Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar chaired the virtually-held sixth session of the Health Ministers meeting of the Shanghai Corporation Organization (SCO) member states, here today. Union Minister of Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal delivered the keynote address. The meeting was also attended by high-level stakeholders and partners including Health Ministers of all SCO member states, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization (WHO), and Mr. Jhang Ming, SCO Secretary-General.
India organized various consultation and negotiation meetings under the SCO Presidency including a health expert working group meeting and four side events throughout the year. Highlighting the efforts of all SCO member states, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar in her welcome address noted that the discussions will help take the world a step closer in the direction of achieving Universal Health Coverage. She welcomed all delegates and noted that the meeting embodies the Indian philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ i.e., ‘whole world is one family’.
Dr Bharati Pawar stated that collective efforts by the SCO towards creating long-lasting positive impact for the betterment of mankind will guarantee health security for citizens, elevate global health as a top priority for economic development, and foster a united front to overcome challenges.
Highlighting the unprecedented challenges to global healthcare landscape due to COVID-19, Dr Pawar underlined the need for a unified approach and global collaborations to mitigate its impact. “The fact that we are here today, united and committed to each other, despite the challenging times, is a testament to our dedication and resilience”, she stated. She further noted that “establishing strong surveillance systems for early detection of health emergencies and promoting collaborative research and development, as well as medical countermeasure production among SCO nations, are vital steps towards achieving these goals”.
Underscoring the role of technology in improving last mile delivery of healthcare services, the Union Minister said that “Digital Health interventions can bridge the existing gap among different stakeholders of healthcare ecosystem. Sharing of digital public goods within SCO nations will help in achieving the goal of Universal Health Coverage through usage of technological advancements in the field of healthcare delivery”.
On the need for addressing the burden of non-communicable diseases, Dr Pawar highlighted the “need for collaboration on holistic management of non-communicable diseases through lifestyle modification, behavior change, and integration of NCD services at all levels of healthcare among the SCO member states as a preventive, promotive and curative approach to deal with NCDs”.
Dr Pawar also urged the SCO member states to recognize the potential of medical value travel in promoting and exploring the ways to collaborate and exchange best practices within the region. She also informed the gathering that the establishment of the World Health Organization’s Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) in India aims to facilitate joint efforts between SCO member nations in leveraging both modern and traditional medicine systems.
