11th Medtech Conference of CII focuses on future of healthcare in India

The industry leaders addressed various concerns especially the affordability of healthcare

The recently concluded 11^th Medtech Conference of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) brought together industry stalwarts and officials from the government machinery to deliberate on the past achievements and way forward for the medtech industry and its impact on the evolving healthcare scenario in India.

Delivering the keynote address, Suresh Vazirani, Chairman & Managing Director, Transasia Bio-Medicals turned the spotlight on the recently launched, ‘Ayushman Bharat Yojna’. Terming this Universal Healthcare Scheme as a historical landmark for mankind, he said, “The Ayushman Bharat scheme is a well-timed recognition for the health of its people. The government and industry need to now join hands to ensure that it is truly beneficial to the targeted 500 mn population.”

In a country where 80 per cent of the medical devices are imported, providing affordable healthcare poses a big challenge. “To ensure healthcare at an annual rate of INR 1200 for a family of five, we cannot depend on importing medical devices from developed countries where the average labour cost is INR 1200 per hour. That’s the lacuna we need to address,” emphasised Vazirani.

Sharing his perspective on the way forward, he further stated, “True patient care begins with accurate diagnosis. Currently we need to overcome the roadblocks of quality, affordability and reach. As a country we need to focus on ‘Make in India’ to bridge this gap. Certain policies such as inverted duty structure need to be revisited, in order to ensure the successful implementation of the ‘Make in India’ concept and the Ayushman Bharat scheme at large.”

He cited China as an example of a country that used to rely heavily on imports, but with favourable policies they have now turned the tables; ensuring 80 per cent indigenous manufacturing. “The world has its eyes set on the success of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. And I am positive that if in the next five years, we can Make in India, our medical devices, we will be in a position to drive this scheme to 4 bn people worldwide. That is the power of Make in India,” he added.

During the panel discussion on ‘Medical Technology Sector – Focus on Manufacturing, Quality, R&D and Innovation’, Manish Airan, Associate Vice President – Quality, Transasia Bio-Medicals cited the need to set up quality product testing processes as well as facilities.“In India, the challenge is maintaining quality of components. If there are no existing local and global regulations; the manufacturers should be able to formulate their own quality standards. At Transasia, we facilitate training and have implemented measures to improve the quality of performance. Structured systems are in place to identify, monitor, and improve supplier systems, thereby ensuring that supplier performance is improved.”

Thought leaders from across sectors including Prabal Chakraborty, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Boston Scientific India; Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman, CII Healthcare Council & CMD, Medanta – The Medicity; Sudhanshu Pandey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Himanshu Baid, Managing Director, Poly Medicure shared the platform with Vazirani on putting forth their recommendations to the government.