G20 India Health Track under G20 India Presidency

G20 India Health Track UPSC Relevance

G20 India Health Track is important aspect of G20 India Presidency 2023. The G20 India Health Track provides an opportunity for India to promote its sustainable traditional medical tourism.

G20 India Health Track is also important for UPSC Prelims 2023 and UPSC Mains Exam (GS Paper 2- International Relations).

G20 India Health Track in News

• Recently, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare inaugurated the session on Medical Value Travel on sidelines of the 1^stHealth Working Group meeting under G20 India Presidency.
• The Health Track of the G20 India Presidency would comprise four Health Working Group (HWG) Meetings and one Health Ministerial Meeting (HMM).

G20 Health Working Group (HWG) Meeting

• Indian Minister said that the philosophy of “Aarogyam Param Bhagyam, Swasthyam Sarwaarth Sadhanam”, which translates as “Good Health is the Greatest Fortune” and “Health is the only way to Happiness in the World”.
• Under G20 India Presidency, India plan to strive for equitable access to healthcare for all and to help create a framework which can reduce disparities in healthcare availability across the world.
• India envisions to accelerate efforts towards increasing the pace of implementation of value-based healthcare and achieving the goal of Universal Health Coverage across the world.

G20 India Health Track

• About: Under G20 India Health Track, India aims to achieve convergence in discussions across various multilateral fora engaged in health cooperation and work towards integrated action.
• Priorities under G20 India Health Track: To this end, India has identified, the following three priorities for the G20 Health Track:
  • Priority I: Health Emergencies Prevention, Preparedness and Response (with focus on One Health & AMR)
  • Priority II: Strengthening Cooperation in Pharmaceutical Sector with focus on Access and Availability to safe, effective, quality and Affordable Medical Countermeasures (Vaccines, Therapeutics and Diagnostics)
  • Priority III: Digital Health Innovations and Solutions to Aid Universal Health Coverage and Improve Healthcare Service Delivery.
• Discussions: Thematic discussions related to the above priorities will be held across the Health Working Group (HWG) Meetings.
  • The meeting will be attended by representatives of G20 member countries, special invitee countries and relevant international organizations.

Importance of Traditional Medical Value Travel

• For centuries, traditional Indian medicine has played a vital role in promoting health in communities worldwide, and it continues to be a first port of call and crucial resource for individuals.
• Traditional medicine is gaining worldwide recognition as effective tools for pain management and hold a lot of promise against antibiotic resistance too.
  • Over 170 of 194 WHO Member States have also reported the use of traditional medicine.

Opportunities for India under G20 India Health Track

• India has been able to combine the best of modern and traditional medicine coupled with wellness treatments.
  • Also, India health system offers quality treatment, having widespread availability and is one of the most affordable in the world.
• Medical Value Travel across most of the countries is driven by private sector.
  • While it facilitates provisioning of health services to needy patients cutting across geographical boundaries, the policy imperative to promote Medical Value Travel needs to gain momentum.
• With G20 India Presidency, India have the opportunity to create multilateral collaborations between countries, facilitated by knowledge sharing, leading to formulation of effective policies aiding accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare to citizens across the world.
• G20 nations will forge a unique blueprint for the future of medical value travel through effective collaborations.

G20 India Presidency

• G20 India Presidency: India assumed, for the first time, the Group of 20 (G20) year-long presidency from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.
  • India’s G20 Presidency will culminate with the G20 Summit in India in 2023 (G20 2023 Summit).

• G20 Presidency 2023: India inherited the G20 Presidency for the year 2023 from Indonesia which was the previous G20 Chair.
• Significance: The G20 Presidency offers a unique opportunity to India to contribute to the global agenda on pressing issues of international importance.
  • During its G20 presidency, India will hold about 200 meetings in 32 different sectors in multiple locations across the country.
• G20 India theme: India’s G20 Presidency Theme is “Vasudhaiva Kutumba-kam” or “One Earth One Family One Future”.
• G20 India Logo: The symbol of the lotus in the G20 logo is a representation of hope in this time. No matter how adverse the circumstances, the lotus still blooms.
  • Shared prosperity that reaches the last person at the last mile. This is why, in the G20 logo, the Earth is placed on a lotus too.

G20 India Health Track FAQs

1. What is G20 India Health Track?

Ans. G20 India health track is an important part of G20 summit 2023 where deliberations regarding ensuring health for all among relevant stakeholders will take place.

2. What comprises of G20 India Health Track?

Ans. The Health Track of the G20 India Presidency would comprise four Health Working Group (HWG) Meetings and one Health Ministerial Meeting (HMM).

3. What is G20 Theme under India’s G20 Presidency?

Ans. India’s G20 Presidency Theme is “Vasudhaiva Kutumba-kam” or “One Earth One Family One Future”.

First G20 Infrastructure Working Group (IWG) meeting under G20 India Presidency