Manipal; 20 January 2025: The Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar (IIPHG), in collaboration with Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) with support from the Policy Planning & Research division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of Gujarat and Gates Foundation hosted the prestigious two-day "Dialogue on Health Diplomacy", focusing on India’s leadership in addressing global health challenges in the Global South on January 17-18, 2025 at IIPH Gandhinagar. "Navigating Health System Challenges: India’s Health Diplomacy in the Global South" was the theme of the event.

During the event’s opening, Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel emphasised India’s commitment to global health security and solidarity, especially through initiatives like vaccine diplomacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. He lauded the platform as an opportunity to showcase India’s innovative solutions and strengthen collaboration with Global South nations.

Shri Rushikesh Patel, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Gujarat, further spotlighted Gujarat's achievements in healthcare infrastructure and medical tourism, positioning the state as a global leader in health innovation. He expressed optimism about fostering meaningful partnerships to address health inequities worldwide through such deliberations.

Dr B Unnikrishnan, Dean, Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Mangalore, served as one of the panellists in the discussion on the “Role of Academia in South-South Collaboration” and Dr Reshmi B, Associate Dean, Manipal College of Health Professions, MAHE Manipal served as a discussant in the panel discussion on “Utilizing the role of Digital Public Infrastructure for Health and International Relations”. The MAHE delegation, including Prof. Dr. Unnikrishnan B; Prof. Dr. Reshmi B; Dr. Rahul Sheshan Clare, Assistant Director, Prasanna School of Public Health (PSPH), MAHE-Manipal, Prof. Dr. Prakash Narayanan Vasudevan Potty, Professor, Department of Global Public Health Policy and Governance, PSPH, MAHE Manipal and Dr. Vijay Kumar Chattu, Adjunct Faculty, PSPH, MAHE Manipal served as co-hosts to the event.