India and UK Extend 5-Year Partnership to Bolster Health Sectors.
National
On January 23, 2025, India and the United Kingdom (UK) renewed their health and life sciences partnership by signing a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi. This partnership aims to strengthen collaboration and promote knowledge sharing in areas of mutual interest within health and life sciences.
- The renewed partnership primarily focuses on a shared vision for Universal Health Coverage and addresses global health challenges such as Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), digital health innovations, and advancements in pharmaceuticals.
- The ceremony was attended by Union Minister Jagat Prakash (JP) Nadda, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW); Wes Streeting, UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care; and Lindy Cameron, Acting High Commissioner of the UK to India.
Main Point :- (i) The partnership focuses on strengthening health systems through digital health interventions like telemedicine, public health, disease surveillance, and cybersecurity. It addresses the challenges in these areas and outlines strategies to enhance resilience in the health infrastructure.
(ii) Efforts will be made to improve the resilience of medical supply chains, ensuring preparedness for future disruptions. The MoU also covers regulatory issues such as the regulation, quality assurance of medicines and medical devices, and the establishment of shared quality standards.
(iii) A key focus will be on enhancing human resources for health, emphasizing education, training, and exchange in medical fields like family medicine and nursing. Additionally, the partnership aims to strengthen health security by cooperating on research concerning infectious diseases, emerging infections, and pandemic preparedness, including integrated surveillance across humans, animals, and plants.
About the United Kingdom (UK)
Prime Minister (PM) : Keir Starmer
Capital : London
____________________________
