Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda chaired a comprehensive high-level review meeting on January 2, 2026, with the Health Ministers and senior officials of Rajasthan and Maharashtra to assess healthcare delivery mechanisms and accelerate the implementation of key national health priorities. The discussions focused on strengthening public health infrastructure, improving patient-centric services, tightening regulatory oversight, and fast-tracking India’s mission to eliminate tuberculosis.
Focus on Affordable and Accessible Healthcare
During the meeting, Shri Nadda lauded the efforts of both State Governments in advancing affordable and accessible healthcare. He stressed that sustained progress requires continuous improvement in service delivery, regulatory compliance, and patient satisfaction. Reviewing the Free Drugs and Free Diagnostics Initiatives, he urged states to address supply-chain inefficiencies and strengthen monitoring mechanisms to ensure uninterrupted availability of essential medicines and diagnostics.
Strengthening Drug Regulation and Patient Safety
Emphasising the importance of a robust drug regulatory ecosystem, the Union Health Minister highlighted the need for end-to-end regulatory oversight, spanning manufacturing, storage, distribution, and last-mile delivery. He underlined that strong regulation is critical for ensuring drug quality, safety, and public trust, and called for adoption of best practices and vigilant supervision as a continuous process.
Expansion of Jan Aushadhi Kendras and AMRIT Pharmacies
Shri Nadda reiterated the need to expand the network of Jan Aushadhi Kendras and AMRIT Pharmacy stores across Rajasthan and Maharashtra. He noted that a stronger network would significantly improve access to quality and affordable medicines, particularly for economically vulnerable sections. The State of Rajasthan also highlighted the importance of population-based establishment of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to address scattered habitation patterns and ensure effective primary healthcare coverage.
Diagnostics and Professional Hospital Administration
The Union Health Minister stressed that timely and quality diagnostics are the backbone of effective healthcare delivery and must be seamlessly integrated across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. He also highlighted the need for professional hospital administration, noting that while doctors drive clinical care, efficient administration and regulatory compliance require trained management structures. Special emphasis was placed on strengthening oversight of blood banks, hospital operations, and patient safety standards.
Renewed Push for TB Mukt Bharat
Reaffirming the national resolve for TB Mukt Bharat, Shri Nadda called for district- and block-level strategies with focused interventions in screening, diagnostics, treatment adherence, and nutritional support. He stressed that TB elimination must be pursued in mission mode, supported by close grassroots-level monitoring and coordinated implementation.
People’s Participation and Legislative Engagement
To enhance accountability and coordination, Shri Nadda proposed sensitisation workshops for Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs), encouraging them to actively engage with Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) and Block Medical Officers (BMOs) through structured review mechanisms. He emphasised that Jan Bhagidari (people’s participation) is essential for improving health outcomes and building trust in public health systems.
Role of PPP and Viability Gap Funding
Highlighting innovative financing and implementation models, the Union Health Minister underscored the importance of the Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model and Viability Gap Funding (VGF) in accelerating TB elimination and strengthening health system interventions. He reiterated the Centre’s continued support to states through the National Health Mission, PPP initiatives, expansion of medical education capacity, infrastructure development, and technical assistance.
Commitment from States and Way Forward
The Health Ministers of Rajasthan and Maharashtra assured full cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to strengthen implementation and improve outcomes across priority health programmes. Shri Nadda noted that similar consultative engagements with other states would continue in the coming days as part of a mission-mode approach to health sector reforms, following recent meetings with Health Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Haryana.
Conclusion
The high-level review meeting reaffirmed a shared commitment between the Centre and States to enhance drug regulation, strengthen diagnostics, professionalise hospital administration, expand access to affordable medicines, and accelerate progress towards a TB-free India. The deliberations reflected the spirit of cooperative federalism, reinforcing India’s collective resolve to build a resilient, inclusive, and patient-centric public health system.
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Source: PIB
