Chief of the United Nation Ban Ki-moon, who is on a four-day visit to India, met the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and lauded the country's progress in health sector.
During their meeting in New Delhi, the leaders discussed about several multi-lateral issues of mutual concern and UN funded projects, reports All India Radio.
Earlier in his meeting with Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nazi Azad on Thursday in New Delhi, the UN Secretary-General highlighted the need to work more on promoting the well-being of women and children.
"In January, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) reported that, with no registered polio cases over the past year, India - once regarded as the world's epicentre for polio - is on course to becoming free of the disease," said a statement by the United Nations.
Ban also commended India's commitment to the Global Strategy on Women's and Children's Health and its innovative programmes in this area.
"Launched by the Secretary-General in 2010, the Global Strategy is a $40 billion programme that is expected to prevent, between 2011 and 2015, the deaths of more than 15 million children under five, as well as 33 million unwanted pregnancies and the deaths of 740,000 women from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth," said the release.
Meanwhile, New Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia University conferred the visiting UN chief an honorary degree of doctor of letters on Friday.
During his four-day visit, Ban is expected to meet several senior Indian government officials.
He will also visit India's commercial hub city Mumbai, where he will meet key business leaders committed to utilizing their expertise to promote health of women and children.
