G20 New Delhi Declaration calls for strenthening global health, implementing one health approach

New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS) The G20 New Delhi Leaders' Declaration has called for strengthening global health and implementing one health approach besides strong international counter-narcotics cooperation.

In the declaration, the G20 leaders said, "We remain committed to strengthening the global health architecture, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) at its core, and building more resilient, equitable, sustainable, and inclusive health systems to achieve Universal Health Coverage, implement one health approach, enhance pandemic preparedness and strengthen existing infectious diseases surveillance systems."

 "We will focus on strengthening primary healthcare and health workforce and improving essential health services and health systems to better than pre-pandemic levels, ideally within the next 2-3 years, as well as continue progress towards polio eradication and ending ongoing epidemics including AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis and water-borne and other communicable diseases, also recognising the importance of research on long COVID," read the declaration.

Promote the One Health-based approach driven by the Quadripartite's One Health Joint Plan of Action (2022-2026), it said.

"Enhance the resilience of health systems and support development of climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems in collaboration with MDBs, and support the work of the WHO-led Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH)," the declaration said.

The G20 leaders also reaffirmed to recognise the potential role of evidence-based Traditional and Complementary Medicine in health, and take note of international efforts in this direction, including WHO's global and collaborating centres, and clinical trial registries.

Among others, support the WHO-led inclusive consultative process for the development of an interim medical countermeasures coordination mechanism. 

In addition to that, to promote and improve access to mental health services and psychosocial support in an inclusive manner.

While highlighting the public health dimension of the world drug problem, they called for strong international counter-narcotics cooperation, free of unnecessary restrictions.

The G20 leaders also reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the global health architecture for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) through enhanced collaboration between Finance and Health Ministries under the Joint Finance and Health Task Force (JFHTF). 

The New Delhi Leaders' Summit Declaration was adopted on Saturday after consensus was reached among member states during the G20 Summit.