Nation

IIE DIGITAL DESK : The 79th World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda highlighted that India is progressing rapidly toward achieving universal health coverage by expanding access to quality and affordable healthcare across the country.

He emphasized that India’s healthcare transformation is being driven by a “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-society” approach, which integrates public systems, technology, and community participation to ensure that healthcare services reach all sections of society. According to him, this strategy is helping India scale up healthcare infrastructure and improve service delivery efficiency nationwide.

Nadda pointed out that India has significantly expanded its primary healthcare network through the establishment of nearly 185,000 Health and Wellness Centres, now known as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. These centres are designed to provide preventive, promotive, and basic curative healthcare services closer to communities, reducing the burden on tertiary hospitals and improving early diagnosis and treatment.

The progress under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), which has created more than 880 million unique digital health IDs. This digital infrastructure is enabling the creation of lifelong health records for citizens and ensuring continuity of care across different levels of the healthcare system. It is also strengthening India’s broader national digital health ecosystem by improving data accessibility and integration between healthcare providers.

He further underlined India’s growing focus on emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence in healthcare. Nadda noted that India has recently launched a dedicated strategy for the use of AI in healthcare, aimed at improving diagnostics, healthcare delivery, and system efficiency. He stressed that the future of AI in health must remain ethical, inclusive, and human-centered to ensure it benefits all sections of society equitably.

Referring to India’s broader global identity, the minister reiterated that the country continues to be known as the “pharmacy of the world” due to its strong pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply capacity, especially in affordable generic medicines.

Concluding his address, Nadda called for global cooperation and solidarity in healthcare, urging countries to convert policy discussions into practical outcomes. He emphasized that shared responsibility among nations is essential to building a healthier and more resilient global future.