Secretary Sebelius Meets with Indian Minister of Health and Family Welfare to Discuss U.S. – India Health Initiative

June 25, 2010 - Secretary Sebelius met with Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.  The meeting continued a conversation on the U.S. – India Health Initiative, begun at the 63rd World Assembly in May 2010.  Both countries expressed a desire to strengthen the continuing partnership in health and to establish common goals as the U.S. – India Health Initiative moves forward.

The U.S. – India Health Initiative, designed to be an organizing mechanism for bilateral discussions on health collaborations and program implementation, currently focuses on four areas of health that are of common interest to the U.S. and India:

• Strengthening health systems and services, including health personnel, financing, public health intervention, regulatory and policy reform, nursing and paramedical training, quality insurance, and Health Informatics
• Infectious diseases, including the eradication of polio, disease surveillance, HIV/AIDS research, and tuberculosis
• Non-communicable diseases, including chronic disease research and prevention, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, aging, mental health, and environmental and occupational health
• Maternal and child health, including child survival programs, technical assistance and capacity building, family planning and reproductive health, and nutrition

The meeting solidified the commitment of both countries to continue successful health collaboration and to work together toward shared Global Health Initiative goals.

For more information:

• Joint Statement Indo-U.S. Health Initiative

Last revised: June 28, 2010