India Reaffirms Global Leadership in Women and Child Health at World Health Assembly

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda reaffirmed India’s strong commitment towards advancing global health priorities for women, children and adolescents during a bilateral meeting with Ms. Helen Clark, Board Chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva.

The high-level meeting highlighted India’s continued leadership role in global public health and its growing contribution to international efforts aimed at improving maternal, newborn, child and adolescent healthcare outcomes.

India Reiterates Commitment to PMNCH

During the meeting, Shri Nadda emphasized India’s longstanding partnership with PMNCH since the organisation’s establishment in 2005.

He stated that India remains committed to supporting the organisation’s mission and contributing meaningfully to global health objectives focused on women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health.

The Minister also highlighted India’s active leadership role within PMNCH, where the country currently serves as:

• Vice Chair of the PMNCH Board

• Chair of the Standing Committee

He further informed Ms. Helen Clark that India’s annual grant contribution of USD 2 million in perpetuity is currently under process and would be shared soon.

The continued financial and institutional support reflects India’s expanding role within global health governance and multilateral health partnerships.

India Highlights Public Health Achievements

During the discussions, Shri Nadda outlined India’s major public health achievements, particularly in delivering healthcare interventions at scale while ensuring accessibility and equity.

“India has been the bed of innovation and delivering interventions at scale with equity and accessibility. We have kept the health of women, children and adolescents at the heart of our service delivery and sustainable development,” the Minister said.

He noted that India has consistently prioritised maternal and child health as a core component of its healthcare and development agenda.

Officials said India’s large-scale healthcare programmes and digital health initiatives are increasingly being recognised internationally as successful models for population-scale service delivery.

India Among First Nations to Launch Dedicated Adolescent Health Programme

The Union Health Minister highlighted that India was among the first countries globally to launch a dedicated national programme for adolescents in 2014.

According to the Minister, the programme reaches young people through:

• Facility-based interventions

• School-based programmes

• Community-based healthcare services

The adolescent health initiative has been implemented across the country to address the health, nutrition, mental wellbeing and developmental needs of young people.

Government officials say the programme reflects India’s broader strategy of adopting life-cycle approaches to healthcare and preventive health management.

Significant Progress in Maternal and Child Health Indicators

Shri Nadda also highlighted India’s major progress in reducing maternal and child mortality rates over recent years.

The Minister stated that India has achieved significant reductions in:

• Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)

• Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)

He noted that India’s progress has outpaced several global trends, reflecting the success of targeted public health interventions and expanded healthcare access.

India has implemented multiple flagship programmes aimed at improving maternal and child healthcare, including:

• Institutional delivery promotion

• Expanded immunisation programmes

• Nutritional support schemes

• Primary healthcare strengthening

• Digital health interventions

• Community health worker outreach

Health experts have acknowledged India’s progress in improving healthcare indicators despite the challenges associated with serving one of the world’s largest populations.

India Offers Technical Support and Global Best Practices

The Minister emphasized that India has substantial experience and technical expertise that can benefit the international community.

He said India is ready to provide:

• Technical guidance

• Best-practice sharing

• Public health support

• Scalable healthcare models

• Digital health solutions

Shri Nadda invited PMNCH to further showcase India’s successful public health interventions and innovations through both physical and virtual global platforms.

The Minister said India’s large-scale implementation experience provides valuable lessons for countries working to strengthen maternal and child healthcare systems.

India Ready to Support PMNCH Priorities

Reaffirming India’s commitment as Vice Chair of PMNCH, Shri Nadda conveyed the country’s willingness to support the organisation across multiple priority areas.

These include:

• Women’s health

• Children’s health

• Adolescent health

• Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

The Minister also highlighted India’s growing expertise in digital public health systems and technical resources that can be shared internationally.

India’s digital health infrastructure, including large-scale digital health platforms and public digital goods, has increasingly attracted global attention for its scalability and accessibility.

“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” Philosophy Highlighted

During the meeting, Shri Nadda invoked the ancient Indian philosophy of:

“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — The world is one family

He emphasized that India’s approach to global health cooperation is rooted in values of:

• Unity

• Compassion

• Shared humanity

• Collective responsibility

The Minister said these principles continue to guide India’s engagement with global health challenges and international partnerships.

Helen Clark Appreciates India’s Leadership

Ms. Helen Clark appreciated India’s continued contributions to global public health and acknowledged the country’s growing influence within PMNCH and the wider international health architecture.

She recognised India’s leadership role in advancing maternal, newborn and child health priorities globally and praised the country’s commitment to collaborative healthcare initiatives.

India Expanding Its Global Health Role

India’s engagement at the 79th World Health Assembly reflects the country’s broader efforts to strengthen its position as a major contributor to global health governance and healthcare innovation.

Over recent years, India has increasingly played a central role in areas such as:

• Vaccine production

• Digital health

• Public health systems

• Pandemic response

• Affordable healthcare solutions

• Global health diplomacy

Experts believe India’s growing participation in multilateral health institutions and partnerships will continue to strengthen its influence in shaping future global health priorities.