The Union Health Minister on April 11 mentioned that if the country had to step up the efforts to achieve 90% immunisation, coordination among ministries, states and stakeholders for improving health indicators of women, children and adolescents is necessary.

Emphasising on the importance of coordination among ministries, states and stakeholders for improving health indicators of women, children and adolescents, Union Health Minister J P Nadda on April 11 said his ministry has stepped up efforts to achieve the target of 90 per cent full immunisation in the country.

At the curtain raiser event for the 2018 Partners' Forum, he said for providing comprehensive primary care, the government has initiated universal screening of common noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes and hypertension, at primary health centres and sub-centres. The 2018 Partners' Forum will be held here on December 12 and 13 and will provide a platform for learning and exchange for alliance of 1,000 organisations to align objectives, strategies and resources, and agree on interventions to improve maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health.

The union health minister later tweeted that he has formally invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be the patron of the 2018 Partners' Forum. "Met with Hon'ble Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi after the @PMNCH curtain raiser panel discussion to formally invite him on behalf of the global community to be the Patron of the Partners' Forum December 2018," he tweeted. At the event, highlighting the achievements of his ministry, Nadda said, "We have launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI). The special drive will focus on improving immunisation to more than 90 per cent by December this year."

Earlier, the increase in full immunisation coverage was 1 per cent per year which has increased to 7 per cent annually through 'Mission Indradhanush', he said. "Convergence between ministries, states and stakeholders is critical for achieving shared goals for health of women, children and adolescents," Nadda said. The Union Health Minister said India is officially acknowledged as YAWS-free and has been felicitated by WHO and UNICEF for Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE).

Nadda said the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (NHPM), will be a major step towards universal health coverage as it will benefit around 50 crore people (from about 10 crore families) by providing coverage for secondary and many tertiary hospitalisations. The government has initiated universal screening of common NCDs, such as diabetes and hypertension at primary health centres and sub-centres, he said, adding, "This will strengthen preventive and promotive health, improve patient referral and access to secondary care services."

Underscoring the importance of the 2018 Partners' Forum, Michelle Bachelet, the former President of Chile and incoming board chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, said cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder partnerships were vital to push forward for progress on improved health at every life stage. She emphasised on the need for global sharing of best practices and technical expertise at civil society, academic, private sector and governmental levels to change public discourse and lead society into adopting innovative methods to resolve issues and improve health indicators in children, adolescents and women.