Putting India on global health map

With her recent appointment to the second highest position in the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Soumya Swaminathan, a paediatrician with nearly 30 years of clinical research experience, has become the highest-ranking Indian ever in a United Nations agency. 

“India plays a big role in the global health scenario and WHO does consider the sub-continent very important because of its population size. My appointment, being an Indian, is proof of India’s increasing presence on the global health stage. I hope I will be able to bring India’s needs and perspectives on a global platform much more emphatically thanks to my position now- not just within the WHO, but also within the United Nations,” she says. 

Currently the head of the Indian Council for Medical Research, she will take charge of her new position in Geneva in late November. Her appointment, interestingly, comes just a few months after Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a former health minister of Ethiopia, took over as Director General. 

Is the representation of developing countries increasing in UN? “UN and WHO have always been for all the countries, but, yes, there is a special focus on certain countries. This is the first time an African has been appointed as the Deputy General in WHO, which is a very heartening move. As soon as he took charge, he ensured ample representation of people from developing countries in the team he picked. Another interesting aspect is that he has been very conscious of creating a gender conscious team, picking more women in the team this time. So, the team gives a healthy gender and geographical representation and I believe this will impact our work in a big way. The sheer amount of experience these varied voices will bring is itself going to make a major difference,” explains Dr Soumya. Daughter of Green Revolution pioneer MS Swaminathan and educationalist Mina Swaminathan, Dr Soumya grew up in a household that provided her a rich scientific foundation. Nobel laureate C V Raman and Nobel Prize winner Norman Borlaug were frequent guests at her house.

“I think the environment you grow up in has a big say in how you turn out and what you grow up believing. This is especially true in the childhood. But it was not just growing up in a houseful of scientists. I also had the fortune of going around the globe with my parents, visiting and exploring the cultures of different nations. It gives you a diverse exposure to you and I believe it has played a big role in what I have become today,” she notes. A lot of Dr Soumya’s research was on paediatric, adult tuberculosis and the role of nutrition and HIV infections. She hopes that her experience working with the health system at very close quarters in India will help her create a more pragmatic and practical approach to WHO, especially when it comes to setting standards and guidelines that are plausible in developing nations. However, she clarifies that she will not be bringing new agendas to the table. 

“After Dr Tedros took charge, he has already outlined his vision and priorities that have been validated by all the member countries. I will be working towards attaining those priorities, like universal health coverage, ensuring that epidemics are handled properly, addressing the burden of non-communicable diseases and looking at access to diagnostics and drugs. My work will mostly involve facilitation and coordination between countries to achieve these goals and whatever we achieve will be the result of the efforts of thousands of people under WHO. But I hope, in a few years, being in my position, I will be able to tackle a challenging area effectively and make an impact on global health care,” reveals the 58-year-old paediatrician and clinical scientist. 

While Universal Health Care is the biggest priority for WHO, The High Level Expert Group Report on Universal Health Coverage from 2011 – which would provide health care to 10 crore people, has been stagnant in the cabinet for almost a year now. 

However, Dr Soumya is unwaveringly optimistic about its implementation. “India has made a commitment to Universal Health Coverage clearly in the National Health Policy. We have already moved forward on some components like preventive and promotive healthcare with conversion of sub-centres into health and wellness centres. Health assurance, training health care providers where to work along with doctors, addressing non-communicable diseases like high BP, are some other areas that we have to look into seriously. It is not an easy task for a country of India’s high population, which has varied health indicators across states. That India has an abundance of health risks also adds to the challenge. But in the end, health care must be the priority of state governments. It ultimately depends on the states to implement the measures effectively. 

But I think we are going to see a lot of progress in the country’s health sector in just a couple of years. The challenge for achieving universal health coverage will be making quality care, both preventive and curative, accessible to everyone. However, many of the developing countries find this difficult because of lack of finances and human resources. However, there are countries, like Thailand, which have achieved this goal. Though it is difficult, it is achievable,” she signs off.