New Delhi [India], June 16 (ANI): The Second Policymakers' Forum, aimed at promoting the recognition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia, was inaugurated on Sunday at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in the national capital.

The event was being organised by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in association with the Ministry of External Affairs and in collaboration with India's flagship affordable medicines initiative--the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).

The inaugural session was graced by the presence of Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilisers, Anupriya Patel, who delivered the keynote address and released a commemorative publication marking IPC's 15-year journey.

The gathering was also addressed by Secretary (South), Ministry of External Affairs, Neena Malhotra; Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Punya Salila Srivastava; Drug Controller General of India and Secretary-cum-Scientific Director, IPC, Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi; and Advisor (Cost), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Rajiv Wadhawan.

In her keynote address, Patel emphasised India's commitment to ensuring equitable access to quality-assured medicines and stressed the importance of regulatory harmonisation in facilitating global health equity.

She also highlighted that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has emerged as a global hub for affordable healthcare solutions and continues to deepen its partnerships with nations through knowledge-sharing, capacity-building, and health diplomacy.

The Forum has brought together policymakers and senior drug regulatory officials from 22 countries, including Liberia, Togo, Mali, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Rwanda, Lesotho, Eswatini, Kenya, Botswana, Ethiopia, Comoros, Seychelles, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe, St Lucia, St Vincent & Grenadines, Cuba, Barbados, and Chile, along with two delegates from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), reaffirming India's position as a valued and trusted partner in the realm of global health.

This engagement builds on the momentum generated by the First Policymakers' Forum held in August 2024, which resulted in several participating countries formally recognising the Indian Pharmacopoeia as a book of standards for drugs.

The growing international interest in aligning with India's regulatory frameworks reflects the credibility and scientific rigour of the Indian Pharmacopoeia, as well as India's proactive role in advancing global public health objectives.

Over the course of the four-day programme from June 16 to June 19, delegates will participate in technical sessions covering pharmacopoeial standards, India's regulatory landscape, and successful public health schemes. The technical session on 16th June featured presentations by Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drug Controller General of India and Secretary-cum-Scientific Director, IPC, on the role and progress of IPC; Dr Ranga Chandrasekhar, Joint Drugs Controller, on the regulatory mechanisms of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation; and Ravi Dadhich, CEO of Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India, on the implementation and impact of PMBJP.

In addition, site visits to IPC's state-of-the-art laboratories in Ghaziabad and a Janaushadhi Kendra in Agra, as well as leading pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing and R&D facilities in Ahmedabad, have been arranged to provide delegates with first-hand exposure to India's robust scientific and regulatory systems.

The Second Policymakers' Forum stands as a platform for building mutual trust, regulatory convergence, and long-term collaboration toward the shared objective of 'Health for All'. (ANI)