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Thailand, India join forces to strengthen medicine and vaccine security

Thailand, India join forces to strengthen medicine and vaccine security

Provided by Nation.

Thailand and India join forces to establish a joint task force for supply chain preparedness to reduce impact of essential medicine and medical supply shortages during emergencies, as well as to collaborate with seven countries to enhance health security development.

Deputy Public Health Minister Dej-is Khaothong revealed on Thursday that during the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, he met with Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of India, to discuss enhanced public health cooperation between the two countries.



Dej-is said both sides proposed establishing a joint task force focused on supply chain preparedness to mitigate shortages of essential medicines and medical supplies during health emergencies.

He explained that the need for such cooperation became evident during the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused severe shortages of medicines, vaccines, and medical equipment, adversely impacting the health of people in both nations.

Additionally, Thailand and India plan to collaborate with seven other countries to enhance health security in the Southeast Asia region, he added.

During the Covid-19 outbreak in April 2022, Thailand received 200,000 doses of COVOVAX, a protein-subunit vaccine developed through a partnership involving the United States, India, Australia, and Japan and manufactured in India. Meanwhile, Thai private sectors expedited the production and shipment of liquid oxygen containers to assist Covid-19 patients in India.



The two countries also have academic collaboration in traditional medicine under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Thailand’s Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine and India’s Ayurvedic Institute on February 27, 2024. They are currently drafting another MoU with India’s National Medicinal Plants Board to enhance Thailand’s capability in managing and developing the herbal industry.

“This cooperation aims to strengthen herbal medicine security, conserve biodiversity, and sustainably increase the economic value of Thai herbs,” said Dej-is, adding that India’s Health Secretary also extended an invitation for Thailand’s Public Health Minister to visit India to further strengthen bilateral ties.

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AFP-JIJI PRESS NEWS JOURNAL


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