In an interview with Vasudha Venugopal of economic times Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation said that public education and better surveillance are key in managing multiple COVID-19 variants.
Today the world isn’t looking for ways to completely eradicate Covid-19 but is looking for responsible ways of dealing with the pandemic through vaccinations.
He was also quoted saying that it’s impressive how India has managed the crisis because over 1.9B Vaccine doses were administered in India with vaccines made in the country, a number that can be compared with the best.
He was also impressed with how India tracked the number of vaccines administered through their Cowin app which further paves the way for future innovations.
Covid-19 is a global challenge that requires a global response. Whatever tools, technologies, and solutions are placed by India will require global support in helping them track the numerous Covid-19 variants.
Undoubtedly, Covid has caused a significant impact in the lives of people globally and requires a global solution. When the Gates Foundation started its work in India, its initial concentration was on HIV; however, it has subsequently expanded to a variety of other sectors, namely reducing child and maternal mortality, while closely collaborating with national and state governments, particularly in UP and Bihar. One of the main goals will be to continue working in this area to reduce mortality among children under the age of five. In this area, India has made great progress. While speaking at AIIMS on Dr. Raj Bhan’s leadership in the development of the rotavirus vaccine. The Gates Foundation had invested 65 million dollars in the development of this cost-effective vaccine in collaboration with Indian authorities.
The vaccination has saved many lives in India and around the world. Institute, Bharat Biotech, and other commercial and public sector Indian industries. In fact, even before regulatory approval, the gates foundation supplied some bridging loans and money to SII when they created their first vaccine using AstraZeneca vaccine transfer. Apart from sanitation and agriculture development, we are collaborating with the UP government to boost primary healthcare. My visit is also intended to track any programs that did not come to a halt during Covid.
What are your thoughts on India’s Unified Health Interface (UHI) open network, which is designed to enable the delivery of digital health services such as teleconsultations?
One of my meetings this time took place at the Ministry of External Affairs, which is something I don’t do very often. It aimed to discuss the wider reforms that can be implemented through digital identity and Aadhaar, payment systems, and UPI, in addition to India’s vaccine manufacturing and distribution model and health tools. While these are assisting Indians in need, we believe they have the potential to become global public goods. We also want to explore whether we can collaborate with Indian partners and share best practices with other nations, particularly in Africa, where we have a lot of experience.
