Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and United Kingdom’s Minister of State for South East Asia Affairs Lord Tariq Ahmed discussed bilateral relations in the health sector of the two countries through video conferencing. The two Ministers discussed in detail the current status of the COVID-19 vaccine, its efforts to reach the public and the efforts being made by both countries to stop the pandemic.

Shri Choubey said that COVID-19 has given humanity an opportunity to come together and fight this pandemic with full force and resolve. “For centuries India had advocated the spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, The World as One family.” Explaining how this cultural attitude will play an important role for humanity in the future, he stressed upon the need to “fight this epidemic as a family in this difficult time.”

Recollecting the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in Geneva between the two countries in 2013 for continued cooperation in health, he said “India-UK bilateral relations in the health sector are deep and strong. Cooperation between the two countries has strengthened over time.”

Highlighting the need to include the theme of "Ayushman Bharat" in the agenda of the next joint working group meeting to enhance cooperation between the two countries, the Union Minister of State for Health suggested to further cooperation in the fields of e-health, drug regulations, regulatory cooperation, pharma exports, collaborative research, capacity building, etc., to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

UK's Minister of State for South East Asia, Lord Tariq Ahmed took this occasion to discuss the work being done by India and United Kingdom on the COVID-19 vaccine. He thanked Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for India's critical help in the form of medicines during this transition period.

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MV

HFW/MoS meet UK MoS/5thOctober2020/4