Chandigarh, May 1 (PTI): A two-day national summit on “innovation and inclusivity” concluded here on Friday, with an emphasis on best practices, new initiatives and strengthened health systems.
The summit served as a premier platform for states and Union territories to showcase path-breaking innovations and best practices in the health sector, with a focus on advancing inclusive, accessible and affordable healthcare across the country.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda inaugurated the “10th National Summit on Innovation and Inclusivity: Best Practices Shaping India’s Health Future” here on Thursday.
The second and concluding day of the summit witnessed in-depth technical deliberations centred on the findings of the 17th Common Review Mission (CRM), a cornerstone mechanism for independent, evidence-based assessment under the National Health Mission (NHM).
The first day of the summit focussed on the presentation and dissemination of best practices and innovative interventions implemented by various states and Union territories.
These sessions provided a valuable platform for peer learning, showcasing scalable and replicable models across key thematic areas, including primary-healthcare strengthening, digital-health innovations, maternal and child health, and non-communicable disease management, an official statement said.
In addition, a series of presentations on new and ongoing initiatives of the health ministry was conducted to enhance awareness and facilitate better understanding among states. These sessions enabled stakeholders to align programmatic strategies with national priorities, while also supporting effective implementation at the field level.
Structured presentations coordinated by the ministry highlighted key observations emerging from CRM visits to 17 states and Union territories, providing insights into health-system performance, service-delivery mechanisms and governance practices.
The CRM findings reflected encouraging progress in several priority areas, including the operationalisation of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, expansion of comprehensive primary healthcare services and increased adoption of digital-health solutions, the statement said.
Notable improvements were observed in the delivery of maternal and child health services, screening and management of non-communicable diseases, and the use of teleconsultation platforms to enhance access to care.
The deliberations also provided an opportunity to identify areas where further strengthening could enhance service-delivery outcomes.
The discussions highlighted the importance of continued efforts towards optimising human-resource deployment, ensuring availability of essential drugs and diagnostics, and enhancing the reach of healthcare services in remote and underserved regions.
Emphasis was also laid on improving data quality and leveraging digital platforms for real-time monitoring and evidence-based decision making.
Strengthening referral systems, enhancing supportive supervision and promoting community participation were identified as key enablers for sustaining gains and improving health outcomes.
Additional Secretary and Mission Director, NHM, Aradhna Patnaik, appreciated the significant progress made by states and Union territories in achieving short-term priorities under the NHM, and emphasised the need to now progressively orient efforts towards medium- and long-term health system goals.
She highlighted the importance of aligning ongoing interventions with the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030, underscoring the need for sustained, outcome-oriented planning and implementation.
Patnaik further stressed that while digital-health initiatives are transforming service delivery, it is essential to ensure that no beneficiary — particularly the most vulnerable — is inconvenienced due to digitalisation.
In this regard, she emphasised the need for continuous sensitisation and capacity building of frontline health workers to ensure inclusive and user-friendly service delivery.
Drawing attention to operational challenges observed across states, she also highlighted the importance of strengthening biomedical-waste-management systems as a critical area requiring focussed attention to ensure safe and compliant healthcare practices.
Patnaik further noted the significance of key initiatives launched during the summit and called upon the states to effectively operationalise these interventions to maximise their impact at the ground level.
The deliberations on the concluding day reinforced the collective resolve to build a resilient, inclusive and future-ready public health system that is responsive to the evolving healthcare needs of the population. PTI SUN RC
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