India is committed to meeting UNSDGs and SDG 3 is anessential goal that impacts all others. Evolving medical technology is crucial to achieve the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in India. The industry body, NATHEALTH - Healthcare Federation of India, which is renowned as the trust worthy voice of the healthcare sector of India and the Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association (APACMed), the regional association of medical technology in the Asia Pacific has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to join the role of the medical technology industry in India. It will be in relation to AB-PMJAY and to guarantee that it engages with appropriate policymakers, will help to shape policies that would lead in achieving UHC in India.

The purpose of this strategic partnership is to allowaall-in-one pathway streamlining all innovations and ensuring that it scales and raises the intensive efforts by both organizations. Both NATHEALTH and APACMed will work through a joint working group in framing a work plan in relation to Universal Healthcare in India. This would help to synergize and complement the efforts of the government to maximize patient health consequences by quality care comparative to expenditures.

Ms. Preetha Reddy, President – NATHEALTH & Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals said that the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the fault lines in the most advanced nations too and has underlined the acute necessity for a robust mechanism for UHC.

The government schemes for example Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) and Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana have helped India to take bold steps towards UHC. Moving ahead, it is necessary that there should be strong collaborative efforts by the government as well as private healthcare sector organizations that will be helpful to digitally transform the Indian healthcare system. The MoU and partnership between NATHEALTH and APACMeD will further work for growing access to innovative medical technologies, which will lead to high quality and affordable healthcare delivery and also complement the efforts of the Government’s UHC plan.

Source: ET Healthworld