Share tech, be ready for next health emergency: PM Modi at G20 summit

G20 summit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called on G20 nations to facilitate “equitable availability” of technology and “open innovations”, saying the global community must be ready to prevent and respond to the next health emergency.

“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 to a gathering graced by top global health leaders, including WHO DG Tedros Adhanom.

Sharing my remarks at G20 Digital Economy Ministers Meeting in Bengaluru. @g20org https://t.co/ai6pbrR6wl
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 19, 2023

India has recorded more than 44.7 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic three years ago, the third-highest tally after the United States and China.

Modi also batted for equitable availability of technology for Global South to close the gap in healthcare delivery.

“Our ambitious programme on TB elimination also encourages public participation,” he said, speaking of the government’s programme of calling upon people to volunteer support for TB patients on treatment. As many as 76.6 per cent of Indian TB patients on treatment have consented to receiving community support.

“Nearly 1 million patients have been adopted by citizens,” the PM said, adding that India was on its way to achieve TB elimination ahead of the global target of 2030.

Modi was addressing the G20 Health Ministers’ meeting in Gandhinagar via video conferencing when he made the remarks.

“Global initiatives on global health will bring together various digital health initiatives on a common platform. Let’s open our innovations for public good. Let us avoid duplication of funding. Let us facilitate equitable availability of technology,” he said.

Stressing on the role of digital solutions and innovations in making healthcare accessible, the Prime Minister said they are a useful means to make efforts equitable and inclusive, allowing patients from far and wide to receive quality care through tele-medicine.

“Let us facilitate equitable availability of technology. This initiative will allow countries in the Global South to close the gap in healthcare delivery. It will take us one step closer to our goal of achieving universal health coverage (UHC),” he said.

India is set to hold the Group of 20 (G20) summit in New Delhi on September 9-September 10, 2023.