A/HRC/36/20 experiences and obtain redress when appropriate. Participants also raised the importance of people with disabilities being included in the planning, design and implementation of health-care policies. 28. Several participants drew attention to the issue of sexual and reproductive rights, including access to safe abortions. One NGO highlighted the fact that its research showed a lack of training and capacity among health workers to respond to the specific needs of adolescents. In some cases, attitudes among health workers contributed to a lack of confidentiality and informed consent by patients. The representative highlighted the need to invest in human rights training for health workers, particularly in relation to the sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls. 29. One delegate highlighted the role of the Human Rights Council, its special procedures and the universal periodic review mechanism in promoting and ensuring a rights-based approach. He reiterated that the recommendations given by those mechanisms must be taken into account by States, and should be seen as tools or guides that could help to ensure that public policies guaranteed the right to health. 30. Numerous delegations drew attention to rising health-care costs and the limited resources of States. African countries highlighted their commitment to allocating at least 15 per cent of their annual budget to financing national health services for all their citizens, as agreed in the 2001 Abuja Declaration on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Other Related Infectious Diseases. They called on the international community to support those efforts by achieving the target of devoting 0.7 per cent of gross national income to official development assistance. 31. Participants also highlighted the right to access to medicines as a major component of the right to health and universal health coverage, which was being undermined by international trade law and the scope of intellectual property protection. They asked the panellists to explain the progress made and tangible actions conducted to facilitate access to affordable and high-quality medicines for developing countries. NGOs highlighted the fact that international cooperation and assistance could include improving access to affordable medicines by changing international rules and regulations. 32. During the debate, Dr. Ren emphasized that, while international cooperation could help countries to mitigate the challenges of accessing medicines, in most cases the solution should come from the capacity of the country itself to produce medicines, in ways affordable and accessible for its people. In that context, Dr. López drew attention to the situation in Cuba in developing medicines for the population. Mr. Gong similarly explained how China had established national mechanisms to ensure access to medicines. 33. With regard to the financing of universal health coverage and providing access to affordable and quality medicines, Ms. Kickbusch underscored the importance of taxing tobacco. According to hundreds of studies, taxing tobacco reduced tobacco use and increased the financing available to fund health systems and eradicate poverty. She observed that about 5 per cent of global gross domestic product was lost through tobacco use, and the cost of tobacco to the global economy was about $1 trillion. A number of countries had introduced such taxes to finance prevention programmes, health promotion programmes and even health services and medicines. 34. Several delegations raised concerns about the “brain drain”. Meaningful investment in the public health sector by developing countries was being undermined by the loss of intellectual capital, resulting in the loss of critical health professionals who migrated away from the continent for better remuneration. They asked for the assistance of the international community in reversing that trend. 35. Regarding international cooperation, several delegations discussed the role of regional and international organizations. Participants highlighted the importance of providing financial and technical cooperation for national health systems in developing countries, offering personnel and providing access to affordable medicines. Some delegations suggested that international cooperation should focus on promoting stable nations with the economic capacity to develop and sustain adequate health investment, and called on United Nations agencies, funds and programmes to provide technical assistance to 6