Strong science, effective delivery, people’s participation driving India’s public health: JP Nadda

New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS) India’s public-health journey has entered a decisive and results-oriented phase, said Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda on Wednesday.

Addressing the inaugural Advancing Public Health Outcomes Forum 2025 in New Delhi, he stated that the journey is driven by strong science, effective delivery, and people’s participation.

“Sustained national efforts have led to tangible progress in controlling diseases, expanding immunisation coverage, and strengthening institutional and scientific capacities,” Nadda said.

“Progress in disease control and immunisation reflects not isolated programmes, but institutional strength, Jan Bhagidari (people’s participation), and sustained political commitment,” he added.

Further, underscoring the government’s commitment to strengthening primary healthcare, Nadda stated that the government aims to establish one Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) for every 2,000 people.

“Government is working towards National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) certification for all AAMs, with over 30,000 AAMs already having received NQAS certification,” he said.

The Health Minister also highlighted progress in malaria control, a decline in tuberculosis incidence,

gains in maternal and child health outcomes with lower rates of maternal, infant, under-5 5 and neonatal mortality.

“India has transitioned from a high-burden malaria country to a high-impact state, with malaria incidence declining by over 80 per cent and deaths by 78 per cent,” Nadda said.

“TB incidence has declined from 237 cases per lakh population in 2015 to 187 per lakh at present. He added that India has achieved a 21 per cent decline in TB incidence, significantly higher than the global decline of 12 per cent,” he added.

He also stressed how Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana significantly reduced out-of-pocket expenditure from 69 per cent to 39 per cent, strengthening financial protection for millions of families

At the event, the Union Health Minister also released four flagship reports highlighting India’s progress across malaria elimination, challenges in TB, eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis and leveraging immunisation for better health.

–IANS

rvt/dan