Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that the global response to healthcare challenges cannot be isolated without an integrated, inclusive and institutional approach, which India seeks to focus on during its G20 presidency.

Addressing the One Earth One Health — Advantage Healthcare India-2023 summit at Pragati Maidan, via video conferencing, Narendra Modi said, “Our goal is to make healthcare accessible and affordable, not only for our citizens but for the whole world. Reducing disparity is India’s priority. Serving the unserved is an article of faith for us.”

The prime minister said even thousands of years ago, when there were no global pandemics, India’s vision for health was universal. “Today, when we say One Earth One Health, it is the same thought in action,” he added.

“Further, 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,” Mr Modi said.

“It is a popular notion that lack of illness is the same as good health. However, India’s view of health does not stop at lack of illness. Being free of diseases is just a stage on the way to wellness,” he said.

“Our goal is wellness and welfare for everyone. Our goal is physical, mental and social well-being,” the prime minister told health ministers from across the world, and delegates from West Asia, SAARC, ASEAN and the African regions.

India started the journey of its G20 presidency with the theme of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, he said. “We realise the importance of resilient global healthcare systems in fulfilling this vision. India sees medical value travel and health workforce mobility as important for a healthy planet,” he said. The summit is an important effort in this direction, the Prime Minister said.

The once-in-a-century pandemic reminded the world of a number of truths, he said. It showed that in a deeply connected world, borders cannot stop threats to health. At a time of crisis, the world also saw how countries in the Global South had to face difficulties and even 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. It was at such a time that many nations realised the importance of a trusted partner in the healthcare domain. India is proud to have been a partner to many nations in the noble mission of saving lives through vaccines and medicines,” Mr Modi said.

Made-In-India vaccines were developed by India’s vibrant science and technology sector, he said. India became home to the largest and fastest Covid-19 vaccination drive in the world.  ”We also shipped 300 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to over 100 countries. This showed both our capability and commitment. We will continue to be a trusted friend to every nation that seeks good health for its citizens,” he said.

When it comes to holistic healthcare, India has many strengths, he said. India has tremendous diversity in culture, climate and social dynamics. Healthcare professionals trained in India are exposed to diverse experiences. This helps them develop skills that can meet the needs of different situations. This is why Indian healthcare talent has won the world’s trust, he said.

For thousands of years, India’s outlook towards health has been holistic. India has a great tradition of preventive and promotive health systems like Yoga and Ayurveda.

Apart from talent, technology, track record and tradition, India has a healthcare system that is affordable and accessible, he said. “This can be seen in our efforts at home. India has the world’s largest Government funded health insurance coverage scheme,” he said.

 “The Ayushman Bharat initiative covers over 500 million people with free medical treatments. Over 40 million people have already availed services in a cashless and paperless manner. This has saved nearly 7 billion dollars for our citizens already,” the Prime Minister said.

The two-day summit aims to showcase India’s strength in the field of Medical Value Travel; as an exporter of Healthcare Workforce providing Value-Based Healthcare services; and India’s emergence as a major hub for world-class healthcare and wellness services.