"Digital innovations in healthcare must be for public good: PM Modi":

Digital innovations in healthcare have the potential to transform the lives of millions of people around the world, especially in developing...

Digital innovations in healthcare have the potential to transform the lives of millions of people around the world, especially in developing countries where access to quality health services is often limited or unavailable. However, these innovations also pose challenges and risks, such as data privacy, ethical dilemmas, and digital divide. Therefore, it is imperative that digital innovations in healthcare are guided by the principles of public good, equity, and inclusiveness.

This was the message that Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed to the G-20 Health Ministers in his virtual address on Friday. He urged the G-20 nations to facilitate the equitable availability of technology and open up their innovations for public good. He also highlighted the importance of public participation, resilience, and holistic health for the success of health initiatives.

PM Modi cited India's experience in leveraging digital solutions and innovations to enhance its health system and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. He mentioned India's national platform, e-Sanjeevani, which has facilitated 140 million telehealth consultations to date. He also noted that India's COWIN platform has successfully managed the delivery of more than 2.4 billion vaccine doses, and provided real-time availability of globally verifiable vaccination certificates.

He further stated that India is following a holistic and inclusive approach to health, which involves expanding health infrastructure, promoting traditional systems of medicine, providing affordable healthcare to all, and ensuring environmental sustainability. He said that India believes that holistic health and wellness can help enhance everyone's resilience, and announced the establishment of the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

PM Modi also called for global cooperation and preparedness to prevent, prepare, and respond to the next health emergency. He warned that anti-microbial resistance is a grave risk to global public health and all pharmaceutical advancements so far. He said that India is well on its way to achieve tuberculosis elimination ahead of the global target of 2030.

The G-20 Health Ministers' Meeting was held in Gujarat's Gandhinagar from August 18 to 19. The meeting focused on various aspects of global health governance, such as pandemic preparedness and response, strengthening health systems, antimicrobial resistance, digital health, and traditional medicine. The meeting was attended by health ministers and representatives from G-20 member countries, guest countries, and international organizations.

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(1) Public participation is key factor in success of health initiatives: PM .... https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/policy/public-participation-is-key-factor-in-success-of-health-initiatives-pm-modi-at-g20-health-ministers-meeting/102846215.

(2) Open innovations for public good, PM tells G-20 Health Ministers. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/open-innovations-for-public-good-pm-tells-g-20-health-ministers/article67209733.ece.

(3) PM Modi urges G20 nations to open innovations for public good; says we must be ready to prevent next health emergency. https://www.deccanherald.com/india/pm-modi-urges-g20-nations-to-open-innovations-for-public-good-says-we-must-be-ready-to-prevent-next-health-emergency-2652365.