Under India’s G20 Presidency, the Joint Health-Finance Ministers Meeting was held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on 19 August 2023, Saturday in hybrid mode. The meeting, co-chaired by Health and Finance Ministers, featured opening remarks by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Health Minister Shri Mansukh Mandaviya. WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus provided an update on global health and emerging post-pandemic scenarios. Earlier during the G20 Health Working Group and Ministerial meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had underlined that the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us that health must be at the center of our decisions.
He had said that “time has also made us understand the importance of international cooperation, whether it is medicine and vaccine distribution or the return of our people home.”G20 countries have agreed to strengthen the global health framework for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response through cooperation between finance and health ministries.
They aim to ensure global access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable vaccines, treatments, and medical interventions. They call for a flexible, equitable framework, with equal access for low- and middle-income countries and small island developing states. A consensus is reached to build a sustainable, inclusive health system.
