Overview

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the 78th World Health Assembly, emphasized inclusion and India's scalable health initiatives under the 'One World for Health' theme.
• India highlighted the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the world’s largest health insurance program, recently expanded to cover citizens above 70 years of age.
• WHO member states unanimously adopted the first Pandemic Agreement, committing to equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and technology sharing during future pandemics.
• Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava reaffirmed India’s support for the treaty, advocating for equitable health measures and capacity building in the Global South.
• WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus publicly praised India’s contributions and support for the Pandemic Agreement.