NEW DELHI: The government has given ex-post facto approval for a pact between India and Cuba for cooperation in the field of traditional systems of medicine and homeopathy. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the approval to the pact that was signed between the countries on June 22. “The MoU will enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the areas of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy.
“This will be of immense importance to both countries considering their shared cultural heritage,” according to an official statement. Traditional systems of medicine in India, comprising Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa, Rigpa and Homoeopathy, are well organized, codified and documented, and hold tremendous potential in the global health scenario. The cabinet also gave its ex-post facto approval to a pact between the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) of India and National Agency for Drug and Food Control (BPOM), Indonesia, on cooperation in the field of pharmaceutical products and substances, biological products and cosmetics regulatory functions.
The MoU was signed on May 29 in Jakarta.”The MoU is expected to forge better understanding about each other’s regulatory requirements and would be beneficial to both the countries. It could also facilitate India’s export of pharmaceutical products,” the statement said. It will also establish a framework for fruitful cooperation and exchange of information between the two countries in matters relating to pharmaceutical products’ regulation on the basis for equality, reciprocity and mutual benefit, it added.
“Further, it will facilitate better understanding between the regulatory authorities of the two countries,” the statement said. “The MoU will facilitate better understanding of the regulatory aspects between the two sides and help in increasing India’s export of medical products to Indonesia and better coordination in the international fora,” it said. The CDSCO is a subordinate office of the Directorate General of Health Services, which is an attached office of the Department of Health and Family Welfare and is the national regulatory authority for drugs, medical devices and cosmetics, it said.
The BPOM regulates these products in Indonesia, the statement said. The prime minister’s approval had been obtained under Rule 12 of the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961, for signing of the MoU between the CDSCO and the BPOM, it said. The cabinet also approved the signing of a pact among BRICS nations on the Regional Aviation Partnership Cooperation. “The objective is that BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – would benefit from the establishing of an institutional framework to cooperate in the field of civil aviation,” the statement said.
The areas of cooperation will include public policies and best practices in regional services, regional airports, airport infrastructure management and air navigation services, technical cooperation between regulatory agencies, innovation, environment sustainability, including deliberation of global initiatives, qualification and training and other fields as mutually determined. “The MoU signifies an important landmark in the civil aviation relations between India and other BRICS member states and has the potential to spur greater trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchanges amongst the BRICS Nations,” it added. PTI
