Tech Focus In Healthcare A Great Opportunity For Entrepreneurs: Modi

Technology focus in healthcare is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs and will give a push to our efforts for universal healthcare, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. 

While addressing a post-budget Webinar on Health and medical research, he said that health care could be seen in terms of pre and post-Covid pandemic systems. 

He said that the pandemic tested even prosperous nations. He pointed out, as the pandemic focused the global attention on health, India went a step further and focused on wellness.

The PM added, “That is why we have put forward a vision before the world - One Earth One Health. This involves holistic healthcare for all creatures -humans, animals or plants.”

The Prime Minister reiterated the lessons learnt with regard to supplying chain during the pandemic and said that it has become a matter of great concern. He lamented the fact that life-saving equipment like medicines, vaccines and medical devices were weaponised when the pandemic was at its peak. 

PM Modi underlined that in previous years’ budgets, the government has constantly tried to reduce India’s dependence on foreign nations and emphasised the role of all stakeholders in this.

The Prime Minister noted the absence of an integrated long-term vision for health for many decades after Independence. 

He mentioned, “We are now pushing the whole-of-the-government approach instead of limiting the subject of health to just the Health Ministry. Making medical treatment affordable has been the top-most priority of our government.”

He informed that through Ayushman Bharat, about Rs 80,000 crore of the poor patients were saved due to free treatment under the scheme. 

Noting tomorrow i.e. 7 March is observed as Jan Aushadhi Diwas, the Prime Minister pointed out that affordable medicines through 9000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras have saved about 20 thousand crore rupees of the poor and middle classes all over the country. 

He added that this means that just these two schemes saved one lakh crore rupees of the citizens.  

The Prime Minister underlined the importance of strong health infrastructure for the treatment of serious ailments. He underlined that critical health infrastructure is being made accessible to small towns and villages under the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure mission which is not only giving rise to new hospitals but it is also creating a new and complete health ecosystem.