3rd Health Working Group Meeting:
The recent 3rd Health Working Group meeting at Hyderabad, Telangana under the G20 India Presidency highlighted the ongoing threat of pandemics and the urgent need for global collaboration in the health sector.
Highlights:
- India proposed 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.
- Building consensus for an end-to-end Global Medical Countermeasure (MCM) ecosystem.
- Creation of an interim platform guided by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) process for the Global Medical Countermeasure (MCM) ecosystem.
- Advocating against intellectual property rights barriers that hinder access to medical countermeasures in times of crisis.
- Accelerating vaccine research and development (R&D) for emerging pathogens and strengthening pandemic preparedness efforts.
- Establishing a Global Vaccine Research Collaborative to address gaps in vaccine development, enhance coordination, and foster an enabling environment for vaccine R&D.
- Emphasising equity in access to diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines during health emergencies.
- Mapping and integrating global initiatives for quick decision making and planning during crises. Addressing the challenges of zoonotic spillover of diseases transferring from animals to humans.
