WHO Chief Praises India’s Public Health Progress

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has praised India’s significant progress in public health, highlighting improvements in vaccination, maternal and child health, malaria control and universal health coverage.

#India has made impressive public health progress: fewer children with zero-dose vaccine, sharp declines in maternal and child mortality and malaria, expanding universal health coverage, and 187,000+ Ayushman Arogya Mandirs delivering primary health care.

But there is more to… pic.twitter.com/Fo3NsPx1Em

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) September 13, 2026

In a social media post, Dr Tedros said India has made “impressive public health progress” and pointed to a decline in the number of children receiving zero doses of vaccines.

He also highlighted sharp reductions in maternal and child mortality and malaria, along with the country’s expanding efforts towards universal health coverage.
A key achievement noted by the WHO chief is the expansion of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, with more than 187,000 centres delivering primary healthcare services across the country.

However, Dr Tedros stressed that further efforts are needed to strengthen India’s health outcomes. He called for faster action on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases, greater progress towards disease elimination and continued efforts to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure.

Expressing appreciation for the work of the WHO India team, Dr Tedros thanked them for their dedication in supporting India’s journey towards Health for All.