SEA/RC67/20 - Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination (SEA/RC65/R3)
Abstract
The Sixty-fifth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, adopted resolution SEA/RC65/R3 that outlined detailed recommendations and action points for Member States and WHO on the follow-up of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination (CEWG). The Regional Committee resolution provided the basis for the draft resolution during the open-ended meeting of all WHO Member States, held from 26 to 28 November 2012 in Geneva, leading to WHA66.22 in 2013. As a result, the objectives and actions outlined in SEA/RC65/R3 are included in WHA66.22. Therefore, actions taken for WHA66.22 cover both the Regional Committee and World Health Assembly resolutions. Resolution WHA66.22 calls for:(1)specific actions* through a strategic workplan to improve monitoring and coordination, and to ensure sustainable funding for health research and development (R&D) (in line with WHA61.21, Global Strategy and Plan of Action); and (2)identification of a few health R&D demonstration projects as a step towards achieving the goal of development and the delivery of affordable, effective, safe and high-quality health products.To take resolutions SEA/RC65/R3 and WHA66.22 forward, the Regional Office organized the following meetings:(1)Regional consultation to develop a strategic workplan as a follow-up of the meeting of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination, 25–26 July 2013, in Bangkok, Thailand. This meeting has suggested an important grid for classification of norms and standards for health R&D in the proposed observatory and also identified the priority areas for demonstration projects. The recommendations of this regional consultation are at Annex 1.(2)Meeting of Experts on Demonstration Projects, New Delhi, India, 24–25 October 2013, facilitated the submission of projects at the global level by Member States of the South-East Asia Region. Of the four projects submitted by the WHO Regional Office, the “Multiplexed point-of-care test for acute febrile illness” scored 45.50 points and was placed second and “Dengue vaccine development” – which did not meet the 60% bar, but was the eighth highest-scoring project – was selected and is the “7+1” project. The meeting to examine the additional information in relation to the “7+1” demonstration projects held on 10 March 2014 at WHO headquarters did not take up the projects submitted by the WHO Regional Office. However, by decision WHA67(15), Member States have requested the Director-General to expedite the processing of the remaining projects in addition to the four already agreed. The High-Level Preparatory (HLP) Meeting held in the Regional Office in New Delhi, India, from 14 to 17 July 2014 reviewed the attached working paper and made the following recommendations:Actions by Member States(1)To take forward the strategic workplan for the Region as a follow-up of the CEWG on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination.(2)To engage in promoting and strengthening health R&D, including coordination, monitoring and capacity-building through assessment of the Global Strategy and Plan of Action.(3)To further engage in developing health R&D demonstration projects for the addition of innovative components and financing.Actions by the WHO Regional Office(1)To provide technical assistance to countries on the CEWG on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination process, including the assessment of the Global Strategy and Plan of Action(2)To promote information-sharing mechanisms in respect of health R&D, including employing the Global Health R&D Observatory for this purpose(3)To support the further development of health R&D demonstration projects for the addition of innovative components and financing.The working paper and the HLP recommendations are submitted to the Sixty-seventh Session of the Regional Committee for its consideration.Citation
World Health Organization. Regional Office for South-East Asia. (2014). SEA/RC67/20 - Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination (SEA/RC65/R3). WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/129383