WHO Chief Tedros Praises India's Health Progress After Meeting JP Nadda

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has praised India’s progress in healthcare, particularly its improvements in maternal and child health and efforts to tackle noncommunicable diseases. Tedros said he met Union Health Minister JP Nadda and congratulated him on what he described as India’s significant achievements in the health sector. In a post on X, the WHO chief highlighted several initiatives aimed at taking essential healthcare services closer to communities.

He pointed to the network of around 160,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, which are helping expand screening for conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and common cancers. These centres also provide referral support for people requiring further treatment. Tedros also highlighted the contribution of India’s ASHA workers, who play an important role in connecting communities with healthcare services. He noted that these frontline workers support women and children across different stages, from pregnancy through adolescence.

According to the WHO chief, wider immunisation coverage and a rise in institutional deliveries have also contributed to improvements in maternal and child health. He cited an increase in institutional deliveries from 78 per cent to 93 per cent as part of the broader progress. The meeting also covered India’s efforts to eliminate tuberculosis, an area where the country has been pursuing intensified prevention, testing and treatment programmes.

Tedros said he and Nadda also discussed strengthening the regulation of medical products and India’s cooperation with the WHO in areas including traditional medicine. Discussions further included negotiations concerning the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system under the WHO Pandemic Agreement. The WHO chief’s remarks came in connection with the 79th Regional Committee meeting, providing an opportunity to highlight India’s healthcare initiatives and its wider engagement with global health programmes.

India’s health system has increasingly focused on expanding preventive care and bringing basic screening services closer to people, particularly through community-level facilities and frontline health workers. The WHO’s recognition reflects the growing emphasis on prevention, early detection and accessible healthcare alongside treatment.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from X/@DrTedros.