Even as Covid cases continue to ebb for the past several weeks in the country, the Union Health Ministry On Sunday said the threat of pandemics is far from over and called for integrating and strengthening One Health-based surveillance system.
“The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted that partnerships are most fruitful only when developed during peacetime and not amidst an ongoing pandemic; and that we need to focus on creating resilient health systems, with primary health as its cornerstone,” said Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Pravin Bharati while addressing the third health working group meeting under G20 India Presidency which began in Hyderabad on Sunday.
India has recorded 202 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases have decreased to 3,343 from 3,502, according to the Ministry data updated on Sunday. The death toll has increased to 5,31,880 with two deaths, the data updated at 8 am stated. The active cases now comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.81 per cent, according to the health ministry website.
The Minister further stated that “partnership we share as G20 members is vital and facilitates in building trust, sharing knowledge, creating networks and working together to achieve meaningful impact and results.” The two-day meeting is being attended by top officials, representatives from the G20 member countries, special invitee countries, international organisations, forums and partners like WHO, World Bank and WEF.
Dr Pawar also highlighted the need for availability of safe, effective and quality medical countermeasures. Stating that India’s G20 Presidency is working towards building consensus for an end-to-end Global Medical Countermeasure (MCM) ecosystem, following a Network of Networks approach and leveraging existing global and regional initiatives, Dr Pawar urged the leadership of G20 countries to create an interim platform which will be guided by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) process and will feed into the same.
Acknowledging the convergence between G7 and G20 priorities, including the launch of MCM Delivery Partnership during Japan’s G7 Presidency which aligns with G20’s proposal of an end-to-end MCM ecosystem, Dr Pawar urged the global community to strengthen ongoing efforts in that direction. “Pandemics may not wait for the finalisation of the Pandemic Treaty and hence, the time to act is now,” she stated.
Understanding the contribution of Indian traditional knowledge systems to healthcare, Union Minister of Tourism G Kishan Reddy stated that the Indian traditional knowledge system propagated preventive and holistic wellbeing for all.