Union Health Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda Addresses 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva

📌 Summary:

• Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda addressed the plenary session of the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, on the theme Reshaping Global Health: A Shared Responsibility.

• He reaffirmed India's commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) under a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, guided by the principle of Health for All.

• India has established over 1,85,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs for comprehensive primary healthcare; the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission has created over 880 million unique digital health identities enabling longitudinal health records.

• Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, the world's largest public health assurance scheme, covers nearly 600 million beneficiaries, particularly the most vulnerable sections.

• India has launched a Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare; Nadda stressed that the future of AI depends on building ethical and human-centric systems.

• Reaffirming India as the Pharmacy of the World, he recalled that under the Vaccine Maitri initiative India supplied nearly 300 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to around 100 countries.

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 — Governance and Social Justice (health); India's role in global health governance, Universal Health Coverage and digital health.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the decision-making body of the WHO and meets annually in Geneva; the 79th session is being held.

• The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission health identity is the ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account); over 880 million have been created.

• Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY covers nearly 600 million beneficiaries.

• Under Vaccine Maitri, India supplied nearly 300 million vaccine doses to around 100 countries.

🔑 Key Term: Universal Health Coverage (UHC) — ensuring that all people have access to the health services they need, of sufficient quality, without suffering financial hardship.