Showcases India’s Inclusive Healthcare Model: Highlights Ayushman Bharat, digital health reforms, and India’s global health leadership via videoconference in Geneva
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 78th Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva today through videoconferencing, aligning his remarks with the event’s theme, ‘One World for Health’. He emphasized that this vision mirrors India’s global health philosophy and reiterated the message of ‘One Earth, One Health’ he shared during last year’s WHA session.
PM Modi underlined India’s commitment to inclusive healthcare and offered India’s models as scalable solutions for the Global South.
In his speech, the Prime Minister spotlighted India’s transformative health reforms, particularly Ayushman Bharat, the world’s largest health insurance scheme, covering 580 million citizens with free treatment. He announced the scheme’s expansion to include all Indians above 70 years of age. He also drew attention to India’s network of health and wellness centers enabling early screening of non-communicable diseases, and public pharmacies that provide affordable, high-quality medicines.
Modi lauded the role of technology in India’s healthcare transformation. He spoke of digital platforms tracking maternal and child vaccination, the digital health ID system integrating records and benefits, and India’s free telemedicine platform, which has facilitated over 340 million remote consultations.
These innovations, he noted, have significantly reduced out-of-pocket health expenditure and boosted government spending on healthcare.
“The health of the world depends on how well we care for the most vulnerable,” Modi stressed, citing India’s commitment to the Global South.
The Prime Minister called India’s healthcare models replicable, scalable, and sustainable—offering to share these practices with other developing nations. Ahead of the 11th International Day of Yoga in June, he invited global participation under the theme ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’, reinforcing India’s ancient contribution to holistic wellness.
Modi also congratulated the World Health Organization (WHO) and member states on the successful conclusion of the INB treaty negotiations, describing it as a global pledge to combat future pandemics through cooperation. He closed his remarks by invoking a timeless Vedic prayer for universal health and happiness, expressing hope that this ancient vision continues to guide humanity toward a healthier future.