It gives me immense pleasure that the Department of Community Medicine, Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, is organizing the 27th Annual State Conference of IAPSM and IPHA with the appropriate theme, "Universal Health Care: Bridging Gaps in Urban & Rural Health".

As the Additional Municipal Commissioner (Health) of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), I appreciate MHIAPSMIPHACON 2026 for deliberating on India’s critical public health priorities. The conference will highlight the gaps that still need to be addressed. Bridging these gaps cannot be achieved by any one system alone; it calls for teamwork between academicians, public health services, non-governmental organizations, local leaders, and the communities themselves.

I hope the deliberations in the conference through orations, panel discussions, research paper presentations, and other academic activities will ignite thought processes and bring about practical solutions, leading to a positive health impact among the population.

I congratulate the Dean and the organizing team for hosting such a thought-provoking conference.