Thiruvananthapuram to host G20 Health Working Group meet

These HWG meetings will be held in various locations of the country including Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala…reports Asian Lite News

After assuming its G20 presidency on December 1, 2022 India will now host its First Health Working Group (HWG) meeting from January 18 to 20, 2023. The meeting will be held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, according to a press release by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

These HWG meetings will be held in various locations of the country including Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, Goa, Hyderabad in Telangana and Gandhinagar in Gujarat highlighting PM Modi’s call to action to showcase India’s rich and diverse cultures. The meeting will be attended by representatives of G20 member countries, special invitee countries and relevant international organizations. India is currently part of the G20 Troika which refers to the top grouping within the G20 comprising countries like Indonesia, Brazil and India. It is the first time three developing nations are a part of this Troika. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated that India’s G20 presidency will be inclusive, action-oriented and decisive.

This Health Track of the G20 under India’s presidency will be comprised of four Health Working Group (HWG) meetings and one Health Ministerial Meeting (HMM), according to the same Health Ministry Press Release.

Regarding to the event the Health Ministry said in a tweet ” India’s G20 Presidency will focus on three main priorities: Health Emergencies Prevention, Preparedness and Response (One Health & AMR); Access and Availability to Affordable Medical countermeasures (Vaccines, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics); and Digital Health.#G20India”.

In addition to this India will hold side events along with each HWG meeting to enrich, supplement and support G20 discussions. These will include 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 around the first HWG at Thiruvananthapuramin between January 18th to 20th 2023.

As India has assumed the G20 presidency India aims to continue and consolidate health priorities and key takeaways from previous presidencies while highlighting critical areas that require strengthening, the same press release by Health Ministry reported.

Further according to the press release, India also aims to achieve convergence in discussions across various multilateral fora engaged in health cooperation and work towards integrated action.

For achieving India’s G20 Presidency mission it has decided on three priorities. First Health Emergencies Prevention, Preparedness and Response (with a focus on One Health & AMR). Second Strengthening Cooperation in Pharmaceutical Sector with an emphasis on Access and Availability to safe, effective, quality and Affordable Medical Countermeasures (Vaccines, Therapeutics and Diagnostics) and finally Digital Health Innovations and Solutions to Aid Universal Health Coverage and Improve Healthcare Service Delivery.

There will be thematic discussions related to the above priorities across the HWG meetings. (ANI)

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