Govt seeking to reform health systems: Mishra

He said aim is to advance the universal health coverage and focus on social indicators of health care

The government is working to overhaul the health system with an aim to advance the universal health coverage and focus on social indicators of health care.

Speaking at the release of the WHO bulletin on 'BRICS and Global Health', C K Mishra, Additional Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Ministry said that India has been hit by a double burden with the emergence of non-communicable diseases even as communicable diseases persist.

"In the endeavour to address the double burden of disease we face due to combination of rapid emergence of noncommunicable and persistence of communicable diseases, we are seeking to reform our health systems, advance universal health coverage and focus on social determinants of health," he said.

WHO Representative to India Nata Menabde said BRICS countries, a group of five emerging economies including India, continue to have 40 per cent of global diseases and, more worryingly, China and India have 50 per cent of new TB cases and 40 per cent of world diabetic population.

"It is well understood that proper implementation of policies and timely delivery of concrete results can help in uplifting the health and wellbeing of millions of citizens in the BRICS countries.

This will significantly contribute to the improvement of global health indicators. The policy seminar provides a unique opportunity to deliberate on these issues," she said at the event.

The launch of the WHO Bulletin on 'BRICS and global health' and the policy seminar is an acknowledgement of the unique position of BRICS to influence health at global level, she added.

In her message, WHO South-East Asia Region Regional Director Poonam Khetrapal Singh said BRICS countries are important players in international cooperation and have been contributing in reshaping health cooperation in recent years.