76th World Health Assembly

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, delivered a keynote address at a side event session on “Heal in India & Heal by India” during the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva. The event was also attended by Shri S Gopalakrishnan, Special Secretary of the Health Ministry.

Dr. Mandaviya highlighted the initiatives taken by the Government of India to promote value-based healthcare and health workforce mobility under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The “Heal by India” initiative aims to increase the mobility of health professionals from India to different parts of the world to serve the global community. On the other hand, the “Heal in India” initiative aims to provide integrated and holistic treatment in India and enhance patient mobility for access to world-class, affordable, and quality healthcare services.

Dr. Mandaviya mentioned that India is home to the world’s oldest medical systems, Ayurveda, and there has been an increased demand for Ayurveda, Yoga, Siddha, Unani, and Homeopathy (AYUSH) treatments worldwide. The Indian government actively promotes AYUSH treatments.

Referring to India’s G20 Presidency philosophy of “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” the Union Health Minister emphasized that India has prioritized health emergencies, prevention, preparedness, and response under the G20 Health Track. This includes focusing on One Health and Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR), strengthening cooperation within the pharmaceutical sector, and promoting digital health innovations and solutions to enhance universal health coverage and healthcare service delivery at the grassroots level.

Dr. Mandaviya highlighted the measures taken by India to strengthen its healthcare ecosystem, including the successful pace of COVID-19 vaccination with over 2.20 billion doses administered in India so far. He mentioned the “Vaccine Maitri” initiative through which India shared millions of vaccine doses with the world.

The Union Health Minister also mentioned the Ayushman Bharat Initiative, which aims to provide comprehensive healthcare coverage. This includes the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), the world’s largest government-funded health insurance scheme. Additionally, the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission aim to bridge gaps in the healthcare ecosystem through technology usage and the development of healthcare infrastructure and research capacity.

Dr. Mandaviya acknowledged the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare systems worldwide, emphasizing the need for a coordinated global response. He expressed gratitude to all the dignitaries for their participation and concluded by reiterating India’s commitment to “Healthcare for All” in alignment with the guiding philosophy of “Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas & Sabka Prayas” (striving together, through collective efforts towards inclusive growth) as enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.