India Showcases Scalable Health Model at World Health Assembly 2025
| 2025-05-21
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday (May 20, 2025) via videoconference, highlighting India’s inclusive healthcare reforms and offering its model as a sustainable solution for health challenges in developing countries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlines India’s inclusive and digital health reforms at the 78th World Health Assembly, offering a model for the Global South.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday (May 20, 2025) via videoconference, highlighting India’s inclusive healthcare reforms and offering its model as a sustainable solution for health challenges in developing countries.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reaffirmed India’s commitment to a unified and collaborative approach to global healthcare, presenting the country’s health initiatives as scalable and replicable solutions for the Global South.
Speaking at the 78th Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) held in Geneva, Switzerland, Mr Modi delivered a virtual address centred on the theme “One World for Health”, which he said closely aligns with India’s own vision of “One Earth, One Health”.
“The health of the world depends on how well we care for the most vulnerable,” Mr Modi stated, calling for increased global inclusion and cooperation in health planning and delivery.
Inclusive Health Coverage
The Prime Minister spotlighted Ayushman Bharat, described as the world’s largest publicly funded health insurance scheme. According to Mr Modi, the programme now covers over 580 million Indians, including all citizens over the age of 70. He said the scheme significantly reduces financial barriers to medical treatment.
India has also invested in an extensive network of Health and Wellness Centres aimed at early detection of chronic conditions such as diabetes, cancer and hypertension. Public pharmacies under the Jan Aushadhi programme, offering affordable medicines, have further improved healthcare access, the Prime Minister added.
Digital Innovations in Healthcare
Mr Modi also detailed the growing role of technology in India’s healthcare system. He cited the creation of Digital Health IDs, which integrate patient records, insurance information, and government health benefits into a unified platform.
India’s digital systems track the vaccination status of pregnant women and children, while telemedicine services have facilitated more than 340 million remote consultations. “No one is too far from a doctor,” Mr Modi said, underscoring the reach of digital health tools even in remote areas.
The Prime Minister noted that these developments have led to a measurable decline in out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare and an overall increase in public health investment.
Support for Developing Nations
Underscoring India’s role as a partner to developing countries, Mr Modi stressed that the country’s healthcare reforms are designed to be adaptable and shared with others. “India is happy to share its best practices and learnings with the world, particularly with countries of the Global South,” he said.
He further noted that the challenges faced by these regions—such as limited infrastructure and workforce constraints—can be addressed through low-cost, high-impact solutions such as those deployed in India.
Backing the WHO Pandemic Treaty
Mr Modi congratulated the World Health Organization (WHO) and its member states on the successful conclusion of negotiations for the International Negotiating Body (INB) Treaty, which aims to improve global preparedness for future pandemics. Calling the agreement a “milestone”, he reiterated India’s support for a rules-based, collaborative health governance system.
Promoting Yoga for Wellbeing
Turning to holistic health, the Prime Minister invited global participation in the upcoming 11th International Day of Yoga, to be held in June. He highlighted this year’s theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, positioning yoga as a unifying practice that enhances both personal and planetary wellbeing.
“Yoga, which originated in India, belongs to the whole world,” Mr Modi said, encouraging all nations to adopt its principles for preventative health.
India’s health sector has seen significant transformation in the past decade, particularly through digitalisation and the expansion of public health infrastructure. The Ayushman Bharat scheme, launched in 2018, aims to improve financial access to secondary and tertiary healthcare, while the Digital Health Mission has introduced interoperable electronic health records across states.
India’s stance at the World Health Assembly reflects a broader strategy to position itself as a leader among developing nations, often referred to collectively as the Global South. Through shared technical assistance, vaccine distribution, and health policy frameworks, India has sought to build South-South cooperation as an alternative to more traditional, donor-recipient models of global health aid.
The Prime Minister’s participation in the WHA coincided with a separate domestic meeting on India’s tourism sector, also chaired by Mr Modi, indicating the government’s parallel focus on health, economy, and international cooperation.
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