Mr NS Nigam, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal affirmed “State Government is committed to providing quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare to all” during the 18th edition of Healthcare East Summit organised by CII Eastern Region in Kolkata, on 19th November.
Highlighting the transformative impact of the recent pandemic on healthcare in the eastern region, Mr N.S. Nigam stressed the need to focus on wellness and integrate digital health into daily life. He underscored the critical role of telemedicine in expanding healthcare access in rural areas, emphasizing its potential to bridge gaps in service delivery. Sharing insights into the health insurance sector, Mr Nigam noted that the premium of health insurance market in India, stands at approximately Rs 66,000 crore, accounting 6.6 percent of the total health expenditure.
Drawing attention to prevailing West Bengal’s robust health infrastructure, he pointed out that State’s allocation of Rs 20,000 to healthcare and its leading position in private sector collaboration. Highlighting the success of the Swasthya Sathi scheme, he advocated for enhancing healthcare inclusivity, particularly in Tier 2 cities.
Mr Y Ratnakara Rao, IAS, Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal emphasized the importance of fostering into a startup ecosystem to drive advancements in digital healthcare. He also highlighted the need to boost research and development (R&D) efforts and stressed the significance of establishing a medical device manufacturing hub to strengthen the healthcare sector in the State of West Bengal.
Mr Harshvardhan Neotia, Chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group stated that the Neotia Group is preparing to launch multiple projects within the medical sector. The company intends to allocate Rs 1,700 crores over the next five years, establishing facilities in five to six locations and increasing bed capacity by around 1,500 in Eastern India. He highlighted that the medical industry is distinct from conventional businesses, necessitating a compassionate use of capital to ensure ethical practices in healthcare. Trust remains the cornerstone of this sector, which must prioritize the training of skilled medical professionals and paramedics to enhance operational efficiency.
Mr Jayanta Roy, Managing Director, Peerless General Finance & Investment Company Limited, emphasized the significant role that corporate hospitals play in providing accessible, high-quality healthcare closer to home. He noted that the journey towards clinical excellence will remain a point of interest for the healthcare service provider. Adding further, he said that, in the last decade, tier 2 and tier 3 cities in eastern India have emerged as promising areas for setting up advanced medical facilities, for improving access to quality healthcare.
Mr Dilip Jose, Managing Director & CEO, Manipal Hospitals, emphasized that the State Government should optimize asset utilization by implementing uniform standards for existing medical beds and to work towards reducing the average length of patient stays in healthcare facilities thereafter uplifting the quality of medical care.
Mr Rupak Barua, Mentor, CII Eastern Region Healthcare Subcommittee & Managing Director & CEO Woodlands Hospital advocated for capacity building to create a skilled healthcare workforce. Noting that despite only 25 per cent of the population residing in urban areas, these areas receive 75 per cent of the state’s healthcare infrastructure, he called for greater inclusivity and improved accessibility to healthcare services for all beneficiaries.
Discussing the rapidly growing biotechnology sector, Mr Sandeep Kumar, Chairman, CII West Bengal State Council & Managing Director, TSDPL, highlighted the potential of gene therapy and gene editing in transforming healthcare. He also emphasized the role of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in revolutionizing the sector and enhancing healthcare delivery parameters.
Mr Prashant Sharma, Chairman, CII Eastern Region Healthcare Subcommittee & Managing Director, Charnock Hospital discussed the importance of balancing profit, purpose, and praise in healthcare, emphasizing that these core values should guide every healthcare professional’s career and actions.
Mr Ayanabh DebGupta, Co-Chairman, CII Eastern Region Healthcare Subcommittee & Regional COO, ER, Manipal Hospitals make the audience aware about the various hospitalization rate across different states in the country.
Evolving Healthcare Landscape of East: Explore the Potentiality has been the theme of Healthcare East 2024. Leading healthcare professionals from this region of the country attended the initiative.