A/HRC/29/44 (WHO), presented an overview of the WHO work on access to medicines which was one of its six leadership priorities. Access to medicines could be rendered sustainable in the context of universal health coverage and functioning health systems. It was an unequivocal part of the human right to health and a complex issue involving multiple stakeholders, determinants and perspectives. WHO strived to promote universal access to safe, effective and high quality medicines that were prescribed and used rationally, and monitored by appropriate regulatory mechanisms. Access to existing medicines (generic and patent) should be improved and research and development for new essential medicines should focus on improving health outcomes, not only returns on investment. The medical needs of the most vulnerable must be met. Litigation on the right to health promoted access to medicines. 13. Dainius Pūras, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, denounced widespread and crippling inequalities in access to health services and medicines that had left 2 billion people without access to the health products they needed. Ill health was both a cause and consequence of poverty and access to medicines was a particularly pertinent problem in the developing world. States must ensure that medicines were affordable and accessible on a non-discriminatory basis. That required improved procurement and distribution globally, especially in developing countries. Research and development in medicines for neglected diseases must be improved. Although States had the primary responsibility for ensuring access to medicines, including through domestic health policies, intellectual property laws and donor country policies could also have major impacts. He discussed problems of medicine overuse and misuse especially in relation to mental illness. Prescription of medicines, particularly psychotropic medicines, should be part of a holistic approach to treatment. 14. During the interactive dialogue, representatives of India, the Indian Council of South America, the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care and Rencontre africaine pour la défense des droits de l’homme took the floor. The speakers highlighted issues such as lack of access to effective pain relief medicines, the slow response to the Ebola crisis, the failure of the intellectual property regime to protect traditional knowledge from exploitation by pharmaceutical companies, and differences between challenges relating to access to patented and generic drugs. 15. In response, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health observed that there were many lessons to learn from the Ebola crisis. He called for improved response systems, mobilization of additional resources, and improved health systems and infrastructure to prevent crises. Dr. Mirza clarified the fact that the challenges in access to patented and generic drugs were the same, but that the high prices of patented drugs posed an additional challenge. He suggested a broader approach going beyond a focus on patented drugs and market failures, to also recognize failures in public policy. Speaking on behalf of Mr. Khor, Germán Velásquez, Special Adviser for Health and Development at the South Centre, suggested that WHO employ article 19 of its Constitution to make binding decisions and deliver justice in access to medicines. C. Improving health delivery systems in challenging contexts 16. Abdul Majeed Siddiqi, Head of Mission, HealthNet TPO, Afghanistan, discussed mental health treatment in fragile States. In Afghanistan, the work of HealthNet TPO since 2000 had included efforts to integrate mental health services in the health systems of 15 provinces on the basis of fact-finding, education and training, and policy advocacy. However, approximately half the Afghan population suffered from mental health problems, compared with 20 per cent in other developing countries, and only 2 per cent sought 6