The North News
New Delhi, May 20
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the health of the world relies heavily on how well its most vulnerable populations are cared for, a statement that comes amid rising global health inequalities and deepening challenges in the Global South. Addressing an international forum through video conferencing, Modi emphasised that developing nations bear a disproportionate burden of health crises, ranging from pandemics to chronic underfunding of medical infrastructure. “The health of the world depends on how well we care for the most vulnerable,” the Prime Minister said, underscoring the urgent need for inclusive healthcare systems.
He positioned India’s public health efforts as a model worth emulating, describing them as “replicable, scalable, and sustainable.” Citing initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat – one of the world’s largest publicly funded health insurance programmes – and India’s leadership in vaccine production and distribution, Modi argued that low-cost, high-impact solutions from India can guide global efforts.
The Prime Minister’s remarks come at a time when the Global South continues to grapple with gaps in access to vaccines, medical supplies, and essential health services – a reality that was starkly exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Modi’s intervention appeared to call for a shift in international health priorities toward equity, resilience, and grassroots innovation.
