The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) is expected to meet top delegates from the BRIC nations in a separate meeting, during the World Health Assembly that is to be held in Geneva on May 18. Through this meeting India hopes to address and develop a closer working relation with the BRIC countries so that it will lead to harmonisation of drug standards in the future, to safeguard the interest of its people.

The meeting is being organised by Brazil and is going to be held on the sidelines of the assembly focusing on addressing the key issues and challenges commonly faced by the member countries which consist of Brazil, Russia, India and China, so that they can work together in attaining a common ground in providing quality healthcare.

Dr G N Singh, DCGI will be representing the country at the meeting wherein he will be stressing on the importance of harmonisation of drug standards between the BRIC countries to ensure availability of high quality medicines to all the patients. During the meeting he is planning to push for two major demands that will strengthen and harmonise the relation between the BRIC countries.

Dr Singh informed, “Having a symbiotic relation with the other member countries over regulatory matter is a very important factor for the successful trade operation. Thus during this meeting we will be pushing for mutual recognition of drug standards between the BRIC countries so that we can work in harmonisation in developing high quality drugs. We also plan to highlight the issue of counterfeiting that is a major menace hindering the growth of the industry by affecting the safety of the public so that we can take a uniform approach on the same that will be both effective and long lasting.”

He further informed that the health ministry has been working very closely with the other member countries pushing for the common agenda of developing a strong healthcare delivery system for the common man. Thus it is imperative to have such meetings that will lead to ideas exchange and knowledge sharing exercise aided to improve the present system to make it stronger by upgrading the same.

Dr G N Singh is nominated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to represent the country during this meeting wherein he will be assisting the health minister in addressing major issues faced by India.