“India’s goal is to make healthcare accessible and affordable, not only for our citizens but for the whole world,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his video message following the inauguration the 6th Edition of One Earth One Health – Advantage Healthcare India 2023 meet on Wednesday.
He said that India’s traditional healthcare systems held a lot of answers to stress and lifestyle diseases and called for an integrated, inclusive and institutional global response to healthcare challenges.
“The COVID-pandemic showed that borders cannot stop threats to health in a deeply-connected world. The once-in-a-century pandemic reminded the world of a number of truths. It showed us that in a deeply connected world, borders cannot stop threats to health,’’ he said adding that true progress was people-centric.
Stating that no matter how many advances were made in medical science, access must be assured to the last person at the last mile, the Prime Minister said that India was proud to have been a partner to many nations in the noble mission of saving lives through vaccines and medicines.
Mr. Modi said that the lack of illness was often equated with good health but India’s view of health did not stop at lack of illness. Being free of diseases was just a stage on the way to wellness and our goal was wellness and welfare for everyone. Our goal was physical, mental and social well-being, he said. “When it comes to holistic healthcare, India has many important strengths like talent, technology, track record and tradition. The world has seen the impact of Indian doctors as they are widely respected for their competence and commitment,’’ he said, lauding the services of the country’s nurses and other caregivers.
Health Ministers’ conclave
Meanwhile, Health Ministers of several countries besides delegates from West Asia, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries, Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the African region are participating in the two-day conclave that began on Wednesday. Additionally stakeholders from public and private sectors, from professional and academic domains are also participating.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry has co-branded the 6th edition of One Earth One Health - Advantage Healthcare India 2023 with India’s G20 Presidency. The event will emphasise the importance of global collaborations and partnerships for building resilient global health architecture and working towards achieving Universal Health Coverage through value-based healthcare, according to a release issued by the Health Ministry.
It further aims to showcase India’s strength in the field of medical value travel (MVT) as an exporter of healthcare workforce providing value-based healthcare services and its emergence as a major hub for world-class healthcare and wellness services.
To promote the export of services from India, this international summit will provide an ideal forum for the exchange of knowledge, witnessing participation from the who’s who of the global MVT industry and expertise between the leading authorities, decision-makers, industry stakeholders, experts, and professionals in the industry from around the world. It will enable participants to network with peers worldwide, exchange ideas, build contacts and create strong business partnerships.