At the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Union Health Minister J P Nadda highlighted India’s push for universal health coverage, digital health infrastructure and ethical use of artificial intelligence in healthcare
Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda reaffirmed India’s commitment to universal health coverage, digital health expansion and global health cooperation while addressing the plenary session of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva.
Speaking on the theme, “Reshaping Global Health: A Shared Responsibility,” the Union Minister said India was accelerating healthcare access through a “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-society” approach aimed at delivering affordable and quality healthcare services.
The remarks come at a time when countries are reassessing public health systems, pandemic preparedness and digital healthcare integration following the disruptions of recent years. India used the global platform to project its expanding digital health architecture, public insurance coverage and vaccine manufacturing capacity as key pillars of its health strategy.
Nadda told the Assembly that India had established more than 1,85,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to strengthen primary healthcare delivery closer to communities. He also highlighted the scale of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, describing it as the world’s largest public health assurance scheme with coverage extending to nearly 600 million beneficiaries, particularly vulnerable populations.
A major focus of the Minister’s address was India’s growing digital health ecosystem. Referring to the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, he said the initiative had created over 880 million unique digital health identities to support longitudinal health records and continuity of care.
“The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission is strengthening India’s national digital health ecosystem by creating over 880 million unique digital health identities, which facilitate longitudinal health records and a seamless continuum of care,” he said.
India also used the Assembly to underline its push towards technology-driven healthcare governance. Addressing the role of artificial intelligence in medicine, Mr. Nadda informed delegates that India had recently launched the Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India.
“The future of AI depends on our collective ability to build ethical and human-centric systems,” he said.
The emphasis on ethical AI reflects growing international debate around the use of automated systems in healthcare delivery, patient data management and clinical decision-making. India’s positioning at the Assembly suggests the government is seeking to balance technological expansion with regulatory and ethical safeguards.
Mr. Nadda also reiterated India’s role in global pharmaceutical supply chains, describing the country as the “Pharmacy of the World”. Recalling India’s role during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said the country supplied nearly 300 million vaccine doses to around 100 countries under the Vaccine Maitri initiative.
The Minister said India continued to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and emergency response capacities as part of broader efforts to improve pandemic preparedness and build resilient public health systems.
His address concluded with a call for greater international cooperation on health policy and implementation.
“In the spirit of solidarity, let this Assembly move forward to transform policy into impact and shared responsibility into a healthier future for all,” Nadda said.
The World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, brings together health ministers and senior officials from member countries to deliberate on global health priorities, financing and health system reforms.
