PM wants PPP model for ‘self-reliant’ health sector

NEW DELHI: India is focused on making its health sector self-reliant with the help of private participation to ensure the country is better prepared to deal with health emergencies in future, PM Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.

At a webinar on effective implementation of Budget provisions in the health sector, the PM said the Centre was working with a four-pronged strategy towards a healthy India at a time when there was heightened interest in its vaccines. “When the Centre, states, local bodies and private sector come together, we will get better results. We’ve to devise solutions together and fast, keeping in mind the poor,” he added.

2020 was a trial by fire for India: Modi

The PM said, “The first strategy is prevention of illness and promotion of wellness, for which there have been initiatives such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, focus on yoga, care and treatment facilities for pregnant women and newborns, drinking water and sanitation,” the PM said, adding that effective and affordable treatment for the poorest, improving health infrastructure and more healthcare professionals and timebound solutions such as immunisation coverage were the other goals.

Terming this year’s health budget as “unprecedented”, the PM said last year was a “trial by fire” for India and its health sector because of Covid-19 but the country successfully overcame the challenge.

Acknowledging private sector participation and the public private partnership to combat Covid-19, the PM recalled how, within a few months, the country could set up a network of 2,500 labs and how it could reach a milestone of 21 crore tests from a mere dozen tests. “Corona taught us a lesson that we not only have to fight the epidemic but also prepare the country for any such situation in future,” he said. He added that PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana (PMANSBY) has been initiated keeping this focus in mind.

“Under this scheme, from research to testing and treatment, the idea is to establish an advanced ecosystem within the country. PMANSBY will increase our strength in every spectrum... The government’s focus is not merely on investing in the health sector but also to ensure health services are accessible in the remotest parts of the country,” the PM said.

He talked about India emerging as a significant player in the healthcare sector globally, especially by strengthening its position during the pandemic. “Globally, the reputation and trust in India’s health sector has reached the next level. We have to be futureready keeping in mind this trust... Made-in-India medicines and vaccines have also garnered trust among the global community,” Modi said.