How India plans to change health sector during its G20 presidency

New Delhi, Oct 28: India aims to propose digital health innovation and solutions to aid universal health coverage and improve healthcare service delivery during its Presidency of the G20 for one year from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya revealed that during G20 Presidency, India plans to propose health emergencies prevention, preparedness, and response; strengthen cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector with the focus on availability and access to safe, effective, and affordable medical countermeasures.

Further, the minister shared that India would like to propose digital health innovation and solutions to aid universal health coverage and improve healthcare service delivery.

"Side events will include digital health workshop on collaborative research to expand access to medical countermeasures and medical value travel and holistic healthcare through evidence-based traditional medicine," said Mandaviya.

The health minister also said that India will continue medical countermeasures rightly prioritised by Indonesia.

"Indonesian Presidency rightly prioritised hubs for medical countermeasures, both manufacturing and research, to ensure that the world is prepared to manage any further future challenges," he said.

"As we transition from Indonesian Presidency to Indian presidency, India would like to continue momentum built by Indonesia, Italy, Saudi Arabia and past presidencies with a view to consolidating efforts already initiated by earlier presidencies," he said.

"The need of the hour is to ensure that the use of technology is promoted as an enabler for the achievement of universal health coverage and sustainable development goals," he added.

Under its Presidency, India likely to host over 200 meetings of the G20 across the country.