Indo-U.S. Health Diplomacy under Trump: An Outlook

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With Donald Trump back in the White House as president later this month, speculations are rife about the possible India-U.S. strategic partnership entering new areas of cooperation. One is health diplomacy, and the reasons for that possible channel of soft diplomacy strengthening India-U.S. ties come from the previous Trump-Modi era. 

During the past Trump administration, there were several areas where it worked very well.  One chief example was the Covid-19 pandemic. Here, the Serum Institute of India (SII) partnered with U.S. institutions like Novavax and Asta Zeneca to scale up the production of Covid-19 vaccines. Also, the Quad Vaccine Partnership between India, the U.S., Australia, and Japan provided over one billion vaccines to the Indo-Pacific region.  During the pandemic, India exported hydroxychloroquine and acetaminophen (paracetamol) to the United States. In the later phase of the pandemic, the United States transferred ventilators, oxygen concentrators, and other equipment to the aid of India.

Another area of U.S.-India health diplomacy is the campaign against tuberculosis (TB).   This partnership entails funding and transfer of technical know-how and advanced diagnostic technologies like GeneXpert machines for rapid diagnosis of pulmonary TB, especially in areas with a high prevalence of drug resistance.

This collaboration will likely continue and gain momentum under the new Trump administration, with more efforts underway to tackle infectious diseases in general under the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) in which both countries participate. The GHSA consists of nine action areas: antimicrobial resistance (AMR), biosecurity and biohazards, immunization, laboratory systems, legal preparedness, surveillance, sustainable financing for readiness, workforce development, and zoonotic diseases.

The Quad partnership between India, the U.S., Australia, and Japan is also committed to implementing a package of measures to strengthen the Indo-Pacific’s ability to identify and counter disease outbreaks that have epidemic or pandemic potential. They have dedicated funding to support field epidemiology and outbreak responder training, raise disease surveillance, enhance data systems, and bolster public health laboratories.

Another area where the collaboration will continue is the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, which are prevalent in both nations. Collaborations between the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other institutions in the U.S., as well as the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other institutions in India, are likely to gain strength. Besides providing an impetus to joint research, these partnerships will likely enhance the skill sets of healthcare workers in India in disease surveillance and advanced medical technologies.

India is among the largest suppliers of generic drugs to the United States, and this role will probably strengthen in the coming years.  However, there are regulatory roadblocks that need to be addressed.  The possibility of higher tariffs suggested by the incoming Trump Administration could jeopardize these linkages.

India also provides many healthcare providers to the United States, which may continue under the new Trump administration. However, immigration policies that are not clear right now may create barriers for Indian healthcare professionals and researchers seeking opportunities and permanent residency in the U.S.

Overall, the picture of Indo-US health diplomacy seems bright in the years of the forthcoming Trump administration. Both countries should make diligent efforts to strengthen their relations for the betterment of the citizens and ultimately realize the goal of universal health coverage and make health a reality for all.

 

The author is a Professor at the Department of Social and Behavioral Health at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Internal Medicine at UNLV and the President of Health for All, Inc.

(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New India Abroad.)