Enhance affordable access to therapeutics, vaccines to fight pandemic: Anupriya Patel at SCO meet

New Delhi: India on Thursday stressed on the need to work towards enhancing affordable access to medicines, therapeutics and vaccines for fighting any pandemic such as Covid-19.

Speaking at the 21st meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) ministers responsible for foreign economy and trade, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel also called for an effective cooperation among the member countries to promote trade.

"She stressed on the need to work towards enhancing affordable access to medicines, therapeutics, vaccines as well as healthcare at affordable prices for fighting any pandemic, such as Covid-19, to preserve the life, livelihood, food and nutritional security of the poorest," the commerce ministry said in a statement.

She also pitched for sharing the best practices on technological development, optimum utilisation of resources and conservation of environment.

The virtual meeting was attended by the representative of SCO secretariat and heads of delegations of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, it added.