Unveils open real-time PCR kit for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda inaugurated the third International Symposium on Health Technology Assessment (ISHTA 2025) at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. It was organised by the Department of Health Research (DHR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) India Country Office and the Centre for Global Development (CGD).
Bansuri Swaraj, Member of Parliament, New Delhi (Delhi (NCT)); Prof Vinod Kumar Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog; Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary (H&FW), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare; Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research and Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research and Amit Agarwal, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals were also present.
This year, the theme of the symposium is “Bridging Evidence to Policy: Health Technology Assessment for Affordable Healthcare.”
Nadda highlighted the critical role of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) in advancing evidence-based policymaking to build an efficient, equitable, and high-quality health system, aligned with the goals of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
On the occasion, the Union Health Minister released several key resources, including the Open Real-Time PCR Kit for Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis (Quantiplus MTB FAST Detection Kit developed by Huwel Lifesciences), the HTA Technologies Compendium, the HTA Costing Database, as well as the Patent Mitra initiative.
“With the launch of these flagship initiatives, our country is taking a significant leap towards supporting our innovators. This platform is designed to provide crucial support to the scientists, researchers and institutions ensuring that their ground-breaking works are protected through patents and made available to the public through seamless technology transfer,” he stated.
Dr Vinod K Paul congratulated HTAIn (Health Technology Assessment – India) for its remarkable developments within a short period. He underscored the importance of HTA in guiding resource allocation and optimizing health investments for maximum impact.
Dr Rajiv Bahl highlighted the potential of HTA to shape Indian health policies and strengthen the ecosystem for developing cost-effective health technologies. He said, “HTA is part of an ecosystem that India has taken forward from its response to the Covid-19 pandemic during which many technologies were indigenously developed and validated within the country.” He stressed the need for collaboration between research institutions, policymakers, and industry to achieve affordable healthcare.
Punya Salila Srivastava highlighted the crucial role of HTA in strengthening evidence-based decision-making, enabling efficient, equitable, and high-quality services for better patient outcomes. She stated that “digital health technologies have proven invaluable in bridging the gap between rural and urban areas.
She also underlined the crucial role played by HTA in government programs like eSanjeevani, Ayushman Bharat, TeleMANAS, uWIN etc thanks to its evidence-based, cost-effective and accessible framework.
Amit Agarwal, underlined the need for HTA to promote innovation in the pharmaceutical sector and facilitate the development and adoption of affordable medical products.
The symposium offered a wide range of engaging activities, including keynote presentations, panel discussions, oral and poster presentations, and networking opportunities. A ‘Marketplace’ at the symposium showcased HTA studies and their impact on health policymaking.
PIB
