India will invest Rs 1,000 crore by 2025 towards the improvement of health services, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at the Partners' Forum 2018, in association with Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH), held at New Delhi.
In his keynote address, at the inauguration of the 4th Partners' Forum, the prime minister said, “The world is one family. PMNCH is a unique organisation, improving not only better health for women, children and adolescents, but also making an argument for faster growth.” He called for joint action and added, “I call on each of you―let us join hands as an expression of our commitment.”
PM Modi said the government is committed to increasing health spending to 2.5 per cent of the country's GDP, which amounts to an increase of 345 per cent over the current share, and is viewed as a landmark announcement by health activists. Until now, India used to spend a little more than 1 per cent of its GDP on healthcare and insufficient funds have been a significant cause of concern.
Among the dignitaries present at the function were Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda, Deputy Pime Minister of Nepal Upendra Yadav, President Inter Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron, first lady of Belize Kim Simplis Barrow, Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Anupriya Patel, ministers of state for health and family welfare, Preeti Sudan, secretary, health and family welfare, besides 23 ministers from 21 countries, representatives of various organisations and participants from 85 countries across the globe.
Launched on December 12, 2018, the 4th Partner's Forum coincided with the Universal Health Coverage Day. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general, World Health Organisation said in a video message: “'UHC is a simple idea: that everyone should be able to access the health services they need, without suffering financial hardship.” However, around 50 per cent of the world's population cannot access essential services. “And women, children and adolescents are among the most vulnerable. Every day, 830 women still die in childbirth or from related complications. Every year, 5.6 million children die before their 5th birthday. Every year, 1.2 million adolescents die. These are not just numbers, they are people,” he added.
The two-day conference hosted by the Government of India in association with the PMNCH focused on ways to prevent maternal and child mortality and improve newborn, child, adolescent and maternal health. It offered a platform for policymakers and healthcare workers to review their progress and reflect on lessons learnt. The sessions shared valuable insights on community projects that have improved and transformed lives.
