India stresses resilient health systems, pandemic preparedness at UN
India's Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava addressed the UN on pandemic preparedness, advocating for resilient health systems and digital public infrastructure. She highlighted India's role in global health solidarity through vaccine distribution.
Why it matters
This reflects India's growing influence in global health diplomacy and its push for international cooperation in post-pandemic health security.
Representing India at the United Nations high-level meeting on 'Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response' in New York, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava reaffirmed the nation's commitment to strengthening global health security through international cooperation.
She stressed the need to translate lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic into sustained investment, institutional capacity and resilient health systems.
Addressing the meeting at the United Nations Headquarters on Friday, September 25, 2026, Ms. Srivastava outlined India's coordinated approach to pandemic prevention and response across government and society, which covers a wide range of potential health emergencies.
She spoke of the country's efforts to expand laboratory networks, emergency coordination, health workforce, stockpiles and clinical care capacity to ensure systems are equipped to respond effectively to health emergencies.
She noted that these efforts must be rooted in national health systems, development plans and domestic financing, with international assistance complementing national responsibility.
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