Jagat Prakash Nadda Chairs 16th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare

The 16th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW) was held today under the chairmanship of Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda. The Conference served as a significant platform to review the progress of key national health programmes, deliberate on emerging public health priorities and strengthen Centre-State collaboration for improving healthcare delivery across the country.

The Conference served as a vital platform for the Centre and States to discuss emerging healthcare challenges, review progress of flagship health programmes and chart the roadmap for achieving universal access to affordable, equitable and quality healthcare across the country.

Addressing the Conference, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, said that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has set the goal of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047, when the nation completes 100 years of Independence. He emphasized that a developed India cannot be achieved without a healthy India and that health remains one of the most critical pillars of national development.

The Union Health Minister highlighted that the last twelve years have witnessed transformational changes in India's healthcare sector. He noted that the National Health Policy, 2017 marked a paradigm shift in the country's healthcare approach by shifting the focus from predominantly curative care to a holistic, inclusive and comprehensive healthcare system encompassing preventive, promotive, curative, palliative and rehabilitative care.

Shri Nadda said that to deliver quality healthcare to nearly 1.5 billion people, the Government had focused on strengthening the foundation of the healthcare system. He informed that nearly 1.85 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been established across the country, serving as the first point of contact for citizens while creating a robust linkage between primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare. He further stated that tertiary healthcare infrastructure has been significantly strengthened through the establishment of 23 new AIIMS and more than 157 medical colleges, particularly benefiting aspirational and underserved districts.

Reiterating that health is a State subject, Shri Nadda said that every achievement in the health sector belongs equally to the States and Union Territories. While the Union Government provides policy guidance, technical support and financial assistance, successful implementation depends upon the commitment and proactive efforts of the States. He congratulated all States and Union Territories for their significant contribution to improving health outcomes across the country.