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Although, India has made considerable improvement in healthcare parameters since independence, we lag behind most of our fellow developing countries, when it comes to providing quality healthcare to our people. India’s population is expected to touch 1.45 billion by 2028 making it the world’s most populous nation surpassing China. This brings us to the twin challenges of a growing geriatric population of 168 million by 2026 and change in disease pattern with increasing number of people suffering from combination of communicable and non-communicable diseases.


FICCI Health Services Committee constituted in 2006, has been pivotal in facilitating interaction among stakeholders to jointly work towards creating the building blocks for achieving quality healthcare through several initiatives.

Although, India has made considerable improvement in healthcare parameters since independence, we lag behind most of our fellow developing countries, when it comes to providing quality healthcare to our people. India’s population is expected to touch 1.45 billion by 2028 making it the world’s most populous nation surpassing China. This brings us to the twin challenges of a growing geriatric population of 168 million by 2026 and change in disease pattern with increasing number of people suffering from combination of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

These factors coupled with increasing awareness levels and insurance penetration would drive the growth of the healthcare sector in the country. The sector is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~16% to reach USD 280 billion in 2020 (from USD 73 billion in 2011). In order to achieve the desired healthcare infrastructure and access to care, total healthcare spending in India would need to increase to 6-7% of the GDP in the next 5 years.

Several initiatives of the government over the past couple of years like the Swachh Bharat, Skill India, Digital India, Start-up India, Make in India are paving the way for revolutionizing Indian healthcare. For the desired changes and a healthy growth of the healthcare sector, a well-defined partnership between the government and the private sector is essential.

FICCI's Engagement

FICCI Health Services Committee constituted in 2006, has been pivotal in facilitating interaction among stakeholders to jointly work towards creating the building blocks for achieving quality healthcare through initiatives like:
  • Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) for tertiary, secondary and primary care
  • National Costing Guidelines
  • Categorisation of healthcare providers
  • Standardization of quality indicators
  • National Electronic Health Records
  • Innovation in Healthcare
  • Non-communicable diseases
  • Bridging the skill gaps and
  • Advocating quality through accreditation of hospitals and laboratories
In view of the inadequate healthcare infrastructure, human resource, regulations and quality, the Committee has submitted recommendations to the Government from time to time. Recently we have been supporting the government by providing inputs and recommendations for the new National Health Policy 2017and NITI Aayog’s Vision Document for Health, workable models for PPP projects especially for Medical Education and NCDs as well as other significant issues like nursing reforms and public health.

Committee's Objectives:
  • Provide recommendations for policy change and regulatory reforms
  • Promote and disseminate information on Quality Assurance Mechanism
  • Facilitate streamlining of sectoral issues amongst stakeholders
  • Develop white papers on relevant issues with stakeholder consultation
  • Provide Networking and collaboration Platform

Team Leader

Praveen K Mittal

Senior Director

Timeline

2023
Jul
Event

Call for Application: FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2023 (15th Edition)

Jun
Press Release

Huge scope for collaborative efforts towards affordability and accessibility of cancer care in India: Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI

Apr
Study

FICCI Health Newsletter: March - April 2023

Feb
Study

FICCI Health Newsletter: January - February 2023

2022
Dec
Study

FICCI Health Newsletter: November - December 2022

Oct
Study

FICCI Health Newsletter: September - October 2022

Press Release

Digitization will result in desirable attributes in the healthcare system: CEO, National Health Authority

Study

FICCI-KPMG Paper on "Strengthening healthcare workforce in India: the 2047 agenda"

Press Release

Public-Private, Centre and States, all should work together on Universal Healthcare: Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice President of India

Press Release

Partnership between government and private sector key in managing any crisis: Smriti Zubin Irani

Press Release

FICCI and KPMG releases a report titled 'Strengthening healthcare workforce in India: the 2047 agenda - Top 20 priorities' at the 1​6th edition of FICCI's annual healthcare conference- FICCI HEAL 2022

Event

FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2022

Study

FICCI-EY Paper on "Call for Action: Making cancer care more accessible and affordable in India"

Event

FICCI HEAL 2022
'Healthcare Transformation: Driving India's Economic Growth'

Sep
Study

FICCI Health Newsletter: July - August 2022

Press Release

FICCI commits to adopt 1 lakh TB patients under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

Jul
Press Release

Private sector a critical player; Must get involved in primary healthcare: Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, GoI

Jun
Study

FICCI Health Newsletter: May - June 2022

Apr
Study

FICCI Health Newsletter: March - April 2022

Press Release

FICCI Health Services Committee condemns abuse and violence against medical professionals

Feb
Study

FICCI Health Newsletter: Jan - Feb 2022

Jan
Event

Roundtable on 'A Road Map for Universal Health Care'

Press Release

Health for Seniors - A definitive opportunity in the decade ahead

2021
Dec
Study

FICCI Health Newsletter: Nov - Dec 2021

Nov
Press Release

Need to ensure localized strategies to address any event of future COVID waves: FICCI-EY Report

Study

Prevent, Plan and Prepare: Strategies to win against the pandemic

Oct
Study

FICCI Health Newsletter: Sep - Oct 2021

Press Release

FICCI-KPMG India report highlights COVID-19 induced healthcare transformation in India

Press Release

PM JAY is here to stay; industry must reposition to align with it: Dr VK Paul, Member, NITI Aayog

Press Release

Private-public partnership crucial to create a sustainable long-term model of the Indian healthcare system: Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, GoI

Study

FICCI-KPMG Knowledge Paper on 'COVID Induced Healthcare Transformation in India'

Event

FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2021

Event

FICCI HEAL 2021

Press Release

India needs robust point of care interventions for tackling future infectious diseases: FICCI-ELSEVIER Whitepaper on Infectious Diseases beyond COVID-19

Sep
Press Release

Overarching reforms like National Health Policy 2017 & National Health Mission transformed Indian healthcare status: Rajesh Bhushan, Health Secretary

Event

India's Mega Healthcare Reforms- Shifting the Paradigm

Press Release

FICCI to organize 'Integrating Methods of Pharmaco-economics to Accelerate Healthcare Transformation' on 23 September '21

Aug
Study

FICCI Health Newsletter: July - August 2021

Jul
Event

FICCI Expert Talk on 'COVID Healthcare Infrastructure and Paediatric Care'

Jun
Press Release

Imperative to accelerate momentum for adoption of consumer health solutions to support the national health system: Drug Controller General, MoH&FW

Event

Self-Care for a Self-Reliant India

Event

Forecasting, Vaccination and Advance Planning of COVID-19 Management

Apr
Press Release

FICCI-BVMW procure 1,500 oxygen concentrators from Germany

Mar
Press Release

Science, technology and innovation plays critical role when the world is faced with unprecedented challenges like COVID-19: Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST

Press Release

FICCI welcomes move to lower age criteria for COVID-19 vaccination

Feb
Study

FICCI Health Newsletter: Jan - Feb 2021

Press Release

FICCI partners with CIF, TRI, & the Consulate General of India for the 'Canada - India Healthcare Summit 2021'

Jan
Press Release

Private sector willing to partner with the government for accelerating COVID-19 vaccine administration

2020
Dec
Study

Protecting India: Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19

Oct
Press Release

Government adopting privacy and security features in NDHM design: CEO, AB-PMJAY

Sep
Press Release

Need to ensure good quality healthcare, accessible and affordable for all: Vice President of India

Policy

FICCI HEAL recommendations

Study

Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Re-imagining Healthcare for Every Indian

Event

HEAL 2020

Press Release

Vice President of India to inaugurate three-day 'FICCI HEAL 2020' on 29th September

Event

East India FICCI Vision Care Conclave

Aug
Event

Integrate Mental Health and Well-Being in Your Organization’s Work Culture

Jul
Event

Mentored Workshop for HR Professionals - Integrate Mental Health and Well-Being in Your Organization's Work Culture

Event

#FICCFASTFORWARD: How healthy is the healthcare sector?

Event

FICCI-Elsevier Web-session on Anxiety Management during epidemic amongst COVID warriors- Healthcare Practitioners, Nurses

Jun
Event

FICCI-Medvarsity Workshop featuring Prof. Dr. K. Ganapathy to help you incorporate Telehealth in your practice

Press Release

FICCI moots need for Economical, Accurate & Scalable COVID-19 Testing Solutions for seroprevalence studies

Event

FICCI Roundtable to deliberate on the future strategy for COVID containment

Mar
Press Release

FICCI welcomes relief measures announced by Finance Minister, it is a good first step

Press Release

FICCI pledges support to government to help minimize the impact of COVID-19 in India

Press Release

Indian pharma industry likely to reach $100 billion and medical devices sector reach $50 billion by 2025 - D V Sadananda Gowda

Press Release

FICCI Issues General Advisory for Members on COVID-19 - 'Be Alert and Not Anxious'

Feb
Press Release

FICCI-NATHEALTH sign MoU to strengthen healthcare systems

Event

MoU Signing Ceremony between FICCI and NATHELATH

2019
Aug
Press Release

Biocon, Manipal chiefs win FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2019

Press Release

No public-private demarcation for the agenda of improving healthcare in India: Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog

Study

Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0

Study

FICCI-ELICIT Information guides for facilitating execution of end-of-life decisions

Study

Improving End-of-Life Care & Decision-Making - patient

Event

FICCI HEAL 2019: Health of Healthcare in India

May
Press Release

India to have 2,500 new hospitals in 5 years, creating 2.5 million jobs - Dr V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog

Feb
Press Release

PPP in digital health can provide affordable access and quality in Indian healthcare and catalyse Ayushman Bharat: Commerce Secretary

Jan
Press Release

FICCI welcomes government's move to accord 'industry status' to hospitals

2018
Dec
Press Release

Government committed to providing quality healthcare within the country and outside through promoting healthcare services sector- Suresh Prabhu

Sep
Event

India Pavilion at Oman Health Exhibition & Conference

Aug
Press Release

Govt. keen to formalise a multi-stakeholder forum to make healthcare affordable & accessible to all: Health Minister J P Nadda

Press Release

Lt. Governor of Delhi felicitates 16 healthcare professionals & institutions at the 10th FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards ceremony

Policy

FICCI HEAL 2018: Recommendations

Study

FICCI Code of Ethics for Health Services Industry

Study

Demystifying Healthcare Costs: A scientific Approach

Event

FICCI HEAL 2018: Healthcare at Crossroads

Event

Roundtable on 'Nursing Reforms: Critical for Achieving Universal Health Coverage'

Jun
Event

Call for Application: Healthcare Excellence Awards 2018

Mar
Press Release

FICCI welcomes launch of world's largest Universal Health Coverage Program

2017
Dec
Press Release

IRDAI Chief calls for devising simple health insurance products to enhance coverage

Press Release

FICCI-KPMG Report suggests Health Savings Account scheme linked to a high deductible health insurance cover

Press Release

Health insurance for the MSME workforce is key to the sector's growth story: FICCI-KPMG knowledge paper on the MSME sector

Press Release

Health insurance remains underpenetrated and expensive in the eyes of consumers in India: FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper

Study

Health saving accounts in India

Study

Distribution 2.0 - Improving Distribution in Health Insurance

Study

MSME group health insurance penetration in India

Event

10th Annual Health Insurance Conference

Press Release

International Arogya 2017, first international summit on AYUSH and wellness gets underway

Aug
Study

The Healthcare Consumer - Understanding Expectations & Experiences in the Patient's Journey

Event

FICCI HEAL 2017: "Indian Healthcare: A Patient's View"

Apr
Event

FICCI Seminar on "Let's Talk Depression"

2016
Dec
Study

Value Added Service- Wellness and Preventive

Press Release

"Healthcare must become accessible and affordable as it is a social justice issue", says IRDAI Chairman

Oct
Study

FICCI-IMS Knowledge Paper on Medical value travel in India

Sep
Study

FICCI - EY Thematic Paper on 'Re-engineering Indian Healthcare'

Study

FICCI-KPMG Paper on 'Indian Healthcare Start-ups- An inside look into funding'

Event

FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2016

Aug
Press Release

Re-engineering 'People, Processes & Technology' key to provide quality healthcare to all: Health & Family Welfare Secretary

Press Release

Demand for trained nurses will increase every year: FICCI-EY report

Study

Nursing reforms - Paradigm shift for a bright future

Event

FICCI HEAL 2016: 'Re-engineering Indian Healthcare'

Press Release

"Re-engineering Indian healthcare is critical for the country" says FICCI

Study

Recommendations HEAL 2016

May
Press Release

FICCI takes the onus of encouraging its member organizations to celebrate 2nd International Day of Yoga

Jan
Press Release

Saving Two Lives: Unravelling the Burden of Thyroid and Influenza in Pregnancy

2015
Dec
Press Release

Structured OPD covers can prevent 44% of hospitalization cases and reduce Out of Pocket healthcare spend: FICCI-Feedback Consulting Report

Press Release

Health insurance should be customer and community driven, says IRDAI Chief

Study

A Guide Framework for OPD & Preventive Health Insurance in India

Study

FICCI Report on Critical Illness - Amended and Additional Definitions for the Indian Market

Event

FICCI 8th Annual Health Insurance Conference: 'Creating Value through Customer Centricity'

Oct
Event

Advantage Health Care - India 2015

Sep
Press Release

Invest in preventive care, technological innovations, customize treatment and promote alternative medicine: Sangita Reddy

Press Release

FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2015 presented

Press Release

Medical devices makers seek regulatory clarity, fiscal incentives, innovation hubs and correction of inverted import duty structure at 'FICCI Heal 2015'

Press Release

Need for Innovative Financing Models to reshape the Indian Healthcare: FICCI-IMS Report

Study

FICCI IMS Report on "Raising Capital in Healthcare"

Aug
Press Release

Govt. could provide public facilities to private sector to set up clinics, medical schools, colleges and diagnostic facilities

