India accounts for 21% of the world’s global burden of disease.The experts identified 17 priority health conditions which they felt to be significant public health problems, affecting all segments of the population. Identification of these conditions was based on three criteria: first, the likelihood of the burden of a specific health condition falling on the poor, such as infectious and vector-borne conditions, TB and many maternal and child health conditions; second, in the absence of interventions, the probability of a listed health condition continuing to impose a serious health burden on the Indian population in the future, say by 2015, such as cancers, cardiovascular conditions and diabetes, or new infections such as HIV/AIDS; and third, the possibility of a health condition driving a sufficiently large number of people into financial hardship, including their falling belowthe poverty line.
Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Government of India launched WHO’s new Country Cooperation Strategy with India for 2012-2017 along with Dr Nata Menabde, WHO Representative to India on 29 June 2012.The key aim of this strategy is to contribute to improving health and equity in India. It also provides the blueprint for unleashing India’s role on the global health arena alongside the continued pursuit of health improvement in the country.
The national health policy processes and government’s health agenda identified three strategic priorities and the focus areas under each priority.First supporting an improved role of the