Marathi-origin US health official to visit India for boosting health partnership

Mumbai, March 18: Dr. Atul Gawande, Assistant Administrator for Global Health, US Agency for International Development (USAID) will start a 4-day visit to India from March 19 to move forward the US-India health partnership, officials said here on Monday.

Dr. Atul Gawande, 59, born to Marathi doctor parents who settled in the US, will have engagements with high-ranking government officials, healthcare professionals, academic, civil society and business leaders in New Delhi, plus Indore and Dewas in Madhya Pradesh.

As a prominent member of the current US President Joe Biden’s administration, he will underscore the US’ commitment to partnering with India to forge global solutions to health challenges.

The Indo-US development collaboration of more than 70 years has been transformational, strengthening both the US and India, besides making the world safer and more prosperous.

Today, the two top democracies – both going to polls this year - are partnering to advance and achieve shared global health and development priorities.

The world’s two top largest economies and hubs for technology and innovation, the US and India partner to test and pilot healthcare models and high-impact innovations to address complex health challenges that can be scaled and replicated, not just in India, but worldwide.

Dr. Gawande will reinforce the US’ commitment to collaborating with India to address some of the world's toughest development challenges.

These would include harnessing emerging technologies to advance global health goals, bolstering primary health systems to strengthen global health security, and working directly with communities to formulate the most equitable and effective responses.

A renowned surgeon, author, journalist and public health researcher, Dr. Gawande was named by the President-elect Joe Biden as a member of the COVID-19 Advisory Board on Nov. 9, 2020, and in July 2021 was appointed to his current position.