Healthcare has taken centre stage of the policy narrative and we have arrived at an inflexion point that is transformative and unique to the Indian agenda. The need to provide healthcare, which is accessible and affordable, now more than ever, becomes a necessity. Addressing the multiplicity of challenges that we face hinges on our expenditure and outlay on healthcare which is, at present, extremely low. Delivering affordable and quality healthcare maybe a daunting challenge for companies at a macro level, as it will require a careful balance of short-term thinking and long-term focus.
CII Asia Health 2021, being held from 28-29 October, for this year is themed on ‘Transforming Healthcare for a better Tomorrow’ – with the objective to deliberate on the 5 critical A’s of awareness, accessibility, adaption, accountability and affordability determine and impact the Healthcare Sector - The tailwinds and opportunities presented to us are innumerable, and it will be pivotal towards redefining the Indian healthcare ecosystem
Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Hon’ble Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Chemical & Fertilizers addressing the inaugural session of CII Asia Health 2021 stated that platforms like CII ASIA HEALTH are important as they talk about how the sector has evolved and what has the sector gone through in the past and the strategies which should be adopted going forward. Only a healthy society can become a wealthy nation” as stated by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Modi ji. The Government under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister is focusing towards Preventive Care which include initiatives like Yoga, Khelo India and many more have been given importance in the recent times. Through, Ayushman Bharat medical facilities and accessible health is being provided to all, Health and wellness centre was step taken in this direction with check-up and treatments available as per the facility. There is a need to look at a holistic approach, seats for doctors in colleges over the last two years have been doubled. Affordable health treatment should be given with affordable facilities and medicine accessible by all the people. Awareness among people is increasing will also leads to increase in the investment opportunities in healthcare sector and the private sector should take a lead by increased investments. Medical value travel is an opportunity, other than Ayushman Bharat, there are many other schemes launched by the government focusing on holistic health and preventive care. Digitalization is helping built new opportunities in the healthcare sector. India is moving towards being healthy nation. A healthy community is equivalent to a wealthy nation. Demand for voice should be a priority and the needs should be raised to the Government.
CII launched the report titled “Telemedicine Demystified – Necessity During the Pandemic, Boon for the Future.” This join study by CII -IQVIA maps the Telemedicine landscape in India, and how it has added valued to the Indian healthcare ecosystem since the advent of the pandemic. It highlights the key disparities in the current ecosystem and states how telemedicine is the next big change for healthcare in India, which will augment the existing healthcare systems and address issues of patient well-being and the payers-provider as well as physician-patient axes must be managed effectively to ensure that the potential of telemedicine is truly realized over the next decade.
We should have medical tourism diplomacy which will help in sensitizing people about medical tourism which will not only be a potential revenue earner, but also good will earner stated Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare speaking on the importance of Medical Value Travel and Healing from India. There should be regular exchange of information between nations to further strengthen the healing protocols based on natural remedies. We are all well aware of the increased cost of medical care in the western countries and middle east that have forced patients to look towards the East. This is why medical tourism is rapidly growing in India. With the availability of vaccines and mass vaccination in many countries, boarders have started opening again, and it is a great opportunity to promote medical tourism in post covid times. A new era in the corporation of private public partnership will start in healthcare to bring the requisite focus on building on a stronger and more comprehensive healthcare ecosystem which will help boost medical tourism in India.
Under the leadership of Hon’ble PM, a strong ecosystem, strong capacity, indigenous Aatma Nirbhar capacity for vaccines have been created stated Dr Vinod K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog. After the launch of PMJAY, India has only one sector; the national health system of which the public and private are seamlessly connected. Therefore, it is our duty to look at the next shape and design and strength of a unique healthcare system. A healthcare system that will deliver on the aspirations new Indians. He further highlighted two focus points on “infrastructure and human resources”. Firstly, in infrastructure, we currently have 12 lakh beds, half is in the private and government sector. The national health policy expects us to increase the ratio of 1:1000 to 2:1000. We are truly short of beds and we should eventually pitch for 3:1000 given that we will large senior citizens coming up who will need hospitalization. Therefore, to reach 2:1000 beds we need to add 10 lakh beds straightway. Public health systems are moving in this direction in a significant way through the introduction of 157 new medical colleges, 16 AIIMS, and 37,000 beds under Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. Therefore, our request is to create sufficient number of beds in the private system. We should pitch at 5 Lakh beds to come from the private sector side. For augmentation of human resources, there have been pathbreaking reforms under the National Medical Commission. We now have 54,000 PG seats- our deficit in Post-graduation is to the tune of 5x typically. Our deficit of MBBS to achieve the WHO ratio of 1:1000, we will reach this by 2024. From about 8,000 National Board Seats can the private sector make it 3x. Let us have a movement to enhance the seats in the private sector by looking at it together.
Dr R S Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Authority stated with the tectonic shift seen in the uptake of digital in the covid 19 pandemic, there couldn’t have been a more opportune time for Ayushman Bharat Digital mission to come into being. While teleconsultations have been talked about for the past decade, this tectonic shift caused the emergence of telemedicine for consultations and OPDs in an unparallel manner. There is evidence from the success of the e-Sanjeevani app which has facilitated over 5 million teleconsultations till date which now sees 40,000 tele consultations per day. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) will help create a superhighway to seamlessly connect all stakeholders of the healthcare ecosystem digitally. However, to redefine access to digital health and reinvent service delivery we need a strong collaboration between public and private health programs. In ABDM, open design, inclusivity and security are at its core. ABDM will be scalable and provide a cohesive ecosystem for private sector innovation. Further with all health records linked under health id; the patient will be able to access their health history anytime and anywhere without worry of losing their health records.
We have recently crossed the 100-crore target and the next 100 crore target will be accomplished in the shorter time stated Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman, CII National Healthcare Council and Chairman & Managing Director, Medanta, Medicity. This achievement highlights our nations commitment in fighting the pandemic and shows India as a leader in vaccination and having one of the lowest mortality rates in the whole world. This came together because of the contribution of all the healthcare providers, frontline workers, doctors, nurses and most of all the government’s determination to get rid of this major calamity. The Industry is committed towards working for the government’s program for Health for all.
Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, Managing Director & CEO Fortis Healthcare P Ltd stated that ggovernment and industry collaboration has come to the fore and continuous dialogue with various stakeholders especially between policy makers, industry bodies, the providers of different kinds and different components of the healthcare ecosystem is the most important aspect to build trust. Spending on healthcare from Govt has been increasing but more resources are required as healthcare demand becomes more complex. Healthcare expenditure is in right direction to improve quality of healthcare and is important that investments should come in and create healthy environment and should be emphasized by government.
New Delhi
28 October 2021