Introduction

Healthcare in India has two faces, one of plush and high-tech private hospitals and healthcare centres in metros and large towns, and the other of government-run healthcare centres all over the country. The government-run facilities are always under extreme pressure, with more patients streaming than they can handle, dilapidated living conditions and creaking equipment, doctors and nursing staff who are stretched to the end of their tether at all times, and volatile patients and their families who frequently resort to violence and intimidatory measures when faced with dire situations.

This face of Indian healthcare took on a decidedly ugly face during the two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially during the first two waves, when Covid vaccinations were still not done. The shortage of beds, doctors, nurses and oxygen crippled the system, and the battle took a mental toll not only on patients but even doctors, nurses, and managers of India’s hospitals. Since then, things have improved, and India handled the third and fourth waves of Covid-19 very well, and the vaccination program has also been effective.

But there are several challenges that remain extant. A population of 1.4 billion, a large chunk of which is poor and cannot afford to pay for healthcare or even for medical insurance, is at the crux of the problem. A crumbling public healthcare infrastructure, not only in villages and small towns, but even in larger cities and metros, has made healthcare access on time very difficult. Estimates suggest the ratio of allopathic doctors to people in India is 1:1511. Plus, there is always a shortage of funding, wide disparity in quality between urban and rural facilities, not enough insurance coverage, low understanding and awareness of preventive care, delays in diagnosis, etc.

While there has been a lot of concerted effort both by the government and private industry, yet it simply has not been enough. Lifestyle changes have also contributed to an increase of diseases such as cancer, heart attacks, among other things. To deliberate on these challenges and work towards long-term solutions, Mint brings together experts across all stakeholders in the ecosystem, for a day of brainstorming and sharing of ideas.


Agenda

3:00 PM onwards
  • 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

    Registration

  • 4:00 PM – 4:10 PM

    Welcome Note

  • 4:10 PM – 4:30 PM

    Keynote Address: Indian Healthcare: The Vision for the Future

    The Indian government has taken several steps over the past few years to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure in the country. The biggest initiative has been the introduction of Ayushman Bharat Yojana, by which the government wants to provide cashless treatment to more than 10 crore poor families. Each family would be eligible for Rs 5 lakh annual health cover, in the largest such assurance scheme in the world. In addition, the government has worked on improving medical student enrolment, creating new hospitals and medical colleges, launched several schemes for the benefit of women and children, and has also looked to promote medical tourism in the country. What else is there in the government’s long-term vision? Will these initiatives be sufficient? Why has the allocation to healthcare not been adequate for several years now?

  • 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM

    Panel Discussion 1: Navigating the treacherous lanes of modern healthcare

    The Covid-19 pandemic brutally exposed the gaps and shortcomings of Indian healthcare and also had a host of other side effects such as a diversion of focus away from chronic conditions and other vaccinations, which could have long-term consequences. While the industry did recover well after the horrors of the Delta wave, today they face a gamut of challenges -- hospital chains’ finances are stretched, expansion plans are on hold, cost of treatment has climbed across different kinds of treatments, among other things. Plus, despite Covid, India has not seen the kind of increase in insurance penetration that is needed, to ease treatment costs for patients. What is the way forward for hospitals in India? How can we address the shortcomings in infrastructure, staff, cost of medical treatment, supply chain issues that were exacerbated during the pandemic, among other challenges?

  • 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM

    Panel Discussion 2: Startups: Healthcare's tech army

    Healthtech startups have become critical in the area of last-mile delivery of medical care – including medicine delivery, diagnostic tests, personalised health solutions for corporations’ employees, video consultations between doctors and patients, and even between different doctors for the purpose of sharing knowledge and staying updated, etc. Yet, these digital native firms have to face several challenges, including complex regulatory frameworks, funding, finding the right talent, safety compliances, and building confidence amongst both patients and doctors. How can healthtech startups build trust and confidence? How can they navigate the regulatory frameworks? What are the biggest compliances issues they face and how can they overcome them? How can the government mitigate these challenges for the benefit of the common man?

  • 6:00 PM – 6:15 PM

    Tea Break

  • 6:15 PM – 6:45 PM

    Fireside Chat: The next pandemic. Are we ready?

    The AIIMS has been front and centre of the Covid-19 battlefront, and has played a stellar role in ensuring patient care in the most difficult time that we have seen in a century. As the country battled oxygen shortages, bed shortages, a flood of patients never seen before, crippling shortage of medicines, we also learnt to find solutions to them. But the big question is: are we ready for another Delta? How can we better prepare for pandemics in the future? What have we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic? What are some of the biggest challenges that countries face when it comes to preparing for pandemics? How can we ensure that we have enough medical supplies and equipment to deal with pandemics?

  • 6:45 PM – 7:30 PM

    Panel Discussion 3: Insuring the uninsured: Health insurance's penetration challenge

    Despite the horrors of Covid, India’s health insurance penetration remains abysmally low. Overall general insurance penetration is about 1%, and of that, health insurance accounts for a mere 0.34 percentage points, as per a response in the Lok Sabha by MOS Finance Bhagwat Karad. This is a challenge that appears almost insurmountable, even as people spend their savings and borrow money for treatment that could easily have been offset by medical insurance. The situation has not changed much despite efforts by both government and insurance companies to increase awareness. What can be done in this regard? How can we make people aware of the benefits of health insurance, even while ensuring that insurance policies are affordable to most people? How do we increase health insurance penetration in rural India?

  • 7:30 PM – 7:50 PM

    Keynote Address 2: AYUSH: India's gift to the world

    AYUSH, or alternative treatment therapies namely Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy, are based on specific medical philosophies and promote healthy living through disease prevention and health promotion. The Department of AYUSH has so far taken several steps to promote AYUSH in the country as well as globally. This includes promoting quality control of AYUSH drugs, providing cost-effective AYUSH healthcare by improving access, promoting awareness of AYUSH to make them part of the mainstream medical consciousness. Going forward, how does the government plan to promote AYUSH further? What steps are being taken to standardize products and services, and ensure that the patient gets the best treatment and care? How can AYUSH education be furthered in India to ensure a certainly quality for the industry going forward?

  • 7:50 PM – 8:00 PM

    Thank You Address

  • 8:00 PM – Onwards

    Followed by Networking Dinner


Key Areas of Focus

The Covid-19 Impact

Gaps, focus diversion, long-term consequences

Industry Challenges

Financial strain, delays, rising costs

Insurance Penetration

Cost alleviation for patients

Addressing Issues

Infrastructure, staff, cost, supply chain for hospital progress

 

Health-tech Startups

Last-mile care: delivery, diagnostics, personalized solutions, video consultations

Trust Building

Strategies for confidence, regulatory hurdles

Startup challenges

Regulations, funding, talent, trust-building.

Government Support

Mitigating challenges, fostering growth

 


Who Should Attend

Government Officials:

Ministry of Health representatives, renowned doctors, and heads of medical departments.

Healthcare Industry Leaders:

CEOs of pharmaceutical companies, hospital executives, and research heads.

Medical Professionals:

Heads of medical departments, healthcare researchers, and academic professors.

Investors and Venture Capitalists:

Angel investors, healthcare-focused venture capitalists, and private equity representatives.

 

Technology Innovators and Entrepreneurs:

CEOs of healthcare startups, MedTech innovators, and incubator representatives.

International Healthcare Experts:

Key opinion leaders, global health organization representatives, and international healthcare consultants.

Philanthropists and Foundations:

Representatives from healthcare-focused foundations, philanthropists, and CSR representatives.

 


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