The Joint Health-Finance Ministers Meeting was held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on August 19, 2023, under India’s G20 Presidency. The meeting was co-chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Health Minister Shri Mansukh Mandaviya. Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, 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 agreed to strengthen the global health framework for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response through cooperation between finance and health ministries. Executive Head Priya Basu shared Pandemic Fund activities. G20 countries aim to ensure global access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable vaccines, treatments, and medical interventions. They call for a flexible, equitable framework to tackle global health challenges and emergencies, 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.