India’s G20 Presidency in 2023 presented an opportunity to place health and wellbeing at the centre of global conversations on sustainable development. In a post-pandemic world, stronger healthcare systems, greater health equity, technological innovation and international cooperation emerged as essential foundations for social and economic progress.
Against this backdrop, the Integrated Health & Wellbeing (IHW) Council convened a strategic roundtable on “Global Health Leadership Opportunities for India During G20.” The dialogue brought together public health experts and medical professionals to explore how India could use the G20 platform to share its healthcare experiences, strengthen cooperation and advance the goal of good health and healthcare for all.
Turning Pandemic Lessons into Global Health Opportunities
COVID-19 demonstrated how closely public health is connected with economic and social resilience. The roundtable emphasised that lessons from the pandemic should inform the development of stronger and more sustainable health systems.
Participants discussed the potential to share India’s health crisis-management experience and healthcare models with other countries, particularly across the Global South. The dialogue also considered India’s experience in areas such as primary healthcare, disease control, health technology and vaccination as part of broader international knowledge-sharing.
The discussion reflected the spirit of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, emphasising that health challenges increasingly require cooperation that extends beyond national boundaries.
Primary Healthcare as the Foundation
One of the central messages emerging from the expert panel was the importance of strong primary healthcare.
The report highlights primary healthcare as a cornerstone of healthy nations and calls for a holistic approach that combines prevention, promotion and treatment. Participants also pointed to India’s experiences in areas such as polio eradication and HIV control as examples of health programmes from which lessons could be drawn.
The discussion further emphasised social determinants of health, recognising that better health outcomes require attention to the broader conditions influencing people’s health and wellbeing.
Harnessing Digital Health and Technology
Technology was identified as an important enabler for expanding healthcare access.
Participants highlighted opportunities to strengthen digital health, improve data-driven monitoring and encourage collaboration around technology, strategy, governance and financing. At the same time, the roundtable stressed that the digital divide must be addressed so technological progress does not deepen existing inequalities.
The expert recommendations called for accessible digital public goods, transparent health-data sharing and continuous monitoring of health systems through data tracking. They also highlighted the importance of strengthening cybersecurity within health systems, particularly for vulnerable countries.
Advancing Health Equity Through Global Cooperation
The roundtable identified the Global South as an important part of the future global health conversation.
Participants discussed the potential for stronger cooperation to improve health equity, including for women, LGBTQ communities and indigenous populations. The dialogue also highlighted the importance of ensuring that advances in healthcare reach underserved communities rather than remaining concentrated among populations with greater resources.
This approach places inclusive, accessible and comprehensive healthcare systems at the centre of global health leadership.
Vaccine Equity and Stronger Health Security
The pandemic reinforced the importance of reliable access to vaccines, medicines and healthcare supplies.
Among the expert panel’s recommendations was the creation of vaccine hubs to support vaccine equity, alongside policy mechanisms governing the supply and distribution of raw materials required for vaccines and other medicines.
The report also calls for health systems capable of responding effectively to disasters and recommends expanding the conversation around immunisation to include life-cycle immunisation, including vaccination for elderly populations.
Climate Change Is Also a Health Challenge
Another important theme was the relationship between climate change and public health.
Participants argued that the climate crisis should also be recognised as a health crisis, with structured financing mechanisms for climate mitigation forming part of the broader global agenda. This perspective reinforces the need to consider environmental and social determinants alongside conventional healthcare delivery when building resilient health systems.
Moving from Health to Holistic Wellbeing
The roundtable went beyond disease treatment to emphasise a broader transition from health to wellness.
Experts discussed India’s traditional approaches to holistic wellbeing and their potential relevance to international conversations. Health communication was also identified as an important tool for behavioural change, including addressing stigma associated with certain health conditions and women’s health.
Faith-based leadership and community engagement were highlighted as potential ways to extend health awareness to the last mile.
Building Patient-Centric Health Systems
At the centre of the recommendations was a clear emphasis on patient-centric healthcare.
The expert panel called for stronger treatment standards, better data systems, collaboration with the private sector, improved digital access and health systems that integrate prevention, promotion and treatment.
The report ultimately presents global health leadership as a collaborative undertaking rather than the responsibility of any single institution or sector. Government, healthcare providers, technology leaders, civil society, communities and the private sector all have roles to play in creating sustainable health systems.
Towards Health and Wellbeing for All
India’s G20 Presidency offered a platform to amplify conversations around accessible healthcare, resilient health infrastructure, innovation and equity.
The IHW Council roundtable identified a broad agenda spanning primary healthcare, digital health, patient-centricity, vaccine equity, climate action, health data, cybersecurity, standardised treatment, social determinants of health and public-private collaboration.
The larger message is that global health progress depends not only on responding to disease but on building systems capable of preventing illness, promoting wellbeing and ensuring that quality healthcare reaches every section of society.
By encouraging knowledge sharing and collaboration across countries and sectors, the global community can move closer to the shared objective at the heart of the roundtable: good health and healthcare for all.
