English rendering of PM’s address at post budget webinar on ‘Health and Medical Research’
Namaskar!
Friends,
Healthcare should be seen in the context of both pre-Covid era and post- pandemic era. Corona has shown and taught the world that even the developed systems of prosperous countries collapse in the wake of such calamities. The world's focus on healthcare is more than ever now, but India's approach is not limited to healthcare only. Instead, we are going one step ahead and working for overall wellness. Therefore, we have put forward a vision before the world and that is ‘One Earth-One Health’. It means that we are emphasizing holistic healthcare for living beings, be it humans, animals or plants. The Corona global pandemic has also underlined the importance of the supply chain. When the pandemic was at its peak, life-saving things like medicines, vaccines and medical devices had unfortunately become weapons for some countries. India has paid a lot of attention to all these issues in the last few years’ budgets. We are constantly trying to minimize India's dependence on foreign countries. Therefore, all the stakeholders have an important role to play in this regard.
Friends,
For several decades after independence, there was a lack of an integrated approach and a long term vision regarding health in India. We have not confined healthcare only to the Health Ministry, but have emphasized the 'whole of the government' approach. Ensuring affordable treatment in India has been the topmost priority of our government. This is the spirit behind the free treatment facility up to Rs 5 lakh under the Ayushman Bharat. This has saved about 80,000 crore rupees which otherwise crores of patients of the country would have spent on their treatment. Tomorrow, i.e. on March 7, the country is going to celebrate the Jan Aushadhi Divas. Today there are about 9,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country. Medicines are available at these centers at a much cheaper price than the market. Poor and middle class families have saved almost 20,000 crore rupees while buying medicines from these centres. In other words, the citizens of India have saved about one lakh crore rupees due to these two schemes.
Friends,
It is equally important to have good and modern health infrastructure in the country for serious diseases. A major focus of the government is that people should get testing facilities and better facilities for first aid near their homes. In this regard, 1.5 lakh health and wellness centers are being developed across the country. These centers have the screening facilities for serious diseases related to diabetes, cancer and heart. Critical health infrastructure is being developed in smaller cities and towns under the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. As a result, not only new hospitals are being built in small towns, a whole ecosystem related to the health sector is also being developed. Many new opportunities are being created for health entrepreneurs, investors and professionals in this regard.
Friends,
Along with health infra, the government's priority is also on human resources. Over the last few years, more than 260 new medical colleges have been opened. As a result, the number of medical graduate and post graduate seats has doubled today as compared to 2014 i.e. when we came to power. You also know that a successful technician is very important for the success of a doctor. Therefore, emphasis has been laid on the expansion of the nursing sector in this year’s budget. Opening of 157 new nursing colleges near medical colleges is a big step for medical human resources. It can be useful not only for India but also in meeting the demand of the world.
Friends,
The role of technology in making healthcare accessible and affordable is continuously increasing. Therefore, we are also focusing on maximum use of technology in the health sector. We want to provide timely healthcare facilities to the countrymen through the Digital Health ID. About 10 crore people have availed the benefit of online consultation from doctors while sitting at home with the use of e-Sanjeevani. Now a lot of possibilities are also emerging for the start-ups in this sector due to the introduction of 5G technology. Drone technology is set to revolutionize the logistics of drug delivery and testing. This will give impetus to our efforts for universal healthcare. This is also a huge opportunity for our entrepreneurs. Our entrepreneurs should ensure that we should avoid importing any technology and we have to become self-reliant. We are also initiating necessary institutional reforms in this regard. Several new schemes have been launched in the last few years in view of the possibilities in the pharma and medical device sector. More than 30,000 crore rupees have been invested in schemes like PLI whether it is the bulk drug park or developing the medical device park systems.
The medical device sector is also growing at the rate of 12 to 14 per cent in the last few years. This market is going to touch four lakh crore rupees in the next 2-3 years. We have already started working on skilled manpower for future medical technology, high end manufacturing and research. Biomedical engineering or similar courses will also be introduced for training in manufacturing of medical equipment in IITs and other institutions. We have to work together to ensure that there is greater participation of the private sector and maximum coordination between industry, academia and the government.
Friends,
Sometimes, calamity also offers an opportunity to prove oneself. This has been proved by the pharma sector during the Covid period. The way India's pharma sector has gained the trust of the entire world in the Covid era is unprecedented. We have to capitalize on it. This reputation, achievement and faith towards us should not be allowed to suffer. Rather, we have to ensure that this faith towards us should grow further. A new program is being launched to promote research and innovation in the pharma sector through Centers of Excellence. These efforts will not only strengthen the economy, but new employment opportunities will also be created. Today the market size of this sector is around 4 lakh crore rupees. This sector can be worth more than 10 lakh crore rupees if there is better coordination between the private sector and academia. I suggest that the pharma industry should identify important priority areas in this sector and invest in them. The government has also taken several other steps to promote research. The government has also decided to open several ICMR labs for the youth and research industry. We have to see what other similar infrastructures can be opened.
Friends,
The efforts of the government regarding preventive healthcare have had a great impact. Initiatives such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to protect from garbage related diseases, Ujjwala Yojana to protect from diseases caused by smoke, Jal Jeevan Mission to protect from diseases caused by polluted water have yielded better results in the country. Similarly, malnutrition and anemia is also a major problem in our country. Therefore, we started the National Nutrition Mission. And now it is a matter of happiness that a lot of emphasis has been laid on Millets i.e. Shree Anna which is a super food important for nutrition and with which every household in our country is very familiar with it. The United Nations is celebrating this year as the International Year of Millets due to the efforts of India. With programs like PM Matru Vandana Yojana and Mission Indradhanush, we are ensuring healthy motherhood and childhood.
Yoga, Ayurveda and Fit India Movement have greatly helped in protecting people from diseases. The demand for Indian products related to Ayurveda is increasing all over the world. With the efforts of India, the WHO's Global Center related to traditional medicine is being built in India itself. Therefore, I urge all the stakeholders of the health sector and especially to the friends of Ayurveda to step up evidence-based research. Result is not enough, evidence is equally important. The entrepreneurs working in the field of Ayurveda will have to work with research colleagues.
Friends,
There is another aspect to the efforts being made in the country while developing modern medical infrastructure and medical human resources. The benefits of the new capacities that are being developed in the country will not be limited to the countrymen only. Now the countries are connected with each other. This is a huge opportunity before us to make India the most attractive medical tourism destination in the world. Medical tourism in itself is emerging as a huge sector in India. It is becoming a major medium of employment generation in the country.
Friends,
With ‘Sabka Prayas’ (everyone's effort), we can create a developed health and wellness ecosystem in a developed India. I request all the people attending this webinar to offer their suggestions. Let us implement the budget with a definite roadmap for the set targets in a time bound manner, take all the stakeholders along and make these dreams a reality before the next year's budget. We need your suggestions and experiences for the effective implementation of the budget. I am sure we will definitely achieve success by aligning your personal development goals with the resolutions of the country. I wish you all the best.
Thanks.
DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi.
***
DS/VJ/VK/AK