"India taking lead in advocating for digital health innovations...:" Union Health Secy
May 27, 2024
Geneva [Switzerland], May 28 : Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra stated that the traditional public health approach of focusing on community interventions like information and awareness as well as preventive measures holds the key to better health outcomes. He noted that India has been taking lead in advocating for digital health innovations as key to the critical transformative process required to help achieve goals.
While addressing Committee A of the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Monday, Apurva Chandra said, "At this critical juncture, when all countries are working towards our collective Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring health services for all so that no one gets left behind, India has been taking the lead in advocating for digital health innovations as key to the critical transformative process required to help us achieve our goals," according to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare press release. 
In his address, the Union Health Secretary highlighted the alignment of the World Health Assembly's theme this year - "All of Health, Health for All", with the core values and the ethos of India, that is "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" which means "the world is one family," according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare press release.
Apurva Chandra said that India, during the COVID-19 pandemic, not only managed the crises within the nation but also provided medicines and health related products across the world embodying the spirit of "One World, One family".
He further said, "This philosophy guides our efforts to promote well-being for all, facilitate Universal Healthcare coverage, and achieve health-related Sustainable Development Goals."
Notably, the World Health Assembly comprises of sessions in three main committees, which are Plenary, Committee A and Committee B. Committee A will be chaired by India and facilitate discussion on various programmatic topics covering Universal Health Coverage, Public Health Emergency preparedness and response, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, sustainable financing for WHO, etc.