Study

Healthcare: The neglected GDP driver. Need for a paradigm shift

Event

FICCI HEAL 2015 :"India's Healthcare: Time for Paradigm Shift"

Jun
Press Release

Business houses should increasingly introduce Yoga under their employee wellness programs - FICCI

Press Release

FICCI statement on Yoga Day

May
Event

Launch of 'Advantage Health Care - India 2015'

2014
Dec
Press Release

FICCI-Vidal Healthcare knowledge paper 'Leapfrogging beyond Hospitalization' & FICCI-Deloitte report on 'Ensuring care for the golden years - Way forward for India'

Study

Leapfrogging beyond Hospitalization

Study

Ensuring care for the golden years - Way forward for India

Event

7th Annual Health Insurance Conference

Nov
Event

SHARE-FICCI Project-Partnerships Beyond Borders: 'Workshops on Gateway to Africa'

Sep
Study

FICCI-KPMG Knowledge Paper on 'Medical Value Travel in India'

Study

FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper on 'Healthcare Innovation & Medical Technology: reaching the unreached'

Event

FICCI HEAL 2014: Theme- "Innovation Enabling Access"

Aug
Event

Workshop on SNOMED CT - Introduction and Implementation

Jun
Press Release

FICCI recommends a blended approach towards universal health coverage

Policy

FICCI's Wish List for Health Care and Life Sciences

Jan
Event

FICCI-AAPI Innovator's Sandbox

2013
Dec
Study

FICCI Knowledge Paper on Health Insurance Vision 20:20

Event

FICCI Health Insurance Conference 2013 "Health Insurance Vision 2020: From Regulation to Development"

Sep
Study

Reinventing Affordable & Universal Healthcare Through Innovation

Study

Universal Health Cover for India: Evolving a framework for healthcare reimbursement methodologies

Policy

FICCI HEAL 2013: Recommendations

Event

FICCI HEAL 2013: "Sustainable Quality Healthcare"

Event

FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2013

Jul
Event

FICCI-NABL Awareness Seminar on `Quality in Diagnostics & Hospital Care`

May
Event

FICCI Healthcare Innovations Sandbox Session

Apr
Event

FICCI-NABL Awareness Seminar on Quality in Diagnostics & Hospital Care

Mar
Event

FICCI India Pavilion at the International Medical Travel Exhibition and Conference (IMTEC 2013)

Jan
Event

FICCI-NABL Awareness Seminar on Quality in Diagnostics & Hospital Care

2012
Dec
Study

FICCI Working Paper on Health Insurance Fraud

Event

FICCI Health Insurance Conference

Nov
Event

FICCI-NABL Awareness Seminar on "Quality in Diagnostics"

Oct
Press Release

FICCI welcomes Govt. efforts in reduction of Healthcare Costs; Says hospital categorization should be based on NABH Accreditation and not cost of care

Aug
Study

Universal Health Cover for India: Demystifying Financing Needs

Event

FICCI Health care Excellence Awards

Policy

FICCI HEAL 2012: Recommendations

Event

FICCI HEAL 2012

Jul
Press Release

FICCI-NABL & IMA creates Awareness on Importance of Quality in Lab Practice

Press Release

FICCI & AICTE work towards bridging the gap in healthcare domain to meet workforce shortage

Event

Importance of Quality in Lab Practice

Jan
Press Release

FICCI's stand on fire at AMRI Hospital, Kolkata

2011
Nov
Event

Roundtable on "Developing Capacities to Tackle Chronic Diseases"

Sep
Study

Evidence Based Medicine: A Peek in Inevitable Journey for India

Policy

FICCI HEAL 2011: Recommendations

Event

FICCI HEAL 2011:'From Dis-ease to Health-ease'

Event

FICCI Healthcare Excellence AWARDS 2011:'Successful Innovations'

Aug
Event

Conference on Accessibility and Availability of Quality Healthcare for all

Jun
Event

Seminar on "Nursing and Allied Health: Collaboration opportunities between India and UK"

Mar
Policy

FICCI welcomes roll-back of service tax levy on healthcare services

Jan
Event

Workshop on Health Insurance in Latin America:Lessons for India

2010
Sep
Policy

Health Insurance Report-2010

Event

FICCI HEAL 2010

Study

Healthcare For All: Global Standards With Local Touch

Jul
Press Release

Three FICCI working groups reports to Sustain growth of Health Insurance sector

Event

Seminar on Medical Care in Gujarat: Current Scenario and Future

May
Event

Health Insurance Workshop

2009
Sep
Event

FICCI HEAL 2009 - Future of Healthcare: Integration, Inclusion & Quality

Study

Public – private partnership for universal, affordable and quality healthcare

Jul
Study

Standardisation Initiatives by The FICCI Health Insurance Committee

Policy

Standardisation Initiatives by the FICCI Health Insurance Group

Jun
Event

Delegation to AAPI Convention 2009

2008
Sep
Study

Fostering Quality Healthcare For All

Aug
Policy

FICCI HEAL 2008: Recommendations for the Road Ahead

Event

FICCI HEAL 2008 : Fostering Quality Healthcare For All

Events

Jul, 2023

Call for Application: FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2023 (15th Edition)

Jul 07, 2023, New Delhi

Oct, 2022

FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2022

Oct 11, 2022, New Delhi

FICCI HEAL 2022
'Healthcare Transformation: Driving India's Economic Growth'

Oct 10, 2022,

Jan, 2022

Roundtable on 'A Road Map for Universal Health Care'

Jan 21, 2022, Virtual Platform, 5 pm to 6.30 pm

Oct, 2021

FICCI HEAL 2021

Oct 20, 2021, Virtual Platform

FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2021

Oct 20, 2021, Virtual Platform

Sep, 2021

India's Mega Healthcare Reforms- Shifting the Paradigm

Sep 29, 2021, Virtual Platform, 12:30 pm - 01:30 pm

Jul, 2021

FICCI Expert Talk on 'COVID Healthcare Infrastructure and Paediatric Care'

Jul 01, 2021, Virtual Platform

Jun, 2021

Self-Care for a Self-Reliant India

Jun 03, 2021, Virtual Platform

Forecasting, Vaccination and Advance Planning of COVID-19 Management

Jun 01, 2021, Virtual Platform

Sep, 2020

HEAL 2020

Sep 29, 2020, Virtual Platform

East India FICCI Vision Care Conclave

Sep 22, 2020, Virtual Platform

Aug, 2020

Integrate Mental Health and Well-Being in Your Organization’s Work Culture

Aug 04, 2020, Virtual Platform, 11:00 AM - 01:00 PM

Jul, 2020

Mentored Workshop for HR Professionals - Integrate Mental Health and Well-Being in Your Organization's Work Culture

Jul 27, 2020, Virtual Platform, 11:00 AM - 01:00 PM

#FICCFASTFORWARD: How healthy is the healthcare sector?

Jul 10, 2020, Virtual Platform

FICCI-Elsevier Web-session on Anxiety Management during epidemic amongst COVID warriors- Healthcare Practitioners, Nurses

Jul 07, 2020, Virtual Platform, 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM

Jun, 2020

FICCI-Medvarsity Workshop featuring Prof. Dr. K. Ganapathy to help you incorporate Telehealth in your practice

Jun 26, 2020, Virtual Platform, 05:00 PM - 06:30 PM

FICCI Roundtable to deliberate on the future strategy for COVID containment

Jun 06, 2020, Virtual Platform, 03:30 PM - 05:30 PM

Feb, 2020

MoU Signing Ceremony between FICCI and NATHELATH

Feb 12, 2020, FICCI, New Delhi

Aug, 2019

FICCI HEAL 2019: Health of Healthcare in India

Aug 20, 2019, FICCI, New Delhi

Sep, 2018

India Pavilion at Oman Health Exhibition & Conference

Sep 24, 2018, Muscat,Oman

Aug, 2018

FICCI HEAL 2018: Healthcare at Crossroads

Aug 30, 2018, FICCI, New Delhi

Roundtable on 'Nursing Reforms: Critical for Achieving Universal Health Coverage'

Aug 29, 2018, FICCI, New Delhi

Jun, 2018

Call for Application: Healthcare Excellence Awards 2018

Jun 30, 2018, FICCI, New Delhi

Dec, 2017

10th Annual Health Insurance Conference

Dec 18, 2017, FICCI, New Delhi

Aug, 2017

FICCI HEAL 2017: "Indian Healthcare: A Patient's View"

Aug 17, 2017, FICCI, New Delhi

Apr, 2017

FICCI Seminar on "Let's Talk Depression"

Apr 07, 2017, FICCI, New Delhi

Sep, 2016

FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2016

Sep 02, 2016, FICCI, New Delhi

Aug, 2016

FICCI HEAL 2016: 'Re-engineering Indian Healthcare'

Aug 31, 2016, FICCI, New Delhi

Dec, 2015

FICCI 8th Annual Health Insurance Conference: 'Creating Value through Customer Centricity'

Dec 09, 2015, FICCI, New Delhi

Oct, 2015

Advantage Health Care - India 2015

Oct 05, 2015, New Delhi

Aug, 2015

FICCI HEAL 2015 :"India's Healthcare: Time for Paradigm Shift"

Aug 31, 2015, FICCI, New Delhi

May, 2015

Launch of 'Advantage Health Care - India 2015'

May 19, 2015, FICCI, New Delhi

Dec, 2014

7th Annual Health Insurance Conference

Dec 05, 2014, FICCI, New Delhi

Nov, 2014

SHARE-FICCI Project-Partnerships Beyond Borders: 'Workshops on Gateway to Africa'

Nov 24, 2014, Bengaluru , Mumbai

Sep, 2014

FICCI HEAL 2014: Theme- "Innovation Enabling Access"

Sep 01, 2014, FICCI, New Delhi

Aug, 2014

Workshop on SNOMED CT - Introduction and Implementation

Aug 26, 2014, FICCI, New Delhi

Jan, 2014

FICCI-AAPI Innovator's Sandbox

Jan 10, 2014, FICCI, New Delhi

Dec, 2013

FICCI Health Insurance Conference 2013 "Health Insurance Vision 2020: From Regulation to Development"

Dec 13, 2013, FICCI, Federation House, New Delhi

Sep, 2013

FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2013

Sep 02, 2013, New Delhi

FICCI HEAL 2013: "Sustainable Quality Healthcare"

Sep 02, 2013, New Delhi

Jul, 2013

FICCI-NABL Awareness Seminar on `Quality in Diagnostics & Hospital Care`

Jul 13, 2013, Indian Medical Association, Coimbatore

May, 2013

FICCI Healthcare Innovations Sandbox Session

May 24, 2013, Robert Bosch Centre for Cyber Physical Sciences-IISc, Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore

Apr, 2013

FICCI-NABL Awareness Seminar on Quality in Diagnostics & Hospital Care

Apr 20, 2013, Hotel Golden Parkk, 13, Ho Chi Minh Sarani, Kolkata

Mar, 2013

FICCI India Pavilion at the International Medical Travel Exhibition and Conference (IMTEC 2013)

Mar 22, 2013, Monaco

Jan, 2013

FICCI-NABL Awareness Seminar on Quality in Diagnostics & Hospital Care

Jan 12, 2013, Indore

Dec, 2012

FICCI Health Insurance Conference

Dec 10, 2012, FICCI, Federation House, New Delhi

Nov, 2012

FICCI-NABL Awareness Seminar on "Quality in Diagnostics"

Nov 29, 2012, Bareilly

Aug, 2012

FICCI Health care Excellence Awards

Aug 28, 2012, New Delhi

FICCI HEAL 2012

Aug 27, 2012, New Delhi

Jul, 2012

Importance of Quality in Lab Practice

Jul 07, 2012, New Delhi

Nov, 2011

Roundtable on "Developing Capacities to Tackle Chronic Diseases"

Nov 14, 2011, FICCI, Federation House, Tansen Marg, New Delhi

Sep, 2011

FICCI Healthcare Excellence AWARDS 2011:'Successful Innovations'

Sep 08, 2011, FICCI, Federation House, New Delhi

FICCI HEAL 2011:'From Dis-ease to Health-ease'

Sep 08, 2011, FICCI, Federation House, New Delhi

Aug, 2011

Conference on Accessibility and Availability of Quality Healthcare for all

Aug 03, 2011, Bangalore

Jun, 2011

Seminar on "Nursing and Allied Health: Collaboration opportunities between India and UK"

Jun 30, 2011, New Delhi

Jan, 2011

Workshop on Health Insurance in Latin America:Lessons for India

Jan 22, 2011, New Delhi

Sep, 2010

FICCI HEAL 2010

Sep 06, 2010, New Delhi

Jul, 2010

Seminar on Medical Care in Gujarat: Current Scenario and Future

Jul 08, 2010, Ahmedabad

May, 2010

Health Insurance Workshop

May 14, 2010, FICCI,New Delhi

Sep, 2009

FICCI HEAL 2009 - Future of Healthcare: Integration, Inclusion & Quality

Sep 14, 2009, FICCI, New Delhi

Jun, 2009

Delegation to AAPI Convention 2009

Jun 10, 2009, USA

Aug, 2008

FICCI HEAL 2008 : Fostering Quality Healthcare For All

Aug 06, 2008, New Delhi

Chair

Dr Harsh Mahajan

Founder & Chief Radiologist
Mahajan Imaging Centre

Co-Chair

Dr Sanjeev Singh

Medical Director, Amrita Hospital Faridabad &
Chief Medical Superintendent, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Kochi

Co-Chair

Dr Mahesh Joshi

President & CEO
Apollo Homecare

Advisor

Dr Narottam Puri

Principal Advisor-QCI; Board Member & Former Chairman - NABH; Advisor-Medical Operations, Fortis Healthcare Ltd.

