India in Global Health Diplomacy

Why in news?

Soumya Swaminathan, an Indian Clinical Scientist, has recently been appointed the Deputy Director-General for Programmes at the WHO.

What is the significance?

• She has turned out to be the first Indian to be elevated to the post.

• More importantly, it gives representation to India in the WHO, the highest decision-making body in public health.
• It also signifies the growing importance of India in global health diplomacy.
• The Indian representation and the DG being from Ethiopia together is seen to give a place for developing countries in WHO.

What should be done to improve Public Health Care?

• People's participation - Involving community and civil society for ensuring public health gains is important.
• e.g Dengue, where eliminating breeding sources of mosquitoes was essential beyond the government's efforts.
• Innovations - It is essential to bring various innovations that are happening mostly in the private sector into public health.
• Beyond a new drug or a vaccine, the innovations in devices, diagnostics, sensors, and drug delivery systems can also aid in public health delivery.
• Intellectual property - There should be balance between the needs and demands of intellectual property protection as against access and equity in health.
• WHO should invoke its pivotal role in this regard.
• There have been successes like the Medicines Patent Pool, but a lot more needs to be done.
• Emerging epidemics – There is a rising concern with vector-borne diseases like chikungunya, zika, dengue, etc.
• The potential of science and public health management in addressing the rise of ever-adapting vectors should be exploited.
• India - More attention should be diverted to the lesser known tropical diseases like kala-azar, filariasis, measles, etc.
• Snake bite causes an estimated 50,000 deaths in India.
• There is a need for regulations on snake venom manufacturing to ensure access to the right venom at the right time.
• Also, soil-transmitted helminths, or intestinal worms, have an impact on morbidity-causing anaemia and nutritional deficiencies.
• Government should consider expanding the deworming programmes to the entire population and not just to children.
• Role of WHO - Not all agreements under WHO are binding; but countries that take them seriously and implement are seeing good results.
• E.g. Successes in tobacco control, HIV treatment, etc.
• So on similar lines followings regulations should be implemented

1. labelling of food for high salt, sugar, and fat content.
2. higher taxes on these products.
3. package labelling to indicate whether it is a healthy choice or not.
4. micronutrient fortification.

Quick Fact

Medicines Patent Pool (MPP)

• MPP is a United Nations backed organisation founded in 2010, and based in Geneva.
• It offers a public health-driven business model that aims to lower the prices of HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis C medicines.
• It also facilitates the development of better treatments through voluntary licensing and patent pooling.

Source: The Hindu