Need to focus on creating effective health systems for improved pandemic preparedness: Harsh Vardhan

 Flattening COVID-19 curve globally will require international, multi-sectoral collaborative efforts so that health systems have sufficient capacities to address flux of complicated cases, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday, laying stress on need for creating effective health systems for improved pandemic preparedness.

se remarks were made by Vardhan at Joint G20 Finance and Health Ministers Meeting through video conference on Thursday, health ministry said in a statement.

minister extolled virtues of investing in public health, an approach already underway in India.Addressing meet, Vardhan said current pandemic and global crisis arising out of that highlights, more than ever, need for national and global solidarity.

"Flattening curve globally will require international, multi-sectoral collaborative efforts to ensure that health systems across world are able to maintain sufficient capacity to address flux of complicated COVID-19 cases and protect vulnerable and elderly in world population," he said.

We need to focus on creating effective health systems for improved pandemic preparedness,Vardhan said, underlining while all or action plans are a response to a pandemic, a well-developed healthcare system can support even in containing pandemic. re is a need to ensure that access to COVID-19 diagstics, rapeutics and vaccines is fair and equitable, he said and stressed that "access to protection should t be a factor of ability to pay". India with a history of frugal and quality manufacturing will continue to play its role through "Make-In-India and Make-for World endeavour" and will support fully development of research and digital capabilities for managing delivery.

"We all need to capitalize on existing programs such as Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A), and ensure equitable global access to diagstics, rapeutics and vaccines, while strengning health systems," Vardhan said.

Inspired by experiences of previous outbreaks such as SARS in 2003 and Ebola in 2014–2015, global solidarity is a must in order to prevent furr morbidity and mortality. Examples in leadership and collaborations should be celebrated as examples to follow.Open communication and transparency will be crucial in monitoring evolution of disease in global effort of flattening curve, he emphasised.

India is committed to universal healthcare cover and in se stressful times, India stands toger with world to realise shared mission to save lives and protect people's health, and to re-energise global ecomy at earliest.

"This is also a time for decisive public health leadership and for preparing for future waves and post-COVID-19 era," Vardhan said.

Public health leaders must look beyond borders. Only by learning from global experience in our battle against a virus that respects borders, can we hour lives already lost and implement life-saving measures for current and future patients,he said. 

(Im Credits:PTI)