India G20 Presidency 2023: First G20 health meet in Thiruvananthapuram from Jan 18

The first Health Working Group (HWG) meeting under G20 India Presidency will be held between January 18-20, in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram.

As chair of the G20 Presidency, India aims to continue and consolidate health priorities and key takeaways from previous presidencies while highlighting critical areas that require strengthening. India also aims to achieve convergence in discussions across various multilateral fora engaged in health cooperation and work towards integrated action.

The Health Track of the G20 India Presidency will comprise of four Health Working Group (HWG) Meetings and one Health Ministerial Meeting (HMM). The meetings will be held in different locations across the country, including Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Goa, Hyderabad (Telangana) and Gandhinagar (Gujarat), highlighting the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to action to showcase India's rich and diverse cultures.

Officials said that India plans to host a side event along with each HWG meeting to enrich, supplement and support G20 discussions. These include side events on Medical Value Travel and Digital Health; a workshop on collaborative research on drugs, diagnostics and vaccines; and a co-branded event on Global Centre for Traditional Medicine. The side event on Medical Value Travel will be held on the sidelines of the 1st meeting of HWG at Thiruvananthapuram from January 18-20.

India has identified the three priorities for the G20 Health Track including Health Emergencies Prevention, Preparedness and Response (with focus on One Health & AMR), Strengthening Cooperation in Pharmaceutical Sector with focus on Access and Availability to safe, effective, quality and Affordable Medical Countermeasures (Vaccines, Therapeutics and Diagnostics)and Digital Health Innovations and Solutions to Aid Universal Health Coverage and Improve Healthcare Service Delivery.

India assumed the presidency of the G20 on 1st December, 2022. India is currently part of the G20 Troika comprising Indonesia, India and Brazil, marking the first time that the troika consists of three developing and emerging economies.

Prime Minister Modi reiterated that the G20 India Presidency will be inclusive, action-oriented and decisive. The theme unveiled by PM: 'One Earth, One Family, One Future' enunciates India's philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'. It is a clarion call to the world to collectively work towards building a healthier post-pandemic world. (SJ/IANS)