Under India’s historic presidency, the G20 Summit held in early September received well-deserved acclaim, both domestically and internationally. India is increasingly being considered a major global player – politically, economically, and industrially.
India’s thorough preparation was evident in the 200 pre-summit meetings held across 50 cities, addressing wide-ranging issues from climate change to education.
Notably absent, though, was a robust discussion on the state of global public health and how India could assume a leadership role, as it did during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
While leaders have turned their attention to health emergency preparations and exploring the use of digital technology, sadly, there is a lack of real focus on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and health issues stemming from an interplay of unhealthy behaviors, genetics, and environmental factors.