J P Nadda, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare assumed as President of the 68th World Health Assembly, at Geneva today. Addressing the plenary session of the Health Assembly as President of the World Health Assembly, he said that the Assembly is an opportunity for the member states to take stock of the health challenges faced by humanity, while at the same time, prioritize and strategize our combined efforts. The Health Minister said that health requires a holistic view of being one with nature, adopting healthy lifestyles and avoiding excesses. He further said the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, gave a call in the United Nations General Assembly in September last year to recognize Yoga as a provider of holistic approach to health and well-being. We are happy to note that the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution, with co-sponsorship from 177 countries, to observe 21st June as the International day of Yoga, he said.
The Health Minister said, we need to redouble our efforts to surmount ever increasing public health challenges, which include, among others, communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, anti-microbial resistance, impact of climate change on health, universal health coverage, reducing health inequities among countries and within each country, providing sufficient human resources for health, ensuring access to affordable medicines and diagnostics, and preventing disease by promoting healthy lifestyles, he said. He said, we need a multi-sectoral approach in a sustainable institutional framework to promote ‘health-in-all’ policies. The recognition of inter-dependence and the need for collaboration of different sectors is necessary nationally and internationally. The Minister further said, inter-sectoral cooperation will not be meaningful unless we are also able to leverage the strengths of the civil society and the non-government sectors. In fact, the inter-dependence internationally is somewhat captured in the International Health Regulations, he added.