India, Dominican Republic Keen To Enhance Cooperation In Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals

New Delhi: At a time when Dominican Republic Vice President Raquel Pena Rodriguez is on her first-ever India visit at the invitation of her Indian counterpart, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, both countries have shown interest in cooperation in the healthcare sector and pharmaceuticals. Expressing keen interest, the Indian side laid emphasis on opportunities for collaboration in the healthcare sector, including the generic drug supply. The joint press release of the meeting between Vice-President Dhankhar and the Vice President of the Dominican Republic, Rodrigues read,

Expressed their keen intent to enhance cooperation in the field of healthcare and pharmaceuticals. The Indian side noted the opportunities for collaboration in the healthcare sector, including the supply of generic drugs. The Dominican side expressed its readiness to support Indian pharmaceutical companies interested in expanding their presence in the region.

The ongoing cooperation in training and capacity building, and the agreement to develop courses under the ITEC program for Dominican professionals in cybersecurity, Big Data management, and information technology was also discussed during the meeting between the two leaders.

Also Read: Medical Board, Counselling For Sex Reassignment Surgery For Transgender Persons: NHRC’s Recommendation To Centre, States

According to the joint press release, India welcomed the training of a second batch of twenty-one diplomats of the Dominican Republic at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service in September 2023. The release read,

In the light of the fruitful existing relations between the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service and the Ministry of External Affairs of the Dominican Republic, they agreed to continue capacity building initiatives.

It added,

Agreed to promote synergies in the audio-visual sector, considering vibrant film industries in the two countries and untapped opportunities in each other’s markets.

Moreover, the talks between the two sides also focussed on issues of multilateralism, and on how to cooperatively address major global challenges and ensure higher levels of equity. The release said,

To this end, they emphasised the need for urgent and comprehensive reforms of the UN Security Council to reflect contemporary realities through an expansion of both categories of its membership. They called for expediting a text-based process in the Intergovernmental Negotiations with the aim of achieving concrete outcomes in a fixed time-frame, and in consultation with all member states in a transparent and inclusive manner and in keeping with relevant provisions of the UN Charter.

Also Read: Positive Changes Will Be Brought In Functioning Of Government-Run Hospitals In Four Months: Medical Education Minister

India and the Dominican Republic further emphasised the need for continued close coordination between the two countries in multilateral organisations on respective national candidatures and global issues of mutual interest.

Stating that the future of bilateral relations between New Delhi and the Dominican Republic is ‘bright’, Vice President of the Dominican Republic, Raquel Pena Rodriguez on Wednesday (October 4) extended support for India in its bid to become a permanent member of the reformed United Nations Security Council. She said further that the two countries can act as bridges and gateways for each other to boost people-to-people ties.

The minister made the remarks at a lecture on ‘The Dominican Republic and India Natural Partners’ at Sapru House in the national capital yesterday. At the event she said,

The Dominican Republic can be a window for India to Latin America and the Caribbean while India can be the door for the Dominican Republic to South Asia and beyond.

She added,

The Dominican Republic is ready to take the qualitative leap with India. The future of our bilateral relationship is bright.

Also Read: Union Health Secretary Presides Over National Urban Health Conclave To Strengthen Health Systems Resilience

The Dominican Vice President also referred to the opening of the Indian Embassy in the Dominican Republic in 2022, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s first visit to the country as Foreign Minister, and the frequency of high-level visits between the two countries. She said,

I once again thank the Government of India for its unwavering support and providing vaccines that enabled us to immunise frontline healthcare workers so that they continue doing their commendable work at critical times.

Earlier in the day, India signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in ocean sciences and medical product regulation with the Dominican Republic.

The MoUs were signed during a meeting between the Dominican Vice President and her Indian counterpart, Jagdeep Dhankhar, in the national capital.

Rodriguez arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on a three-day visit to India. She met President Droupadi Murmu and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday. Rodriguez also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

Also Read: Over Five Lakh Beneficiary Cards Made In Four Days Under Ayushman Bhav Campaign: Centre

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.