FICCI HEAL 2008: Recommendations for the Road Ahead

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Krishi Jagran |

Call for Application: FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2023

Subscribe to our print & digital magazines nowWe're social. Connect with us on: The Indian healthcare industry is expanding at a rapid pace as a result of improved coverage, services, and increased spending by both public and private players. However, there are numerous challenges, as India lags behind the developed world in key health indicators, health infrastructure, and manpower, and thus organisations that are able to address these challenges should be recognised and encouraged.Keeping these imperatives in mind, and in keeping with the legacy of recognising the contributions of those who have set benchmarks of excellence in the healthcare space, thereby benefiting society at large, FICCI is bringing back the 15th edition of its Annual Healthcare Excellence Awards in physical format on October 26th, 2023 in New Delhi. The Awards, which were established in 2009, aim to recognise organisations and individuals that have made significant contributions to the industry by innovating for increased efficiency, affordability, and overall performance of healthcare delivery.Applications are being accepted for five categories: Excellence in Patient Service Delivery, Excellence in Patient Safety & Care, Excellence in Community Engagement, Digital Transformation Initiative of the Year, Training & Skill Development Initiative of the Year, and Training & Skill Development Initiative of the Year.All hospitals, telemedicine institutions, medical device and technology companies, software developers, diagnostic centers/chains, medical institutes and colleges, health research institutes, NGOs, healthcare start-ups, home healthcare services, and other healthcare service providers are eligible to compete for the awards. The winners would be determined by an evaluation procedure conducted by a high-level impartial Jury panel. The Awards have evolved as the ultimate honour for contributions to healthcare in the country over the years, with the evaluation parameters being Innovation, Impact, Sustainability, and Scalability.For Other Details, Please Contact:Event Name: FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2023Website: https://krishijagran.com/Date: July 07, 2023Krishi JagranMobile: 9818893548, 9818893752 Email: info@krishijagran.comWe're on WhatsApp! Join our WhatsApp group and get the most important updates you need. Daily.Subscribe to our Newsletter. You choose the topics of your interest and we'll send you handpicked news and latest updates based on your choice.Subscribe to our Newsletter. You choose the topics of your interest and we'll send you handpicked news and latest updates based on your choice.

Ahmedabad Mirror |

FICCI Roundtable in Gandhinagar highlights the need for improved Cancer Treatment Infrastructure in India

  Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], June 14: A FICCI roundtable conference was held in Gandhinagar, focusing on the crucial goal of making cancer care affordable and accessible in India. Mr. Vineet Gupta, Co-Lead of the FICCI Task Force on Cancer Care and Director of Government Affairs at Varian Medical Systems while speaking with the media, emphasized the urgent need to enhance cancer treatment infrastructure in India, specifically with regard to accessibility and affordability. He highlighted the importance of radiotherapy as one of the essential pillars of cancer treatment, alongside surgery and chemotherapy. Drawing attention to its significance, he stressed on the role of linear accelerators in administering this treatment.Illustrating the existing disparity, Mr. Gupta compared global and Indian statistics for radiotherapy utilization. Globally, approximately 50% of cancer patients receive radiotherapy, whereas in India, this figure is only 18-20%. The primary reason for this discrepancy is the limited availability of radiotherapy machines across the country.Supporting his statements with data from the World Health Organization (WHO), he emphasized the recommended standard of having one radiotherapy machine per 10 lakh population. However, India falls significantly short of this target, with only around 700 machines instead of the required 1400 approximately. To bridge this gap, he proposed the installation of approximately 200 radiotherapy machines per year over the next five years.The challenges associated with improving the accessibility and affordability of cancer care were thoroughly discussed. Currently, out of India's 740 districts, only 120 have radiotherapy facilities. Furthermore, the scarcity of machines within districts often leads to increased waiting times for patients, which in turn affects the completion of treatments. Addressing these challenges is crucial to ensure comprehensive cancer care across the nation and enable every cancer patient to complete their treatment. Mr. Gupta acknowledged the efforts of the Central Government's Ministry of Health in improving cancer care infrastructure. There is still need for further development as proper cancer care infrastructure remains limited to major and capital cities. Case in point, there is scope to improve cancer care facilities in certain states of Northeast India, both in government and private institutions.Responding to a question about states with better cancer treatment facilities, Mr. Gupta identified southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where robust cancer care infrastructure exists, including comprehensive facilities in government and district government hospitals. In the northern region, Punjab has made notable progress with the establishment of six government comprehensive cancer care centers. Addressing the situation in Gujarat, he praised the government's efforts in improving cancer care infrastructure. Notably, Gujarat installed many radiotherapy machines between 2020-21, and cities like Ahmedabad and Rajkot, among others, have advanced cancer treatment hospitals offering radiation and chemotherapy facilities.Mr. Gupta spotlighted the concerns contributing to the growing cancer burden in India, such as environmental factors and tobacco consumption. While the government has initiated awareness and screening programs, individuals must actively participate in these initiatives. The roundtable conference in Gandhinagar provided a valuable platform to discuss strategies for enhancing the accessibility of cancer care in India. Mr. Gupta's remarks shed light on the roadmap for addressing these critical challenges and improving outcomes for cancer patients. Ahmedabad Mirror is an award-winning city newspaper from Shayona Times Pvt. Ltd. which covers news, views, sports, entertainment and features. A hyper local daily that is global in its approach. ©2021 Shayona Times Private Limited. All rights reserved. Powered by iTechnoSol Inc.

Indiamed Today |

FICCI’s roundtable talks about collaborative efforts towards affordability and accessibility of cancer care in India

The round table was titled ‘Road Map for Making Cancer Care Affordable and Accessible in India’Vishal Chauhan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt of India, highlighted the profound burden of cancer on society and shared that the recent continuum of care, post-screening, has emerged as a significant challenge, which necessitates urgent action. He also expressed that while the government has launched programmes for infrastructure creation and treatment provisioning, there is a huge scope for collaborative efforts towards affordability and accessibility of cancer care in the country.Addressing Regional Roundtable – Road Map for Making Cancer Care Affordable and Accessible in India’, organised by FICCI, jointly with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, Chauhan added that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family welfare in its 139th report has made several recommendations on cancer care for which all stakeholders need to work together. He also urged the oncologists to work with ICMR to develop standard treatment guidelines on various types of cancers to help in better outcomes and ensure that these protocols are followed across facilities.Chauhan also advised FICCI to garner support from the industry through the CSR funds. He suggested that an online portal needs to be created where the states can register their requirements at various levels of cancer infrastructure and industry could volunteer to provide funds or resources in their interest areas.Dr R Dixit, Additional Director (Medical Education), Govt of Gujarat shared various initiatives in the cancer care domain by the Gujarat government including monetary subsidy for cancer infrastructure, free cancer treatment under school health programme, incentives for specialists to work in periphery areas etc. He also shared that Gujarat has a radiotherapy department in all six medical colleges and recently day care centres for chemotherapy have been initiated in all district hospitals with Gujarat Cancer Research Institute (GCRI). He further expressed that we need to focus on preventive oncology as well as palliative care and industry will have a large role to play in these areas.Raj Gore, Co-Lead, FICCI Task Force Cancer Care and CEO, Healthcare Global Enterprises (HCG) shared that the surge in the incidence of various types of cancers coupled with sub-optimal mortality to incidence ratio, low affordability of treatment and poor quality of survivor’s life in the country is taking the gradual shape of an impending health crisis. Last year alone more than eight lakh Indians were estimated to have lost their lives to cancer, 1.5 times the total lives lost to COVID-19 pandemic. He further expressed that it is time to taking a concerted effort to contain and control the imminent cancer epidemic, taking cognizance of which FICCI constituted a Task Force on cancer care in 2022 to bring all stakeholders together and work towards making cancer care affordable and accessible in India.Dr Kumar Prabhash, Medical Oncologist, Tata Memorial Centre, Muzaffarpur (HBCH & RC) shared the unique example of PPP where a tertiary hospital is working closely and successfully with the district hospital. The screening is followed by confirmation of cancer which helps in the continuum of care. The government is encouraging other States to follow this model too.Srimayee Chakraborty, Partner-Healthcare, EY Business Consulting, India, highlighted that Western states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Rajasthan) account for close to 15 per cent of total incidence. Outcomes measured as Mortality to Incidence ratio in the Western states is higher at 42 per cent compared to all India average of 32-33 per cent highlighting the graveness of the situation. Hence, there is a need to tailor make interventions for cancer care by geographic region in India through a deep understanding of the local nuances which characterise the disease burden and the state of clinical outcome in the specific geography.The round table was attended by various experts from the oncology sector, including senior clinicians, hospital administrators, diagnostics, insurers, Medtech and pharma companies. It was deliberated that the key focus should be to ensure there is the maximisation of reach and coverage in terms of a) awareness and prevention – modifying exposure to risk factors that potentially lead to cancer; b) detection and diagnosis – ensuring early detection and accurate staging of the disease and c) treatment including palliative care – a multidisciplinary approach to treatment with a focus on affordability, equitable access, quality of outcomes and palliative care. At the same time, we need to make efforts towards standardising care pathways and using them as a reference point for designing reimbursement packages within the region and across the nation will be key to ensuring that patients are offered equitable choice for treatment which is agnostic to the location or type of facility selected.Further, it was discussed that there is a need for expanding cancer registries and health information systems for collecting standardised and comprehensive data which will enable evidence-based policy decisions and research, especially in states such as Rajasthan and lay the groundwork for long-term success in this direction.P.S: We promise not to spam you

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Include retail employees in list of 'frontline workers' for COVID vaccination: FICCI to govt

Industry chamber FICCI has written to the Union Health Ministry seeking inclusion of retail industry staffers in the list of 'frontline workers' for the COVID-19 vaccination drive. "The kirana community along with retail employees should be recognised as 'frontline workers' as they have been serving the nation tirelessly despite being the most vulnerable to the risk of infection.

"These frontline retail warriors should be prioritised in the initial phase of the vaccination rollout," said Arvind Mediratta, chairperson, FICCI Retail and Internal Trade Committee and MD & CEO - METRO Cash & Carry India.

He said the industry leaders jointly deliberated on the need for intervention of the private sector in the vaccination programme and stressed upon prioritising retail employees as well as small retailers like mom and pop kirana shops.

The Indian retail and e-commerce industry employs around 40 million people. Those working across stores, distribution centres, warehouses and throughout the retail ecosystem are particularly at highest risk from the devastating impact of the pandemic, FICCI said in the letter to Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.

"It is of critical importance therefore, that the retail industry should be included in the list of 'frontline workers' and among the early recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine," the chamber said.

Business Standard |

Include retail employees in list of 'frontline workers': FICCI to govt

Industry chamber FICCI has written to the Union Health Ministry seeking inclusion of retail industry staffers in the list of 'frontline workers' for the COVID-19 vaccination drive.

"The kirana community along with retail employees should be recognised as 'frontline workers' as they have been serving the nation tirelessly despite being the most vulnerable to the risk of infection.

"These frontline retail warriors should be prioritised in the initial phase of the vaccination rollout," said Arvind Mediratta, chairperson, FICCI Retail and Internal Trade Committee and MD & CEO - METRO Cash & Carry India Pvt Ltd.

He said the industry leaders jointly deliberated on the need for intervention of the private sector in the vaccination programme and stressed upon prioritising retail employees as well as small retailers like mom and pop kirana shops.

The Indian retail and e-commerce industry employs around 40 million people. Those working across stores, distribution centres, warehouses and throughout the retail ecosystem are particularly at highest risk from the devastating impact of the pandemic, FICCI said in the letter to Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.

"It is of critical importance therefore, that the retail industry should be included in the list of 'frontline workers' and among the early recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine," the chamber said.

Outlook |

Include retail employees in list of "frontline workers" for COVID vaccination: FICCI to govt

Industry chamber FICCI has written to the Union Health Ministry seeking inclusion of retail industry staffers in the list of ''frontline workers'' for the COVID-19 vaccination drive.

"The kirana community along with retail employees should be recognised as ''frontline workers'' as they have been serving the nation tirelessly despite being the most vulnerable to the risk of infection.

"These frontline retail warriors should be prioritised in the initial phase of the vaccination rollout," said Arvind Mediratta, chairperson, FICCI Retail and Internal Trade Committee and MD & CEO - METRO Cash & Carry India Pvt Ltd.

He said the industry leaders jointly deliberated on the need for intervention of the private sector in the vaccination programme and stressed upon prioritising retail employees as well as small retailers like mom and pop kirana shops.

The Indian retail and e-commerce industry employs around 40 million people. Those working across stores, distribution centres, warehouses and throughout the retail ecosystem are particularly at highest risk from the devastating impact of the pandemic, FICCI said in the letter to Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.

"It is of critical importance therefore, that the retail industry should be included in the list of ''frontline workers'' and among the early recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine," the chamber said.

Yahoo News |

Include retail employees in list of 'frontline workers' for COVID vaccination: FICCI to govt

Industry chamber FICCI has written to the Union Health Ministry seeking inclusion of retail industry staffers in the list of 'frontline workers' for the COVID-19 vaccination drive.

'The kirana community along with retail employees should be recognised as 'frontline workers' as they have been serving the nation tirelessly despite being the most vulnerable to the risk of infection.

'These frontline retail warriors should be prioritised in the initial phase of the vaccination rollout,' said Arvind Mediratta, chairperson, FICCI Retail and Internal Trade Committee and MD & CEO - METRO Cash & Carry India Pvt Ltd.

He said the industry leaders jointly deliberated on the need for intervention of the private sector in the vaccination programme and stressed upon prioritising retail employees as well as small retailers like mom and pop kirana shops.

The Indian retail and e-commerce industry employs around 40 million people. Those working across stores, distribution centres, warehouses and throughout the retail ecosystem are particularly at highest risk from the devastating impact of the pandemic, FICCI said in the letter to Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. 'It is of critical importance therefore, that the retail industry should be included in the list of 'frontline workers' and among the early recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine,' the chamber said.

