Namaste! Greetings from India!

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, along with WHO welcomes the participants and delegates of the “3rd World Conference on Access to Medical Products-achieving the SDGs 2030, 19-21 November 2019

As you know the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 are an ambitious global agenda. Health finds mention in Goal 3- Good Health and Well-being, however, many of the 17 SDGs have a direct or indirect bearing on health. Therefore diverse capacities are required to come on board to achieve the SDG aspirations. The 13 th Global Programme of Work (GPW13) for strategic direction in Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 (SDG) for health is vital for the future of our world.

Introduction

WHO embarked on 13th Global Program of Work (GPW13) for strategic direction in Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 (SDG) for health which is vital for the future of our world. The GPW13 states people continue to be susceptible to communicable diseases while the burden of non-communicable diseases is increasing. The WHO Constitution affirms the health of all people is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security and is dependent on the fullest cooperation of individual and States. GPW 13 is structured around the “triple billion” goal for three interconnected strategic priorities: Healthy Lives – 1 billion more people living healthier lives Universal health coverage – 1 billion more people with universal health coverage Health emergencies – 1 billion more people made safer (making us all safer)..

Background of the Conference

The present overarching ambit of the SDG agenda and the significant role of international engagements particularly trade and contemporary political developments in national countries make it imperative to engage for tangible solutions.

This is critical as of the 17 SDGs, Good health and well-being finds direct mention in Goal 3. The latter however, is a prerequisite for almost all other SDG goals. 2 Medicines pricing has been the subject of global debate for some years, calling in question current pricing strategies as well as predominant research and development (R&D) financing models.