NEW DELHI: Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, the Union Minister of State for Health, said on Friday that strengthening health systems is essential for combating both communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Speaking at the 16th Asian Conference on Diarrhoeal Disease and Nutrition (ASCODD) in Kolkata, Dr. Pawar said that "effective use of safe and affordable vaccines, diagnostics, and devices along with the safe drinking water and maintaining healthy hygiene are important determinants affecting universal health coverage and sustainable development goals."

The summit was virtually attended by representatives from India and other South East Asian, African, American, and European nations. The conference's theme was "Beyond the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: Prevention and control of cholera, typhoid, and other enteric illnesses in low and middle income countries through community participation."
"Over the years, the ASCODD has expanded the discussions in many dimensions, not only on the epidemiology of cholera and typhoid, but also on enteric vaccine initiatives, antimicrobial resistance, water, environmental and sanitation aspects, molecular diagnostics, food and nutrtion," Dr. Pawar said in a statement congratulating the Director and team at the ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases for hosting the 16th Asian Conference on Diarrhoeal Disease and Nutrition.

The government has consistently emphasised that it is our moral obligation as elected officials to ensure that those in need receive the services. The poor should not frantically seek assistance from everyone and anything. It is admirable how India's healthcare infrastructure is developing, and in the coming years, the world will see the changes it brings about, she said.

She went on to highlight further Digital India efforts, including the Online Registration System, eHospital for hospital management, and the eSanjeevani telemedicine app, which enables patients to get care from the convenience of their homes. According to her, the world has seen how India effectively managed a free vaccination programme for a sizable population with a record-breaking immunisation of more than 219 crores. This was done in accordance with the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam concept.

The conference agenda covered the most recent developments in enteric infections, nutrition, policy, and practise, such as the roadmap to end cholera by 2030, the development of a cholera vaccine, rapid diagnostics for cholera, contemporary perspectives of enteric bacterial antimicrobial resistance: new initiatives and challenges, enteric bacterial infections, such as Shigella app, epidemiology, burden, and vaccines against other viral infections, such as hepatitis, and lessons learned about diarrhoeal diseases.

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