Devdiscourse |

Include retail employees in list of 'frontline workers' for COVID vaccination: FICCI to govt

Industry chamber FICCI has written to the Union Health Ministry seeking inclusion of retail industry staffers in the list of 'frontline workers' for the COVID-19 vaccination drive. ''The kirana community along with retail employees should be recognised as 'frontline workers' as they have been serving the nation tirelessly despite being the most vulnerable to the risk of infection. ''These frontline retail warriors should be prioritised in the initial phase of the vaccination rollout,'' said Arvind Mediratta, chairperson, FICCI Retail and Internal Trade Committee and MD & CEO - METRO Cash & Carry India Pvt Ltd. He said the industry leaders jointly deliberated on the need for intervention of the private sector in the vaccination programme and stressed upon prioritising retail employees as well as small retailers like mom and pop kirana shops.

The Indian retail and e-commerce industry employs around 40 million people. Those working across stores, distribution centres, warehouses and throughout the retail ecosystem are particularly at highest risk from the devastating impact of the pandemic, FICCI said in the letter to Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. ''It is of critical importance therefore, that the retail industry should be included in the list of 'frontline workers' and among the early recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine,'' the chamber said.

Odisha TV |

FICCI Seeks inclusion of retailers in the list of frontline Workers

Industry body FICCI has urged the government to include the retail industry in the list of ‘frontline workers’ and among the early recipients of the Covid-19 vaccine.

In a letter written to health minister Harsh Vardhan, FICCI Secretary General Dilip Chenoy said that country’s retailers have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic ensuring seamless flow of goods, products and services to people.

“Their early vaccination would not only ensure their own safety, but also help break the potential transmission of the virus to the larger communities they serve,” he wrote to the minister.

The Indian Retail and E-commerce industry employs around 40 million people. Those working across stores, distribution centers, warehouses and throughout the retail ecosystem are particularly at highest risk from the devastating impact of the pandemic.

Earlier, Arvind Mediratta, Chairperson, FICCI Retail and Internal Trade Committee and MD & CEO – METRO Cash & Carry India Pvt. Ltd said that the industry leaders jointly deliberated on the need for intervention of private sector in the ongoing vaccination programme and stressed upon prioritising retail employees as well as small retailers like mom and pop kiranas shops as front-line workers and incorporating them in the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

“The pandemic has reiterated the true value of the presence of these small businesses and kiranas in our neighbourhood. The kirana community along with retail employees should be recognised as ‘frontline workers’ as they have been serving the nation tirelessly despite being the most vulnerable to the risk of infection. These frontline retail warriors should be prioritised in the initial phase of the vaccination rollout,” he said.

SocialNews.xyz |

FICCI seeks inclusion of retailers in the list of frontline workers

Industry body FICCI has urged the government to include the retail industry in the list of 'frontline workers' and among the early recipients of the Covid-19 vaccine.

In a letter written to health minister Harsh Vardhan, FICCI Secretary General Dilip Chenoy said that country's retailers have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic ensuring seamless flow of goods, products and services to people.

"Their early vaccination would not only ensure their own safety, but also help break the potential transmission of the virus to the larger communities they serve," he wrote to the minister.

The Indian Retail and E-commerce industry employs around 40 million people. Those working across stores, distribution centers, warehouses and throughout the retail ecosystem are particularly at highest risk from the devastating impact of the pandemic.

Earlier, Arvind Mediratta, Chairperson, FICCI Retail and Internal Trade Committee and MD & CEO - METRO Cash & Carry India Pvt. Ltd said that the industry leaders jointly deliberated on the need for intervention of private sector in the ongoing vaccination programme and stressed upon prioritising retail employees as well as small retailers like mom and pop kiranas shops as front-line workers and incorporating them in the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

"The pandemic has reiterated the true value of the presence of these small businesses and kiranas in our neighbourhood. The kirana community along with retail employees should be recognised as 'frontline workers' as they have been serving the nation tirelessly despite being the most vulnerable to the risk of infection. These frontline retail warriors should be prioritised in the initial phase of the vaccination rollout," he said.

sify.com |

FICCI seeks inclusion of retailers in the list of frontline workers

Industry body FICCI has urged the government to include the retail industry in the list of 'frontline workers' and among the early recipients of the Covid-19 vaccine.

In a letter written to health minister Harsh Vardhan, FICCI Secretary General Dilip Chenoy said that country's retailers have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic ensuring seamless flow of goods, products and services to people.
"Their early vaccination would not only ensure their own safety, but also help break the potential transmission of the virus to the larger communities they serve," he wrote to the minister.

The Indian Retail and E-commerce industry employs around 40 million people. Those working across stores, distribution centers, warehouses and throughout the retail ecosystem are particularly at highest risk from the devastating impact of the pandemic.

Earlier, Arvind Mediratta, Chairperson, FICCI Retail and Internal Trade Committee and MD & CEO - METRO Cash & Carry India Pvt. Ltd said that the industry leaders jointly deliberated on the need for intervention of private sector in the ongoing vaccination programme and stressed upon prioritising retail employees as well as small retailers like mom and pop kiranas shops as front-line workers and incorporating them in the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

"The pandemic has reiterated the true value of the presence of these small businesses and kiranas in our neighbourhood. The kirana community along with retail employees should be recognised as 'frontline workers' as they have been serving the nation tirelessly despite being the most vulnerable to the risk of infection. These frontline retail warriors should be prioritised in the initial phase of the vaccination rollout," he said.

IND News |

FICCI seeks inclusion of retailers in the list of frontline workers

Industry body FICCI has urged the government to include the retail industry in the list of ‘frontline workers’ and among the early recipients of the Covid-19 vaccine.

In a letter written to health minister Harsh Vardhan, FICCI Secretary General Dilip Chenoy said that country’s retailers have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic ensuring seamless flow of goods, products and services to people.

“Their early vaccination would not only ensure their own safety, but also help break the potential transmission of the virus to the larger communities they serve,” he wrote to the minister.

The Indian Retail and E-commerce industry employs around 40 million people. Those working across stores, distribution centers, warehouses and throughout the retail ecosystem are particularly at highest risk from the devastating impact of the pandemic.

Earlier, Arvind Mediratta, Chairperson, FICCI Retail and Internal Trade Committee and MD & CEO – METRO Cash & Carry India Pvt. Ltd said that the industry leaders jointly deliberated on the need for intervention of private sector in the ongoing vaccination programme and stressed upon prioritising retail employees as well as small retailers like mom and pop kiranas shops as front-line workers and incorporating them in the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

“The pandemic has reiterated the true value of the presence of these small businesses and kiranas in our neighbourhood. The kirana community along with retail employees should be recognised as ‘frontline workers’ as they have been serving the nation tirelessly despite being the most vulnerable to the risk of infection. These frontline retail warriors should be prioritised in the initial phase of the vaccination rollout,” he said.

SME Times |

FICCI seeks inclusion of retailers in the list of frontline workers

Industry body FICCI has urged the government to include the retail industry in the list of 'frontline workers' and among the early recipients of the Covid-19 vaccine.

In a letter written to health minister Harsh Vardhan, FICCI Secretary General Dilip Chenoy said that country's retailers have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic ensuring seamless flow of goods, products and services to people.

"Their early vaccination would not only ensure their own safety, but also help break the potential transmission of the virus to the larger communities they serve," he wrote to the minister.

The Indian Retail and E-commerce industry employs around 40 million people. Those working across stores, distribution centers, warehouses and throughout the retail ecosystem are particularly at highest risk from the devastating impact of the pandemic.

Earlier, Arvind Mediratta, Chairperson, FICCI Retail and Internal Trade Committee and MD & CEO - METRO Cash & Carry India Pvt. Ltd said that the industry leaders jointly deliberated on the need for intervention of private sector in the ongoing vaccination programme and stressed upon prioritising retail employees as well as small retailers like mom and pop kiranas shops as front-line workers and incorporating them in the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

"The pandemic has reiterated the true value of the presence of these small businesses and kiranas in our neighbourhood. The kirana community along with retail employees should be recognised as 'frontline workers' as they have been serving the nation tirelessly despite being the most vulnerable to the risk of infection. These frontline retail warriors should be prioritised in the initial phase of the vaccination rollout," he said.

Times of Republic |

FICCI seeks inclusion of retailers in the list of frontline workers

Industry body FICCI has urged the government to include the retail industry in the list of ‘frontline workers’ and among the early recipients of the Covid-19 vaccine.

In a letter written to health minister Harsh Vardhan, FICCI Secretary General Dilip Chenoy said that country’s retailers have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic ensuring seamless flow of goods, products and services to people.

“Their early vaccination would not only ensure their own safety, but also help break the potential transmission of the virus to the larger communities they serve,” he wrote to the minister.

The Indian Retail and E-commerce industry employs around 40 million people. Those working across stores, distribution centers, warehouses and throughout the retail ecosystem are particularly at highest risk from the devastating impact of the pandemic.

Earlier, Arvind Mediratta, Chairperson, FICCI Retail and Internal Trade Committee and MD & CEO – METRO Cash & Carry India Pvt. Ltd said that the industry leaders jointly deliberated on the need for intervention of private sector in the ongoing vaccination programme and stressed upon prioritising retail employees as well as small retailers like mom and pop kiranas shops as front-line workers and incorporating them in the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

“The pandemic has reiterated the true value of the presence of these small businesses and kiranas in our neighbourhood. The kirana community along with retail employees should be recognised as ‘frontline workers’ as they have been serving the nation tirelessly despite being the most vulnerable to the risk of infection. These frontline retail warriors should be prioritised in the initial phase of the vaccination rollout,” he said.

Bollyinside |

Include retail employees in list of "frontline workers" for COVID vaccination: FICCI to govt

Industry chamber FICCI has written to the Union Health Ministry seeking inclusion of retail industry staffers in the list of ”frontline workers” for the COVID-19 vaccination drive.

“The kirana community along with retail employees should be recognised as ”frontline workers” as they have been serving the nation tirelessly despite being the most vulnerable to the risk of infection.
“These frontline retail warriors should be prioritised in the initial phase of the vaccination rollout,” said Arvind Mediratta, chairperson, FICCI Retail and Internal Trade Committee and MD & CEO – METRO Cash & Carry India Pvt Ltd.

He said the industry leaders jointly deliberated on the need for intervention of the private sector in the vaccination programme and stressed upon prioritising retail employees as well as small retailers like mom and pop kirana shops.

The Indian retail and e-commerce industry employs around 40 million people. Those working across stores, distribution centres, warehouses and throughout the retail ecosystem are particularly at highest risk from the devastating impact of the pandemic, FICCI said in the letter to Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.
“It is of critical importance therefore, that the retail industry should be included in the list of ”frontline workers” and among the early recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine,” the chamber said.

Live Mint |

Govt to utilise more pvt hospitals to enhance Covid-19 vaccination

The government plans to utilise more private hospitals in order to increase the speed and coverage of covid-19 vaccination in India. Currently, over 10,000 hospitals (private and government combined) are being used for administration of covid-19 vaccines. “Out of the 10,000 hospitals that are being used for administering the covid-19 vaccines each day, at least 2,000 hospitals are from private sector," Rajesh Bhushan Union Health Secretary said.

“This shows how essential is the private sector and it plays the role of a force multiplier which is acknowledge by the government. In the coming days, more private sector hospitals will be utilized to increase the vaccination coverage and speed," Bhushan said adding that the private sector is playing a vital role in many of the government’s health programmes.

Outlining the role of private sector in healthcare, Bhushan said that out of the 24,000 hospitals under the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojna which are providing cashless treatment, over 11,000 hospitals are from the private sector being involved for last two years.

“The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) is also completely based on private sector leaving the dispensaries. More than 800 private hospitals are already a part of CGHS. The private sector has a larger role to play in the nationwide covid-19 vaccination program," said Bhushan.

Private sector has also shown its willingness and intent to support and augment government’s capacity across the value chain of covid-19 vaccine distribution and administration. The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for covid-19 (NEGVAC) had met industry representatives in November last year to assess private sector capabilities and capacities for the procurement, distribution, and inoculation of the covid-19 vaccine.

FICCI has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against covid-19’, submitted to NEGVAC In December 2020.

According to the white paper, India may need 1.3 lakh-1.4 lakh vaccination centers, 1.0 lakh healthcare professionals (as inoculators) and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers for mass-inoculation of prioritized individuals (30 crore people as identified by the government, includes healthcare professionals, frontline workers, people above 50 years and also people with co-morbidities) by August 2021 and the entire adult population (80 crore) by the end of 2022.

The white paper further said that to meet the demand of 1.3 lakh-1.4 lakh centers, 60% of the existing public health infrastructure will have to house a vaccination center. Against the requirement of 1.0 lakh inoculators, the public sector can potentially provide 60,000-70,000 (10% of the nurse/ANM capacity in public sector) of them. This could lead to a capacity constraint especially in key states such as Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Live Mint |

Govt looks at pvt sector for larger participation in nationwide vaccination prog

As India plans to begin covid-19 vaccination of people aged 50 and above and those with comorbidities in March, the government is looking at the private sector to drive the program at a faster pace.

The discussion was part of a high-level meeting in which P K Mishra Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired to review in detail the progress of the covid-19 vaccination drive across the country and steps to accelerate the pace of vaccination.

The government said that there are plans to scale up the delivery of vaccines and to increase the number of covid-19 vaccination sites manifold.

“Currently 10,000-11,000 immunisation sessions are being conducted. It is planned to scale this to four to five times of that when the next phase is started," the government said in a statement. According to the union health ministry, currently about 2000 private hospitals are already engaged in the vaccination effort, the government plans to loop in more hospitals.

“As per normal priority adopted across the world, first preference has been accorded to health workers and frontline workers. Next in line will be the 50 plus population and those with co-morbid conditions for whom efforts are on to start the vaccination process in two to three weeks," the health ministry said in a statement.

