India Emerging as Global Healthcare Leader: says Dr. Jitendra Singh

He pointed out India’s achievement in carrying out the world’s largest vaccination drive during the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the Modi government’s commitment to accessible healthcare for all citizens.

Dr. Singh, who also holds multiple ministerial roles including Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, and others, stated that preventive healthcare is a national priority to achieve the vision of India @ 2047. He emphasized the rising prevalence of age-related morbidities in younger populations, such as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and young heart attacks, which pose significant health challenges and threaten the nation’s youth potential.

Advocating for a “PPP + PPP” collaboration (Public-Private Partnership within India and with international counterparts), Dr. Singh highlighted the benefits of such partnerships in boosting economic and knowledge resources. He cited the success of the space and biotechnology sectors as role models for integrated partnerships, noting the significant private investment and increase in StartUps in these areas.

Dr. Singh described India as one of the top six bio-manufacturers in the world, emphasizing its cost-effective and efficacy-based bio-manufacturing and healthcare services.

He mentioned the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) as a key platform for industry linkage and research. He also noted the growth in bio-manufacturing from $10 billion in 2014 to $130 billion in 2024, attributing this to the efforts of the Department of Biotechnology.

Discussing the medical devices sector, Dr. Singh referred to it as a “sunrise sector” with the government taking steps to make India its manufacturing hub. He highlighted the role of technology, including AI and ML tools, in revolutionizing healthcare by enhancing efficiency, reducing wait times, and improving overall delivery.

He shared his positive experiences with telemedicine and emphasized the need for human intervention in some areas, such as feedback collection.

In conclusion, Dr. Jitendra Singh called for robust industry-academia-research and entrepreneurship linkages, stressing the need for a collaborative approach to achieve the vision of a healthy India by 2047.