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.