Urgent Need for Major Reforms in WHO in Wake of Pandemic: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan

India believes there is an urgent need for carrying out “major reforms” in the World Health Organization to ensure a timely, focused and effective response to potential future pandemics, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Wednesday. Speaking at a meeting of the health ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation countries through video-conference, he said the global crisis arising out of COVID-19 pandemic is further compounded by ever-evolving new variants of the virus, and highlighted the need for greater collaboration between countries on various aspects of health to defeat it, a Health Ministry statement said here. The minister added, “India – like many other countries – believes that there is an urgent need for carrying out major reforms in the World Health Organisation so that we can ensure timely, focused and effective responses for potential future pandemics.” He expressed hope that the work of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee as well as the International Health Regulations Review Committees under the WHO Health Emergencies Program will be crucial in steering a direction to achieve the much-needed multilateral cooperation in the field of global health, the statement said. Vardhan stated, “India has started the ‘Institute for One Health of International Standard’ which may be leveraged to have a One Health International Hub in India which will address existing or potential risks which originate through the interface of animal-human systems.” He also informed the attendees how India has utilised digital technologies extensively for inventory management and a timely distribution of Covid vaccines.