-By ArdorComm News Network
June 21, 2022
New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya proposed to G20 members an institutional structure to allow for speedy sharing of genome sequencing data, as well as a neutral and aggregate data-sharing approach among countries, on Monday.
He went on to say that this could be done across various pathogens with equitable benefit sharing under the Nagoya protocol, which he was virtually addressing at the G20 Health Ministers meeting in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. “A boost to digital health data systems to enable seamless interoperability of data and creation of longitudinal electronic health records within a country and at the global level is crucial”, Mandaviya added.
Mandaviya added that India agrees to mutual recognition of vaccine credentials, including its wider application for interoperability of health data, and expressed hope that the continuous lowered trajectory of COVID-19 is a hopeful sign that the pandemic’s end is near. “The ongoing pandemic has posed multiple challenges on the health systems across the globe, developed and developing countries alike. The present pandemic has highlighted the fault lines in the global health governance and has brought to the fore the importance of strengthening Global Health Architecture. It has reinforced the need to assess health ecosystems, health financing and their linkages in light of the experience in managing the current pandemic”, Mandaviya added while addressing the session.
The Union Health Minister advocated for an inclusive, agile and responsive emergency management framework that is supported by a global mechanism of surveillance, sustainable financing and equitable distribution of medical countermeasures.”G20 countries account for 80% of the world’s GDP and share 80% of the world’s cross-border trade, so G20 involvement and leadership will manage the world’s health architecture and future health emergencies. It is essential for strengthening, “said Mandavia.
Emphasizing the need for global cooperation, the Minister of Health said, “global health resilience must be created by working towards mutual recognition of vaccine credentials to aid seamless cross-border travel, and the need for expanding research network, m-RNA manufacturing hubs and distributed manufacturing of medical countermeasures with particular focus on the global south.”
“G20 countries must prioritize establishing an ecosystem for VTD research, technology transfers and regional manufacturing hubs, especially in Global South. India will also support this endeavour and will collaborate proactively to develop an mRNA vaccine hub in the global south by extending its manufacturing and research capacity”, he added.
Source: IANS