“The next health emergency is not a matter of imagination, it is a matter of time. We believe, with our current tech resources, India can be confident of being able to tackle any exigency,” said Shri Lav Agarwal, G20 Health Track Focal Point & Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare speaking at the Digital Health Summit 2023, organised by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

Chairing a session on Strengthening Healthcare Infrastructure through Technology, Shri Agarwal added, “Technology has been our silent yet powerful ally in the battle against Covid-19. Through our data-first approach and the Covid-19 India Portal, we harnessed the strength of information from every district, every corner of the country. This portal, often unsung, became the backbone of our response, providing vital data and enabling efficient oxygen management, right down to tracking the movement of cylinders. It’s crystal clear that without technology, India would not have triumphed over Covid-19.”

He also said that India had proposed a global initiative on digital health, with compatible systems internationally, this would go a long way in addressing medical queries rising across the globe.

At another session on Implementing Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission for better data accessibility for governance & research, Shri Vikram Pagaria, Joint Director, National Health Authority, said “Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission was launched as a pilot in six Union Territories of the country on August 15th, 2020 and one year later, it was launched nationwide. Our main aim is to create a national digital health ecosystem. Over two years, we have also achieved significant milestones, with 40 crore people and 200,000 facilities and professionals on the HPR and HFR platforms.”

The Digital Health Summit 2023 was spread across six sessions including a panel discussion on, ‘Technology & Innovation in Healthcare – Delivering Healthcare beyond Physical Boundaries’, during which Girish Raghavan, VP, Digital Platforms & India Technology Center, GE Healthcare, said, “As we face the challenges in our country’s healthcare system, one critical issue lies in the gap between the potential demand for quality care and the capacity of our healthcare institutions to meet it. Technology expertise holds the key to bridging this divide. Through innovative solutions like virtual care and machine learning, we can transform the delivery of healthcare, bringing it to the fingertips of every citizen.”

Speaking at a session on Artificial intelligence: Building smart Healthcare ecosystem, Dr Geetha Manjunath, CEO & Founder, NIRAMAI Health Analytix, said, “AI in healthcare serves three primary purposes: optimizing operational efficiency, enhancing clinical efficacy, and prioritizing patients’ affordability and accessibility. These applications aim to streamline processes, improve medical outcomes, and make healthcare more cost-effective and readily available to all.”

The Digital Health Summit was also addressed by Urvashi Prasad, Director, NITI Aayog, who spoke during a session on Enabling Preventive Health at Scale. She said, “The paradigm shift from curative to preventive care is gaining momentum, and it reflects a positive change in the mindset of our health system. As we work towards building a comprehensive primary health system, integrating technology will play a significant role in enhancing preventive aspects, early detection, and access to quality care.”

IAMAI presented the first edition of the Digital Health Summit, a conference dedicated to exploring the transformative potential of technology in achieving ‘Digital Health for all’ in India. The theme of the conference was “Positioning India as a Global Leader in Digital Healthcare.” Set against the backdrop of rapid technological advancements in the healthcare sector, this summit addressed the opportunities, directions, and eventual winners that will shape the next decade. The IAMAI Digital Health Summit 2023 brought together industry experts, thought leaders, and innovators to deliberate on the current issues that technology is effectively addressing within the healthcare landscape.

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