NEW DELHI: "Countries in a given geographical area (like Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and India) should establish a regional trans-national taskforce, including national and international experts, to promote joint research and avoid duplication of efforts," said Meenakshi Dutta Ghosh, additional secretary in the department of health of the ministry of health and family welfare. Addressing an interactive session on potential for cooperation and investment in the Indian healthcare services at the Second India-ASEAN Business Summit being held here, Ghosh pointed out that India had embarked on development of HIV/AIDS vaccine and was taking part in several international programmes for testing and developing new drugs. Among ASEAN countries Thailand is leading in the development of HIV/AIDS vaccine. With similar strains of a disease including HIV/AIDS dominating in a geographical area, the official said cooperation in research would help in developing better programme and plan of action. In India's healthcare programme, she pointed out that private sector has been playing a big role both in patient care and medical research. "Private sector accounts for 82 percent of the outpatient care and 56 percent of the hospitalisation care in India, largely through individual initiative," said Ghosh, urging potential investors in ASEAN member countries to study opportunity in this evolving sector. Under a five-pronged action plan, India is planning to set up six more speciality hospitals on the pattern of New Delhi-based All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), which will see an investment of over 250 billion. In addition, the central government is also planning to help upgrade facilities in six medical colleges with an investment of around 500 million. Medical experts estimate that India needs to add thousands of hospital beds annually, which would be difficult even with the government plans to raise investment from 0.9 percent of GDP to 2.0 percent for creating more primary and tertiary healthcare infrastructure. Already several states have adopted different models for better operation and upgrading of health facilities, said Ghosh. While Kerala has taken a lead in devolution of health care function to the village bodies, Orissa has introduced pay wards to raise resources. Other states like Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have started providing specialist care through contract system, while Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan have given bigger roles to NGOs in the operation of primary health care. "We are presenting in the process of evolving a national strategy for public-private partnership, which will be unveiled soon," said Ghosh, stressing that considerable private investment is required to help India meet its needs.
Source: IANS