Indian Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Bharati Pravin Pawar, delivered a keynote address at the G20 Deputies' Meeting on Thursday, underlining the foundational philosophy of India's G20 Presidency: "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," which translates to "The world is one family." Emphasizing the profound interconnectedness of global health, Pawar stated that the pandemic's lesson of collective safety, "No one is safe until everyone is safe," serves as a guiding principle.
Pawar articulated the core priorities of India's G20 Presidency within the Health Working Groups. Addressing Health Emergencies Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (HEPPR) stands as the foremost priority. She emphasized that this focus on HEPPR remains steadfast across G20 Health Working Groups, with India's presidency highlighting the critical issues of One Health, Anti-microbial Resistance (AMR), and Climate Change.
Equitable access to affordable medical countermeasures constitutes the second priority. Pawar underscored the necessity of establishing a global coordination platform for medical countermeasures, envisioning worldwide Research and Development (R&D) and manufacturing networks. This approach aims to ensure universal access to quality vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized populations.
Digital health innovations and solutions form the third health priority of India's G20 Presidency. Pawar introduced the Global Initiative for Digital Health (GIDH), a convergent approach that unifies existing digital health efforts. She expressed optimism that GIDH could set a remarkable precedent for international cooperation, enhancing global accessibility to digital health initiatives.
Pawar acknowledged the dedicated discussions and efforts of delegates, emphasizing the significance of the declaration they were finalizing. She highlighted that this declaration is the culmination of in-depth discussions held across working group meetings, as well as numerous bilateral and multilateral interactions.
Union Health Secretary Sudhansh Pant accentuated the imperative to converge global health efforts in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Recognizing the fragmented response, Pant asserted that India's G20 Presidency has persistently championed the convergence of efforts, ultimately aiming to establish a cohesive and agile Global Health Architecture.
Pant underlined the comprehensive coverage of pressing global health concerns through India's G20 Health Working Groups and the 14 co-branded events organized alongside. The Troika members from Indonesia and Brazil commended India's presidency for prioritizing key health challenges, endorsing a multi-sectoral approach, enhancing health systems investment, and efficient representation of lower and middle-income countries within decision-making arrangements.