Union Health Secretary, Apurva Chandra said that India in collaboration with World Health Organisaton intends to further strengthen the drug regulatory system to ensure quick access to high-quality medical products for all. Addressing the Plenary Session of 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Mr. Chandra said that Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana which stands as the world’s largest health assurance scheme is providing over three hundred million beneficiaries a health cover of six thousand US dollars per family per year.
He said that India launched the Ayushman Bharat meaning “Live Long India” to promote
Universal Health Coverage by operationalizing more than one lakh sixty thousand Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Mr. Chandra said that showing significant drop in Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in past decades, India is on track to attain the SDG targets.
He further added, India has emerged as a lighthouse country in digital public goods for global collaborations. The Health Secretary stated that India is constructively engaged in the INB and IHR processes to build consensus and pave the way for a framework of global health architecture.