Three-Day AHCI 2023 Concludes with the Participation of 400+ Foreign Delegates

GANDHINAGAR:
The three-day ‘One Earth, One Health – Advantage Healthcare India 2023 (AHCI),’ organized by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt of India, and FICCI today concluded with over 5,000 B2B meetings with participation of 400 foreign Delegates, Ambassadors, and Heads of Mission from over 70 countries.

While delivering the inaugural address on Day-1, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health and Family Welfare for the Government of India, announced that India is focusing on establishing a healthcare system that prioritizes people and values. He also emphasized on the potential of India’s medical value travel industry, projecting it to grow to $13 billion by 2026.

Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of AYUSH, Government of India said, there has been increasing demand for AYUSH not only in India but across the world, and the AYUSH market is projected to reach $ 23.3 billion soon.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization (WHO) said that investing in digital technology is very important because the services that can be provided from India could also be available to all through telemedicine. Post the inaugural session on day one, the session on ‘One Earth One Health – Digital Portal Showcase: Revamping the Future of Global Healthcare through Medical Value Travel and Fulfilling the Need for a Global Health Ecosystem through Workforce Mobility,’ was addressed by V. Hekali Zhimomi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, Ms. Nidhi Kesarwani, Director, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and Mr. Kiran Vaska, Director, National Health Authority, Government of India. The speakers emphasized how the landscape of global healthcare has been undergoing transformative changes, driven by technological advancements, evolving patient needs, and the growing recognition of the interconnectedness of health systems worldwide.

The event was followed by a panel discussion on ‘Regional Roundtable Sessions – Focus on Partnerships and Collaborations: Building a Continuum of Care: Integrated Healthcare for the Holistic Wellbeing of the World.’ The session was chaired by Mr G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, Secretary to the Government of India & CEO, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), co-chaired by Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman, Aster DM Healthcare, and
moderated by Dr. Atul Kochhar, CEO, National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH). The speakers discussed the need to focus on building a continuum of care suggests an approach that spans various levels of healthcare services, from prevention and early intervention to treatment and follow-up, ensuring that individuals receive comprehensive and coordinated care throughout their health journey.

Another topic of the Regional Roundtable Session was ‘The Collective Effort in Fostering the Development of the Medical Value Travel Sector,’ headed by Dr. Mohamed Hassan Mohamaed, Deputy Minister of Health, Somalia, Co-chaired by Abhishek Singh, Joint Secretary (ED), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, and moderated by Lalit Mistry, Co-Head, Healthcare Sector, KPMG India. The panellists expressed the importance of nurturing and encouraging the growth and progress of the medical value travel sector. Fostering development that involves supporting initiatives that lead to positive advancements, improvements, and expansion.

Similarly, an Interactive session on ‘The Power of Partnership and Collaboration for Effective Health Service Delivery’ took place wherein it emphasized the successful and efficient provision of healthcare services to individuals and communities. Effective health service delivery encompasses various aspects, including accessibility, quality, affordability, and responsiveness. It was chaired by Abhishek Singh, Joint Secretary (ED), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, and moderated by Dr. Girdhar Gyani, Director General, Association of Healthcare Providers (AHPI). It was also graced by the special
address of Shah Mahir, Minister of State, Ministry of Health, Government of Maldives, Mohan Bahadur Basnet, Minister of Health and Population, Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, and Dr. Keheliya Rambukwella, Minister of Health, Government of Sri Lanka.

The other session on ‘Promoting Global Partnerships: Advancing Towards a Healthy Future through Medical Value Travel’ was chaired by G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, Secretary to the Government of India & CEO, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and Co-Chaired by Arvind Varchaswi, Managing Director – Sri Sri Tattva, FICCI Co-Chair, AYUSH Committee. Speakers expressed how by collaborating across borders, sharing expertise, and leveraging resources, we can address healthcare challenges more effectively and make significant strides in improving medical care and outcomes worldwide.

A session was organized on ‘Patient Journey and Satisfaction: Success Stories of MVT in India.’ Medical Value Travel beneficiaries from the countries like Kenya, and Ghana shared their success stories and experience of medical treatment in India. This session was chaired by Jaideep Kumar Mishra, S&FA, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and co-chaired by V. Hekali Zhimomi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

Session on ‘Innovation and Technology Development in Medical Devices for Improved Patient Outcomes: Revolutionizing the MVT Industry.’ The discussion was led by Dr. K Hariprasad, President, Apollo Hospitals, co-headed by Dr. Sharad Kumar Agarwal, National President, Indian Medical Association (IMA), and moderated by Sumeet Chandna, Partner, EY. During the session, it was highlighted how The integration of cutting-edge technologies into medical devices enhances diagnostic accuracy, treatment effectiveness, and overall patient experience.

The first day of the event concluded with an interactive discussion on ‘Facilitating Medical Value Travel through Insurance Portability across Borders.’ The session represented a significant advancement in the realm of healthcare and international patient care. This approach addresses the challenges that patients often encounter when seeking medical treatments and procedures in foreign countries, and it seeks to streamline the process by which insurance coverage can extend beyond national boundaries. It was chaired by Yegna Priya Bharath, Chief General Manager, Insurance Regulatory and Development
Authority of India (IRDAI), and Lalit Mistry, Co-Head, Healthcare Sector, KPMG, moderated it.

Day-II of the ‘One Earth, One Health – Advantage Healthcare India 2023 (AHCI),’ commenced with a roundtable Meeting on ‘Skilling and Human Resources Mobility to Aid Health Service Delivery.’ The session was chaired by Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship accompanied by Sonal Mishra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, and moderated by Kiran Vaska, Director, National Health Authority (NHA), Government of India. The panelists for the session shared their insights and highlighted to harness the benefits and mitigate the
challenges, governments, healthcare organizations, and international bodies should collaborate to create policies and frameworks that support both skilling and human resources mobility in the healthcare sector.

This was followed by roundtable conference on ‘MoUs- Leveraging the Power of Partnerships’ with a discussion headed by Sudhansh Pant, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of India, co-chaired by Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and moderated by Lalit Mistry, Co-Head, Healthcare Sector, KPMG India. It highlighted the significance of formal agreements in fostering collaboration and achieving shared goals in the health sector.

Panel Discussion, with G20 Member Countries was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a video message. The discussion also saw the presence of Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health & Family Welfare, & Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India, Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ayush, & Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India, and Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, DG, World Health Organization (WHO). The three-day event concluded with the hospital visits of Foreign Health Ministers and Hosted Foreign Delegates.