JP Nadda Highlights Global Need for Early Lung Disease Screening at World Health Assembly

The event, titled “Does Your Health System Struggle with Lung Health Screening?”, was organized by the Stop TB Partnership and jointly hosted by India, Japan, the Philippines and Zambia.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda highlighted the urgent need for stronger lung health screening systems and early diagnosis mechanisms while addressing a high-level ministerial side event during the 79th Session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva.

The event, titled "Does Your Health System Struggle with Lung Health Screening?", was organized by the Stop TB Partnership and jointly hosted by India, Japan, the Philippines and Zambia. It brought together global policymakers, healthcare leaders and public health experts to discuss strategies for improving lung disease detection and strengthening healthcare systems worldwide.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Nadda emphasized that resilient and people-centric healthcare systems must prioritize timely screening, early diagnosis and equitable access to treatment for respiratory illnesses. He noted that effective lung health screening is not only a medical necessity but also a social and economic imperative, as delayed diagnosis often leads to avoidable deaths, prolonged suffering, loss of livelihoods and rising healthcare expenses.

The Union Health Minister underlined India's strong commitment toward eliminating tuberculosis under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme and the broader vision of achieving a "TB-Mukt Bharat." He stated that India has undertaken one of the world's largest screening and early detection campaigns targeting vulnerable and high-risk populations across the country.

According to Shri Nadda, India has expanded active case-finding initiatives through house-to-house outreach programmes, community-based screening campaigns, mobile diagnostic units and targeted interventions in vulnerable regions. These efforts are aimed at identifying cases at an early stage and ensuring timely treatment for patients who may otherwise remain undiagnosed.

The Minister highlighted that India has significantly strengthened its diagnostic infrastructure by scaling up advanced technologies for TB and lung disease detection. Molecular testing platforms, AI-assisted diagnostic systems, digital chest X-ray services, portable screening devices and decentralized testing mechanisms are now being increasingly deployed across urban and rural regions.

He stressed that technology and innovation should not remain limited to metropolitan healthcare systems but must reach underserved and remote communities. According to him, healthcare innovation becomes meaningful only when it improves access and reduces inequalities in treatment and diagnosis.

Shri Nadda also referred to India's healthcare transformation under the Ayushman Bharat initiative, particularly through the establishment of Health and Wellness Centres that are helping bring primary healthcare services closer to communities. He praised the contribution of frontline healthcare workers who continue to play a critical role in disease screening, awareness generation and patient support at the grassroots level.

The Minister stated that addressing tuberculosis and lung diseases requires more than diagnosis alone. He emphasized the importance of nutritional support, social protection, treatment adherence mechanisms and community participation in ensuring successful outcomes for patients.

He further highlighted the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, under which citizens, institutions, corporate organizations and community groups have been mobilized to support TB patients and their families. The initiative aims to build social solidarity around TB elimination while reducing stigma associated with the disease.

Speaking about digital health innovations, Shri Nadda mentioned the launch of the TB Mukt Bharat App, which includes "Khushi," an AI-enabled multilingual chatbot designed to provide real-time guidance to users even on basic smartphones. The platform helps individuals access information related to symptoms, treatment entitlements and nearby diagnostic facilities, thereby reducing delays in seeking medical care.

Calling for stronger international cooperation, the Union Health Minister proposed several global priorities for improving lung health outcomes. These include integrating lung health into Universal Health Coverage systems, improving affordable access to diagnostics and screening technologies, strengthening primary healthcare infrastructure, promoting domestic manufacturing and technology transfer, and ensuring sustainable financing for prevention and early detection programmes.

He emphasized that no country can independently overcome the global burden of tuberculosis and respiratory diseases without collaborative efforts involving governments, international organizations, researchers, innovators and healthcare providers.

Shri Nadda reaffirmed India's commitment to eliminating tuberculosis ahead of global targets and said that the fight against TB can become a pathway toward stronger healthcare systems, cleaner environments, better nutrition and more equitable societies.

He urged the global community to move beyond fragmented disease-control approaches and adopt integrated healthcare models focused on prevention, early diagnosis and system-wide transformation.

Concluding his address, the Minister reiterated India's readiness to work closely with international partners, development agencies, healthcare innovators and communities to advance practical, scalable and equitable solutions for lung health screening worldwide.

The discussions at the World Health Assembly highlighted the growing recognition of respiratory health as a major global public health priority, particularly in the context of tuberculosis, air pollution, post-pandemic healthcare challenges and increasing demand for equitable healthcare access.