Azad Re-Elected PPD Chairperson

The Union Health & Family Welfare Minister Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad has been unanimously re-elected as the Chairperson of Partners in Population Development (PPD), for a further three year term, at the just concluded Executive Committee and the Annual Board Meetings of PPD held at Pretoria, South Africa. The other members of the newly constituted Executive Committee include China as Vice-Chair, Kenya as Secretary, Tunisia as Treasurer and Mexico and South Africa as members. The PPD partner countries are from Asia, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. India has chaired the PPD since 2009.

Partners in Population Development (PPD) is an inter-governmental organization created specifically for the purpose of expanding and improving South-to-South collaboration in the fields of reproductive health, population and development. PPD was initiated in 1994 at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held at Cairo, Egypt.

From the 1st to 4th November 2011, the 19th Executive Committee Meeting and the 16th Annual Board Meeting of the PPD, the International Conference on Population Dynamics, Climate Change and Sustainable Development and a bilateral meeting between India and South Africa were held in Pretoria, South Africa. The Executive Committee and the Annual Board Meetings of the PPD were held under the chairpersonship of Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Union Health & Family Welfare Minister. The Minister was accompanied by Secretary Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, Shri P K Pradhan, the Indian High Commissioner and other senior officers.

The Executive Council and Board meetings finalized a new Governance Charter, approved a new Administrative Manual, Financial Manual and Personnel Manual for streamlining the functioning of the organization and ensuring greater participation and transparency. The existing Bye-Laws were revised for the first time since inception of the PPD. The amendments expanded the membership of the Executive Committee and provided for constitution of new Committees for closer and more effective oversight on Program and Financial matters. Besides reviewing the progress made in different spheres of population development, a new Strategic Business Plan for the period 2012-2014 was also approved to facilitate expansion of activities for the benefit of the member countries.

After the three days of the PPD meetings, a Bi-lateral meeting was also held between India and South Africa on 4th November, 2011 for further strengthening cooperation in the field of Health & Medicine. The discussions covered the renewal of the Bi-Lateral Agreement between India and South Africa and closer cooperation in the trilateral forum of IBSA and the multi-lateral forum of BRICS for mutual benefit. The possibility of India extending help in the prevention and control of malaria, human resources training, supply of medicines and devices was also discussed. On taking up the issue of delays in registration of Indian drugs, the South African Minister assured that with reforms being put in place, the process would become much more efficient. Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, reiterated India’s commitment to help the South African people through assured supplies of affordable and dependable high quality medicines.