Mumbai: India on Tuesday called for further enhancing affordable access to medicines and facilitating easier movement of health professionals across national borders.
At the meeting of trade and investment ministers of G20 countries, Union minister of commerce Piyush Goyal called for united action to address international trade disruptions. Goyal stressed on the need to uphold our multilateral commitments and improve upon its effectiveness to meet current challenges.
“We are confident that with improved regulatory and R&D cooperation, India can further enhance its capabilities to serve the world in crisis like this. We must ensure that suitable instruments stay in place to address these inabilities and preserve the life, livelihood, food and nutritional security of the poorest.” he said.
The minister expressed solidarity with the world and expressed India’s support to all frontline health professionals, sanitation workers and all those involved in maintaining essential services to fight the pandemic.
He said developing countries and LDCs are particularly vulnerable as they may not have matching resources, infrastructure and technical capacities to face this unprecedented pandemic. Goyal said such unprecedented challenges necessitate innovative, collaborative and proactive response from the world.
“We need to think of a suitable framework under which critical pharma products, medical devices, diagnostic equipment and kits and healthcare professionals can be deployed at short notice across territories under a pre-agreed protocol,” he added.
The Trade and Investment Ministers of the G20 and guest countries have decided to keep their markets open and ensure smooth and continued operation of the logistics networks. The meeting held through videoconferencing described Covid-19 pandemic as a global challenge, requiring a coordinated global response.
The statement issued at the end of the meeting, called upon the international community to step up cooperation and coordination to protect human life and lay the foundations for a strong economic recovery and a sustainable, balanced, and inclusive growth after this crisis.