“The necessary systems are put in place – such as stabilizing the CoWIN platform to handle the huge demand, finalizing Application Programming Interface (APIs) for interfacing with CoWIN platform, deciding on relevant databases for populating the data - details about the citizen such as age, address, ID etc, keeping track of progress on CoWIN platform, delivery of second dose, issue of vaccination certificate etc. All the above will have to be in a paperless digital platform and this is being stabilized," the union health ministry said.

The principal secretary was apprised that stock of available vaccines is being utilized in the most effective manner with a view to ensuring that the wastage is reduced. The utilization of available stock is based on present local demands and other demands such as CoVAX and supply to friendly countries.

During the course of the meeting, preparedness and modalities for 3rd stage vaccination drive covering people above 50 years of age and those with co-morbid below 50 years of age, were discussed.

The private sector has also shown its willingness and intent to support and augment the government’s capacity across the value chain of covid-19 vaccine distribution and administration. The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for covid-19 (NEGVAC) had met industry representatives in November last year to assess private sector capabilities and capacities for the procurement, distribution, and inoculation of the covid-19 vaccine.

FICCI has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against covid-19’, submitted to NEGVAC In December 2020.

Dr. Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination program, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country."

Money Control |

E-pharmacy firm 1mg says investing in cold chain, training staff for COVID-19 vaccination

India's leading e-pharmacy company 1mg said it is investing in expansion of its cold chain, training thousands of vaccinators and is in touch with vaccine makers for possible partnerships to participate in COVID-19 vaccination, as and when the government allows the private sector.

"We are waiting to get some clarity from the government as to when and how the private sector can participate, at 1mg we are keen to participate," said Prashant Tandon, CEO of 1mg to Moneycontrol.

Tandon said 1mg has put in place four key things like information about the vaccine, administration, supply chain and doctor consultation for successful rollout COVID-19 vaccination.

"We do vaccinations for flu shots, pneumococcal vaccine and hepatitis-B, we have the expertise, so what we are doing now is we are investing in setting up a cold chain for vaccine supplies, currently we have 500 trained technicians who can administer the vaccine, we are training network of 5,000 to 10,000 vaccinators, we are in touch with a bunch of vaccine manufacturers for possible tie-ups," Tandon said.

To be sure the government hasn't given any indication of allowing private sector participation in the COVID-19 vaccination drive. The government plans to vaccinate three crore healthcare and frontline workers in the initial phase of the vaccination drive.

In Budget 2021, the government allocated Rs 30,000 crore for vaccinating at least 50 crore people, suggesting the vaccination rollout would be led by the government.

India has approved the Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for vaccination.

It isn't 1mg alone, other private sector players such as Apollo Hospitals, Portea Medical, Medlife, Reliance-Netmeds, Pharmeasy among others have evinced interest to be part of COVID-19 vaccination, but are awaiting more clarity from the government.

An earlier EY-FICCI survey estimates that India may need 1.3 lakh-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, a lakh healthcare professionals (as inoculators) and two lakh support staff for mass-inoculation of prioritized 30 crore people as identified by the government, includes healthcare professionals, frontline workers, people above 50 years and also people with comorbidities by August 2021 and the entire adult population of 80 crore by the end of 2022. The survey says the government would need to allocate 60 percent of the existing public health infrastructure for vaccination, impacting the routine healthcare needs.

FICCI has been suggesting a hybrid model involving resource sharing between public and private players.

Fundraising

On funding raise plans, Tandon said the company is evaluating various "options and the intention is to grow big".

Earlier, there were reports about the Tata group and private equity firm Gaja Capital and World Bank arm International Finance Corporation (IFC) are among those in talks with 1mg to invest a total of at least $100 million in the e-pharmacy firm.

With over 37 million app downloads, 345 million monthly page views and over 160 million annual unique users visiting the platform in 12 months, 1mg has become a leading player in the digital healthcare space with presence across e-pharmacy, e-diagnostics and telemedicine services.

Money Control |

E-pharmacy firm 1mg says investing in cold chain, training staff for COVID-19 vaccination

India's leading e-pharmacy company 1mg said it is investing in expansion of its cold chain, training thousands of vaccinators and is in touch with vaccine makers for possible partnerships to participate in COVID-19 vaccination, as and when the government allows the private sector.

"We are waiting to get some clarity from the government as to when and how the private sector can participate, at 1mg we are keen to participate," said Prashant Tandon, CEO of 1mg to Moneycontrol.

Tandon said 1mg has put in place four key things like information about the vaccine, administration, supply chain and doctor consultation for successful rollout COVID-19 vaccination.

"We do vaccinations for flu shots, pneumococcal vaccine and hepatitis-B, we have the expertise, so what we are doing now is we are investing in setting up a cold chain for vaccine supplies, currently we have 500 trained technicians who can administer the vaccine, we are training network of 5,000 to 10,000 vaccinators, we are in touch with a bunch of vaccine manufacturers for possible tie-ups," Tandon said.

To be sure the government hasn't given any indication of allowing private sector participation in the COVID-19 vaccination drive. The government plans to vaccinate three crore healthcare and frontline workers in the initial phase of the vaccination drive.

In Budget 2021, the government allocated Rs 30,000 crore for vaccinating at least 50 crore people, suggesting the vaccination rollout would be led by the government.

India has approved the Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for vaccination.

It isn't 1mg alone, other private sector players such as Apollo Hospitals, Portea Medical, Medlife, Reliance-Netmeds, Pharmeasy among others have evinced interest to be part of COVID-19 vaccination, but are awaiting more clarity from the government.

An earlier EY-FICCI survey estimates that India may need 1.3 lakh-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, a lakh healthcare professionals (as inoculators) and two lakh support staff for mass-inoculation of prioritized 30 crore people as identified by the government, includes healthcare professionals, frontline workers, people above 50 years and also people with comorbidities by August 2021 and the entire adult population of 80 crore by the end of 2022. The survey says the government would need to allocate 60 percent of the existing public health infrastructure for vaccination, impacting the routine healthcare needs.

FICCI has been suggesting a hybrid model involving resource sharing between public and private players.

Fundraising

On funding raise plans, Tandon said the company is evaluating various "options and the intention is to grow big".

Earlier, there were reports about the Tata group and private equity firm Gaja Capital and World Bank arm International Finance Corporation (IFC) are among those in talks with 1mg to invest a total of at least $100 million in the e-pharmacy firm.

With over 37 million app downloads, 345 million monthly page views and over 160 million annual unique users visiting the platform in 12 months, 1mg has become a leading player in the digital healthcare space with presence across e-pharmacy, e-diagnostics and telemedicine services.

Air Vibe |

FICCI partners with CIF, TRI, & the Consulate General of India for the 'Canada - India Healthcare Summit 2021'

The summit will deal with the topics of Pandemic Response and Post-COVID Healthcare, Biotechnology and Artificial Intelligence and will even contain the CIF/Kite Institute Powerplay Pitch contest for innovators and start-ups from the medical sector.

Amid the launching event of the Canada India Healthcare Summit, Ms Apoorva Srivastava, Consul General of India at Toronto stated,”The Indian Consulate in Toronto has been quite supportive of CIF in its previous discussion and retains the organization at high esteem for its fire and capability to attract Canada and India together” She added that the Consulate is very happy to co-organize CIHS 2021, that will showcase India’s achievements in healthcare-related emerging technologies.

Since India’s biggest and apex company organisation, FICCI will be directing a delegation of distinguished professionals and personalities in Indian healthcare sector to the CIHS 2021.

Speaking at the launching event, Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals stated,”FICCI is thrilled to lead the Indian delegation and discuss experiences and insights from several Indian organisations in this summit. We expect that the discussion will lead to healthcare providers from both nations to collaborate with the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model for mutual advantage ”

The summit this year are the next Canada-India Healthcare Summit which CIF will be coordinating, after its previous projects in 2015 at Toronto and in New Delhi at 2017.

Mr Satish Thakkar, Chair of Canada India Foundation, stated,”CIF initiated the organization of high tech thematic Canada India Forums using a public policy attention. These forums not just facilitated dialogue among people, academic and industry leaders in the various areas, but also created opportunities for new business initiatives. CIF will continue to leverage those records and create awareness regarding the enormous potential which exists between Canada and India to associate on issues benefitting its own citizens,” he added.

Canadian health care attempts to be showcased in the Forum will be directed by Toronto Rehab Institute, world pioneer in new technology for rehab. Ms Anette Larsson, Senior Campaign Director, TRI stated,”TRI co-organized that the 2015 Forum with CIF and people look forward to linking with India’s tech leaders in health care, researching ground-breaking tactics to help patients needing rehab. We’re especially excited this year to join hands with CIF to coordinate with our exceptionally powerful Kite Powerplay Pitch Contest using the Summit.”

The forums also have eased many new collaborative ventures” He included.

As a run-up into the Summit, a series of webinars focusing on particular themes will be run on 24 February, 10 March, and 25 March.

The immediate result of CIHS 2021 are the groundwork of a policy record, such as recommendations for Indian and Canadian governments and healthcare industry. The summit file, integrating healthcare coverage recommendations, will be presented to both authorities in addition to other stakeholders.

Orissa Diary |

FICCI partners with CIF, TRI, & the Consulate General of India for the 'Canada - India Healthcare Summit 2021'

Canada India Foundation (CIF), Toronto Rehab Institute – University Health Network (TRI), FICCI and the Consulate General of India (CGI) announced the Canada- India Healthcare Summit 2021 (CIHS 2021), scheduled on 20- 21 May as a virtual event, with Toronto as the hosting venue. The summit will address the themes of Pandemic Response and Post-COVID Healthcare, Biotechnology and Artificial Intelligence and will also feature the CIF/Kite Institute Powerplay Pitch competition for innovators and start-ups in the healthcare sector.
Addressing the launch event of the Canada India Healthcare Summit, Ms Apoorva Srivastava, Consul General of India in Toronto said, “The Indian Consulate in Toronto has been very supportive of CIF in all its past forums and holds the organization in high regard for its passion and ability to bring Canada and India together.” She added that the Consulate is pleased to co-organize CIHS 2021, which will showcase India’s accomplishments in healthcare-related emerging technologies.

As India’s largest and apex business organisation, FICCI will be steering a delegation of eminent personalities and professionals from Indian healthcare industry for the CIHS 2021.

Speaking at the launch event, Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “FICCI is delighted to lead the Indian delegation and share insights and experiences from various Indian organisations at this summit. We hope that the forum will result in healthcare solution providers from the two countries to collaborate using the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model for mutual benefit.”

The summit this year will be the third Canada-India Healthcare Summit that CIF will be organizing, after its earlier initiatives in 2015 in Toronto and in New Delhi in 2017.

Mr Satish Thakkar, Chair of Canada India Foundation, said, “CIF pioneered the organization of high-level thematic Canada India Forums with a public policy focus. These forums not only facilitated dialogue among public, industry and academic leaders in the respective fields, but also created opportunities for new business initiatives. CIF will continue to leverage these forums and create awareness about the tremendous potential that exists between Canada and India to partner on matters benefitting its citizens,” he added.

Canadian healthcare initiatives to be showcased at the Forum will be led by Toronto Rehab Institute, world leader in new technologies for rehabilitation. Ms Anette Larsson, Senior Campaign Director, TRI said, “TRI co-organized the 2015 Forum with CIF and we look forward to connecting with India’s technology leaders in healthcare, exploring ground-breaking ways to benefit patients needing rehabilitation. We are particularly excited this year to join hands with CIF to coordinate our highly successful Kite Powerplay Pitch Competition with the Summit.”

Dr VI Lakshmanan, Vice Chairman & CEO- Process Research Ortech Inc, Canada & Summit Chair, said that the summits have previously brought together healthcare experts, governments, and business leaders to explore opportunities for Canada and India to work together on healthcare. “Key partners and participants included the Government of Ontario, Ministry of AYUSH (Government of India), Apollo Hospitals, Apotex, and many others. The forums have also facilitated many new collaborative ventures.” he added.

As a run-up to the Summit, a series of webinars focusing on specific themes will be conducted on 24 February, 10 March, and 25 March. The webinars will be coordinated by Dr Arun Chockalingam, Chair of the Technical Committee for the Summit and will culminate in a set of White Papers that will be published and presented at the summit.

The immediate outcome of CIHS 2021 will be the preparation of a policy document, including recommendations for Canadian and Indian governments and healthcare sector. The summit report, incorporating healthcare policy recommendations, will be presented to both governments as well as other stakeholders.

Details and updates about the summit can be obtained from the summit website www.canadaindiahealthcaresummit.org and other social media platforms.

Business World |

Budget 2021-22 Confers Healthcare, its long due priority status

Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI, Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals, commenting on Budget 2021.

India Inc. and especially the Healthcare industry which has been battling the demon of COVID-19 and its aftermath should consider this year's budget a blessing. Quite rightly, the budget has focused on health and well-being, infrastructural reforms, development of human capital and minimum government and maximum governance.

The very fact that the Government has put health as the first pillar shows that finally it is being considered as the prerequisite to ensure the economic well-being of the country. Budget 21-22 seems realistic, constructive, and Finance Minister showed her commitment towards the healthcare sector, which needed a boost urgently.

The Aatmanirbhar Health Yojana in addition to the National Health Mission with an outlay of R 64,180 crore over six years is a welcome move, towards strengthening primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare in the country, addressing the Preventive, Curative, and Wellbeing of the population. This will also intend to develop capacities of health care systems, develop institutions for detection and cure of new and emerging disease as the first step to boost rural health and keep country ready for emergency handling of pandemic situations.

Further, increasing access to a pneumococcal vaccine to all states and budget outlay for health and welfare by the allocation this year of INR 2,23,846 crore in the healthcare sector a rise by 137 per cent as compared to previous year will prove to be a major increase in the public health and pharmaceuticals sector.

