New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda on Wednesday reaffirmed India’s strong commitment to advancing the global agenda for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health, according to an official statement on Wednesday.

During a bilateral meeting with Helen Clark, Board Chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Nadda highlighted India’s longstanding association with PMNCH since its inception in 2005, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

The minister added that the country remains proud to continue its partnership and contribute meaningfully to its objectives.

Moreover, Nadda underlined India’s active leadership role in PMNCH as Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of the Standing Committee, and informed that India’s annual grant contribution of $2 million in perpetuity is currently under process.

He emphasised India’s achievements in public health, saying that India has been a hub of innovation and large-scale delivery of health interventions with equity and accessibility, keeping the health of women, children and adolescents at the core of its service delivery and sustainable development efforts.

He noted that India was among the first countries to launch a dedicated national programme for adolescents in 2014, reaching young people through facility-based, school-based and community-based interventions across the country.

Referring to improvements in major indicators, Nadda said India has recorded significant reductions in Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), at a pace surpassing global trends.

The minister also said India has much to offer the global community through evidence-based best practices and successful public health interventions implemented at scale and expressed readiness to provide technical guidance and support to other countries.

He invited PMNCH to showcase India’s successful models and innovations through physical and virtual platforms.

Reiterating India’s commitment as Vice Chair of PMNCH, Nadda said India is willing to support the organisation across priorities, including Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (WCAH) and the growing burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). He also noted India’s growing repository of technical resources and digital public health goods that can be shared globally.

In addition, Helen Clark appreciated India’s continued leadership and contributions to global public health and acknowledged its important role within PMNCH and the wider global health architecture.

–IANS

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