Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary, chaired a high-level meeting on “Advancing Health and Well-Being of Billions in WHO South-East Asia Region” at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva. The meeting was co-hosted by WHO SEARO and the Government of India, focused on strategizing actions to address key public health issues in the region.
The meeting opened with a video on India’s Health Journey, highlighting the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Mission’s four pillars promoting universal health coverage.
Chandra discussed India’s digital health initiatives during COVID-19, such as CoWIN, now evolving into UWIN for tracking immunization and creating digital certificates for children. He also emphasized India’s role as a global pharma leader, providing affordable medical solutions to the SEARO region.
Chandra introduced the BHISM cube, a compact medical aid developed under India’s Aarogya Maitri Project, designed for disaster response and capable of treating up to 200 casualties.
Discussions included enhancing cooperation on vaccination, non-communicable diseases, health system preparedness, post-pandemic recovery, climate crisis, ageing population, mental health, and decentralization of health issues. Strengthening pandemic preparedness and health security were also key topics.