This will definitely strengthen the National Centre for Disease Control and make India future ready for any further health crises. With the incorporation of 17,788 rural and 11,024 urban health and wellness centers, the budget rightly addresses the need to reach the last mile population. The decision to set up integrated public health labs in all districts and 3382 block public health units in 11 states along with critical care hospital blocks in 602 districts and 12 central institutions is creditable but more might be required in a country where the patient-doctor ratio is abysmally poor.

Expansion of the Integrated Health Information Portal to all States/UTs to connect all public health labs is a step ahead towards digitalization and is a positive move.

India has done exceptionally well considering the density of populace in talking the pandemic. Setting aside Rs 35,000 crore and more if required for COVID-19
vaccination drive is laudable and shows that the Government has prioritized the sector. India, unfortunately has the highest mortality rate for children, the decision to launch Mission Poshan 2.0 is a praiseworthy move to prevent over 50,000 child deaths annually.

The Rs 2,217 crore outlay for 42 urban centers to tackle air pollution, one of the deadliest pandemic which is obliterating mankind for years and acts as slow poisoning is also commendable. The resolution to set up integrated public health labs in each district about 3,382 block public health units in 11 states is noteworthy.

Establishing critical care blocks in Hospitals is essential from our learning from the recent pandemic and a right move by the Government. Overall the proposals made in the Budget 21-22, would make quality healthcare accessible and affordable, besides standardizing healthcare infrastructure across the country. We await the on ground implementation and operational details of the scheme now.

The Daily Guardian |

Budget 2021-22 confers healthcare, its long due priority status

Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI, Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals, commenting on Budget 2021.

India Inc. and especially the Healthcare industry which has been battling the demon of COVID-19 and its aftermath should consider this year’s budget a blessing. Quite rightly, the budget has focused on health and well-being, infrastructural reforms, development of human capital and minimum government and maximum governance.

The very fact that the Government has put health as the first pillar shows that finally it is being considered as the prerequisite to ensure the economic well-being of the country.

Budget 21-22 seems realistic, constructive, and Finance Minister showed her commitment towards the healthcare sector, which needed a boost urgently.

The Aatmanirbhar Health Yojana in addition to the National Health Mission with an outlay of R 64,180 crore over six years is a welcome move, towards strengthening primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare in the country, addressing the Preventive, Curative, and Wellbeing of the population. This will also intend to develop capacities of health care systems, develop institutions for detection and cure of new and emerging disease as the first step to boost rural health and keep country ready for emergency handling of pandemic situations.

Further, increasing access to a pneumococcal vaccine to all states and budget outlay for health and welfare by the allocation this year of INR 2,23,846 crore in the healthcare sector a rise by 137 per cent as compared to previous year will prove to be a major increase in the public health and pharmaceuticals sector.

This will definitely strengthen the National Centre for Disease Control and make India future ready for any further health crises. With the incorporation of 17,788 rural and 11,024 urban health and wellness centers, the budget rightly addresses the need to reach the last mile population. The decision to set up integrated public health labs in all districts and 3382 block public health units in 11 states along with critical care hospital blocks in 602 districts and 12 central institutions is creditable but more might be required in a country where the patient-doctor ratio is abysmally poor.

Expansion of the Integrated Health Information Portal to all States/UTs to connect all public health labs is a step ahead towards digitalization and is a positive move.

India has done exceptionally well considering the density of populace in talking the pandemic. Setting aside Rs 35,000 crore and more if required for COVID-19 vaccination drive is laudable and shows that the Government has prioritized the sector. India, unfortunately has the highest mortality rate for children, the decision to launch Mission Poshan 2.0 is a praiseworthy move to prevent over 50,000 child deaths annually.

The Rs 2,217 crore outlay for 42 urban centers to tackle air pollution, one of the deadliest pandemic which is obliterating mankind for years and acts as slow poisoning is also commendable. The resolution to set up integrated public health labs in each district about 3,382 block public health units in 11 states is noteworthy.

Establishing critical care blocks in Hospitals is essential from our learning from the recent pandemic and a right move by the Government. Overall the proposals made in the Budget 21-22, would make quality healthcare accessible and affordable, besides standardizing healthcare infrastructure across the country. We await the on ground implementation and operational details of the scheme now.

India Med Today |

Budget reaction: Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI, Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals

India Inc and especially the healthcare industry which has been battling the demon of COVID-19 and its aftermath should consider this year’s budget a blessing. Quite rightly, the budget has focussed on health and well-being, infrastructural reforms, development of human capital and minimum government and maximum governance. The very fact that the government has put health as the first pillar shows that finally it is being considered as the prerequisite to ensure the economic well-being of the country. Budget 21-22 seems realistic, constructive, and the finance minister showed her commitment to the healthcare sector, which needed a boost urgently.

The Aatmanirbhar Health Yojana in addition to the National Health Mission with an outlay of Rs 64,180 crore over six years is a welcome move, towards strengthening primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare in the country, addressing the preventive, curative and wellbeing of the population. This will also intend to develop capacities of healthcare systems, develop institutions for detection and cure of the new and emerging disease as the first step to boost rural health and keep country ready for emergency handling of pandemic situations. Further, increasing access to the pneumococcal vaccine to all states and budget outlay for health and welfare by the allocation this year of Rs 2,23,846 crore in the healthcare sector a rise by 137 per cent as compared to previous year will prove to be a major increase in the public health and pharmaceuticals sector. This will strengthen the National Centre for Disease Control and make India future-ready for any further health crises. With the incorporation of 17,788 rural and 11,024 urban health and wellness centres, the budget rightly addresses the need to reach the last mile population. The decision to set up integrated public health labs in all districts and 3382 block public health units in 11 states along with critical care hospital blocks in 602 districts and 12 central institutions is creditable but more might be required in a country where the patient-doctor ratio is abysmally poor. Expansion of the Integrated Health Information Portal to all States/UTs to connect all public health labs is a step ahead towards digitalisation and is a positive move. India has done exceptionally well considering the density of populace in talking the pandemic. Setting aside INR 35,000 crore and more if required for COVID-19 vaccination drive is laudable and shows that the government has prioritised the sector. India, unfortunately, has the highest mortality rate for children, the decision to launch Mission Poshan 2.0 is a praiseworthy move to prevent over 50,000 child deaths annually.

The Rs 2,217 crore outlay for 42 urban centres to tackle air pollution, one of the deadliest pandemic which is obliterating mankind for years and acts as slow poisoning is also commendable. The resolution to set up integrated public health labs in each district about 3,382 block public health units in 11 states is noteworthy. Establishing critical care blocks in hospitals is essential from our learning from the recent pandemic and a right move by the government. Overall the proposals made in the Budget 21-22, would make quality healthcare accessible and affordable, besides standardising healthcare infrastructure across the country. We await the on-ground implementation and operational details of the scheme now.

Express Healthcare |

Hospital heads react to Union Budget 2021

News Gram |

What's in store under PM Aatmanirbhar Health Scheme

Amid the biggest health crisis the nation has witnessed ever, India’s Budget for health and wellness has arrived as a welcome change pegging at 1.9 percent of the country’s GDP. The Centre has provided a much-needed boost to the healthcare sector with a 127 percent hike in the budgetary allocation to the sector in the fiscal year 2021-22. Rs 2,23,846 crore has been outlaid for the fiscal year with multiple promises to ramp up medical facilities in the coming five years.

Funds are also allocated separately for Covid-19 vaccination, as well as allocations for urban sanitation, liquid waste management, water supply, mitigation of air pollution, and nutrition. The hike provided to the ovrerall healthcare is Rs 1,29,394 crore, more than the last Budget. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Budget outlay for health and well-being is Rs 2,23,846 crore in 2021-22, as against only Rs 94,452 crore (in 2020-21) and it marks an increase of 137 percent.

While the investment in health infrastructure has increased substantially, the government will commit more in the offing, the finance minister added. While presenting the Budget, Sitharaman asserted that health and wellness is one of the six pillars of a self-reliant India.

The highlight of the latest Budget is a new scheme that the government proposed to launch with a vision for a robust healthcare system that is currently battling the Covid-19 pandemic. Pradhan Mantri Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana (PMASBY) will be launched with an outlay of Rs 64,180 crore over six years. This scheme is in addition to the already existing National Health Mission (NHM).

The focus kept here is at a three-pronged, holistic approach to preventive, curative care & tertiary care, health research, and well-being. The latest scheme would provide support to over 17,000 rural and 11,000 urban health and wellness centers. Integrated public health laboratories would be established in all 739 districts. Additionally, the labs would be extended to 3,382 block public health units in eleven states.

The critical care facilities will be set-up in blocks at 602 districts and 12 central institutions. Fifteen health emergency operation centers and two mobile hospitals will also be set up. Meanwhile, given the outbreak of Covid-19, the government has planned to strengthen its apex centers which work to monitor and control communicable diseases. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), its five regional branches, and 20 metropolitan health surveillance units will be given further support.

A national institution for “One Health” — a regional research platform for the World Health Organization’s south-east Asia region office will also be set-up, in addition to nine bio-safety ‘level 3’ labs and four regional National Institutes of Virology (NIV)s, under the PMASBY. The new health scheme is welcomed by the health industry leaders who called it a long-pending intervention.

“We (health industry) have repeatedly advised measures for robust investment in healthcare and I’m happy to see that a few of them have been implemented. Spending is critical for economic viability and this Budget has done a good balance in that. It is a significant initiative that we must proactively recommend and welcome,” said Sangeeta Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group and Past President, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).

Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospital Groups, said that the government now must look at the next crisis of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD)s. “They are projected to be responsible for 80 percent of deaths and cause a $3.8 trillion burden to the country by 2030. While it is important to focus on prevention, early detection, and possible cure to protect Indian families from grief, financial burden, and to help the GDP grow, India having proven its clinical excellence, should now focus on clinical trials, research, innovation, and technology to devise counters to NCDs crisis,” he added.

Live Mint |

Pvt firms can help supply vaccines: HUL’s Mehta

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), India’s largest consumer goods company, saw its profit, revenue and sales volume surge in the December quarter as demand rebounded. In an interview, chairman and managing director Sanjiv Mehta said the government could take steps to revive urban demand even as the private sector could lend a hand in vaccine distribution. Edited excerpts:

Are you satisfied with last quarter’s performance?

I would certainly want it to get better. But I’m pleased with the trajectory in which the business is moving, the direction in which the markets are moving. If you recall, even before the pandemic, in the 2019 December quarter, the markets had slowed significantly. The biggest stress those days was rural markets. Rural has seen a pretty good comeback, and over the last couple of quarters, we are seeing rural to be pretty resilient. The urban markets, which took a big toll because of mobility reasons, are coming back to growth, albeit still at a very low level. If the momentum keeps building, we would be in the right space.

But won’t rural growth plateau as migrants return to cities and also with the farmers’ agitation?

It would be difficult because farmers’ agitation is…but it is still restricted to parts of the country. And I hope it ends soon in the interest of the nation and in the interest of farmers. Rural markets have been buoyed by several factors. One is the government taking the right steps in terms of direct transfer of money, the benefit in kind—through free foodgrain, then increasing MSP (minimum support price) and also a good harvest. In the pandemic, the two biggest priorities for the government will be, first, the health of the nation; second, ensuring the marginal sections are protected. And a large section of our marginal population is in rural areas. So, the government should keep supporting rural for some time so that it keeps building the momentum. And if we can keep covid infections at bay, and do not let another surge happen, if we can ramp up vaccine rollout, mobility will improve in urban areas significantly. Schools will reopen, people will start going to offices, and then we should also start seeing urban consumption coming back.

The vaccine rollout is just one of the things. What else can the government do to push urban recovery? Relaxation in personal income tax?

Personal income tax would be for the middle class, but one of the things the government also needs to look at is the marginal sections of the urban population. The two biggest areas of focus should be health and speedy rollout (of vaccine).

Once the first phase of vaccination is over, the government should also look at how the private sector could complement government efforts. Because we would like to vaccinate, not just our employees, but all the people in our ecosystem, thousands of people who work as salesmen and workers with distributors.

We would like to own the responsibility of vaccinating them. Also, we have a very wide distribution network. If at any stage, the government needs us to help with the distribution of vaccine, we would be more than happy to do that. Vaccination will increase mobility and increased mobility will mean more economic activities, and that will help the economy.

The second one, of course, is the role of the government to alleviate the marginal sections. How do you help the urban poor, people who have lost their jobs, the informal sector?

And as far as corporate and personal taxes go, what business and investors need, is predictability and certainty. My request to the government would be not to tinker with taxes because as we get on to the momentum, we need to ensure we put further fuel and fire up the momentum even more

On vaccines, are you in talks with the government?

It hasn’t reached that stage. But at (industry lobby) Ficci, we are looking at ways and means to reach out to the government to see how the private sector could augment government efforts.

HUL is increasing prices; could that act as a speed breaker for demand?

You’re absolutely right. What we try to do is look at all lines of P&L (profit and loss). And we try to optimize it, and our endeavour always is price hikes should be done in a very calibrated fashion. But when the price increase of inputs becomes unprecedented—you know, we’re talking about 40% increase in palm oil (prices), the price of tea went up by 60%—then we also have to ensure we protect our business model. But our endeavour would always be to create value for our consumers.

Will you invest in capacity expansion this year?

We never shy away from investments. We keep investing in building capacities. We are also putting a lot of investment behind what we call “Reimagining HUL" agenda, where we have brought in technology and data at the centre of what we do. We are rejigging our entire supply chain—fulfilment centres, factories.

HUL is among the largest TV advertisers but with the controversy around TRPs, will you re-look at your ad spends on the medium?

