Healthcare must enable more private sector participation to attain global benchmarks: Minister

New Delhi, Oct 24 The healthcare sector must move from overdependence on government funding and enable private participation to attain global benchmarks, said Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology on Friday.

He was speaking while inaugurating the Diabetes Conference "TREAT-DM 2025 – Translational Research, Adiposopathy, Technology for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases" through a virtual address at the J N Tata Auditorium.

“The healthcare sector must move away from overdependence on government funding and encourage a culture of extensive private-sector participation for synergised healthcare, philanthropy, and collaboration to achieve global benchmarks in healthcare research,” Singh said.

The MoS emphasised that the age of working in silos is over, adding that integration between academia, research, and industry is the way forward.

“The boundary between public and private sectors has gradually faded. Thanks to Prime Minister Modi’s reforms, India has opened its space, nuclear, and biotechnology sectors for wider participation, leading to historic outcomes,” he said.

He cited examples of public-private participation, such as the country’s first-ever successful indigenous gene-therapy trial for Haemophilia, conducted under the Department of Biotechnology in collaboration with Christian Medical College, Vellore; the first indigenously discovered antibiotic Nafithromycin effective against resistant respiratory infections, particularly in diabetic and immunocompromised patients, developed through collaboration between government and industry partners.

Singh recalled India’s success in vaccine research and export.

“Our indigenously developed DNA vaccine and other vaccines have been supplied to nearly 200 countries. This reflects India’s dual commitment to self-reliance and global welfare – the spirit of Vishwabandhu Bharat,” he said.

The Union Minister also underlined that India’s Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) is structured to ensure sustainable funding with Rs 50,000 crore earmarked for five years, of which Rs 36,000 crore will come from non-governmental sources. This is a remarkable shift toward building a self-sustainable research model that mirrors global best practices, he added.

Urging researchers to align their efforts with the vision of Viksit Bharat at 2047, the Minister stated that “India’s growth in science and technology will be driven by innovation, self-reliance, and international collaboration”.

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