India reiterated its commitment to global health equity during the 78th World Health Assembly, emphasizing inclusive healthcare, disease elimination, and pandemic preparedness. Addressing the plenary session, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava outlined India’s contributions to international health systems, reinforcing its vision under the theme “One World for Health.”
The Union Health Secretary highlighted India’s transformative healthcare initiatives, particularly Ayushman Bharat, which has expanded access to comprehensive medical services, improved infrastructure, provided financial protection for advanced treatments, and accelerated digital health adoption. This expansion has paved the way toward Universal Health Coverage, marking a major milestone in India’s healthcare sector.
India’s efforts in maternal health, family planning, childhood mortality reduction, and stillbirth prevention have been internationally recognized by organizations like the United Nations Population Fund and the UN Inter-Agency Group. India was recently certified Trachoma-Free by the World Health Organization and reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating tuberculosis, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, measles, rubella, and kala-azar.
In a significant policy move, India has extended Ayushman Bharat coverage to all citizens above 70 years, irrespective of economic status. The country has also doubled the number of medical colleges from 387 to 780 in the past decade, strengthening healthcare workforce capacity and ensuring medical training aligns with growing national demands.
India voiced strong support for a legally binding global pandemic agreement that promotes equitable access to medical countermeasures, timely and transparent pathogen-sharing, technology exchange, and capacity-building, especially for developing nations in the Global South. The Union Health Secretary emphasized that this framework must uphold national sovereignty while fostering international cooperation in disease prevention and response strategies.
Vice President Dhankhar, in his address, underscored India’s unwavering commitment to international health security, congratulating the WHO and member states for their progress toward finalizing the Pandemic Treaty. He reinforced India’s stance on ensuring that no country or individual is left behind in global healthcare advancements.
India’s proactive leadership in health equity, disease elimination, medical research, and pandemic preparedness continues to shape global health discussions, positioning the country as a key player in strengthening collaborative health frameworks worldwide.
