India, China to boost cooperation in healthcare

India and China will expand cooperation in healthcare sector and strive to improve healthcare services through increased bilateral exchanges. This was decided at a meeting of health ministers of the two countries on the sidelines of the executive committee meeting of the Partners in Population Development (PPD).

The 18th meeting of the executive committee of PPD, held on 23-24 June, also decided to take forward the agenda of population development and boost South-South cooperation. The executive committee also adopted a new governance charter and drafted a strategic business plan for 2-12-14.

PPD is an inter-governmental initiative for expanding and improving South-South collaboration in reproductive health, population and development.

India, which has been chairing the PPD over the last three years, was represented by health minister Gulam Nabi Azad while China, its deputy chair, was represented by China's minister for national population and head of the family planning commission Li Bin.

India and China, as the chair and vice chair of the PPD, have worked together to lay down the road map of reform.

"Their close cooperation has not only benefited PPD but has resulted in the deepening of bi-lateral cooperation in the field of health, which has the potential to transform the South-South platform, particularly toward improving accessibility and affordability of health care services," an official release said.