The Local Production & Assistance Unit (LPA) seeks ways to integrate the interagency statement into concrete actions and collaborations in promoting sustainable and quality local production. Member States increasingly see local production of quality-assured, safe and effective medical products as a strategy to improve access, strengthen health security, attain Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.8 and other health-related SDG targets.

At the 72nd World Health Assembly, WHO led the development and launch of the first interagency statement on promoting local production of medicines and other health technologies. Signed by the top leadership of WHO, UNIDO, UNCTAD, UNAIDS, UNICEF and The Global Fund, the interagency statement highlights the commitment of six organizations to work in a holistic, strategic and collaborative manner with governments and other stakeholders in promoting local production. The LPA Unit also regularly convenes interagency consultations on local production with UN agencies and international partners as platforms to share information and build synergies. Guidance documents are available and include frameworks, national strategies and national experiences local production and technology transfer for access to medical products.

The LPA Unit has also designed and launched the World Local Production Forum: Enhancing access to medicines and other health technologies (WLPF); a regular forum that offers a global platform to stimulate discussions and partnership on key issues, challenges and opportunities related to local production of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and other health products.