The G20 Presidency is of huge importance to India because the bloc comprises 85 percent of the global GDP, 78 percent of global trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population. India is the only South Asian country in the G20 and has added responsibility since many non-G20 countries look up to it to represent their interests in the bloc. Addressing healthcare issues will be a major factor in accelerating the progress of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).India’s efforts to contain the Covid-19 pandemic shows its potential in fighting health emergencies. It can now build on that capability to become a global leader to influence international policies on public health, epidemic control, and better access to healthcare for underprivileged and unreached populations.
During the first meeting of the G20 Health Working Group, in January 2023, under India’s presidency in Thiruvananathapuram, health emergency prevention and preparedness were emphasised upon. In addition to that, strengthening cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector, and digital health innovation and solutions were also topics that were highlighted. India underlined that a pandemic policy must be a defining part of health policies and that preparedness, and response require diverse, multi-sectoral efforts which call for strengthening and empowering communities to become resilient to future health emergencies. Building resilient health systems and investing in lifesaving vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics as a strategy to address future health emergencies was also discussed.As Covid-19 cases continued to remain low in India, until the recent spike in numbers, we must again leverage our key learnings and use them to bolster global healthcare. While efforts are on to plug the systemic loopholes that the pandemic highlighted, the success can potentially be a template for fighting future health emergencies.The G20 presidency gives India a never before opportunity to shape the global agenda for health. One of the top issues on the G20 health track agenda is the prevention, preparation, and response to public health emergencies.
In 2018, WHO and UNICEF declared that primary healthcare (PHC) is essential for fulfilling universal health coverage (UHC) objectives. India could prepare a blueprint for a PHC-with-UHC approach for healthcare to strengthen primary-level care linked to non-medical preventive action such as food security and safety, safe water, sanitation and environment, with active participation of the entire society and government, and extend the same principles to secondary and tertiary care services. This can potentially be the most cost-effective healthcare template that the world needs.India must use its position and leadership to negotiate better and work towards bringing health care services including medicines and vaccines for the unreached in the entire developing world. Effectively, that means that India should use the G20 presidency to draft a model policy focusing on primary healthcare that commits to a universal, affordable, inclusive and a just healthcare system.The writer is former health secretary, Government of India.
First Published: Mar 23, 2023, 15:35
Subscribe Now