Digital Health Summit 2023 discusses key issues confronting digital health space

The event was organised by CII and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Confederate of Indian Industry (CII) recently organised Digital Health Summit 2023 with Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in Goa.

The theme of the event was ‘Building One Health Together – Improving Health Equity’, to bring together policymakers, industry leaders, and global healthcare experts and thought leaders to deliberate upon key issues confronting the digital health space.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare thanked the participants and said that this event aligns with India’s G20 Health Working Group agenda on Digital Health Innovations and solutions to aid Universal Health Coverage and improve healthcare service delivery towards One Earth, One Family, One Future. Highlighting the importance of digital health innovations, she mentioned that digital innovations are powering game changers in exponential medicine, including 3D printing, point-of-care diagnostics, robots, bioinformatics and genomics and are emerging as an enabler and equaliser. In addition to adoption, she emphasised that “citizen-centric” digital health systems with equitable access to high-quality treatments must remain the aim.

Talking about various initiatives taken by the Government of India such as Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission(ABDM), e-Sanjeevani Teleconsultation service, Ayushman Bharat-Prandhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) as well as CoWIN and their role in strengthening creation of a digital health ecosystem in the country, Dr Pawar said that these initiatives will help us in achieving the goal of improving health service accessibility and equity across the country.

Dr Pawar emphasised that it is high time that healthcare service delivery to the public is re-aligned to incorporate the use of new technology. She said that “emerging technologies like AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, 3-D printing in medical device manufacturing, etc. can help create a more holistic health ecosystem that improves health outcomes.”

“A global approach is often more effective and India under its G-20 Presidency has already prioritised digital health as one of its three health objectives, seeking global consensus on a global digital framework,” she further added.

Dr Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister, Goa highlighted that health tech is the most significant aspect of the fourth Industrial Revolution and taking pre-emptive steps remains the key. He said that “Goa is building one of best public health infrastructures in India and was first to launch universal healthcare insurance for the people in the form of Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana (DDSSY).”While highlighting the quick implementation of digital services in the state, he said that “Goa has been the 2nd fastest adopter of digital services in the country and has been giving enormous support to promote startup systems providing patient-centric care with help of health-tech”.

He further added that policy deliberations and required regulation in this area will pave the way for more public-private partnerships to attract more investments in health tech.

Dr Vinod Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog succinctly remarked that India is taking proactive steps by having already created a framework, fabric, platform and highway. He said that the government is working with stakeholders on the validation of digital health devices including wearable devices and AI equipment in health systems in appropriate settings, and thus, the creation of appropriate standards where technologies can be tested. He also urged the private sector to come forward with the right thinking, ideas, vision and indeed solutions to use for various products and possibilities. Finally, he emphasised the importance of developing the capacity to process and create valuable insights from the digital data that is being created every day.

Discussions were held on key areas like ‘Leveraging and compiling Health Data towards realising the Vision of ‘Health for All’; Innovating in Digital Health as well as Driving Investments in the future of Digital Health.

PIB