At the Digital Health Summit 2023 in Goa, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar shared that India is working to create and curate Digital Public Goods through a common digital framework. This includes enhancing access to these tools worldwide and establishing standards for data security, interoperability and data privacy. The Summit was organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and healthcare experts and thought leaders to discuss key issues confronting the digital health space. The focus of the Summit involved building a one health perspective together and improving health equity. Dr. Pawar thanked the participants and stated that it matches with India’s G20 Health Working Group agenda on Digital Health Innovations and solutions for Universal Health Coverage and better healthcare service delivery.
The Union Minister highlighted the significance of digital health innovations in enriching healthcare outcomes. This includes 3D printing, robots, point-of-care diagnostics, genomics and bioinformatics. Moreover, she emphasized that digital health systems must remain citizen-centric and allow equitable access to quality treatments.
To achieve universal healthcare access, the Government of India has taken initiatives such as e-Sanjeevani Teleconsultation, CoWIN and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. Dr Pawar acknowledged that these measures will help in improving healthcare service in the country. However, modernization of healthcare service delivery is paramount, and digital technology like AI, IoT, Blockchain and 3-D printing can assist in this cause. India is making progress in this arena, with the G-20 Presidency aiming for global consensus for a global digital framework.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stressed on the need of preemptive measures to tackle the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He said that the state is constructing one of the best public healthcare infrastructures in India and has introduced a universal healthcare insurance scheme called Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana. In addition, Goa has faster adoption of digital services compared to other states and promotes startups that deliver patient-centric care with the help of health tech. Businesses that invest in health tech are welcomed in the state.
Dr Vinod Paul, Member (Health) at NITI Aayog highlighted India’s progress in digital healthcare sectors and urged the private sector to come up with creative ideas, solutions and investments in health tech. The NITI Aayog is closely watching the development of digital health devices including wearables and AI equipment, and establishing standards for their adoption. Moreover, the capacity to process and create insights from digital data must be increased.
The Confederation of Indian Industry, or CII for short, was established in 1895 and is the oldest and largest industry body in India. It works closely with the Indian government to provide industry perspectives and works towards shaping policies, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth and encouraging investments and trade.
Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar is the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare. Prior to the Digital Health Summit, she was actively involved in various responsibilities in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. After taking charge of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry in 2018, she proposed the Ayushman Bharat Program, an ambitious health insurance initiative of the Government of India. She also held various roles in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Women and Child Development, and Textiles.
