Innovations in digital healthcare should be opened up for the public good, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday, urging G-20 Health Ministers to avoid duplication in funding and facilitate the equitable availability of technology.
“The Global Initiative on Digital Health... will allow countries in the Global South to close the gap in health-care delivery. It will take us one step closer to our goal of achieving universal health coverage,” he said, as part of his address to the ongoing meeting of G-20 Health Ministers in Gujarat’s capital.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded the world that health should be at the centre of our decisions, Mr. Modi said, adding that it had also made clear the value of international cooperation, whether in medicine and vaccine deliveries, or in bringing people back home.
‘Resilience is key’
Calling resilience one of the biggest lessons during the pandemic, the Prime Minister said that global health systems should be resilient. “We must be ready to prevent, prepare, and respond to the next health emergency. This is especially important in today’s interconnected world. As we saw during the pandemic, health issues in one part of the world can affect all other parts of the world in a very short time,” he said.
He warned that anti-microbial resistance is a grave risk to global public health and all pharmaceutical advancements so far. With regard to tuberculosis, he said that India was well on its way to achieve elimination ahead of the global target of 2030.
Holistic approach
“In India, we are following a holistic and inclusive approach,” Mr. Modi said, adding that India is expanding health infrastructure, promoting traditional systems of medicine, and providing affordable healthcare to all.
The Prime Minister also noted that India believes that holistic health and wellness can help enhance everyone’s resilience. The establishment of the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar, Gujarat is an important step in this direction and the WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, which is being held alongside the G-20 Health Ministers’ meeting will intensify efforts to harness its potential, he said, adding that there should be a joint effort to build a global repository of traditional medicine.
Underlining that health and environment are organically linked, the Prime Minister said that clean air, safe drinking water, sufficient nutrition, and secure shelter were major factors of health. To be healthy is to have one’s mind and body in a state of harmony and balance, meaning that health is the very foundation of life, Mr. Modi said.
He welcomed dignitaries on behalf of 21 lakh doctors, 35 lakh nurses, 13 lakh paramedics, 16 lakh pharmacists and many others involved in the healthcare sector in India.
