The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations agency concerned with international public health, has recently published a report, Towards Access 2030. This report provides a strategic long-term framework for increasing global access to high-quality, safe, and affordable vaccines and medical products, in addition to addressing expectations for 2030 regulations through end-to-end supply chain optimization.
WHO leadership is confident that achieving these goals is possible by 2030, at the same time recognizing the following challenges:
Although these issues put increasing pressure on the capacity for health systems to provide comprehensive health care, WHO believes that innovation in medical R&D has resulted in new products that, with increased access, can bring long-term improvements to public health. Let’s take a closer look at this important initiative.
WHO envisions a world where every man, woman, and child has access to essential medicines and vaccines they need to lead healthy and productive lives. The mission of Towards Access 2030, therefore, is to improve and sustain access to quality health products in order to achieve universal health coverage by 2030.
Among the several pillars of WHO’s strategy, one relates directly to regulation and procurement along the supply chain: “Strengthening regulatory capacity and practices to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of products and improve the efficiency of regulatory systems to secure health gains.”
Effective regulation of vaccines and medicines ensures that safe and effective health products reach all global populations. As part of this effort, WHO is promoting “smart regulation” using both Good Regulatory and Good Reliance Practices that will best position regulators to deal successfully with current challenges. This strategy will work on two fronts:
The WHO report acknowledges that important changes are on the horizon of the global landscape regarding procurement and product supply. Therefore, a priority for 2030 is developing governance mechanisms and legislation to ensure a supply chain for medical products. This strategy includes:
WHO recognizes that, among key stakeholders who can make their Access 2030 plan a reality, the private sector will play a fundamental role. WHO will engage in regular dialog with executive management to help move forward their access and regulatory agendas. Together, WHO and the private sector can work to overcome supply chain challenges and create innovative solutions for comprehensive global health.
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