New Delhi (Agency): India is making significant strides towards achieving universal health care under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. Speaking at the inauguration of the ‘One Earth One Health – Advantage Healthcare India 2023’ event, the Union Health Minister outlined India’s commitment to this goal through various initiatives.
Mandaviya stated, “Under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has been moving steadily towards the goal of sarvodaya, achieving universal health care through more than 1,50,000 health and wellness centres as well as the world’s biggest government funded health insurance scheme the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna.”
Highlighting India’s global role, Mandaviya added, “We are also making consistent efforts to contribute to the global health care ecosystem. Today, India is known as the pharmacy of the world. India is the largest provider of generic medicines with a share of 20 per cent in the global supply. We also contribute around 60 per cent of global vaccines.”
During the event, the Union Minister launched two portals: the ‘Advantage Health Care India – One Stop Digital Portal For Patient’ and the ‘Workforce Mobility’ portal. He said these portals will offer tangible solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in the health care sector today.
Emphasizing the strength of India’s healthcare workforce, Mandaviya said that the country is supported by 1.3 million allopathic doctors, 8 lakh AYUSH doctors, and 3.4 million nurses and midwives. He mentioned that India plans to contribute to an organized system of workforce mobility, allowing healthcare professionals to travel and serve the global community.
Medical value travel or medical tourism, he asserted, will enable greater knowledge-sharing and collaboration, contributing to building a stronger global health architecture.
The Union Minister also emphasized the desire to create an inclusive and equitable world, stating, “We strive to build a more inclusive and equitable world where health care knows no boundaries and where skilled health care professionals can make a difference wherever they are.”
Union AYUSH Minister Sarbananda Sonowal spoke about the growth of the AYUSH industry and its potential on a global scale. He said the manufacturing industry in AYUSH has grown at a CAGR of 17 per cent from 2014 to 2020, reaching a market size of USD 23.3 billion.
“Adoption of AYUSH in public health is also gaining momentum, especially after the (COVID) pandemic. We have the potential to be the world leader in the traditional health care sector,” Sonowal added.
During the day, Mandaviya held bilateral meetings with the European Union, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. The discussions focused on collaboration in healthcare systems, fortifying disease surveillance, capacity building, technology transfer, and boosting resilience in supply chains.
The meetings also explored future cooperation in various sectors, including pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine, digital public goods, and digital health, among others.