“India’s vision for health was universal even when there were no global pandemics” – PM Modi

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated and addressed One Earth One Health – Advantage Healthcare India – 2023 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi via video conferencing today.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister extended a warm welcome to the Health Ministers from across the world, and delegates from West Asia, SAARC, ASEAN and the African regions. Quoting an Indian scripture that translates to ‘May everyone be happy, may everyone be free of diseases, may good things happen to everyone, and may no one suffer from sadness”, the Prime Minister 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. He underlined that One Earth One Health follows the same set of beliefs and is an example of the same thought in action. “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”, the Prime Minister said.

Referring to the popular notion that lack of illness is the same as good health, the Prime Minister emphasized that India’s view of health does not stop just at lack of illness and the goal focuses on wellness and welfare for everyone. “Our goal is physical, mental and social well-being”, he added.

Throwing light on India’s journey of the G20 presidency with the theme ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, the Prime Minister realized the importance of resilient global healthcare systems in fulfilling this vision. He said that medical value travel and health workforce mobility are important factors for a healthy planet and ‘One Earth, One Health – Advantage Healthcare India 2023’ is a significant effort in this direction. The Prime Minister underlined that today’s occasion resonates with India’s G20 presidency theme which is witnessing participation from numerous countries. Highlighting the Indian philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ which means the world is one family, the Prime Minister expressed delight at the presence of stakeholders from public and private sectors as well as professional and academic domains.

Underlining India’s strength when it comes to holistic healthcare, the Prime Minister acknowledged India’s talent, technology, track record and tradition. He further elaborated that the world has witnessed the impact of Indian doctors, nurses and caregivers and they are widely respected for their competence and commitment and talent. He stated that many healthcare systems across the world have benefited from the talent of Indian professionals. “India has tremendous diversity in culture, climate and social dynamics”, the Prime Minister remarked as he noted the training and diverse experiences of healthcare professionals in India. He further added that Indian healthcare talent has won the world’s trust due to their exceptional skills that can meet the needs of different situations.

Shedding light on the once-in-a-century pandemic that reminded the world of a number of truths, the Prime Minister said that borders cannot stop health threats in a deeply connected world. He also pointed out that the countries in the Global South faced various difficulties and hardships including the denial of resources. “True progress is people-centric. No matter how many advances are made in medical science, access must be assured to the last person at the last mile”, Shri Modi underlined as he observed the need of many nations for a trusted partner in the healthcare domain. The Prime Minister said that India is proud to have been a partner to many nations in the noble mission of saving lives through vaccines and medicines gave examples of Made-In-India vaccines, the world’s largest and fastest Covid-19 vaccination drive, and shipping 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to over 100 countries. Shri Modi reiterated that it showed a glimpse of India’s capability and commitment and the nation will continue to be a trusted friend to every nation that seeks good health for its citizens.

“India’s outlook towards health has been holistic for thousands of years”, the Prime Minister remarked. He said that India has a great tradition of preventive and promotive health with systems such as Yoga and meditation are ancient India’s gifts to the modern world that have now become global movements. He also touched upon Ayurveda which is a complete discipline of wellness and said that it takes care of the physical and mental aspects of health. “The world is looking for solutions to stress and lifestyle diseases. India’s traditional healthcare systems hold a lot of answers”, the Prime Minister emphasized. He also mentioned millets which make for India’s traditional diet and have the capability to tackle food security and nutrition issues around the world.

The Prime Minister threw light on the Ayushman Bharat Scheme and said that it is the world’s largest Government funded health insurance coverage scheme. The Prime Minister informed 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.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister stressed that the global response to healthcare challenges cannot be isolated and it is 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”, the Prime Minister remarked as he underlined that India’s priority is reducing disparity, and serving the unserved is an article of faith for the country. The Prime Minister expressed optimism that this gathering will strengthen global partnerships in this direction, and sought the partnership of other nations on the common agenda of ‘One Earth-One Health’.