Indo-US Health Dialogue 2021

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar addressed the inaugural session of the 4^th Indo-US Health Dialogue, being hosted by India,at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfaretoday.

The US delegation for the dialogue is led by Ms Loyce Pace, Director, Office of Global Affairs at U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Ms. Michelle McConnell, Director, Asia and Pacific, Office of Global Affairs at U.S. Dept. (HHS), Dr. Mitchell Wolfe, Ms Diana M. Bensylwere also present.

Shri Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary, Dr Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Dr Balram Bhargava, Director General, Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and Secretary, Health Research among other senior officials of the Ministry represented India at the event.

The two-dayDialogue will be leveraged as a platform to deliberate upon multiple ongoing collaborations in thehealth sector between the two countries. The issues planned for deliberations in this round also encompass areas of concern pertainingto strengthening of epidemiological research and surveillance, vaccinedevelopment, One Health, zoonotic and vector-borne diseases, health systemsand health policies etc.

The Minister put in foreground the mutual solidarity between both sides during the COVID-19pandemic, where both sides extended their relentless support. She commended the way in which India and the U.S. have enhanced collaboration inresearch and development, especially with respect to pharmaceuticals,therapeutics, and vaccine development, which could be seen in Indian vaccine companiescollaborating with US based agencies to develop COVID-19 vaccine.

The Minister recognizing the MoU signed in 2020 on Mental Health, acknowledgedenhanced cooperation and strengthened bilateral ties in the health sectorbetween both countries. Another MoU between the Ministryof Health and Family Welfare of the Republic of India and the Department ofHealth and Human Services of the United States of America, in the field of healthsector has been finalized, with major areas ofcooperation covering issues like HealthSafety and Security; Communicable Diseases & Non-Communicable Diseases;Health Systems; and Health Policy.

Dr. Pawar recapitulated the need to focus on these emerging areas to prevent and control infectious diseasesrelying onwell-designed and validated scientific approaches and collaboration between countries to aid in advance scientific discovery and management of global healththreats. She also recognized that the public and private sector should worktogether and combine its strengths in fighting the inequities of the healthsystems through innovations.

Marking the beginning of the two-day dialogue, she recognized that the platform will provide an opportunity to all the participantsfor detailed deliberations which may be used to broaden the scope of partnershipon health agenda with multiple agencies both in India and the U.S..

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HFW/MoS Indo-US Health/27^th September 2021/5

(Release ID: 1758507)
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