2018 Partners’ Forum to Galvanize Global Action for Women, Children, and Adolescent Health

Convergence between ministries, states, and stakeholders is critical to achievements of shared goals for health of women, children, and adolescents. This was stated by JP Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare at the curtain raiser event for the 2018 Partners’ Forum, a global event which will provide a unique platform for learning and exchange between countries on reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCH+A). Speaking at the function, Nadda further stated that the government is committed to collaboration for expanding UHC for women, adolescents, and children.

The ministry has accelerated the progress toward their target of 90 percent full immunization coverage. Earlier the increase in full immunization coverage was 1 percent per year which has increased to 7 percent per year through Mission Indradhanush. MoHFW has also launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI), a special drive that will focus on improving immunization to more than 90 percent by December 2018. India is officially acknowledged as being Yaws-free and has been validated for maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination (MNTE). The ministry is now moving toward provision of comprehensive primary care through the health and wellness centers, for which the government has initiated universal screening of common NCDs.

There is a need for global sharing of best practices and technical expertise at the 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. The 2018 Partners’ Forum will be held in New Delhi on December 12-13, 2018 and will be a unique platform for learning and exchange for the alliance of 1000 organizations to align objectives, strategies, and resources, and agree on interventions to improve maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health.