New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) Investment in primary health care is the most inclusive, equitable and cost-effective way to achieve Universal Health Coverage, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pawar said on Tuesday.

Pawar addressed the Ministerial Roundtable Conference at the 76th session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for South-East Asia here.

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The Delhi Declaration on strengthening primary healthcare as a key element towards achieving universal health coverage was signed at the meeting.

Reaffirming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of “Antyodaya”, the principle of leaving no one behind, Pawar said India's leadership in the G20 has emphasised the importance of strengthening national health systems by putting people at the centre of preparedness and preparing them to respond effectively.

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India's strong health system relies on a “whole of government” and “whole of society” approach, she said.

This would facilitate achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with the goal of strengthening primary health care and improving essential health services and health systems to pre-pandemic levels, she said.

Speaking on the impact of India's significant reforms, Bharti said, “More than 1.61 lakh Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) are transforming the delivery of comprehensive primary health care services which are universally free and provided to all age groups from birth to death, through a continuum of care approach.”

She said it is leading to improved population coverage, reduced out-of-pocket expenditure, mitigation of risk factors and decongestion of higher level of facilities, thus improving quality of care at all levels.

Lauding the policy reforms undertaken for primary healthcare, the minister said, "As one of the many policy reforms, the Community Health Officer (CHO) cadre has been introduced at primary levels. India's ASHA programme is the largest community health worker programme globally."

Speaking on the future blueprint, Pawar said, "AB-HWCs are now gearing up to be able to address the existing gaps in specific areas of care i.e. mental health, elderly care, and palliative care."

She added that Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) will aim at creating a comprehensive digital health ecosystem and investments towards standards-based digital health transformation.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)