For us, it’s not about this controversy. There are two big things we do as a consumer goods firm—physical reach and mental reach. And we have a lot of technology being used to ensure how we optimize the spends that we do in traditional channels... There’s constant endeavour to bring in more science and technology into how we spend our money and bring in a better causality between the amount we spend and the growth we get. We would want, at the end of the day, any data that we rely on to be credible. But we use many other means to optimize our spends.

Will the row with Sebamed affect your brands?

We know how to protect our turf, and we will protect it. I’m very emphatic about it.

The Pioneer |

Covid wake-up call: Govt likely to double health budget

In the wake of coronavirus pandemic, the Government is likely to double the health spending in the next fiscal year with an aim to raise expenditure in the sector to 4 per cent of gross domestic output in the coming four years, sources in the Union Health Ministry have said.

In the forthcoming Budget, health spending is likely to be raised to `1.2-1.3 trillion in the fiscal year starting April 1, from the current year’s projected spending of `626 billion, the sources said, adding the new healthcare plan is likely to be unveiled on February 1 when the Budget is presented.

The country’s spending on healthcare has been a meagre 1.3 per cent of GDP, much less than the neighbouring nations like Bangladesh and BRICS countries.

Experts in the sector too feel that healthcare should be accorded ‘national priority’ status and Covid-19 should be treated as a wake-up call. They feel that going forward in health sector shall be significantly measured by sanitation, hygiene and preventive healthcare.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, said “Expectations are running much higher this time (from the Budget). The year that’s ending has been a year of pandemic disrupting lives and livelihoods and causing economic turmoil. From being one of the fastest-growing economies, we are still battling with the pandemic gloom. In the 2021-22 Budget, prioritisation of the healthcare sector should be of utmost importance.”

DS Negi, CEO of Delhi-based Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre (RGCIRC) echoed similar views saying, “In the wake of the pandemic, our expectations from the Budget 2021 centre around higher allocation towards healthcare and policies for incentivising a robust healthcare infrastructure.”

He called for higher allocation for preventive healthcare so as to meet the rising challenge of lifestyle illnesses.

“Ayushman Bharat is no doubt a highly positive step towards attaining the objective of universal healthcare; however, more budgets need to be apportioned for its continued success,” he added.

Saumyajit Roy, founder of Emoha Elder Care felt it was high time for the Government to address the needs and concerns of India’s highly vulnerable population. He cited the latest reports that point out “the share of elders, as a percentage of the total population in the country, is expected to increase from around 7.5 per cent in 2001 to almost 12.5 per cent by 2026, and surpass 19.5 per cent by 2050.”

In our view, we think it is significant to view the Central Government Budget estimates of Rs 67,484 crore towards the health sector for the financial year of 2020-2021, in the context of the total spends of less than 0.05 per cent of the total health Budget on mental health-related initiatives.

Hence, the primary expectation from the Government is to give special focus to the elderly and address the pressing issues pertaining to their physical and mental wellbeing by creating a robust health infrastructure and making more investments in mental health programmes to support them in general.

Speaking on the expectations from Budget 2021, Shekhar Rawtani, Founder, Prescrip, a platform to address the lack of adoption of technology across healthcare, said, “The ongoing pandemic has put healthcare in the spotlight and exposed several gaps in the ecosystem. Hence, we need policies that can cover wide-ranging voids in infrastructure, facilities, and financial provisions in the upcoming Budget. Making budgetary provisions for our frontline workers, who have been pivotal in our fight against the pandemic should be one of the key focus areas of the Government.”

Also, the year 2020 has set the base for digital transformation and innovations in the healthcare system and 2021 policies must work towards scaling them, increasing digital inclusion in the remotest corners of the country, he added.

Financial Express |

Budget 2021 Expectations: More money, bold reforms, here is what India’s public healthcare needs

Budget 2021 Expectations for Health: The Narendra Modi government is all set to present its Budget 2021 on February 1 amid the Covid pandemic. Since this will be the first Union Budget after Coronavirus hit India, the healthcare sector is hoping that Finance Minister Nirmala Sithraman will make some bold announcements paving the way for more reforms. Given the scenario, the utmost importance should be given to the public healthcare in the country, experts said.

While there is one week left for the Budget 2021 to be presented on February 1, here are a few suggestions put forward by experts for the health budget to the Narendra Modi government.

Budget 2021 must strengthen health infrastructure

“India, even with the ongoing pandemic, which is undoubtedly one of the biggest global crisis this generation has witnessed, has been able to sustainably reduce the gaps in the existing healthcare infrastructure. In Budget 2021, I expect that the government continues to strengthen the health reforms from the previous years, to boost domestic health infrastructure, provide jobs, and increase health Insurance penetration with additional tax benefits. I am also hoping that health insurance is made a mandatory subscription for every voter in the country, and by virtue of this, compliance will help reduce the burden and out of pocket expense for all voters,” Dr. G. Surender Rao, Managing Director, Yashoda Hospitals said.

“With access to the country’s ‘Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health System’ established by the Government of India, we now need to adopt an extensive, multifarious allocation and investments plan. While building a strong infrastructure, it is essential that in Budget 2021 additional funds be specially allocated towards training medical staff, establishing and improving the supply chain of vaccines, medicines and accessibility, which are fundamental for a resilient public health mechanism going forward,” Dr. Rao said.

“In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is evident that expenditure made in healthcare and education are long-term investments. The world may have hit reverse on years of progress made on chronic, non-communicable, and life-threatening diseases due to the singular attention on the pandemic. It is imperative that the percentage spending of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on healthcare and training of healthcare professionals is increased to make up for this in Budget 2021. Additionally, medical tourism, that was expected to hit USD 9 billion by 2020 (FICCI, Ernst & Young), has been affected. Focussed promotional measures and relaxation steps introduced by the budget for when borders between countries are re-opened will help to bolster the segment,” Dr. Kshitiz Murdia, CEO and Co-Founder, Indira IVF said.

Budget 2021 must make Pharma industry more ‘Atmanirbhar’

“The Government has already announced Productivity Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for basic and innovative pharma manufacturing which is an encouragement for the Pharma industry to become more ‘Atmanirbhar’. The COVID pandemic and the development of the Vaccines have resulted in an increased awareness of the need for pharmaceutical Research and Development spending to develop innovative pharmaceutical products. Currently, as a country we have strong pharma manufacturing capabilities, however, we invest very little in innovative Pharmaceutical R&D to discover new pharma products in comparison to other countries including China and I hope the Government recognises this and provides incentives or initiatives in the Budget 2021 specifically targeting higher investment in innovative R&D,” Suresh Patthathil, MD, Allergan India said.

“To meet future needs of quality healthcare infrastructure, it is imperative to increase the overall budget allocation to this sector. The idea of Atmanirbhar Bharat should be further amplified by supporting local innovations in the field of drugs and medical devices. Providing the right resources in the form of fiscal incentives, educational support, etc. to innovators can go a long way,” Anandram Narasimhan, Managing Director, Merck Specialities Pvt Ltd said.

Budget 2021 Tax benefits to hospitals towns, rural areas

“In the Budget 2021, the government may look into extending tax benefits to hospitals under Section 35AD of the Income Tax Act to a minimum of 50 beds in tier II and III cities and a minimum of 25 beds in rural areas. This will help add more hospitals in these areas for successful implementation of Ayushman Bharat. We also request the government to provide tax benefits to hospitals investing substantially for capacity expansion, since the weighted deduction of 150 per cent has been withdrawn. To fight the pandemic, many hospitals have incurred huge capital expenditure in structural changes for COVID – 19 treatment and significant fresh investments in medical equipment like CT scans, laboratory apparatus and setting up of ICUs. Consequently, the sector also expects a weighted deduction of 150 per cent for CAPEX incurred for fighting COVID-19 pandemic,” Gautam Khanna, CEO, P. D. Hinduja Hospital and MRC, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee, President, Association of Hospitals, Mumbai said.

Affordable healthcare

“Affordability of healthcare will determine the reach of Indian healthcare in the future. Going by the current trends, 85 per cent of medical devices is currently being imported with increase in import cost expected due to currency depreciation (by 10 per cent). An increase in transportation cost has also further aggravated the operational costs. In 2020, due to lockdown, hospitals saw reduced elective surgeries but witnessed an increase in overhead costs which have significantly affected their turnover and sustainability. In the current scenario, a further increase in the cost of imported medical devices will further exacerbate affordability,” Gautam Khanna said.

Budget 2021 must focus on mental healthcare

“According to an NMHS 2015-2016 study, one out of every 20 people in India suffers from depression. Nearly 7.5 percent of the entire population suffers from some type of mental disorder. With India on the verge of a full-blown mental health epidemic, it is time for the government to contribute in funding and policy to stop the inevitable on its track. Last year, there was a decline in the allocation of funds for the National Mental Health Programme from Rs 50 crore to Rs 40 crore which meant that India spent only 0.06 per cent of its health budget on mental health care. Apart from a huge mental health resource gap, mammoth efforts need to be put towards proper implementation of the National Mental Health Policy. Other than that, issues like access to care, insurance claims for mental health being denied and lack of awareness are some of the areas that require increased attention. Hopefully, Budget 2021 will focus on a wholesome approach to address the rising incidence of mental health issues and start integrating mental health services at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of the public health system.” Prakriti Poddar, Global Head for Mental Health at Round Glass, Managing Trustee Poddar Foundation said.

Business World |

Healthcare should be accorded National Priority Status - Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals

Union Budget is a much anticipated event every year and more so in FY 21-22, as expectations are running much higher this time.

The year that's ending has been a year of pandemic disrupting lives & livelihoods & causing economic turmoil. From being one of the fastest growing economies, people are still battling with the pandemic gloom.

In 2021-22 budget, prioritization of Healthcare sector shall be of utmost importance. While India fought Covid 19 reasonably well and with vaccines just being rolled out, one must not forget the indomitable spirit of the private health sector which fought the pandemic alongside with the government despite severe financial losses in revenues.

Covid 19 has shown us all that Health is the new normal and going forward health shall be significantly measured by sanitation, hygiene and preventive healthcare. With a market size of 1.4 billion people, the government must look into attracting investments into these sectors via existing as well as start-ups.

Attracting investments in healthcare start-ups & "Atmanirbhar" in healthcare equipment

The key solution to address this gap in accessibility and affordability of healthcare is making homegrown technology-driven innovations that facilitate production and delivery of medical devices within the country, provided the policymakers use this opportunity to align the resources/budgets to ensure accessible, equitable, and quality healthcare for the citizens of India. The needs to be addressed in the budget this year with a specific allocation of the budget for healthcare delivery, healthcare personnel, infrastructural developments, and a special focus on innovations in healthcare by supporting start-ups in this field. It is evident that this pandemic has fast-tracked the need and adoption of technology-driven solutions in healthcare and this trend is here to stay. Healthcare providers have embraced technology with virtual consultations, robot-assisted procedures, wearables (AI in medical equipment), and many more innovations that aid smooth delivery of healthcare. Government can consider putting healthcare start-ups under MSME category which will enable them to get the extended advantages. Banks to also consider flexibility in lending to such start-ups as these will add the much needed boost to not just the start ups but also to the healthcare industry.

Digitization of healthcare and the impetus required

2020 has been the year of pandemic and the new normal which have changed the way all of us look at healthcare. The healthcare sector has been quick enough to change and adapt to the digital transformation. Going forward such changes are all set to go to the next level ably supported by AI, Big Data & Analytics, Electronic Records & Telemedicine. While everyone strives for seamless digitization people also have to work for protection against data breaches & safeguard all such data.

Expectations on taxation vis-a-vis healthcare

It is also crucial that the government provides appropriate fiscal incentives and creates sustainable public policy to encourage investment in private healthcare infrastructure.
Hospitals should be included under the definition of 'industrial undertaking' u/s 72A of IT Act. This has been a long standing demand, critical to expedite private investment in healthcare capacity building and to ensure that healthcare is treated at par with other sectors.

Currently, the benefits of deduction for CAPEX are extended only to hospitals having a minimum capacity of 100 beds. No benefits are provided to encourage the setup of smaller hospitals/nursing homes in rural areas posing as an impediment for organizations to start chains of smaller hospitals. Given that there is an urgent need for expansion of healthcare facilities in smaller cities and rural areas, the benefits u/s 35AD of IT Act should be extended to hospitals having:

(i) min of 50 beds in tier II, III and IV cities and
(ii) min of 25 beds in rural areas

The pandemic has also substantiated that one cannot be over-dependent on only testing and treatment of diseases. Primary and preventive care is vital for a strong healthcare system. It is recommended that tax exemption on Preventive Health check-up be raised from the current Rs 5,000 per person (Rs 7,000 for senior citizens) to Rs 20,000 u/s 80-D of IT Act. This is an opportunity incentivizing health-oriented consumer behaviour for insulating individuals from effects of unanticipated healthcare spending and for institutionalising a Healthcare Savings Fund.

Further, while grappling with COVID-19, hospitals have had to make substantial capital expenditure towards making structural changes in the building layout, air-flows etc. and significant fresh investment in medical equipment, bringing in immense strain on hospital cash flow and operational sustenance. FICCI has recommended that some relief through weighted deduction on CAPEX u/s 35AD be provided to all hospitals that have made any capital expenditure for prevention and/ or treatment of COVID patients.

On the GST front, government need to consider zero-rating of GST for healthcare services.

Healthcare Infrastructure investments

The Finance Ministry has devised an inspiring INR 111 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) for 2020-25, which includes INR 1.69 lakh crores for infrastructure development projects for healthcare.

There is also a need to increase proportion of Health Research allocation in overall Health Expenditure to at least 6 per cent of the funds allocated to MoHFW. The pandemic has ascertained that Health Research is a critical component for forging an effective healthcare response and it is also important for attaining SDG-3 goals.

