Global Digital Health Summit 2024 begins in Mumbai, highlighting AI and digital innovation in healthcare

This year’s theme, “Digital Health at Scale: Success Stories,” showcases how innovations in AI and digital transformation are shaping the future of healthcare

The Global Digital Health Summit 2024 commenced today at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai marking the beginning of a two-day event set to shape the future of healthcare. Nobel Peace Laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus, the summit’s chief guest, highlighted technology’s potential to make healthcare accessible for all. This year’s theme, “Digital Health at Scale: Success Stories,” showcases how innovations in AI and digital transformation are shaping the future of healthcare, bringing together leading experts, policymakers, and innovators from around the world.

The sessions focused on critical topics such as AI in healthcare, digital transformation of hospitals, and the role of digital technologies in managing chronic diseases. Experts shared insights on scalable AI solutions, successful digital hospital transformations, and innovative approaches to long-term condition management.

Addressing the event, Dr Rajendra Pratap Gupta, Chairman, Global Digital Health Summit said, “The current UN Digital Health mandate urges policymakers to connect all people, schools, and hospitals to the internet. Therefore, we need to make the move from healthcare to health and promise digital health for All. As patients are moving from episodic to pre-emptive and holistic care, doctors need to move beyond stethoscope, hospitals need to move from bedside to websites, and pharma companies need to move beyond selling medicines to digital health. This is the age of creation and Digital Health will pave the way for more accessible and equitable care in the country.”

The event’s chief guest, Prof. Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Laureate, Founder & Former MD, Grameen Bank in his special address remarked, “Health is not a privilege; it is fundamental right. Technology can break barriers of geography, economy, and gender but it’s only part of the solution. By merging tech with broader efforts, we can make digital health the driving force behind accessible and equitable care for all.”

Emphasising the role of digital technologies in the healthcare, Ann Mond Johnson, CEO, American Telemedicine Association stated, “India and America share similar challenges in healthcare. Some of those are inadequate number of clinicians and poorly distributed resources. This leads to healthcare professionals treating more patients when they fall sick rather than help them stay healthy. Digital health will meet citizens where they are. It will also reduce health disparities in terms of gender, race, and income.”

“In this digital era, there are several problems such as trust and privacy issues. With the advances in AI and other technologies, there are always concerns about misinformation and disinformation. People are often manipulated and misled by AI. Here, time is of essence. We need to use digital health wisely to ensure that technological advancements truly benefit patients and healthcare systems alike,” Johnson said.

The summit saw presence of the most powerful lineup of speakers, including Nikhil Taneja, Vice President & MD, India, SAARC, Middle East & GSI – Radware; Dr Sanjay Sood, Project Director- eSanjeevani, C-DAC, MeitY, Government of India; Jeonghyun (Jay) Lee, Director (Expat), Samsung Electronics (India); Marc Jones, CEO, Aeris Communications; Board of Trustees, Stanford University; Dr Jan Herzhoff, President, Health Markets, Elsevier Health; Dr Devi Shetty, Chairman and Founder, Narayana Health; Vikrant Shrotriya, Corporate VP & MD, Novo Nordisk India.

The event also featured an Expo showcasing innovative digital health products, services, and solutions from around the world, providing attendees with a firsthand look at the future of healthcare technology. The summit will culminate in the Global Digital Health Innovation Awards, which will recognise and honor outstanding contributions to the digital health sector.

Each year, the Global Digital Health Summit fosters collaboration among a diverse range of stakeholders, including clinicians, healthcare providers, medtech and healthtech companies, pharma leaders, policymakers, and technology experts. This year’s sessions will address pressing questions about the role of AI in healthcare, the future of digital health technologies, and strategies for overcoming barriers to adoption and preparing healthcare professionals with skills needed to be in healthtech. The summit has the unique distinction of having 16.30 CPD credit hours by CPD Standards Office, UK and 10 CNE Credits offered by the Indian Nursing Council.

The Global Digital Health Summit continues tomorrow, promising more incisive discussions and the Global Digital Health Innovation Awards ceremony. The summit will host dignitaries such as Bharat Lal, Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India; Dino Cataldo Dell’Accio, CIO, UN Joint Staff Pension Fund; Dr Rajeev Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India, CDSCO, Government of India; Amitabh Nag, CEO, Digital India Bhashini Division (BHASHINI), Digital India Corporation, MeitY, Government of India; Sudarshan Jain, Secretary-General, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA); N. Nawin Sona, IAS, Secretary, Public Health Department, Government of Maharashtra and many more.