India Pitches Digital Health Revolution at World Health Assembly, Nadda Highlights Ayushman Bharat

Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda reaffirmed India’s commitment to equitable healthcare, digital innovation, and international cooperation while addressing the plenary session of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva. Speaking at the global gathering themed “Reshaping Global Health: A Shared Responsibility,” Nadda highlighted India’s expanding healthcare infrastructure and the country’s efforts to build a more inclusive and technology-driven public health system. His address positioned India as an emerging leader in global healthcare transformation and digital health innovation.

Representing India at the assembly, Nadda stated that the country’s progress toward universal health coverage is being driven through a “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-society” approach. He emphasized that the government is focused on ensuring access to affordable and quality healthcare for all sections of society through people-centric policies. According to the minister, India’s healthcare reforms are designed to strengthen community-level services while reducing inequalities in healthcare access across urban and rural regions.

During his speech, Nadda highlighted the operationalization of more than 185,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs across the country. He said these centers are playing a major role in providing comprehensive primary healthcare services at the grassroots level, including preventive care, early diagnosis, and treatment of common illnesses. The minister noted that the initiative has helped reduce pressure on tertiary healthcare facilities while improving healthcare delivery in underserved communities.

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A major focus of India’s presentation at the assembly was the country’s digital health transformation under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. Nadda stated that India has already created over 880 million unique digital health identities aimed at building a seamless national digital healthcare ecosystem. He explained that the system enables longitudinal health records, improves coordination between healthcare providers, supports data-driven policymaking, and ensures continuity of care for patients across different medical institutions.

The minister also spoke about India’s efforts in strengthening financial protection and pandemic preparedness. Referring to the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, he said the public health assurance scheme continues to protect nearly 600 million vulnerable citizens from catastrophic healthcare expenses. Nadda further outlined India’s strategy for building resilient healthcare infrastructure capable of handling future public health emergencies and discussed the country’s recently launched artificial intelligence strategy for healthcare, stressing the importance of ethical and human-centered AI systems.

Reaffirming India’s global role during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nadda highlighted the country’s Vaccine Maitri initiative through which nearly 300 million vaccine doses were supplied to around 100 countries. Calling India the “Pharmacy of the World,” he urged the international community to transform shared responsibility into concrete action for global health improvement. India’s participation at the World Health Assembly underscored its growing influence in shaping international healthcare policy and promoting a more resilient and inclusive global health framework.

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