India�s initiatives in maternal health, health systems lauded

NEW DELHI, Mar 12:� India�s success in full immunisation through Mission Indradhanush� and resolve to launch new vaccines to protect the children and India�s population� from various diseases has been lauded.Ms Melinda Gates, co-chair and trustee, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, who called� on Union Health Minister J P Nadda and discussed various issues relating to the health sector� in India, appreciated the initiatives taken towards strengthening the health systems, particularly� in the primary health care.Mr Nadda said the Government was committed to providing universal health coverage� to all citizens through newly declared scheme on health insurance.The Government, he said, understands the significance of improving the delivery of public� health provisions including vaccination, family planning and maternal health outcomes, in� promoting all-round growth and development of women and children, who are the bedrock� of a healthy nation,� an official statement here said. He appreciated the efforts of Gates Foundation in complimenting the efforts of the� Government in the health sector, which has enhanced the capacity of the health workers� for more effective implementation of the projects.The Minister elaborated on Mission Indradhanush that aimed at covering all missed-out� and left-out children with cover of full immunisation and the successes within the nation-wide� initiative.Rotavirus, he said, will soon be introduced in select states in the first phase.� Commending the government� s health initiatives, Ms Gates said the advances made� in the area of immunisation, family planning, kala azar, health systems strengthening were� indeed appreciable. The measures taken to increase the basket of choices for contraceptives� were a progressive move, she said. (UNI)