New Delhi/Geneva: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed the newly adopted WHO Pandemic Treaty as a landmark step in global health collaboration, emphasizing the need for unity and shared responsibility to tackle future health crises.
Speaking via videoconference at the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, PM Modi said the treaty embodies a “shared commitment” to fighting future pandemics through enhanced international cooperation. The treaty, adopted by consensus after three years of negotiations following the COVID-19 pandemic, aims to address global healthcare disparities and strengthen preparedness for future health emergencies.
Highlighting the Assembly’s theme, ‘One World for Health’, the Prime Minister said it resonates with India’s global health vision. He reaffirmed India’s commitment to sharing its experiences, especially with the Global South, and promoting sustainable, scalable health models.
“India’s approach provides replicable, scalable, and sustainable models,” PM Modi said, while also stressing that “a healthy planet must include everyone, leaving no one behind.”
He spotlighted India’s health reforms, such as Ayushman Bharat — the world’s largest government-funded health insurance scheme covering 580 million people — and increased investments in digital health infrastructure, which have collectively reduced the financial burden on citizens.
PM Modi concluded by inviting global participation in the upcoming 11th International Day of Yoga, scheduled for June, under the theme ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’, reinforcing the connection between individual well-being and planetary health.