The World Health Organisation (WHO) has emphasized the need to learn from countries such as India, to speed up progress towards using universal health coverage through digital tools. Dr. Alain Labrique, Director of Digital Health and Innovation at the WHO, stated that the post-pandemic era was the right time to invest in digital technologies to advance healthcare. He praised India’s long leadership in the digital innovation space and applauded the success of India’s neighbors in leveraging digital technology for healthcare. Labrique has said that countries worldwide are beginning to understand the significance of research and development collaboration to provide novel solutions to emerging health challenges. He added that it was essential to strengthen existing health architecture to prepare for future pandemics.
India’s Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers led the G20 Health Working Group Meeting in Hyderabad. The second priority was to strengthen cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector, with a focus on access to quality medical countermeasures. The event aimed to reinforce the importance of the three main aspects of the Vaccine, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics value chain. The discussion looked at coordinating the different upstream and downstream facets of the medical countermeasures ecosystem. Bhagwant Khuba, Minister of State, highlighted the need to collaborate with global health organizations, stakeholders and align priorities, so that resources can be directed to areas and populations that need them most.
Dr. VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, another speaker at the event, stressed the importance of India’s G20 Presidency for achieving health for all. The goal of the Presidency is to make technologies available to country leaders looking to undertake the process of digital health transformation and bridge the gap between medical supplies and personnel. In conclusion, the conversations during the G20 Health Working Group Meeting demonstrated the importance of strengthening global collaboration networks to combat future health emergencies.
