Hyderabad, June 4 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar on Sunday said that 'One Health-based surveillance systems need to be integrated and strengthen".
In her address at the third Health Working Group (HWG) meeting held under G20 India Presidency, here, Dr Bharati, while underlining the importance of global collaboration and partnerships, said that “the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that partnerships are most fruitful only when developed during peacetime and not amidst an ongoing pandemic.
She said we need to focus on creating resilient health systems, with primary health as its cornerstone.”
The Minister stated that “partnership we share as G20 members is vital and facilitates in building trust, sharing knowledge, creating networks and working together to achieve meaningful impact and results.”
Highlighting the need for availability of safe, effective and quality Medical Countermeasures(MCMs), She said that India’s G20 Presidency is working towards building consensus for an end-to-end Global Medical Countermeasure (MCM) ecosystem, following a Network of Networks approach and leveraging existing global and regional initiatives.
Dr Bharati urged the leadership of G20 countries to create an interim platform which will be guided by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) process and will feed into the same.
Acknowledging the convergence between G7 and G20 priorities, including the launch of MCM Delivery Partnership during Japan’s G7 Presidency which aligns with G20’s proposal of an end-to-end MCM ecosystem, the Minister urged the global community to strengthen ongoing efforts in that direction.

“Pandemics may not wait for the finalization of the Pandemic Treaty and hence, the time to act is now”, she stated.
Dr Bharati also informed the delegates of India’s proposal of a Global initiative on Digital Health, a WHO-managed network to converge ongoing initiatives in use of technology in the global health arena.
“This initiative can enable bridging the digital divide amongst nations and ensure that the fruits of technology are made available to every citizen of the world," she added.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy while underscoring the contribution of Indian traditional knowledge systems to healthcare, stated that “Indian traditional knowledge system propagated preventive and holistic wellbeing for all”.
Highlighting the significant impact of Ayurveda and Yoga across the world, he stated that “Indian civilization and cultural heritage has given us the Ayurveda or the Science of Lives which is a five-thousand-year-old medical practice.
Similarly, Yoga has emerged as one of the most trusted practices to boost both physical and mental wellbeing.”
Highlighting the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India one of the new hubs of medical value travel, the Minister said that India is home to affordable, efficient and reliable healthcare which positions the country as a go to destination for medical value travel.
Reddy also informed that India is among the top ten countries preferred by people all over the world for health and wellness.
The Minister stated that “India takes great pride in being a reliable partner in the noble vision of saving lives and protecting livelihoods” and highlighted India’s recognition as the “Pharmacy of the World”.
He said that the Genome Valley in Hyderabad alone contributes close to 33 percent of world’s vaccine production.
The Union Tourism Minister emphasized that India is committed to achieving universal healthcare for all by 2030.
Kishan Reddy also said that “there cannot be a better platform than the G20 to support, harness, and facilitate the power of Universal Healthcare to build a healthy and motivated world”.
Institutions and Multilateral Development Banks and Funds like the Global Fund and Pandemic Fund can play a significant role in assisting resource-constrained regions to build common goods and public capabilities, he added.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that “’Health for All’ is an important agenda outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals. It was also a pertinent theme in the recently concluded 76th World Health Assembly”.
He noted that the theme of India’s G20 Presidency -- “One Earth, One Family, One Future” also alludes to the wider concept of Universal Health Coverage.
Underscoring the need to converge the ongoing parallel discussions in Global Health Architecture in Health Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Response; Medical Countermeasures and Digital Health, Bhushan stressed on the need to break the existing silos and reduce fragmentation.

“It is critical to integrate all existing global health initiatives, global and regional health processes like G7, G20 and UNGA by jointly harnessing our strengths for a fit-for-purpose global health architecture”, he added.
On the occasion, Members from Indonesian and Brazilian Troika commended the Indian Presidency for underlining the three health priorities.
They stated the need to collectively accelerate our efforts towards strengthening pandemic preparedness, prevention and response measures and create a fit-for-purpose global health architecture.
Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research and DG, ICMR; Abhay Thakur, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs and Sous Sherpa of India’s G20 Presidency, Lav Agarwal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and representatives from the G20 member countries, special invitee countries, international organizations, forums and partners like WHO, World Bank, WEF, and senior officers of the Union Government were present.
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