Taking their collaboration in the field of health further, India and Sweden have decided to enhance cooperation in medical and pharmaceutical products, public health research, infectious disease control and anti-microbial resistance.

At a meeting in New Delhi on Monday, between Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and visiting state secretary of Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Karin Johansson, the two countries also decided to pool their resources in the fields of maternal and child health and adolescent health and collaborate in the field of alcohol abuse.

India has been supporting Swedish initiatives in the areas of anti-microbial resistance and alcohol abuse in various international fora, including the WHO.

Officials said Azad informed the Swedish Minister of the National Task Force on Anti-Microbial Resistance set up by the Ministry which will help in formulating policies to check spread of anti-microbial resistance.