India Reaffirms Commitment to Global Health Equity at 78th World Health Assembly

Geneva: India reaffirmed its commitment to global health equity and cooperation during the plenary session of the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA), held today under the theme “One World for Health.” Leading the Indian delegation, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava underscored India’s transformative strides in public health and its readiness to collaborate globally to address current and future health challenges.

In her address, Srivastava congratulated the newly elected chairs of the Assembly’s committees and emphasized the importance of international cooperation in achieving universal health goals. She highlighted India’s progress under flagship health schemes, particularly Ayushman Bharat, which has significantly expanded access to affordable and quality healthcare.

“The program 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,” she said.

The Union Health Secretary also spotlighted India’s achievements in maternal and child health. She noted that India’s progress in reducing childhood mortality, stillbirths, and improving family planning services has been recognized by global institutions such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the UN Inter-Agency Group.

She further informed that India was recently certified as Trachoma-Free by the World Health Organization and reaffirmed the country’s determination to eliminate diseases such as Tuberculosis, Leprosy, Lymphatic Filariasis, Measles, Rubella, and Kala-azar.

In a significant policy update, Srivastava announced that India has extended health coverage under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana to all citizens aged above 70, regardless of their economic status. “We have also doubled the number of medical colleges from 387 to 780 over the past decade to strengthen our healthcare workforce,” she added.

On global health governance, the Health Secretary reiterated India’s support for a legally binding international pandemic agreement that upholds national sovereignty while ensuring timely sharing of data, equitable access to medical countermeasures, and enhanced technology sharing and capacity building—especially for countries in the Global South.

Concluding her remarks, Srivastava lauded the WHO and all member states for their progress toward the Pandemic Treaty and called for a united global response to health emergencies that leaves no one behind.