“The Swasthya Chintan Shivir should help bring us closer to the idea of last mile connectivity in health. In the last two days, we have seen a detailed overview of the health sector in India today, and the direction that we should take going forward to ensure universal health coverage.” This was stated by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Health Minister, as he chaired the Swasthya Chintan Shivir, in the presence of Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister of Sikkim, and Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Prof. SP Singh Baghel. Health Ministers including Shri Dhan Singh Rawat (Uttarakhand), Smt.Rajini Vidadala (Andhra Pradesh), Shri Alo Libang (Arunachal Pradesh), Shri Keshab Mahanta (Assam), Shri Rushikesh Patel (Gujarat), Shri Banna Gupta (Jharkhand), Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao (Karnataka), Shri Sapam Ranjan Singh (Manipur), Dr. R. Lalthyangliana (Mizoram), Shri Thiru Ma. Subramanian (Tamil Nadu) are participating in the brainstorming conclave. Shri TS Singh Deo (Deputy Chief Minister, and Health Minister, Chhatisgarh), Shri Brajesh Pathak (Deputy Chief Minister, and Health Minister, Uttar Pradesh), Shri BS Pant (Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sikkim), Shri Vishwas Sarang (State Medical Education Minister, Madhya Pradesh), Shri K Lakshmi Narayanan (Minister of Public Works, Puducherry) are also participating in the event.

On the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, Dr. Mandaviya said, “Lok Bhagidari, people’s participation, is a very essential activity to eliminate the burden of Tuberculosis in the country. Our approach toward TB elimination shows the Indian approach to healthcare. I exhort people to come forward to become Nikshay Mitras, as it can go a long way to make India TB free.” He requested states to make TB elimination a priority, and give it further impetus. He also urged states to support the divyang population of the country, by making it easier to issue disability certificates.

Dr. Mandaviya stressed the need to ensure comprehensive and saturation coverage of all health schemes so that no eligible beneficiary is left behind, and hoped that the Chintan Shivir would provide suggestions on how to shore up existing healthcare facilities, as well as new interventions required across the country.

Dr. VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog at Swasthya Chintan Shivir said, “A holistic paradigm for healthcare has been created in the last two days with inputs from all present, and it is essential that the resolution that we pass today, is put into action, so the goals that have been set can be achieved by next year.”

On the last day of this two-day event, sessions were held on various facets of healthcare in India today ranging from Ayushman Bhava, National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, Elimination of Measles and Rubella &PCPNDT Act.

Shri Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Sudhansh Pant, Officer on Special Duty, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, AYUSH, Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research, senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and States, as well as leaders from industry bodies were present during the event.

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HFW/Swasthya Chintan Shivir Day 2/15^th July2023