The second G20 Health Working Group meeting commenced on 17th April 2023 in Goa. Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, delivered the keynote address, emphasising the need for developing consensus on responding to future health emergency management, network of R&D and manufacturing of vaccines and therapeutics, besides the global medical countermeasure coordination platform.

Highlighting India’s progress in promoting Health and Wellness tourism, Shripad Naik, Union Minister of State for Tourism and Ports & Shipping and Waterways, noted that the country witnessed more than 1.4 million medical tourists in the past one year, making it one of the top destinations for medical tourism.

Further, Union Health Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan, stated that India welcomes the first call for proposal by Pandemic Fund focused on surveillance, lab systems and strengthening public health workforce. He further emphasised the need for G20 member states to work for interweaving the multiple health initiatives under various multilateral forums like G7, World Bank, Pandemic Fund etc in order to create an agile and fit-for-purpose global health architecture.

The Pandemic Fund opened its first Call for Proposals on March 3, 2023 and is inviting interested Eligible Countries, Regional Entities and Implementing Entities to develop full proposals for potential projects to be supported by this initial funding. The Pandemic Fund Governing Board has approved an envelope of $300 million in financing for its first round of funding to help developing countries better prepare for and respond to future pandemics.