Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava reaffirms India’s commitment to strengthening global pandemic preparedness and response at UN High-Level Meeting

At the UN High-Level Meeting on 'Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response' in New York, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava reaffirmed India's commitment to global health security and international cooperation. She highlighted India's domestic actions, including expanding laboratory networks, emergency coordination, and health workforce capacities, alongside digital public infrastructure. Recalling India's COVID-19 response—where it supplied 300 million vaccine doses to around 100 countries and medical assistance to over 150 countries—she emphasized the principles of equity, solidarity, and 'One Earth, One Health'. She stressed that the credibility of the WHO Pandemic Agreement depends on a fair Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system, ensuring countries contributing pathogens receive timely access to medical countermeasures.