Letter: Call for transparency and inclusive processes in WHO negotiations 2023
A Letter has been sent to the President of India and Department of Health & Family Welfare with 332 Signatures in regards to IHR, World Pandemic Treaty and HEPR (WHO) negotiations. The Letter calls for transparency and inclusive processes by Indian civil society.
WE, CITIZENS OF INDIA AND REPRESENTATIVES OF ORGANISATIONS, named below, are deeply concerned at and anguished by the lack of transparency and non-inclusive consultation processes adopted by the Union Government in the negotiations that are happening at the World Health Organisation (WHO), on International Health Regulation, Global Pandemic Treaty and global architecture for health emergency preparedness, response and resilience (HEPR). Several countries such as the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Israel and the European Union and private foundations such as Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Vaccine Alliance, are lobbying for their respective interests. India is yet to formulate its position on these 3 instruments, or has failed communicate if this position has been formulated. There is no discussion either in national media or in other public domains. Despite its promises of greater openness and transparency, the NDA Government continues to pursue opaque and limited consultation processes that characterize several international negotiations with other countries.
Given this starkly visible imbalance in the practice of transparency and inclusive consultation processes adopted by the negotiating partners, we demand that the Government of India immediately take the following steps.
- Give wide publicity and provide open access to proposals submitted to the WHO by Government of India, as well as the responses to the textual proposals tabled by the WHO which are publicly available.
- Widen the Indian delegation representing India at WHO to include multi-disciplinary experts and civil society representatives.
- Create forums and platforms for public stakeholders and experts including civil society, academia and media representatives to submit their views on ongoing negotiations at WHO on the 3 instruments under discussion.
- Ensure effective public participation in the negotiations by providing timely and comprehensive information on the status and details of the negotiations and holding dialogues and consultations with public stakeholders in India at each stage so that the negotiations are informed by the views and aspirations of all stakeholders.
- Enact a legislation that mandates affirmation of Indian Parliament to all international treaties, Conventions and agreements.
Signatories:
| Dr. Jacob Puliyel, Delhi, MD, MRCP, MPhil, Paediatrician and Visiting Faculty International Institute of Health Management Research | Dr. Amitav Banerjee, Pune, MD, Formerly Epidemiologist, Indian Armed Forces | Dr. Donthi Narasimha Reddy, Hyderabad, Public Policy Expert and Campaigner |
| Dr. Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury, Faridabad, Ph.D (Diabetes) | Feroze Mithiborwala, Mumbai, Bharat Bachao Aandolan | Yukta Mookhey, Mumbai, Civic Activist, Former Miss World 1999, Model & Actress |
| Dr. Mira Shiva, Mumbai, Public Health Physicial | Dr. Nandita Shah, Mumbai, Homeopath, Founder – SHARAN, Recipient of Nari Shakti Puraskaar | Dr. Khadar Valli, Mysuru, PhD (IISc), Millets Expert |
| Dr. N K Sharma, Delhi, ND (Doctor of Naturopathy), Founder Chairman Reiki Healing Foundation | Dr. Jacob Vadakkanchery, Malipuram, Naturopath, Chairman Janarogya Prasthanam Kerala | Ashutosh Pathak, Delhi, Senior Journalist |
| Jagannath Chaterjee, Bhubhaneshwar, Social Activist | Dr. Lalitkumar Anande, Mumbai, MBBS, PG Diploma in Clinical Research | Kaushalya (Kitu) Gidwani, Mumbai, Indian Actress & Model |
| Dr. Vijay Raghava, Bangalore, MBBS | Dr. Veena Raghava, Bangalore, MBBS, DA | Dr. Shaji Kudiyat, Kerala, BSc., BHMS, MD (Hom) |
| Dr. Madhuri Patil, Mumbai, BAMS, MD (Ayurveda Samhita & Siddhant) | Dr. Abhay Chedda, Mumbai, BHMS, CCAH, FCAH | Dr. Rashmi Menon, Mumbai, BHMS, ChT |
| Saraswati Kavula, Hyderabad, Documentary Filmmaker & Freelance Journalist, Awaken India Movement | Rossamma Thomas, Pala, Kottayam, Kerala, Freelance Journalist | Dr. Susan Raj, Chattisgrah, BSc Nurse, MSW(M&P), Doctorate Humanities, Behavior Specialist |
| Nisha Koiri, Mumbai, Naturopath, Awaken India Movement | Ambar Koiri, Mumbai, Awaken India Movement | Dr. Gayatri Panditrao, Pune, Homeopathic Physician, BHMS, PGDEMS |
| Prakash Pohare, Akola, Chief Editor, Daily Deshonnati | Bhaskaran Raman, Mumbai, Professor, Dept. of CSE, IIT Bombay | Darryl D’Souza, Goa, Earth Keepers Connect |
| Venugopalan Govindan, Coimbatore, Father of Late Karunya Venugopalan (Covid-19 Vaccine AEFI victim) |
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