Health Action International welcomes the report on the Public Health Dimension of the World Drug Problem and congratulates the secretariat on their work on the treatment of people with Substance Use Disorder (SUD). However, if Sustainable Development Goal 3.5 is to be reached, and the Mental Health Gap, which recognises the relationship between mental and neurological health and SUD, is to be closed, emphasis needs to be placed on access to medicines for the treatment and recovery of people living with SUD.

Having worked with WHO on access to medicines for over 25 years, we know that the most significant barriers to treatment and recovery is the price, availability and affordability of medicines. In the case of SUD, this is compounded by the controlled status of many treatments, and social and personal context.

We urge Member States and WHO to set an ambitious agenda for SUD treatment and recovery and place ourselves at the disposal of the secretariat.