NATHEALTH Welcomes India's New Government Under the Able Leadership of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI, May 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Urges New Government to Focus on Healthcare as National Priority 

On behalf of the Healthcare Federation of India (NATHEALTH), India's apex healthcare sector body, its President, Mr. Shivinder Mohan Singh, Executive Vice Chairman of Fortis Healthcare Ltd., congratulated Mr. Modi and his entire Cabinet on assuming the office of the Prime Minister of India and starting on a new and fresh note following a clear and overwhelming mandate by the people of the country.

Speaking on emerging priorities, Mr. Shivinder Mohan Singh said, "India faces the triple challenge of affordability, accessibility and reliability in the delivery of healthcare and needs to accelerate progress towards its objective of providing universal coverage to its citizens. Recognizing that a vibrant nation can only be powered by healthy citizens, the National Health agenda must not only encompass the need to tackle the onslaught of NCDs, infectious diseases and malnutrition but refocus attention towards the creation of an effective integrated health delivery network, with preventive care at its core. This is a critical requirement as India readies itself to take its rightful place amongst the leading nations of the world. We are very optimistic that Mr. Modi's Government, recognizing health as a key pillar of our country's economic growth agenda, will provide this sector the much needed impetus that it deserves by creating an enabling environment and encouraging active participation of all sectors in healthcare in nation building."

Mr. Singh, whilst thanking the outgoing President of NATHEALTH, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Founder Chairman of the Apollo Hospitals Group, warmly welcomed Mr. Sushobhan Dasgupta, MD, India, Johnson & Johnson Medical India & VP, Diabetes Care Asia Pacific, Mr. Rajen Padukone, MD & CEO, Manipal Health Enterprises, Dr. Nandakumar Jairam, Chairman and Group MD, Columbia Asia Hospitals, Dr. Arvind Lal, Chairman & MD, Dr. Lal PathLabs Pvt Ltd to the leadership team of NATHEALTH. This team, along with Mr Anjan Bose, Secretary General, will lead NATHEALTH in its quest to create a robust platform for the long-term growth and sustainability of India's healthcare sector.

NATHEALTH has taken the initiative to identify a few key priorities for the Government and the Health Ministry to provide an immediate and urgent roadmap to build a healthy India. The building blocks identified include the following:

1. Accord priority sector status to healthcare - provide the much needed boost to encourage investments in the sector and enable bridging the accessibility, quality and affordability gap.
2. Effect reforms in medical education - to focus attention on generating high quality and adequate numbers of medical professionals; review and update applicable regulations to encourage private sector investments in medical education.
3. Mandate and recognize quality accreditation - to bring a quality focus to healthcare delivery and accord recognition to institutions that meet stipulated standards.
4. Enhance healthcare insurance coverage - to allow citizens to have access to quality healthcare; this is best achieved if the Government sees its primary role as a regulator and payor, rather than as a provider of healthcare services.
5. Provide impetus to manufacturing - create an enabling environment for technology companies to set up bases in India for manufacture of high-end medical equipment as well as encourage localization so costs can be reduced significantly.
6. Rationalize customs duties/levies - bring down import cost of essential medical equipment, life-saving drugs and consumables, thereby keeping health inflation under check.
7. Encourage cross sectoral collaboration - encourage multi-stakeholder collaboration between the Government, the private sector, NGOs, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and technology providers to help deliver the national agenda; facilitate dialogue between the private providers and the Government to streamline CGHS beneficiaries; encourage on ground collaboration between PHCs, ASHA and private sector organizations to improve delivery efficiency.
8. Leapfrog through innovations - leverage IT, ITES and other technology platforms to usher in a new age in healthcare and bridge the demand-supply gap.
9. Integrate Indian sciences - holistic care should be integrated into the mainstream and a 360 degree cure mindset must be inculcated.
10. Accord priority to preventive care - to combat the onslaught of NCDs, infectious diseases, malnutrition and public health.

About NATHEALTH 

NATHEALTH has been created with the vision to "Be the credible and unified voice in improving access and quality of healthcare". Leading healthcare service providers, medical technology providers (devices and equipments), diagnostic service providers, health insurance companies, health education institutions, healthcare publishers and other stakeholders have come together to build NATHEALTH as a common platform to power the next wave of progress in Indian healthcare. NATHEALTH is an inclusive institution that has representation of small and medium hospitals and nursing homes. NATHEALTH is committed to work on its mission to encourage innovation, help bridge the skill and capacity gap, help shape policy and regulations and enable the environment to fund long-term growth. NATHEALTH aims to help build a better and healthier future for both rural and urban India.

Primary Media Contact : Raghu Kochar, [email protected], +91-9811617256, Fortis Healthcare Ltd

Secondary Media Contact: Nibha Bhandari, [email protected], +91-9811065557, Fortis Healthcare Ltd