V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, called for a renewed focus on delivering health where it matters most - at the district and community level while speaking at Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organised 6th CII Public Health Summit 2025. He acknowledged India’s progress on maternal and child survival, noting that most of the maternal and child health indicators have improved, especially the neonatal mortality rate stands at 17 against the SDG target of 12, but urged acceleration so that all states reach equitable outcomes by 2030. Paul highlighted three priority areas: ensuring lagging states achieve single-digit maternal mortality, forging partnerships to eliminate targeted infectious diseases, and making nutrition a cornerstone of public-health strategy, especially given that one in four Indian women are severely anemic. He noted that artificial intelligence offers a huge opportunity for public health — from individual preventive care to disease-spectrum surveillance and life course, to decision-making with diagnosis and treatment; use of digital and AI on scale, but we must manage the risks carefully as well. He also stressed the importance of addressing the rising burden of non-communicable diseases and mental-health challenges among youth, alongside the adoption of digital and AI-driven solutions for surveillance, early detection, and resource optimisation.
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