‘The Next Ten Years Will Define the Indian Healthcare Industry’: Dr Om Manchanda

By Samachar Digital News

Chandigarh 31^st May:- The next ten years will define the Indian Healthcare Industry, said Dr Om Manchanda, CEO, Dr Lal PathLabs Ltd, while addressing the CII Conference on Shaping Healthcare Ecosystem, organised by here at Chandigarh today. He added that we need to ensure that the gap between Indian healthcare infrastructure and the requisite skill training for the same is abridged by focusing on innovations and technology oriented solutions.

Dr Om Manchanda also mentioned that both public and private sector should work in synergy to overcome the various obstacles of the domain and maximize the benefits of unique government initiatives like Ayushman Bharat. There is sufficient demand in the healthcare industry, but the supply side needs to more accessible and affordable.

Ms Avneet Kaur, Joint Chief Executive Officer, Invest Punjab also addressed the gathering and mentioned that Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion is focusing on developing Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mohali as hubs for Medical Tourism through a variety of initiatives. She also acquainted the audience that Invest Punjab is a one-stop office for all regulatory clearances pertaining to industry investments. The Bureau facilitates land identification and site visits, employ dedicated relationship managers, has end-to-end online process approval and systematized feedback mechanism in order to provide all round support to the investors.

Dr Meena H Singh, Director, Punjab Health Systems Corporation also graced the occasion and said that our nation has really progressed in terms of treatment facilities in the last few decades, but now we need to focus on preventive healthcare and achieve a substantial attitude change amongst our people. She also informed that Punjab state shall shortly announce a comprehensive health scheme that will allow the entire population to take its advantage in a uniform manner.

Dr Gaurav Maheshwari, Senior Consultant and Head- Surgical Gastroenterology, Paras Hospital said that Corporate Hospitals have a huge role to play in ensuring affordability of world class healthcare services, esp. to the marginalized sections of the society.  He suggested various methods by which private medical practitioners may become more socially responsible such as tele-medics, use of mobile diagnostics and re-engineering the use of medicines.

Dr Navneet Dhaliwal, Assistant Professor – Hospital Administration, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, shared a government hospital’s purview of Indian healthcare scenario and sought the support of private players in implementing government schemes like ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna’ so as to extend its benefits to the masses.

Other dignitaries who shared their knowledge and opinion during the conference included Dr Rishi Mangat, Managing Director, Apollo Clinic; Dr Gurbir Singh Regional Medical Director (North & East), Fortis Healthcare Ltd; Dr Surinderpal Singh Bedi,Director – Clinical Services, Indus Hospital; Dr Ashish Sahani, Assistant Professor, Centre for Bio-Medical Engineering, IIT Ropar and Mr Harish Chavan, Chairman, CII Punjab State & Chief Executive Officer, Mahindra & Mahindra (Swaraj Divison).