Developing Countries H.E. Dr C P Thakur, Minister of Health, India Lead discussant Dr P Dlamini, Minister of Health Swaziland Facilitated by H.E. Drs Jonathan Quick and German Valazguez, World Health Organisation.
Health is both a determinant of development and an outcome of development.
Access to essential medicines at an affordable cost is also a human right, National essential medicines policies or national drug policies, should be based on solidarity and should be a vital tool for ensuring access to essential drugs. The issue is much more than mere affordability, but also improving access that requires comprehensive strategies and planning. The Islamic Republic of Iran, Mali, and Swaziland were among the countries that described the role of essential medicines policy in expanding access. But, implementing a national essential medicines policy is not easy and often took time. In South Africa, for example, the National Drug Policy was conceived in 1995 and adopted in 1996, yet in 1997 the Medicines Control Act was passed which was aimed at implementing the policy.