4 April 2019, New Delhi
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India and World Health Organization (WHO) today formed a solidarity chain as part of the World Health Day celebrations to reaffirm their commitment to bridging gaps and working collaboratively towards universal health coverage (UHC). The theme of World Health Day 2019 is UHC with a focus on primary health care.
Addressing the gathering Health Secretary, MoHFW Ms. Preeti Sudan said, that this event emphasizes our commitment to ensure all people and communities have access to quality healthcare services, where and when they are required, without suffering financial hardship. She further added that the government is committed to strengthening 150 000 health facilities as Health and Wellness Centres, which will deliver comprehensive primary health care closer to where people live in rural and urban areas.
WHO Representative to India Dr Henk Bekedam said, “A well-equipped primary health care delivery system is the key to achieving universal health coverage. This will require bringing quality care closer to people; strengthening peripheral health centres with linkages to secondary and tertiary care; and equipping primary health care providers to effectively deliver a package of preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative services. Let’s join hands to work on this.”
The solidarity chain represented the idea, that by coming together to push universal health care forward, stakeholders can join forces to make health for all a reality. Nearly, 500 participants also took a pledge to work towards making health care available to everyone, everywhere.
Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Mr Manoj Jhalani, Additional Secretary and Mission Director-National Health Mission, S Venkatesh, Director General of Health Services and Sanjeev Kumar, Additional Secretary Health along with other senior officers of the Ministry and representatives from WHO.
April 7 each year marks the celebration of World Health Day. From its inception at the First Health Assembly in 1948 and since taking effect in 1950, the World Health Day has aimed to create awareness of a specific health theme to highlight a priority area of concern for WHO. The celebration is marked by activities, which extend beyond the day itself and serves as an opportunity to focus worldwide attention on important aspects of global health.
