New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday said that India's vision for health does not only mean the lack of illness but "our goal is wellness and welfare for everyone".
Inaugurating the 6th edition of 'One Earth One Health - Advantage Healthcare India - 2023' at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi via video conferencing, PM Modi said, “India's view of health does not stop at the lack of illness. Our goal is wellness and welfare for everyone. Our goal is physical, mental and social well-being."
The PM highlighted the nation's inclusive vision and mentioned that India's vision for health was universal even when there were no global pandemics thousands of years ago.
"Our vision is not restricted to just humans. It extends to our whole ecosystem. From plants to animals, from soil to rivers, when everything around us is healthy, we can be healthy," he said. "Even thousands of years ago when there were no global pandemics, India's vision for health has always been universal. Today when we say 'One Earth One Health' it is the same thought in action."
The PM said that the world had witnessed the impact of Indian doctors, nurses and caregivers and they are widely respected for their competence, commitment and talent.
"India has many strengths when it comes to holistic healthcare. We have talent, we have technology, we have a track record and we have tradition. India is proud to have been a partner to many nations in the noble mission of saving lives through vaccines and medicines," he said.
"India has tremendous diversity in culture, climate and social dynamics," the PM said as he noted the training and diverse experiences of healthcare professionals in India.
He said that Indian healthcare talent had won the world's trust due to their exceptional skills that can meet the needs of different situations.
The PM threw light on the Ayushman Bharat Scheme and said that it was the world's largest government-funded health insurance coverage scheme.
He said that it covers the medical treatments of over 500 million Indian citizens where more than 40 million have already availed the services in a cashless and paperless manner resulting in the citizens saving nearly 7 billion dollars.
The PM stressed that the global response to healthcare challenges cannot be isolated and it was now time for an integrated, inclusive, and institutional response.
"This is one of our focus areas during our G20 presidency. Our goal is to make healthcare accessible and affordable, not only for our citizens but for the whole world," he said, underlining that India's priority was reducing disparity and serving the unserved was an article of faith for the country.
The PM expressed optimism that this gathering would strengthen global partnerships in this direction, and sought the partnership of other nations on the common agenda of 'One Earth-One Health'.
