It is my distinct privilege and honour to extend a warm welcome to all the delegates, academicians, public health professionals, researchers, and students participating in MHIAPSMIPHACON 2026, themed “Universal Health Care: Bridging Gaps in Urban & Rural Health”, being hosted at our esteemed institution, Seth G.S. Medical College and K.E.M. Hospital, Mumbai.

I wholeheartedly congratulate the Department of Community Medicine, Seth GSMC & KEM Hospital, in collaboration with the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (Maharashtra Chapter) and the Indian Public Health Association (Maharashtra Branch), for undertaking this timely and intellectually significant academic endeavour. The conference theme resonates deeply with global and national commitments towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC), as articulated by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-3), and India’s National Health Policy and Ayushman Bharat framework.

Bridging health inequities between urban and rural populations is not merely a service delivery challenge but a moral, academic, and social obligation of medical institutions. The contemporary global health landscape—marked by demographic transition, the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, emerging and re-emerging infections, climate-related health risks, and widening social determinants of health—demands that academic medical institutions transcend conventional boundaries and actively engage with communities and health systems.

India’s transition to Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME), aligned with global best practices advocated by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) and WHO, represents a paradigm shift towards socially accountable medical education. The focus on producing competent, ethical, patient-centred, and community-oriented Indian Medical Graduates capable of functioning effectively across diverse settings—including urban slums, rural hinterlands, and underserved populations—is both timely and visionary. Programmes such as the Family Adoption Programme exemplify the integration of academic learning with community engagement, fostering empathy, accountability, and public health leadership.

Medical colleges today must function as catalysts for health-system strengthening, equity promotion, and capacity building of the health workforce. By extending academic expertise beyond campus boundaries, integrating research with policy and practice, and promoting intersectoral collaboration, institutions such as Seth GSMC & KEM Hospital continue to uphold their historic legacy of service, scholarship, and societal commitment.

I am confident that MHIAPSMIPHACON 2026 will serve as a robust platform for evidence-based deliberations, policy-relevant discourse, and innovative solutions, contributing meaningfully to urban and rural health advancement, curricular enrichment, and future-ready public health leadership.

I convey my sincere best wishes to the organizing committee for a highly successful and academically enriching conference and trust that its deliberations will significantly advance the shared global vision of health equity and Universal Health Coverage.