New Delhi, October 14, 2024 – Addressing the Annual India Leadership Summit 2024 organized by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary, emphasized India’s pivotal role in the global healthcare ecosystem, its deep collaboration with the U.S., and ambitious plans to boost global health security.

During her speech, the Health Secretary outlined India’s contributions across key sectors, including pharmaceutical manufacturing, vaccine production, and healthcare reforms, highlighting the synergy between India and the U.S. in disease surveillance, biomedical research, and pandemic preparedness.

India’s Impact on U.S. Healthcare: $1.3 Trillion Savings in a Decade

Smt. Srivastava noted India’s exceptional role as a pharmaceutical powerhouse, the third-largest producer and leading supplier of generic medicines globally. She highlighted the substantial savings that Indian pharmaceutical companies have provided to healthcare systems worldwide, particularly the U.S.

“The medicines from Indian companies provided $219 billion in savings to the U.S. healthcare system in 2022 and a total of $1.3 trillion between 2013 and 2022,” she stated.

India also holds the distinction of having the highest number of US FDA-approved pharmaceutical plants outside the U.S., accounting for 25% of the total number of FDA-approved plants outside American territory.

Vaccine Manufacturing: India as the ‘Pharmacy of the World’

The Union Health Secretary underscored India’s dominance in vaccine production, with 50% of the world’s vaccines manufactured in the country.

“In the past year alone, of the 8 billion vaccine doses manufactured and distributed globally, 4 billion were produced in India,” she noted.

These efforts reinforce India’s reputation as the “Pharmacy of the World” and bolster global vaccination drives through partnerships such as GAVI and the Quad programs.

Strengthening Healthcare Workforce and Reducing Healthcare Costs

Highlighting India’s progress in medical education, Smt. Srivastava mentioned the National Medical Commission Act as a key reform that has increased the number of medical and nursing colleges and expanded enrollment capacity, helping meet both national and international healthcare demands.

She also stressed the government’s focus on improving healthcare accessibility and affordability.

“Our efforts to expand healthcare services have significantly reduced out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) by 25 percentage points as a share of total health expenditure between 2013-14 and 2021-22,” she stated.

Indo-U.S. Partnership: Pandemic Preparedness and Cancer Research

The Health Secretary lauded the collaboration between India’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in disease surveillance and pandemic preparedness.

“India appreciates the NCDC and ICMR Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETP), organized with the U.S. CDC, which have trained over 200 Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officers, with 50 more currently undergoing training,” she shared.

The U.S.-India Cancer Moonshot Dialogue, launched in August 2023, was also highlighted as a major milestone in enhancing biomedical research, particularly in cervical cancer prevention. Institutions such as AIIMS and Tata Memorial Hospital are key partners in this initiative.

“The Quad Cancer Moonshot Initiative will contribute $7.5 million for cancer testing and diagnostics in the Indo-Pacific region, with India supporting cancer prevention efforts and delivering 40 million vaccine doses to countries in need,” she added.

Optimizing Supply Chains and Joint Strategic Frameworks

Smt. Srivastava discussed efforts to optimize biopharmaceutical supply chains under the newly launched Bio-5 alliance, focusing on reducing dependency on single-source suppliers and enhancing global supply chain resilience.

Way Forward: Global Health Security through Collaboration

Concluding her address, the Health Secretary emphasized the importance of research, technology transfer, public-private partnerships, and capacity building for strengthening global health security.

“Guided by the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – ‘The World is One Family’ – India believes that collective efforts and inclusive growth are essential for global well-being,” she stated.

She reiterated the importance of initiatives like the Indo-U.S. Health Dialogue, which have delivered tangible outcomes in areas such as antimicrobial resistance, disease surveillance, and pandemic preparedness.

“Looking ahead, India and the U.S. can further strengthen global health security by prioritizing research, technology transfer, and collaborative vaccine initiatives,” she concluded.

Also Read: AIIMS Bathinda Makes Breakthrough in Stem Cell Therapy Research for Heart Ailments

A Model Partnership in Global Healthcare

The Union Health Secretary’s address reflected the growing depth of Indo-U.S. health cooperation. Initiatives such as the Cancer Moonshot Dialogue and Bio-5 alliance are seen as key drivers of enhanced healthcare outcomes, not only for India and the U.S. but also for the broader Indo-Pacific region. The Summit showcased India’s commitment to driving global health progress through innovation, collaboration, and shared responsibility.

This event once again highlighted India’s emerging role as a global leader in healthcare, reinforcing its position at the forefront of vaccine manufacturing, pharmaceutical exports, and health system reforms. The strong Indo-U.S. partnership serves as a benchmark for other nations to build resilient healthcare ecosystems and collaborative frameworks for a healthier future.

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