Addressing the 13th Meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (INB13), Senior Policy Advisor, Jaume Vidal, made the following statement:

Thank you Chair,

Health Action International would like to commend the efforts of the bureau and secretariat, as well as the perseverance of those Members States that recognise the essential need to strike a pandemic accord based on the principle of equity.

We believe Article 13  and 13 bis to be of critical importance. Supply and procurement of medicines, vaccines and other health goods are essential not only for an effective response to pandemic outbreaks and health emergencies but also to ensure the achievement of other public health objectives, including Universal Health Coverage through primary care.

We applaud the agreed creation of the Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network and encourage Member States to seek synergies with other initiatives aiming at countering medicine shortages and other supply chain disruptions.

On procurement, we wish to highlight the need for governments to secure policy space to expedite the use of TRIPS flexibilities, such as Compulsory Licenses, also outside of pandemics, as Colombia successfully managed with Dolutegravir.

Thank you.

-End-

Download the statement to INB13