India, US To Facilitate Joint Research, Information Sharing To Address Global Health Challenges

Recognising the pivotal role of the India-US partnership in combating the coronavirus pandemic and other contemporary global health challenges, the two countries have reaffirmed their commitment to facilitate joint research and information sharing to address barriers to pandemic-related vaccines and medical production to ensure that supply chains for vaccines are "more resilient, stable and predictable."

A joint statement issued at the conclusion of the India-US 2+2 ministerial here on Monday said that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and their American counterparts Lloyd Austin and Antony J Blinken welcomed joint India-US leadership under the COVID-19 Global Action Plan to get shots in arms, diversify and secure global supply chains, build capacity for health care workers and scientific cooperation.

The ministers recognised the pivotal role of the India-US partnership in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and other contemporary global health challenges.

They appreciated India-US collaboration in vaccine R&D and production, including the Janssen and Corbevax vaccines being manufactured by Biological E., and the Novovax vaccines by Serum Institute of India, and expressed appreciation that due to efforts to increase manufacturing, safe, effective, and affordable COVID vaccines are readily available to third countries, further strengthening global vaccination effort, the statement said.

The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to "facilitate joint research and information sharing, and work together to address barriers to pandemic-related vaccines and medical production so that global supply chains for vaccines are more resilient, stable, and predictable."

Recalling the recent India-US Health Dialogue, the ministers commended the ongoing collaboration on biomedical research, strengthening regulatory procedures and pandemic preparedness.

They welcomed the signing of an overarching Memorandum of Understanding between India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to work together to strengthen public health preparedness and response by expanding training on disease surveillance, improve response to and containment of outbreaks, strengthen laboratory networks and diagnostics, enhance pan-respiratory disease surveillance, develop sub-national emergency operation centres, and integrate a "One Health” approach into all public health initiatives.

They welcomed the renewal of joint commitment to undertake collaborative research on infectious diseases of global health significance and conclude a Memorandum of Understanding to continue joint support for an Indo-US International Centre for Excellence in Research between the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The ministers also welcomed the launch of ICMR-NIH Clinical Research Fellowship program, under which clinicians from both sides can come to conduct research in laboratories in India and the United States.

The ministers welcomed a new regulatory partnership in furtherance of shrimp safety between the Food and Drug Administration and Marine Product Export Development Authority (MPEDA), and reaffirmed plans to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding to undertake further research on diabetes between the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and ICMR.

The two sides looked forward to expansion of the USAID-supported COVID-19 Learning Exchange virtual platform, to include programmes for more population groups and allow cities and health officials to share best practices to improve routine immunization, strengthen urban health, and launch an interactive web-based platform to enhance knowledge management and operational reach, the statement said.