New Delhi: India on Wednesday asked the WHO to
effectively explain reports that swine flu was a "false"
pandemic after which the international body agreed to clarify
to countries about its factual position on the matter.
Making an intervention in the Executive Board meeting of
WHO in Geneva, Union Health Secretary Sujatha Rao pointed out
that such news reports that the pandemic was false were
adversely impacting upon the public health measures being
undertaken by countries.
She also called for greater transparency about terms and
conditions on which international vaccine manufacturers were
supplying vaccines to countries.
In response to this intervention by India, it was agreed
that WHO would formally write to National Focal Points in all
countries clarifying the factual position about the H1N1
pandemic to quell all doubts that had been created.
Commenting upon the report of the WHO on the progress
towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, Rao urged
WHO to clearly promote generic drugs as a strategy for
rational drug use.
India emphasised that it is only the WHO that has the
credibility to withstand the persuasive power of branded and
patent drugs.
New Delhi urged all countries to promote access to
medicines and not to confuse the issue of counterfeits which
is an IPR issue with safe and efficacious generic drugs.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 21:43