Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, highlighted India's significant advancements in expanding medical education infrastructure and strengthening access to specialized healthcare during the Ministerial Roundtable on ‘Human Resources for Health: Equity in Specialized Care’ at the 79th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia.
At the 79th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia (RC79) in Timor-Leste, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda participated in the Ministerial Roundtable on ‘Human Resources for Health: Equity in Specialized Care’. During this roundtable, health ministers and senior representatives from Member States discussed strengthening health workforce capacity and ensuring equitable access to specialized healthcare.
Shri Nadda emphasized that equitable access to specialized care is integral to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and requires a comprehensive approach encompassing education and training, deployment, retention, and continuing professional development of the healthcare workforce. He highlighted India's significant progress in expanding its health workforce capacity and strengthening access to specialized healthcare, particularly for people living in rural, tribal, underserved, and remote areas.
One key aspect of India's advancements is the expansion of medical education infrastructure. Since 2014, the number of medical colleges has increased from 308 to 567, resulting in an additional 92,000 undergraduate seats. Furthermore, the government has announced plans to establish 24 new AIIMS-like institutions and upgrade existing medical infrastructure.
In addition, India is taking steps to ensure the availability of specialized healthcare services. The government has launched initiatives such as the National Telemedicine Service for providing teleconsultations and e-Sanjeevani for offering virtual consultations through mobile phones in rural areas. These efforts aim to improve access to specialist care for remote populations.
India's commitment to improving healthcare is not limited to physical infrastructure. The government has also invested in digital health initiatives, including the development of AI-supported clinical tools and telemedicine services, to expand access to specialist services for underserved populations.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
