Private sector hospitals, particularly those belonging to big groups, should come forward to join the PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) which has emerged as a hugely successful platform for delivering tertiary care within two years of its launch, said Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Tuesday.

The larger challenge of making healthcare affordable and accessible will continue to be there even after the Covid-19 pandemic, Gauba said addressing a FICCI event Heal-2020.

“We need to improve our health infrastructure by coming up with innovative solutions, new approaches so that healthcare delivery can improve, especially at the last mile. We must improve healthcare indicators and make them comparable to the developed countries,” he said.

India has emerged from a State of total dependence on imports to being exporters of Covid-19 necessary medical items. “I urge FICCI and the healthcare industry to launch mass awareness on Covid-19-appropriate behaviour as economic activities open up. With the advent of the festival season and winter it’s important that people don’t let their guard down,” he added.

Sangita Reddy, FICCI President said that at no time in history has healthcare been so centre-stage. “We must collectively ideate, build new solutions and stand up to serve in the face of all kinds of adversities. India has handled the Covid crisis with tremendous innovation, bravery, alacrity and has come together in a way that we can all actually be very proud of,” she said.

Former environment and forests secretary, CK Mishra, said the private sector has proven to the world that India is the hub of cost-effective treatment. “We have moved ahead, the speed or the destination can be questioned but the fact that we are taking the correct path cannot be denied. It is time to celebrate the success and good work and move ahead,” he said.

Mishra emphasised healthcare is a partnership between the private and public sector. “It is the government’s responsibility to create a platform to facilitate this. The private sector participation adds value to the entire spectrum of public health which should be at the core of our belief,” he remarked.

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