With a cohort of G20 meetings scheduled to take place from the 17th till the 19th of April at Panaji, the state of Goa has been witnessing civic works being undertaken by the PWD under a war footing, especially in the urban areas around the meeting venue.
But besides all the pomp and paraphernalia surrounding the idea of hosting international delegates in our coastal state, the real meaning and purpose of the meetings seems to be lost amidst all the painting, asphalting, and landscaping being done.
Therefore, it would be in the interest of every fellow Goan to assimilate an informed opinion about the nature of the G20 meetings which Goa is all set to host next week.
Background:
According to the ‘G20 “ Background Brief’ which is available on the G20 website:
“The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, United Kingdom, and United States) and the European Union.”
“The G20 members represent around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population. G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation and it plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues.”
Theme:
This would explain the theme of the 2023 G20 Summit:
“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, which translates to “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” is the theme of India’s G20 presidency. Being inspired from the Maha Upanishad, is an old Sanskrit scripture.
Workstreams:
The structure of the G20 Summit has been categorised into 3 workstreams, namely:
- Sherpa Track
- Finance Track
- Engagement Groups
The meetings that have been scheduled to be held in Goa come under the Sherpa Track.
Background of Sherpa Track:
Through the Sherpa Track, the following 13 Working Groups and 4 Initiatives will meet under India’s Presidency to discuss priorities and provide recommendations.
It is headed by Sherpa who is the representative of the Leader.
Focus areas of Sherpa Group:
Socio-economic issues such as agriculture, anti-corruption, climate, digital economy, education, employment, energy, environment, health, tourism, trade and investment.
The Working Groups under this track includes the Health Working Group at number 11 out of the 13 working groups.
Health Working Group:
The Health Working Group Health Working Group (HWG) was established under the German Presidency in 2017 to enhance dialogue and inform the G20 Leaders on important global health issues. The group works towards creating sustainable well-being societies committed to achieving equitable health for the present and future generations. Issues concerning preparedness of health systems for health emergencies, One Health approach, Digital Health, Universal Health Coverage, Compliance with International Health Regulations, Sustainable Financing, etc. are discussed.
Health Working Group meetings:
The Health Track of the G20 India Presidency will comprise four Health Working Group (HWG) Meetings and one Health Ministerial Meeting (HMM). The meetings will be held in different locations across the country including Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Goa, Hyderabad (Telangana) and Gandhinagar (Gujarat), highlighting the Prime Minister’s call to action to showcase India’s rich and diverse cultures.
The 1st Health Working Group meeting under G20 India Presidency was held between 18th to 20th January, 2023 at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
As chair of the G20 Presidency, it has been India’s aim to continue and consolidate health priorities and key takeaways from previous presidencies while highlighting critical areas that require strengthening.
India also aims to achieve convergence in discussions across various multilateral fora engaged in health cooperation and work towards integrated action.
India’s 3 priorities for health track:
Priority I: Health Emergencies Prevention, Preparedness and Response (with focus on One Health and AMR)
Priority II: Strengthening Cooperation in Pharmaceutical Sector with focus on Access and Availability to safe, effective, quality and Affordable Medical Countermeasures (Vaccines, Therapeutics and Diagnostics)
Priority III: Digital Health Innovations and Solutions to Aid Universal Health Coverage and Improve Healthcare Service Delivery
Thematic discussions related to the above priorities are scheduled to be held across the HWG meetings.
Local Initiatives:
Interestingly, in the run up to the 2nd G20 Health Working Group Meeting, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in partnership with the Directorate of Health Services, Government of Goa, organized an exclusive tour of Primary Health Care Centres (PHC) performing exceptionally in the State.
The tour which was supported by UNICEF and attended by a delegation comprising representatives from both national and local media provided an opportunity to showcase India’s achievements in healthcare, particularly in the areas of digital health innovation and solutions thus demonstrating that the state is optimally positioned to host the discussions on the identified priorities in the Health track.
HWG Priorities:
India’s G20 Presidency has identified three priorities in the Health track, namely:
- Health emergencies prevention and preparedness
- Strengthening cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector
- Digital health innovation and solutions
Demonstrations during the tour:
During the tour, the successful implementation of the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Program (PMNDP) was prominently showcased.
The PMDNP portal integrates all the dialysis centers operational in the state under NHM and facilitates building of a renal registry and ensuring portability within the state (one state one dialysis) and later throughout the country (One Nation-One Dialysis).
Under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and the Deen Dayal Swastha Seva Yojana, free of cost dialysis is provided to patients in the state.
The state currently has over 100 dialysis machines across various PHCs, ensuring safe and affordable care.
On a prospective note, the State government can draw inspiration from India’s innovations in enhancing healthcare outreach to the population while the present ruling government haggles with road repair works and urban beautification projects which have rightfully bestowed upon it the title of an “Event Management” Government.
