JGU celebrates World Health Day
The Jindal School of Public Health and Human Development (JSPH), in collaboration with the Jindal School of Government and Public Policy (JSGP), hosted a day-long celebration to mark World Health Day 2026 on the theme ‘Together for Health, Stand with Science’ at JGU. The event brought together health practitioners, scholars and students to reflect on the role of science and evidence in advancing the agenda on public health and health equity.
The event began with a welcome address by Professor Stephen P. Marks, Dean, JSPH, who reflected on the shared commitment of NITI Aayog and JSPH towards evidence-based research, quoting the WHO theme for World Health Day: ‘For more equitable access to health care.’
Dr. Vinod K. Paul, Member (Health, Education and Nutrition), NITI Aayog, was the Chief Guest. In his keynote address, he emphasised the range of efforts needed to advance the goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in India and the critical role of science and interdisciplinary research in shaping effective health policy. He congratulated JSPH on completing five years and acknowledged its growing contribution to interdisciplinary research in public health.
Dr. Paul underscored that science has consistently been central to India’s health policy setting and health systems development, citing the early establishment of premier institutions such as the Indian Council of Medical Research and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. He noted the rapid expansion of medical education in India, with undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats increasing nearly threefold over the past decade. He highlighted significant achievements of recent healthcare initiatives, including Ayushman Bharat, with its dual focus on comprehensive primary healthcare through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Health & Wellness Centres) and financial protection through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which now covers nearly 70-80 crore people with health insurance support of up to Rs 5 lakh annually.
In his distinguished address, Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice-Chancellor, JGU, emphasised the need for democratisation of the healthcare system and the commitment to ensuring access to universal healthcare. Citing six milestones in the progress of science and technology in India, he underscored the university’s commitment to bridging the gap between science and policy through evidence-based research at national and sub-national levels.
Following the inaugural event, three panels illustrated the importance of the World Health Day theme ‘Stand with Science’. The first panel on ‘Advancing the One Health Dialogue: Research and Action,’ featured distinguished scholars from the Indian Council for Medical Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Jawaharlal Nehru University and the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar. A panel of early career researchers from JSGP deliberated on ‘Healthcare in Haryana: Evidence from the Field,’ sharing their findings from four districts in Haryana, highlighting key challenges related to healthcare access, utilisation, and health systems readiness. The event concluded with a student-led panel discussion on interdisciplinary health research.
Read more:
