Azad Meets Sebelius at Geneva

Geneva, May 22: Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare met Kathleen Sebelius, US Health Secretary at Geneva yesterday to discuss matters relating to bilateral cooperation covered under the Indo-US Health Initiative launched in 2010. Both the leaders expressed great satisfaction at the unfolding of collaboration and cooperation in different segments of healthcare.

Azad noted with appreciation that 35 meetings of the Working Groups and Task Groups under Indo-US Health Initiative have taken place in the past few years to carry forward the dialogue on healthcare cooperation. Various areas like Non-Communicable Diseases, Maternal & Child Health, Infectious Diseases etc. are covered under this dialogue and steady progress is being recorded in each of the area. He also expressed great satisfaction on the progress of collaboration between Centre for Disease Control, USA and National Centre for Disease Control, India that has led to setting up of Global Disease Detection Centre (GDDC). He mentioned that massive up-gradation of infrastructure is being carried out at NCDC, New Delhi with the aim of making it a world class institution.

Commenting on the recent signing of MOU between Harvard School of Public Health and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Shri Azad said, “the signing of this MOU between Harvard School of Public Health and my Ministry reflects upon the commitment of both the Governments to carry forward the bilateral cooperation and we intend to give further impetus to our ties in this area”.

While appreciating the cooperation of USA in the field of Nursing, Azad sought to engage with USA in the area of Cancer and Food & Drug Administration for the well being of mankind.

The issue of Clinical trials also came up for discussion and both the sides decided to mutually resolve the matter in conformance with international protocols while keeping the principles of transparency and accountability in mind.