India-US health dialogue held
By IANSSaturday, June 26, 2010
NEW DELHI - Indian Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad held talks with his US counterpart Kathleen Sebelius in Washington to enhance cooperation in the field of health between the two countries, an official release said Saturday.
In their second round of talks Friday, Azad raised various issues including the need to explore the possibility of a tie up between US medical schools and the six All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-like institutes coming up in India, said the health ministry statement.
The need for an oversight mechanism to review all collaborative partnerships between the two countries, a strong US position in support of the ‘One World OneHealth’ concept and the need to upgrade nursing and paramedical education in India to international standards were the other issues raised.
“The American side suggested the setting up of four working groups that will serve to engage all relevant parts of each government to advance cooperation and to establish common goals,” said the statement.
Welcoming the proposal, Azad suggested that mental health be included in the working group on non-communicable diseases and issues of nursing and paramedical education, quality assurance and health informatics also needed to be included in the mandate of these working groups.
