Healthcare Becoming Affordable, Accessible: Union Health Minister

New Delhi: Healthcare is becoming accessible and affordable in the country with the government taking steps to enhance the overall infrastructure, including doubling of MBBS seats, Union Health Minister Mansukh L Mandaviya said on Monday (April 25). The minister, who also holds Chemicals and Fertilisers portfolio, noted that the government does not see health sector from the commercial aspect but as a service initiative for all.

So we need to take care of our needs and that of the world as well, Mandaviya said while speaking at the India Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Conference 2022.

Also Read: Health For All: Government Schemes And Programmes Targeting Mothers, Children And Young Adults

The three day event, from April 25-27, will see government, industry and academia come together to brainstorm for a roadmap for the sector for the next 25 years.

Mr Mandaviya noted that the government has been taking steps to make healthcare both affordable and accessible.

Medical colleges have doubled, MBBS seats which used to be in the range of 55,000 seats will go up to 1 lakh this year…similarly 1.17 lakh health and wellness centres have been established across the country…district hospitals are being strengthened besides there are AIIMS coming up for tertiary needs, the minister said.

Mr Mandaviya further said the country has the capability to sell pharma products all over the globe and also to treat people from all across the globe at healthcare facilities spread across the nation.

We can take care of it in a holistic and comprehensive manner.. we are brainstorming for that, he added.

He said Modi government has been able to provide health security to about 50 crore people in the country. Mr Mandaviya noted that the government supports industry while staying pro-poor and pro-farmers. “We just don’t make policies in the paper or just give lectures but we make efforts to implement the policy,” he said. Mr Mandaviya, while praising the pharma industry for steps taken during COVID-19 pandemic, said there were apprehensions across the globe as how India will manage the crisis.

We showed the world how it can be done. We also proved it again by having a successful vaccination programme, he added.

Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Bhagwanth Khuba said there was immense potential for growth for the medtech sector in the country and it can go from USD 11 billion to USD 50 billion by 2025. He said the industry should make efforts to reduce imports and manufacture more in the country. Mr Khuba also shared details about various steps taken by the government to help the pharma sector grow in the country. Niti Aayog member V K Paul asked the medical equipment makers to see if anything more can be done for devices like ventilators to ensure that next time the industry has a “super perfect system” in place.

Also Read: Budget 2022: A Macro View Of The Money Allocated To Healthcare Sector

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity,  that is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.