Saturday, November 03, 2007

4th India Health Summit Healthcare Engagement: Strategies and Partnerships 13-14 November 2007, Hotel Hyatt Regency, New Delhi   The Indian healthcare sector has made rapid strides over the past decade on the domestics and international fronts. India has witnessed unprecedented growth and its turnover is expected to touch US$ 75 billions in the next five years. With over 80% of this expenditure is in the private sector, the complexion of the healthcare sector has changed, with private healthcare providers taking the lead in investments in tertiary and secondary care facilities. For its part, the government has shown openness towards public private partnerships to enhance accessible and affordable healthcare in India. The challenge of additional investments required to meet the expected health care needs of India’s population in five years’ times, most of which will come from the private sectors. While traditional diseases have to be brought under control, India’s economic growth is bringing with it an expected “health transition” in terms of shifting demographics, socioeconomics transformations and changes in disease patterns –life style diseases and wellness are new emerging areas. Many centres of excellence are emerging across the country with the strategy to partner with the private and non –profit players so as the rapidly expand and sustain the healthcare network. Inadequacy of health cervices is increasingly receiving the attentions of countries across the development divide- developed or developing. Citizens want batter health services and this is challenging national resources like never before. The Vision 2020 Document the states that closer links are needed with rural India in providing accessible and affordable healthcare. We need to focus our efforts on where 70% of the population lives. We have to find mechanisms, understands international best practices and evolve an India Model to link our 6, 00,000 villages so that our rural brethren can access quality Healthcare. Partnerships between the government and private sector are absolutely necessary for this to happen. On the one hand, the private sector can bring in the needed technology and capital. On the other, the government has to provide to an enabling environment to make these investments viable. Partnerships are also possible between Indian and foreign services providers who can bring cutting edge tools and research into the health sector. India has institutionalized hospital accreditation standards to provide international healthcare at a fraction of the cost abroad. Another critical aspect is to provide access because only 2 million people are covered by medical insurance. Insurance needs to be liberalized if the bulk of the country’s population is to get good quality medical services. The 4th Indian Health Summit is being organized along with the Indian Healthcare Federation (IHF) and is scheduled to be held on the 13-14 November 2007 with the theme “Healthcare Engagement Strategies and Partnerships”. The summit will be attended by Government, delegates form India and abroad, captains of the Healthcare Industry across Asia as well as research and academic institutions.

More News.... Source:  KNN-KNI News Network