Hyderabad is hosting a three-day meeting about global health starting on Sunday. The meeting is part of the G20 India Presidency and will focus on three key priorities: preventing health emergencies, improving the pharmaceutical sector, and using digital solutions for better healthcare. The meeting will also include side events about research and innovation in healthcare, medical tourism, climate change’s impact on health, and traditional medicine. The meeting will bring together 180 members, 10 invited countries, and 22 international organizations.
Lav Agarwal, the Union Additional Secretary for Health and Family Welfare, explained that India’s G20 Presidency presents a unique opportunity to represent the concerns of developing countries in the Global South. India’s initiatives like Co-Win and Vaccine Maitri have helped address global health requirements, and technology has been a great enabler in reaching the last mile via telemedicine, blood-bank access, and the Co-Win platform.
India seeks to build a global convergence on an agile, aligned global health architecture and integrate global initiatives on managing any future health emergencies. The deliverables of India’s G20 presidency will contribute to establishing regional networks catering to vaccine therapeutics, diagnostics, research, and manufacturing networks and creating a global medical countermeasures coordination platform. There will also be a co-branded event on Global Vaccine Collaborative as well as a visit to Genome Valley, showcasing India’s prowess in research and development and pharmaceutical manufacturing.