The G20 Health Ministers’ meeting saw the unanimous adoption of the Indian Health Ministry spear-headed outcome document, agreed upon by all G20 delegations, except for a contentious paragraph on the ongoing war in Ukraine in the 25-point document.
The document released on Saturday reaffirmed the commitment of G20 countries to continue strengthening the global health architecture.
Speaking immediately after the release of the document, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that India’s G20 Presidency is carrying forward the discussions on the need for adaptable, affordable, sustainable, inclusive, and equitable access to medical countermeasures, as also discussed during the Indonesian and Italian G20 Presidencies.
Countries also recognised the need for improving the understanding of long COVID, its consequences on individual, social and economic levels, as well as on post-COVID-related health services, and noted the importance of surveillance and research in long COVID.
They affirmed that the need of the hour is to converge, consolidate, and create a healthier future and strengthen national health systems, including through effective community involvement via the underlying principle of ‘leave no one behind’.
Meanwhile, as part of the outcome document, G20 countries noted that they continued to be committed to strengthening dialogue through the G20 Joint Finance-Health Task Force, and welcomed the conclusion of the First Call for Proposals of the Pandemic Fund.
Member countries looked forward to a successful outcome of the Inter-Governmental Negotiating Body for a legally binding World Health Organization (WHO) international instrument on pandemic preparedness, prevention and response by May 2024, and the Working Group on Amendments to International Health Regulations, recognising member states’ sovereignty and responsibility for health systems.
Countries further reaffirmed the importance of strengthening national health systems by putting people at the centre of preparedness and equipping them to respond effectively. They also recognised the importance of mainstreaming a gender perspective with a view to achieving gender equality in health systems. “This would facilitate achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), with an aim to strengthen primary health care and improve essential health services,” the document said.
Expressing concern over rising cases of zoonotic diseases, the G20 member nations focused on integrating a collaborative and inclusive ‘One Health Approach’ as enunciated by the One Health high-level expert panel, and addressing the nexus between climate change and health.
The nations committed to prioritising climate-resilient health systems’ development; building sustainable and low-carbon/low greenhouse gas emission health systems and healthcare supply chains that deliver high-quality healthcare; mobilise resources for resilient, low-carbon sustainable health systems; and facilitating collaboration.
They also recognised the potential role of evidence-based traditional and complementary medicine in health, and took note of the WHO’s efforts in this direction, including global and collaborating centres, and clinical trial registries.
The G20 countries also recognised the potential for innovative technologies, including the use of the Internet of Things, big data analytics, Artificial Intelligence, and machine learning, to support people’s health needs and achieve the goal of UHC. They also underlined that it’s essential to uphold international law, and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability.
