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Discussions also cover critical issues related to International Health Regulations
Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra held a significant bilateral meeting with United Kingdom Parliament Under Secretary of State Lord Markham on the sidelines of the 77th World Health Assembly organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva on Tuesday (May 28, 2024). The discussions focused on critical issues concerning the mobility of healthcare professionals and digital health innovations.
Enhancing Healthcare Professional Mobility and Digital Portals
The meeting between Chandra and Lord Markham underscored the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and the UK, particularly regarding the mobility of healthcare professionals. India highlighted its ongoing work on developing two digital portals designed to facilitate healthcare workforce mobility to other countries and support medical value travel. These portals aim to streamline the process for healthcare professionals seeking opportunities abroad and patients seeking specialized treatments outside their home countries.
Chandra emphasized the need to advance bilateral cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector to address the challenges faced by the Indian pharmaceutical industry in navigating multiple regulatory systems across the European Union and the UK. Both parties acknowledged the potential for collaboration in overcoming these regulatory hurdles, which would benefit the pharmaceutical sectors in both countries.
The discussion also touched on critical issues related to International Health Regulations (IHR) and the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB). The exchange of views on these topics strengthens the inter country global health governance and ensure effective responses to health emergencies.
Additional Health Secretary Hekali Zhimomi and other senior officials were present during the meeting, highlighting the high-level engagement between the two countries.
Collaboration in AI, digital health tools
Union Health Secretary Chandra also met with Karen DeSalvo, Chief Health Officer of Google. This aimed to explore further collaboration in the realms of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital health tools, building on the existing engagement between Google Research and the Union Health Ministry.
Chandra appreciated the ongoing collaboration with Google, particularly in the development of digital health tools like the Automated Retinal Disease Assessment (ARDA). He emphasized the need for Google's support in advancing the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) by integrating more digital health tools into the ABDM framework. This includes making tools like ARDA ABDM-enabled and raising awareness about ABDM among students and the startup community.
DeSalvo highlighted Google's ongoing engagement with India's National Health Authority (NHA). Since 2022, Google’s AI model for diabetic retinopathy screening, ARDA, has been listed on the ABDM’s website under an open call for Expression of Interest (EoI) for creating a digital health ecosystem in India. Google Research and the NHA have also been collaborating on developing an open-sourced ABDM wrapper to simplify the integration process with the ABDM sandbox.
The Union Health Secretary underscored the potential of AI in revolutionizing healthcare delivery in India. He pointed out that AI-driven tools could significantly enhance early diagnosis and treatment, particularly in rural and underserved areas. The partnership with Google is seen as a vital step towards democratizing access to advanced healthcare technologies.
The meeting also discussed the broader implications of AI in healthcare, including its role in predictive analytics, personalized medicine, and enhancing operational efficiencies in healthcare facilities. Both parties agreed on the necessity of fostering innovation and creating an ecosystem where digital health tools can thrive.
The participation of high-ranking officials from the Union Health Ministry, including Additional Health Secretary Zhimomi, Managing Director National Health Mission (NHM) Aradhana Patnaik, and Additional CEO National Health Authority Basant Garg underscored the strategic importance of this collaboration.
The engagements with both the UK and Google at the World Health Assembly reflect India's proactive approach to leveraging international partnerships and cutting-edge technologies to enhance its healthcare system. The focus on mobility of healthcare professionals and the integration of AI in healthcare aligns with India's broader vision of providing accessible and quality healthcare to its population.
As the Indian delegation continues its participation at the World Health Assembly, these discussions are expected to pave the way for further advancements in healthcare mobility and digital health innovations.
The World Health Assembly, being a premier forum for global health discussions, provided an ideal platform for these strategic dialogues. The outcomes of these meetings are anticipated to have a long-lasting impact on India's healthcare landscape, driving forward initiatives that will benefit millions of people both within the country and globally.
With these efforts, India is poised to lead in the adoption of digital health technologies and international healthcare workforce mobility, setting a precedent for other nations to follow in the pursuit of improved global health outcomes.
Enhancing Healthcare Professional Mobility and Digital Portals
The meeting between Chandra and Lord Markham underscored the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and the UK, particularly regarding the mobility of healthcare professionals. India highlighted its ongoing work on developing two digital portals designed to facilitate healthcare workforce mobility to other countries and support medical value travel. These portals aim to streamline the process for healthcare professionals seeking opportunities abroad and patients seeking specialized treatments outside their home countries.
Chandra emphasized the need to advance bilateral cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector to address the challenges faced by the Indian pharmaceutical industry in navigating multiple regulatory systems across the European Union and the UK. Both parties acknowledged the potential for collaboration in overcoming these regulatory hurdles, which would benefit the pharmaceutical sectors in both countries.
The discussion also touched on critical issues related to International Health Regulations (IHR) and the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB). The exchange of views on these topics strengthens the inter country global health governance and ensure effective responses to health emergencies.
Additional Health Secretary Hekali Zhimomi and other senior officials were present during the meeting, highlighting the high-level engagement between the two countries.
Collaboration in AI, digital health tools
Union Health Secretary Chandra also met with Karen DeSalvo, Chief Health Officer of Google. This aimed to explore further collaboration in the realms of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital health tools, building on the existing engagement between Google Research and the Union Health Ministry.
Chandra appreciated the ongoing collaboration with Google, particularly in the development of digital health tools like the Automated Retinal Disease Assessment (ARDA). He emphasized the need for Google's support in advancing the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) by integrating more digital health tools into the ABDM framework. This includes making tools like ARDA ABDM-enabled and raising awareness about ABDM among students and the startup community.
DeSalvo highlighted Google's ongoing engagement with India's National Health Authority (NHA). Since 2022, Google’s AI model for diabetic retinopathy screening, ARDA, has been listed on the ABDM’s website under an open call for Expression of Interest (EoI) for creating a digital health ecosystem in India. Google Research and the NHA have also been collaborating on developing an open-sourced ABDM wrapper to simplify the integration process with the ABDM sandbox.
The Union Health Secretary underscored the potential of AI in revolutionizing healthcare delivery in India. He pointed out that AI-driven tools could significantly enhance early diagnosis and treatment, particularly in rural and underserved areas. The partnership with Google is seen as a vital step towards democratizing access to advanced healthcare technologies.
The meeting also discussed the broader implications of AI in healthcare, including its role in predictive analytics, personalized medicine, and enhancing operational efficiencies in healthcare facilities. Both parties agreed on the necessity of fostering innovation and creating an ecosystem where digital health tools can thrive.
The participation of high-ranking officials from the Union Health Ministry, including Additional Health Secretary Zhimomi, Managing Director National Health Mission (NHM) Aradhana Patnaik, and Additional CEO National Health Authority Basant Garg underscored the strategic importance of this collaboration.
The engagements with both the UK and Google at the World Health Assembly reflect India's proactive approach to leveraging international partnerships and cutting-edge technologies to enhance its healthcare system. The focus on mobility of healthcare professionals and the integration of AI in healthcare aligns with India's broader vision of providing accessible and quality healthcare to its population.
As the Indian delegation continues its participation at the World Health Assembly, these discussions are expected to pave the way for further advancements in healthcare mobility and digital health innovations.
The World Health Assembly, being a premier forum for global health discussions, provided an ideal platform for these strategic dialogues. The outcomes of these meetings are anticipated to have a long-lasting impact on India's healthcare landscape, driving forward initiatives that will benefit millions of people both within the country and globally.
With these efforts, India is poised to lead in the adoption of digital health technologies and international healthcare workforce mobility, setting a precedent for other nations to follow in the pursuit of improved global health outcomes.
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