Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said India has offered Co-WIN platform as a digital public good to any interested country in keeping with the country’s philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and perceiving health as a service.
Chairing the Health Ministers’ virtual session of the “Voice of Global South Summit-2023” here, he said “India believes in value based health care and is continuously striving to provide high quality and cost-effective healthcare to everyone.” India has offered Co-WIN as a digital public health good to WHO through WHO’s C-TAP initiative also.
Titled “Cooperation to build resilient healthcare systems,” the session served as a platform to generate ideas from the developing world for holistic healthcare.
Dr Mandaviya said that “it is the need of the hour to focus on long-term measures to build stronger, more resilient health systems that can prevent, prepare for, and respond to future health related challenges, while maintaining essential health services.”
Highlighting the significant milestones achieved by India through its journey of managing COVID-19 pandemic, he added that “we have administered more than 2.2 billion vaccines with 90 per cent 2nd dose coverage of 12+ population and 220 million precautionary doses. India’s experience has reinforced the fact that capacity building of healthcare workers at various levels of governance, coupled with harnessing digital technology is the way forward.”
Referring to G20 India Presidency, the Health Minister said “India endeavors to imbibe the requirements and need of Global South in its G20 health priorities. Our Prime Minister has said that our G20 priorities will be shaped in consultation with not just our G20 partners, but also our fellow-travellers in the global South.”
Dr Mandaviya said: “Hence, we will take the voice of the global South to G-20 and other international forums as partners in our development journey. Amalgamation of these efforts will ensure health equity at global level & particularly to Global South”.
The Health Minister commended India’s efforts in providing training to support countries in terms of capacity building of their healthcare professionals. The training included COVID-19 testing, clinical practices, case management, vaccine development and delivery for participants from Asian, South-East Asian, and African countries. India also shared its medical expertise by dispatching Rapid Response Teams to Kuwait and Maldives.”
He said that “under the soon to be launched Heal in India initiative, India aims to provide its health infrastructure for patients abroad and make it a global hub for medical and value-based healthcare for patients from across the world. With more than 1.3 Million allopathic doctors, 3.4 Million nurses, and 800,000 AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) doctors, India would provide required care to patients from all countries including Global South through quality and affordable medical care.”
He mentioned that India affirms to work with partners in the Global South to harness the potential of traditional medicine to promote health, wellness and people-centric care.
The session was attended by dignitaries from Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, Royal Government of Bhutan, Republic of Cameroon, Grenada, Republic of Guatemala, Republic of Liberia, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Niger, Independent State of Samoa, Kingdom of Eswatini, Republic of Paraguay and Dominica.
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