India reaffirmed its commitment to global health security, highlighted the need for sustained investment, institutional capacity, and resilient health systems, and emphasized digital public infrastructure as a global public good.
On September 25th, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava represented India at the UN High-Level Meeting on ‘Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response’ in New York. In her address, she reiterated India's dedication to fortifying global health security through international cooperation.
Srivastava emphasized the need to translate the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic into sustained investment, institutional capacity, and resilient health systems. She underscored that these efforts should be rooted in national health systems, development plans, and domestic financing, with international assistance supplementing national responsibility.
Addressing digital public infrastructure, Srivastava stated that it played an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic in areas such as surveillance, vaccination, risk communication, supply chains, and continuity of health services. She called for its recognition as a global public good.
Srivastava also addressed solidarity and fair access to essential health products. During the COVID-19 pandemic, India supplied 300 million vaccine doses to around 100 countries and provided medical assistance to over 150 countries.
Referring to the WHO Pandemic Agreement adopted in May 2025, Srivastava described it as an important milestone. She stressed that its credibility would depend on a fair Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system. Srivastava stated that countries contributing pathogens and biological resources must receive timely access to vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, technologies, and other benefits while respecting national sovereignty.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
