Union Minister JP Nadda addressed the NCW's Foundation Day, highlighting the govt's commitment to women-led development. He emphasized the shift to preventive healthcare and the central role of women's empowerment in India's growth and transformation.
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilisers, Jagat Prakash Nadda, on Friday addressed the Foundation Day Programme of the National Commission for Women (NCW), reaffirming the Government's steadfast resolve to promote women's health, safety, dignity, and holistic empowerment.
Delivering the Keynote address, the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, and Chemicals and Fertilisers, underscored the Government's vision of women-led development, emphasising that the empowerment of women is central to India's inclusive growth and social transformation. He also stated that the Commission's 34-year journey reflects how institutions earn recognition not merely through legislation, but through their commitment, sensitivity, and sustained action in addressing complex issues affecting women.
Shift to Preventive and Promotive Healthcare
Highlighting the paradigm shift in India's healthcare policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the Union Health Minister said the country has moved from a predominantly curative approach to a comprehensive preventive and promotive healthcare model. He noted that the National Health Policy, 2017, laid the foundation for integrated healthcare covering preventive, promotive, curative, palliative, and rehabilitative services.
To deliver this vision, over 1.81 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been established across the country to serve more than 1.4 billion citizens, with special focus on maternal and reproductive healthcare, which remains central among the twelve comprehensive healthcare service packages.
Maternal and Child Health Initiatives
The Union Health Minister further stated that from the time a woman conceives until the child reaches 16 years of age, the Government ensures continuous healthcare monitoring, primarily through the dedicated efforts of ASHA workers. Through the U-WIN digital platform, a cohort of over 2.5 crore pregnant women and 2.5 crore children is currently being tracked to ensure timely immunisation, antenatal care, and essential health interventions. Between 2016 and 2024, more than 7.5 crore antenatal check-ups were conducted, and institutional deliveries increased by 89 per cent over the past decade, significantly improving maternal and child health outcomes. He also highlighted the pivotal role of ASHA workers in ensuring free drugs, diagnostics, and timely transportation to healthcare facilities.
Improved Maternal Mortality Ratio
Nadda also noted with satisfaction that India's Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has declined sharply from 130 per lakh live births in 2014-15 to 88 per lakh live births, faster than the global average.
Early Screening and Disease Detection
Emphasising the preventive dimension of healthcare, he said that Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are playing a transformative role in early screening and disease detection. As of Today, over 40 crore individuals have been screened for hypertension, leading to 6.8 crore diagnoses, while 40 crore have been screened for diabetes, resulting in 4.6 crore diagnoses. Similarly, 33.8 crore oral cancer screenings have identified over two lakh cases, 8.5 crore cervical cancer screenings have led to 90,000 diagnoses, and 15.8 crore breast cancer screenings have resulted in 75,800 detections, enabling early treatment and improved survival outcomes.
Focus on Mental Healthcare
Addressing mental healthcare, the Union Minister highlighted the significance of Tele-MANAS, which provides round-the-clock mental health counselling in 20 languages, ensuring accessible, stigma-free support for women across diverse socio-cultural settings.
Targeted Health Campaigns
Furthermore, the Union Health Minister highlighted that last year the Government launched the 'Swastha Nari, Sashakt Parivaar Abhiyaan', which witnessed an overwhelming participation of over 11 crore women across the country.
Under the campaign, large-scale screening for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), tuberculosis, leprosy, and other health conditions was conducted, reflecting the Government's proactive approach towards preventive and promotive healthcare. He noted that such targeted interventions are instrumental in early detection, timely treatment, and improved health outcomes for women.
Commitment to Women-Centric Governance
In his concluding remarks, Nadda affirmed that under the visionary leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, women-centric governance would continue to remain at the forefront of national policy-making. He called upon all stakeholders to renew their resolve for sustained reforms, stronger implementation, and accelerated progress to ensure better outcomes for women and to build a more inclusive, equitable, and empowered India.
New Initiatives and Publications Launched
The Foundation Day Programme witnessed the release of several important publications and the launch of key initiatives, reflecting the National Commission for Women's comprehensive approach towards awareness generation, capacity building, and women's empowerment.
Awareness and Legal Publications
These included the release of "Jagriti", the monthly magazine of the National Commission for Women (NCW), aimed at promoting awareness on women-centric laws, rights, government initiatives, and inspirational success stories, and the Handbook on the "Maternity Benefit Act" (English and Hindi Versions), designed to enhance understanding and ensure effective implementation of maternity-related legal provisions, thereby strengthening protection of women's rights and workplace equity.
Digital Training and Inspirational Content
The programme also marked the launch of Pre-Marital Communication - Digital Training Modules, an innovative digital initiative to promote healthy communication, mutual respect, emotional well-being, and informed decision-making among couples, contributing to stronger family bonds and social harmony. In addition, the 'NCW Calendar on Women Scientists' was released to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women scientists and to inspire young girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Recognising Women in Science and Research
The occasion further featured the felicitation of eight Women Space Scientists under the theme "Aangan se Antariksh", recognising their exemplary contributions to India's space and scientific endeavours and their role in motivating the next generation of women scientists. The programme also included the award of scholarships under the 'Shakti Scholars Youth Research Fellowship', designed to encourage young women researchers and scholars to pursue innovative research and contribute meaningfully to nation-building.
Smt. Annpurna Devi, Hon'ble Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Savitri Thakur, Minister of State, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Sudeep Jain, Member Secretary, NCW, and Smt. Vijaya Rahatkar, Chairperson, National Commission for Women and Senior officials from the Ministry, representatives of civil society and academicians were also present at the event. (ANI)
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