In New Delhi, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda will announce a new initiative targeting the booming medtech industry, in a bid to bolster India's healthcare infrastructure, a senior official said here on Wednesday.
Nadda will announce the initiative in the next press conference on the 100th day of the third term of the Narendra Modi government. The program underscores the government's commitment to harnessing technology for better health outcomes, the official said.
Dr Arunish Chawla, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, during a session on 'Strategies for Inclusive Economic Growth' organized by the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI), said that this new Meditech Architecture program will have new elements: marginal investment schemes, nudge and support for clinical studies, clinical research framework and identified clusters for pharma and meditech industry across the country and their specific needs. He said the initiative will address key challenges and introduce new policies to improve the sector's contribution to the economy, accessibility to healthcare and positioning in the global market.
"At the 100-day press conference, Health Minister will announce a new program for the Meditech industry which will have new elements. Within 48 hours, Health Minister J. P. Nadda will announce this new program," he said at the forum .
India's pharmaceutical sector, often called the "pharmacy of the world", has built a strong foundation, but Chawla highlighted the need for forward-looking policies. He said inclusion has four dimensions: income, spatial mobility, social and intergenerational, all of them fundamental to closing the middle income gap. The healthcare market of 1.5 billion people requires a diverse range of professionals, including physicists, engineers and pharmacists, to support the Meditech sector.
It is essential to build a solid national industry integrated with global value chains. However, we face multiple arbitrages: "price arbitrage is just one aspect," he said.
Tax arbitrage, often overlooked, significantly impacts industry dynamics, influencing investment decisions and regulatory policies. Identifying all these arbitrages is crucial to address future challenges, she added. Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, highlighted the need for a balanced approach between infrastructure development and public welfare.
"We have expanded health safety nets to include people over 70, but health care has become expensive for the middle class," Chawla said.
He noted that while government spending on healthcare has increased (rising from 1.5 percent to 1.8 percent of GDP), the challenge remains balancing what is provided to the public and how the infrastructure is supported.Sanjay Jaju , Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, underlined the importance of India's soft power in shaping its global economic presence.
"If India has to become the third largest economy, it needs to have a soft presence across the world, proportional to the size of its economy," Jaju said, highlighting the role of various sectors, including healthcare, in the drive. of this agenda.
He emphasized that India's growth is not just about economic expansion but also about having a cultural impact. Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs, said that talks are underway with various countries, particularly in Africa, to use digital tools and technology to facilitate payments and reduce dependence on hard currencies.
"Countries can learn from each other, especially in sectors such as digital public services and healthcare," Ravi said.
He said India's unique role in the G20 underlines the importance of inclusion on a global scale, particularly for rising economies. As nations face various challenges – such as debt servicing and shortfalls in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – India's approach emphasizes the need to help everyone move along the path of progress. "Job creation and stabilization of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are critical to fostering inclusive growth and improving income levels. By implementing measures to improve access to capital and technology, India is empowering to its citizens and reducing leaks in various sectors," he said.
Furthermore, establishing predictable and transparent policies is crucial to building trust and ultimately facilitating sustainable development, he added.
Vini Mahajan, Secretary of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, linked health and technology to the broader issue of water scarcity. "I see a growing appreciation of the problem of lack of clean water. It is not just cities that are are running out of water, but climate change and variability are aggravating the problem," he said.
Mahajan emphasized the importance of ensuring safe drinking water, along with sustainable agricultural practices.
"We need to think about providing nutrition to all citizens through agriculture, with the concept of 'more harvest per drop'. Better use of wastewater and innovative crop varieties will play a fundamental role, especially in areas where water "It's scarce," she said.
Nadda will announce the initiative in the next press conference on the 100th day of the third term of the Narendra Modi government. The program underscores the government's commitment to harnessing technology for better health outcomes, the official said.
Dr Arunish Chawla, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, during a session on 'Strategies for Inclusive Economic Growth' organized by the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI), said that this new Meditech Architecture program will have new elements: marginal investment schemes, nudge and support for clinical studies, clinical research framework and identified clusters for pharma and meditech industry across the country and their specific needs. He said the initiative will address key challenges and introduce new policies to improve the sector's contribution to the economy, accessibility to healthcare and positioning in the global market.
"At the 100-day press conference, Health Minister will announce a new program for the Meditech industry which will have new elements. Within 48 hours, Health Minister J. P. Nadda will announce this new program," he said at the forum .
India's pharmaceutical sector, often called the "pharmacy of the world", has built a strong foundation, but Chawla highlighted the need for forward-looking policies. He said inclusion has four dimensions: income, spatial mobility, social and intergenerational, all of them fundamental to closing the middle income gap. The healthcare market of 1.5 billion people requires a diverse range of professionals, including physicists, engineers and pharmacists, to support the Meditech sector.
It is essential to build a solid national industry integrated with global value chains. However, we face multiple arbitrages: "price arbitrage is just one aspect," he said.
Tax arbitrage, often overlooked, significantly impacts industry dynamics, influencing investment decisions and regulatory policies. Identifying all these arbitrages is crucial to address future challenges, she added. Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, highlighted the need for a balanced approach between infrastructure development and public welfare.
"We have expanded health safety nets to include people over 70, but health care has become expensive for the middle class," Chawla said.
He noted that while government spending on healthcare has increased (rising from 1.5 percent to 1.8 percent of GDP), the challenge remains balancing what is provided to the public and how the infrastructure is supported.Sanjay Jaju , Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, underlined the importance of India's soft power in shaping its global economic presence.
"If India has to become the third largest economy, it needs to have a soft presence across the world, proportional to the size of its economy," Jaju said, highlighting the role of various sectors, including healthcare, in the drive. of this agenda.
He emphasized that India's growth is not just about economic expansion but also about having a cultural impact. Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs, said that talks are underway with various countries, particularly in Africa, to use digital tools and technology to facilitate payments and reduce dependence on hard currencies.
"Countries can learn from each other, especially in sectors such as digital public services and healthcare," Ravi said.
He said India's unique role in the G20 underlines the importance of inclusion on a global scale, particularly for rising economies. As nations face various challenges – such as debt servicing and shortfalls in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – India's approach emphasizes the need to help everyone move along the path of progress. "Job creation and stabilization of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are critical to fostering inclusive growth and improving income levels. By implementing measures to improve access to capital and technology, India is empowering to its citizens and reducing leaks in various sectors," he said.
Furthermore, establishing predictable and transparent policies is crucial to building trust and ultimately facilitating sustainable development, he added.
Vini Mahajan, Secretary of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, linked health and technology to the broader issue of water scarcity. "I see a growing appreciation of the problem of lack of clean water. It is not just cities that are are running out of water, but climate change and variability are aggravating the problem," he said.
Mahajan emphasized the importance of ensuring safe drinking water, along with sustainable agricultural practices.
"We need to think about providing nutrition to all citizens through agriculture, with the concept of 'more harvest per drop'. Better use of wastewater and innovative crop varieties will play a fundamental role, especially in areas where water "It's scarce," she said.
