On the second day of the third health working group meeting of G20 in Hyderabad on Monday, discussions centred on digital health, one of the three priorities proposed by India, and the draft outcome document. While there was a consensus on the need of digital technologies for delivering universal health, the delegates did not agree on ways to finance the implementation. The G20 will focus on finalising the ministerial declaration ahead of the fourth working group and ministerial meeting scheduled for August. Fifteen countries had sent in written comments on the zero draft of the ministerial document that had been circulated prior to the working group meetings. Speaking on the digital health push by India, Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, said, “Clearly, there is an agreement in the house that digital technologies are our future, they are a critical part of the health system response in more than one way — access to healthcare, public health planning, drug development, research, pandemic prediction, telemedicine, etc. The discussion is on how we bring it together…how it will help the larger cause… and how to govern and finance it.” India has proposed setting up a repository of the digital platforms at the WHO, with the aim of matching the existing technologies with the needs of the countries. India had also proposed a USD 200 million fund to help countries implement such digital platforms. However, the fund has been a point of contention. “At the moment there is no consensus on creating the USD 200 million fund. Some are saying that the fund should be created, Europe says they do not have the funds for it seeing the condition of their economy,” said an official in the know of the matter, adding that it was now India's job to build a consensus.
