Union minister Anupriya Patel inaugurates QUAD Workshop on Pandemic Preparedness for Indo-Pacific Region

India, as a lighthouse country in digital health technologies, has been at the forefront of deliberations across various international forums, said Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Singh Patel during the inaugural address of the QUAD Workshop on Pandemic Preparedness for the Indo-Pacific Region on Monday.

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India is hosting the Quad Workshop on Pandemic Preparedness for the Indo-Pacific Region from March 17-19.

The workshop is a direct outcome of the 6^th Quad Leaders’ Summit held in September 2024, during which the Quad leaders committed to enhancing collaboration in health security and pandemic preparedness.

The purpose of the 3-day workshop, jointly organised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of External Affairs, is to strengthen global health emergency frameworks, enhancing preparedness and resilience to health threats, and ensure coordinated responses to evolving pandemics as well as the implementation of a One Health approach, addressing human, animal, and environmental health through a multisectoral lens.

Patel said, “The rise of emerging and re-emerging health threats in recent times underscores the critical necessity of strengthened preparedness, enhanced surveillance, and well-coordinated international response mechanisms to safeguard global health security.”

Highlighting India’s commitment to strengthening global pandemic preparedness and response efforts, Patel informed that India has contributed USD 10 million towards the establishment of the Pandemic Fund, which was specially conceptualised for fighting pandemics”.

“India has further pledged an additional USD 12 million to support its sustained functioning,” she added.

Patel stated that India has led digital health initiatives, leveraging technology to improve health access, outcomes, and create sustainable, data-driven systems.

“These efforts are central to building a health system capable of addressing both current as well as future health and climate challenges,” she added.

The Union Minister highlighted that India is harnessing digital technology in healthcare through initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and tools like the CoWIN platform, eSanjeevani, National Telemedicine Service, Tele-MANAS to manage mental health diseases, and the Ni-Kshay portal for tracking, monitoring, and management of Tuberculosis patients.

“Our robust digital disease surveillance system offers a valuable model for other countries seeking to strengthen their public health infrastructure”, she added.

Patel stated that India, as a lighthouse country in digital health technologies, has been at the forefront of deliberations across various international forums.

Prof Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Union government, highlighted the efforts being taken to integrate health services in India.

He emphasised the need to strengthen regional health networks and prepare for zoonotic diseases, especially for countries with a significant livestock sector.

Sood stressed the need to share technologies for better surveillance, disease modelling, and improving public health systems for better preparedness. He also highlighted the need for more engagement among students and the scientific community for fostering innovation.

Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary, stated that by leveraging India’s vast vaccine production capacity, the United States’ cutting-edge research, Japan’s technological expertise, and Australia’s strong regional engagement, the Quad has emerged as a force for health security in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.