India’s G20 presidency exciting moment in history: WHO official

New Delhi, January 20

A World Health Organization (WHO) official, who attended the first health working group meeting that concluded in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, said India’s G20 presidency was an exciting moment in history.

Leading light

India’s digital transformation in the health and finance sectors is important. The world is coming to India to learn. Ayoade Alakija, Special envoy, Act-acceletaror, WHO

Ayoade Alakija, Special Envoy, ACT-Acceletaror, WHO, a forum tasked for speeding up Covid response, said, “India’s G20 presidency is an exciting moment in history because India is going to decide the global health architecture for the next many decades to come.”

Noting that India’s digital transformation in the health and finance sectors was important, she said the world was coming to India to learn.

Meanwhile, speaking at the closing of the health track’s three-day meeting, VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog, said, “Medical value travel (MVT) plays a crucial role in eliminating healthcare disparities across the globe. Through the 1st Health Working Group meeting, G20 India presidency aims to provide an impetus to create pathways to bridge this gap.”

He said, “The MVT could be focused on maintaining, improving or restoring health through medical intervention.”

Paul added “there is a great opportunity for utilising traditional medical practices like Ayurveda in the medical value travel sector which is witnessing a combined annual growth rate of over 23 per cent”.

He also elaborated on the need to build a resilient and sustainable MVT framework saying, “the MVT could be focused on maintaining, improving or restoring health through medical intervention instead of the common parlance of visiting another country to seek medication.”