India reaffirms global health commitment at 78th World Health Assembly

India addressed the plenary session of the 78th World Health Assembly on Wednesday, reaffirming its commitment to global health equity under the theme "One World for Health".

Representing the Indian delegation, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava congratulated the newly elected committee chairs and welcomed the opportunity for meaningful international dialogue and collaboration.

Speaking on India's commitment to inclusive and universal health, Srivastava underlined the transformative strides made under flagship initiatives like Ayushman Bharat, which has "dramatically expanded" access to comprehensive healthcare.

She said, "The programme has expanded access to comprehensive healthcare, improved infrastructure, provided financial protection for advanced treatments and accelerated digital health adoption -- paving the way toward Universal Health Coverage."  Srivastava highlighted that India's efforts in maternal health, family planning, childhood mortality and stillbirths' reduction have been acknowledged by global bodies, including the United Nations Population Fund and the UN Inter-Agency Group.

"India was recently certified as Trachoma-Free by WHO, and the nation is committed to eliminating diseases such as TB, Leprosy, Lymphatic Filariasis, Measles, Rubella, and Kala-azar," she said.

She pointed out that in a major policy step, India has extended health coverage under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana to all citizens above 70 years of age, regardless of their economic status.

"We have also doubled the number of medical colleges from 387 to 780 in the past decade to train future healthcare professionals," she stated.

The health secretary reiterated India's strong support for a legal, binding framework that enhances global cooperation while respecting national sovereignty and capacities.

"The pandemic agreement must ensure equitable access to medical countermeasures, timely and transparent data and pathogen sharing; and promote technology sharing and capacity building, particularly for the Global South," she said.

Srivastava concluded her address by congratulating the WHO and member states on the historic progress made toward advancing the Pandemic Treaty, while emphasising the importance of confronting future health challenges with a commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind.