| G20 Pandemic Fund: Launched in November 2022 under Indonesia’s G20 Presidency. Hosted by the World Bank. It is the first multilateral mechanism dedicated to pandemic preparedness for low- and middle-income countries. It is a $2 billion fund from 24 sovereigns and three philanthropic contributors. It provides long-term financing to strengthen health systems globally. |
- The Centre has launched a $25 million G-20 pandemic fund project to enhance animal health in India, aiming to strengthen pandemic preparedness and response systems.
- It aims to improve “animal health security” by upgrading and expanding animal health laboratories and developing laboratory networks to curb zoonotic diseases.
- To enhance disease surveillance, including genomic and environmental monitoring, for early warning systems.
- The project is in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank, and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and is set to be completed by August 2026.
- India, with a low score (42.8) on the Global Health Security Index, is at high risk for emerging infectious diseases, with 60% of human pathogens originating from domestic animals or wildlife.
- Climate change exacerbates risks of zoonotic diseases, including those from mosquito-borne vectors.
| Global Health Security Index, 2021: The Global Health Security (GHS) Index is a comprehensive assessment of health security across 195 countries, evaluating their ability to prevent, detect, and respond to pandemics. Created by the Nuclear Threat Initiative, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, and Economist Impact, it aims to drive international accountability and enhance biosecurity policies. The 2021 Index covers six categories, 37 indicators, and 171 questions, using publicly available data to highlight gaps and strengths in health security. The Index has evolved with input from experts, incorporating lessons from COVID-19 to improve pandemic preparedness and guide investments in biosecurity worldwide. |
Dig Deeper: Read about prominent zoonotic diseases in India.
