to quality-assured medicines, at least for the poor and the vulnerable.
Despite this diversity, our regional policies must be tailored to serve the interests of all our Member States.
Over the past five years, our work in the area of essential medicines has been guided by the Regional Strategy for Improving Access to Essential Medicines in the Western Pacific Region (2005–2010).
The Strategy was endorsed in 2004 at the fifty-fifth session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, and has served as a guide for action for WHO and Member States.
Assessments have concluded that countries have made considerable progress in most of the key areas addressed in the Regional Strategy.
Nevertheless, many challenges remain to be addressed in ensuring equitable access to medicines that are of assured quality and are safe, effective and used rationally, especially in countries that have low public expenditure on health and medicines.
In the public sector, procurement is often inefficient and fragmented, and supply chains are weak.
Out-of-pocket payments remain the major source of financing medicines, often leaving individuals and families in poverty, especially those suffering from chronic diseases and in need of long-term treatment.
In many countries with high out-of-pocket payments, incomes of prescribers or health institutions are linked to the amount of medicines prescribed or sold.
Such incentives for prescribers often result in overuse of medicines.
Many countries need to strengthen regulatory systems to ensure the quality, safety and effectiveness of medicines.
Substandard and counterfeit medicines, often moving across borders, have become a common challenge for all countries in the Region.
The draft Framework for Action has been developed to ensure continuation of the work already undertaken, and to address new challenges.
It has been developed to promote stronger collaboration between WHO and Member States, and is built on the shared principles and recommended actions raised during a consultative process with countries and experts in the field over the past two years.
The draft has been reviewed by a panel of experts from Member States, partner organizations and WHO in November last year.
It will serve as the basis for this consultation.
I hope your input will help to refine the strategic directions and actions outlined in the document to make sure that it best addresses the needs of countries.
For the next two days, I know you will discuss, debate and suggest the approaches that we need to take to support you better in your efforts to implement pharmaceutical policies and strengthen regulatory capacities.
I wish you fruitful discussions and look forward to hearing the results.
Thank you all for your contributions and I wish you a pleasant stay in Manila.