G20 reaffirms resolve to strengthen health architecture, bring in equity

The Group of 20 (G20) nations said they are committed to strengthening the global health architecture and that they had arrived at a consensus to build more "resilient, equitable, sustainable and inclusive health systems," in an outcome document and chair summary following the ministerial-level meeting on health.

- Rhythma Kaul

The three-day meeting culminated with an outline of areas where the countries will together including on access to safe, effective, and affordable vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics "and other medical countermeasures" --- but there was no joint statement due to continued differences over the war in Ukraine.

"... we arrived at a consensus to build more resilient, equitable, sustainable and inclusive health systems equipped to address ongoing global health challenges and future public health emergencies with equitable access to safe, effective, quality-assured and affordable vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other medical countermeasures, especially in Lowand Middle-income Countries and Small Island Developing States," read the outcome document shared by the Union health ministry Mansukh Mandaviya on the last day of the G20 Health Ministers' meeting held at Gandhinagar.

The document added that the resolve was based on lessons learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic.