Dr. Jitendra Singh Stresses Technological Advancements for Accessible, Affordable Healthcare

Dr. Singh highlighted India’s position among the top six bio-manufacturers globally, known for its cost-effective and efficacy-based bio-manufacturing, making it a sought-after destination for medical tourism.

At the 2nd “Healthcare Summit” of the American Chamber of Commerce in India (AMCHAM) held at Hotel Taj, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the pivotal role of the latest technology in ensuring accessible and affordable healthcare. Dr. Singh highlighted India’s position among the top six bio-manufacturers globally, known for its cost-effective and efficacy-based bio-manufacturing, making it a sought-after destination for medical tourism.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, who holds multiple portfolios including Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, and several other significant departments, expressed his gratitude to AMCHAM for organizing the summit. He emphasized the relevance of the summit’s theme, "Accelerating Innovative and Accessible Healthcare: Technology Transformation," to India's contemporary health challenges.

Incidentally, Dr. Singh is a renowned endocrinologist with a three-decade-long career in medicine. He discussed the rising burden of metabolic disorders and the associated challenges posed by an increasing spectrum of diseases and longer life spans.

Dr. Singh underscored the importance of such summits in bringing together healthcare professionals, technology experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to strengthen the U.S.-India partnership in healthcare. He mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for a healthy India, aiming for the elimination of communicable diseases, reduction of non-communicable diseases, and the overall improvement of health indices.

Reflecting on recent healthcare transformations, Dr. Singh highlighted India's success in conducting the world’s largest vaccination drive during the COVID-19 pandemic. He stated that this achievement reaffirms the Modi government's commitment to making accessible healthcare a right for every citizen. He also noted that India has become a hub for medical tourism and preventive healthcare, moving away from the days when people sought medical facilities abroad.

Dr. Singh praised the government's focus on healthcare over the past decade, citing initiatives such as the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which provides cashless medical treatment, the Digital Healthcare Mission, PM Jan Aushadhi, and the integration of AYUSH with mainstream medical streams.

He emphasized the crucial role of technology in ensuring equitable access to healthcare. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) tools is significantly enhancing healthcare capabilities by improving efficiency, reducing wait times, and delivering better overall healthcare. Sharing his experience with telemedicine, Dr. Singh explained how it has transformed healthcare by making services accessible even in the remotest villages of Jammu and Kashmir.

Dr. Singh also emphasized the importance of public-private cooperation in healthcare. He highlighted the successful opening up of the space sector, which attracted over Rs 1,000 crore in private investment within a few months, boosting the number of startups from one in 2022 to over 200 currently with global capacity.

He commended the Department of Biotechnology for its achievements in fostering research and development in translational health sciences, noting the significant growth in bio-manufacturing and bio-foundries from $13 billion in 2014 to $130 billion in 2024.

Highlighting India's pharmaceutical sector, Dr. Singh mentioned that India supplies four out of every ten prescriptions filled in the U.S., underlining the country’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities. He emphasized the critical nature of the partnership between India and the United States in this domain.

The summit also featured participation from key industry leaders, including Ms. Ranjana Khanna, Director General and CEO of AMCHAM; Mr. Som Satsangi, Chairman of AMCHAM and Senior Vice President and MD, India Hewlett Packard Enterprise; Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drug Controller General of India; Mr. Madan Krishnan, Vice President and Managing Director India Subcontinent, Boston Scientific; and Mr. Chaitanya Sarawate, Managing Director, Wipro GE Healthcare.