Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda held a comprehensive review meeting with the health ministers and senior officials of Rajasthan and Maharashtra to evaluate healthcare delivery mechanisms and fast-track the implementation of priority national health initiatives. The discussions centred on reinforcing public health infrastructure, improving patient-centric services, strengthening regulatory frameworks and advancing India’s commitment to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) as a public health challenge.

During the review, Nadda underlined the critical role of a strong and vigilant drug regulatory system, stressing that end-to-end oversight—from manufacturing to last-mile distribution—is indispensable to ensure quality, safety and public confidence. He called for adoption of the best regulatory practices and emphasised that patient satisfaction, compliance and regulatory supervision must be pursued as a sustained and continuous endeavour. Reviewing the progress of the Free Drugs and Free Diagnostics Initiatives, the Union Health Minister urged both states to address supply-chain inefficiencies and close monitoring gaps.

The minister also expressed the need for establishing more Jan Aushadhi Kendras and AMRIT Pharmacy stores in these states. He stated that strengthening this network would play a crucial role in further widening access to quality and affordable medicines for the people of these states. During the meeting, the state of Rajasthan highlighted that the establishment of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs should be population-based, particularly to address scattered habitation patterns and ensure effective primary healthcare coverage.

Reaffirming the national resolve to eliminate tuberculosis, Nadda stressed the need for district and block-specific strategies, with intensified screening, diagnostics, treatment adherence and nutritional support. He emphasised that TB elimination efforts must be driven in mission mode with close and regular monitoring at the grassroots level.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to enhance drug regulation, strengthen diagnostic services, professionalise hospital administration, expand medical education and accelerate progress towards a TB-free India, reflecting the spirit of cooperative federalism in strengthening the country’s public health architecture.

Senior officials and representatives from the Government of Rajasthan present at the meeting included Gajendra Singh Khimsar, Minister of the Medical & Health Department; Gayatri A Rathore, Principal Secretary, Medical & Health and Family Welfare; Dr Amit Yadav, Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM), Rajasthan; Dr T Shubhamangala, Commissioner, Food Safety & Drug Control and Additional Mission Director, NHM, Rajasthan; Naresh Kumar Goyal, Commissioner, Medical Education; and Dr Ravi Prakash Sharma, Director, Medical, Health and Family Welfare.

Maharashtra delegation comprised Prakash Abitkar, Minister for Public Health and Family Welfare; E Ravendiran, Secretary-2, Public Health Department; Dr Kadambari Balkawade, Commissioner (Health Services) and Managing Director, NHM, Maharashtra and Dr Nitin Ambadekar, Director, Health Services.

Senior officials from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare were also present, including Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary; Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, NHM; Rajit Punhani, Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI); and Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), among others.