Healthcare should be accorded 'National Priority' status, as was done for the IT sector, to bring in requisite attention and investment. Innovative long-term financing structures, special healthcare zones, subsidized cost for land and electricity, higher FSI for hospital buildings are some of the measures needed for enhancing infrastructure creation in healthcare.

Overall, Budget 2021 must focus on allocation of higher spending towards healthcare with special attention to preventive health and wellness segments.

Business Standard |

Healthcare should be accorded National Priority Status - Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals

Union Budget is a much anticipated event every year and more so in FY 21-22, as expectations are running much higher this time.

The year that's ending has been a year of pandemic disrupting lives & livelihoods & causing economic turmoil. From being one of the fastest growing economies, people are still battling with the pandemic gloom.

In 2021-22 budget, prioritization of Healthcare sector shall be of utmost importance. While India fought Covid 19 reasonably well and with vaccines just being rolled out, one must not forget the indomitable spirit of the private health sector which fought the pandemic alongside with the government despite severe financial losses in revenues.

Covid 19 has shown us all that Health is the new normal and going forward health shall be significantly measured by sanitation, hygiene and preventive healthcare. With a market size of 1.4 billion people, the government must look into attracting investments into these sectors via existing as well as start-ups.

Attracting investments in healthcare start-ups & "Atmanirbhar" in healthcare equipment

The key solution to address this gap in accessibility and affordability of healthcare is making homegrown technology-driven innovations that facilitate production and delivery of medical devices within the country, provided the policymakers use this opportunity to align the resources/budgets to ensure accessible, equitable, and quality healthcare for the citizens of India. The needs to be addressed in the budget this year with a specific allocation of the budget for healthcare delivery, healthcare personnel, infrastructural developments, and a special focus on innovations in healthcare by supporting start-ups in this field. It is evident that this pandemic has fast-tracked the need and adoption of technology-driven solutions in healthcare and this trend is here to stay. Healthcare providers have embraced technology with virtual consultations, robot-assisted procedures, wearables (AI in medical equipment), and many more innovations that aid smooth delivery of healthcare. Government can consider putting healthcare start-ups under MSME category which will enable them to get the extended advantages. Banks to also consider flexibility in lending to such start-ups as these will add the much needed boost to not just the start ups but also to the healthcare industry.

Digitization of healthcare and the impetus required

2020 has been the year of pandemic and the new normal which have changed the way all of us look at healthcare. The healthcare sector has been quick enough to change and adapt to the digital transformation. Going forward such changes are all set to go to the next level ably supported by AI, Big Data & Analytics, Electronic Records & Telemedicine. While everyone strives for seamless digitization people also have to work for protection against data breaches & safeguard all such data.

Expectations on taxation vis-a-vis healthcare

It is also crucial that the government provides appropriate fiscal incentives and creates sustainable public policy to encourage investment in private healthcare infrastructure. Hospitals should be included under the definition of 'industrial undertaking' u/s 72A of IT Act. This has been a long standing demand, critical to expedite private investment in healthcare capacity building and to ensure that healthcare is treated at par with other sectors.

Currently, the benefits of deduction for CAPEX are extended only to hospitals having a minimum capacity of 100 beds. No benefits are provided to encourage the setup of smaller hospitals/nursing homes in rural areas posing as an impediment for organizations to start chains of smaller hospitals. Given that there is an urgent need for expansion of healthcare facilities in smaller cities and rural areas, the benefits u/s 35AD of IT Act should be extended to hospitals having:

(i) min of 50 beds in tier II, III and IV cities and

(ii) min of 25 beds in rural areas

The pandemic has also substantiated that one cannot be over-dependent on only testing and treatment of diseases. Primary and preventive care is vital for a strong healthcare system. It is recommended that tax exemption on Preventive Health check-up be raised from the current Rs 5,000 per person (Rs 7,000 for senior citizens) to Rs 20,000 u/s 80-D of IT Act. This is an opportunity incentivizing health-oriented consumer behaviour for insulating individuals from effects of unanticipated healthcare spending and for institutionalising a Healthcare Savings Fund.

Further, while grappling with COVID-19, hospitals have had to make substantial capital expenditure towards making structural changes in the building layout, air-flows etc. and significant fresh investment in medical equipment, bringing in immense strain on hospital cash flow and operational sustenance. FICCI has recommended that some relief through weighted deduction on CAPEX u/s 35AD be provided to all hospitals that have made any capital expenditure for prevention and/ or treatment of COVID patients.

On the GST front, government need to consider zero-rating of GST for healthcare services.

Healthcare Infrastructure investments

The Finance Ministry has devised an inspiring INR 111 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) for 2020-25, which includes INR 1.69 lakh crores for infrastructure development projects for healthcare.

There is also a need to increase proportion of Health Research allocation in overall Health Expenditure to at least 6 per cent of the funds allocated to MoHFW. The pandemic has ascertained that Health Research is a critical component for forging an effective healthcare response and it is also important for attaining SDG-3 goals.

Healthcare should be accorded 'National Priority' status, as was done for the IT sector, to bring in requisite attention and investment. Innovative long-term financing structures, special healthcare zones, subsidized cost for land and electricity, higher FSI for hospital buildings are some of the measures needed for enhancing infrastructure creation in healthcare.

Overall, Budget 2021 must focus on allocation of higher spending towards healthcare with special attention to preventive health and wellness segments.

News15 India |

Healthcare should be accorded National Priority Status - Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals

Union Budget is an eagerly awaited occasion each year and all the more so in FY 21-22, as assumptions are running a lot higher this time.

The year that is finishing has been a time of pandemic upsetting lives and jobs and causing monetary disturbance. From being one of the quickest developing economies, individuals are as yet engaging with the pandemic agony.

In 2021-22 spending plan, prioritization of Healthcare area will be of most extreme significance. While India battled Covid 19 sensibly well and with immunizations simply being turned out, one should not fail to remember the unyielding soul of the private wellbeing area which battled the pandemic close by with the public authority regardless of serious monetary misfortunes in incomes.

Coronavirus has demonstrated us all that Health is the new ordinary and going ahead wellbeing will be essentially estimated by disinfection, cleanliness and preventive medical care. With a market size of 1.4 billion individuals, the public authority should investigate drawing in interests into these areas by means of existing just as new companies.

Pulling in interests in medical care new businesses and "Atmanirbhar" in medical care hardware

The critical answer for address this hole in availability and moderateness of medical care is making local innovation driven developments that encourage creation and conveyance of clinical gadgets inside the nation, given the policymakers utilize this chance to adjust the assets/spending plans to guarantee open, impartial, and quality medical care for the residents of India. The should be tended to in the spending this year with a particular distribution of the financial plan for medical care conveyance, medical care faculty, infrastructural advancements, and a unique spotlight on developments in medical services by supporting new companies in this field. It is apparent that this pandemic has optimized the need and reception of innovation driven arrangements in medical care and this pattern is staying put. Medical care suppliers have grasped innovation with virtual interviews, robot-helped systems, wearables (AI in clinical gear), and a lot more developments that guide smooth conveyance of medical care. Government can consider putting medical care new companies under MSME class which will empower them to get the all-inclusive favorable circumstances. Banks to likewise consider adaptability in loaning to such new businesses as these will add the truly necessary lift to the new companies as well as to the medical care industry.

Digitization of medical care and the force required

2020 has been the time of pandemic and the new ordinary which have changed the path we all glance at medical services. The medical care area has been speedy enough to change and adjust to the computerized change. Going ahead such changes are good to go to go to the following level capably upheld by AI, Big Data and Analytics, Electronic Records and Telemedicine. While everybody makes progress toward consistent digitization individuals additionally need to work for assurance against information penetrates and shield all such information.

Assumptions on tax collection versus medical care

It is likewise vital that the public authority gives suitable monetary motivators and makes supportable public strategy to energize interest in private medical care foundation. Emergency clinics ought to be incorporated under the meaning of 'mechanical endeavor' u/s 72A of IT Act. This has been a long standing interest, basic to assist private interest in medical care limit building and to guarantee that medical care is treated at standard with different areas.

Presently, the advantages of derivation for CAPEX are stretched out just to clinics having a base limit of 100 beds. No advantages are given to support the arrangement of more modest emergency clinics/nursing homes in rustic territories acting like a hindrance for associations to begin chains of more modest emergency clinics. Given that there is a critical requirement for extension of medical care offices in more modest urban communities and provincial regions, the advantages u/s 35AD of IT Act ought to be reached out to clinics having:

(I) min of 50 beds in level II, III and IV urban areas and

(ii) min of 25 beds in provincial regions

The pandemic has likewise validated that one can't be over-subject to just testing and treatment of infections. Essential and preventive consideration is crucial for a solid medical services framework. It is suggested that charge exception on Preventive Health registration be raised from the current Rs 5,000 for every individual (Rs 7,000 for senior residents) to Rs 20,000 u/s 80-D of IT Act. This is a chance boosting wellbeing focused buyer conduct for protecting people from impacts of unforeseen medical care spending and for regulating a Healthcare Savings Fund.

Further, while wrestling with COVID-19, medical clinics have needed to make significant capital use towards rolling out primary improvements in the structure design, wind currents and so on and critical new interest in clinical gear, acquiring tremendous strain on clinic income and operational food. FICCI has suggested that some alleviation through weighted allowance on CAPEX u/s 35AD be given to all emergency clinics that have made any capital use for avoidance as well as treatment of COVID patients.

On the GST front, government need to consider zero-rating of GST for medical care administrations.

Medical services Infrastructure speculations

The Finance Ministry has conceived a moving INR 111 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) for 2020-25, which incorporates INR 1.69 lakh crores for framework improvement projects for medical services.

There is likewise a need to build extent of Health Research assignment in generally speaking Health Expenditure to in any event 6 percent of the assets designated to MoHFW. The pandemic has learned that Health Research is a basic segment for fashioning a compelling medical care reaction and it is additionally significant for achieving SDG-3 objectives.

Medical care ought to be agreed 'Public Priority' status, as was accomplished for the IT area, to acquire essential consideration and speculation. Imaginative long haul financing structures, uncommon medical care zones, sponsored cost for land and power, higher FSI for clinic structures are a portion of the estimates required for upgrading framework creation in medical services.

In general, Budget 2021 should zero in on distribution of higher going through towards medical care with exceptional consideration regarding preventive wellbeing and health fragments.

Business Wire India |

Healthcare should be accorded National Priority Status - Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals

Union Budget is a much anticipated event every year and more so in FY 21-22, as expectations are running much higher this time.

The year that’s ending has been a year of pandemic disrupting lives & livelihoods & causing economic turmoil. From being one of the fastest growing economies, people are still battling with the pandemic gloom.

In 2021-22 budget, prioritization of Healthcare sector shall be of utmost importance. While India fought Covid 19 reasonably well and with vaccines just being rolled out, one must not forget the indomitable spirit of the private health sector which fought the pandemic alongside with the government despite severe financial losses in revenues.

Covid 19 has shown us all that Health is the new normal and going forward health shall be significantly measured by sanitation, hygiene and preventive healthcare. With a market size of 1.4 billion people, the government must look into attracting investments into these sectors via existing as well as start-ups.

Attracting investments in healthcare start-ups & “Atmanirbhar” in healthcare equipment

The key solution to address this gap in accessibility and affordability of healthcare is making homegrown technology-driven innovations that facilitate production and delivery of medical devices within the country, provided the policymakers use this opportunity to align the resources/budgets to ensure accessible, equitable, and quality healthcare for the citizens of India. The needs to be addressed in the budget this year with a specific allocation of the budget for healthcare delivery, healthcare personnel, infrastructural developments, and a special focus on innovations in healthcare by supporting start-ups in this field. It is evident that this pandemic has fast-tracked the need and adoption of technology-driven solutions in healthcare and this trend is here to stay. Healthcare providers have embraced technology with virtual consultations, robot-assisted procedures, wearables (AI in medical equipment), and many more innovations that aid smooth delivery of healthcare. Government can consider putting healthcare start-ups under MSME category which will enable them to get the extended advantages. Banks to also consider flexibility in lending to such start-ups as these will add the much needed boost to not just the start ups but also to the healthcare industry.

Digitization of healthcare and the impetus required

2020 has been the year of pandemic and the new normal which have changed the way all of us look at healthcare. The healthcare sector has been quick enough to change and adapt to the digital transformation. Going forward such changes are all set to go to the next level ably supported by AI, Big Data & Analytics, Electronic Records & Telemedicine. While everyone strives for seamless digitization people also have to work for protection against data breaches & safeguard all such data.

Expectations on taxation vis-a-vis healthcare

It is also crucial that the government provides appropriate fiscal incentives and creates sustainable public policy to encourage investment in private healthcare infrastructure. Hospitals should be included under the definition of ‘industrial undertaking’ u/s 72A of IT Act. This has been a long standing demand, critical to expedite private investment in healthcare capacity building and to ensure that healthcare is treated at par with other sectors.

Currently, the benefits of deduction for CAPEX are extended only to hospitals having a minimum capacity of 100 beds. No benefits are provided to encourage the setup of smaller hospitals/nursing homes in rural areas posing as an impediment for organizations to start chains of smaller hospitals. Given that there is an urgent need for expansion of healthcare facilities in smaller cities and rural areas, the benefits u/s 35AD of IT Act should be extended to hospitals having:

(i) min of 50 beds in tier II, III and IV cities and
(ii) min of 25 beds in rural areas

The pandemic has also substantiated that one cannot be over-dependent on only testing and treatment of diseases. Primary and preventive care is vital for a strong healthcare system. It is recommended that tax exemption on Preventive Health check-up be raised from the current Rs 5,000 per person (Rs 7,000 for senior citizens) to Rs 20,000 u/s 80-D of IT Act. This is an opportunity incentivizing health-oriented consumer behaviour for insulating individuals from effects of unanticipated healthcare spending and for institutionalising a Healthcare Savings Fund.

Further, while grappling with COVID-19, hospitals have had to make substantial capital expenditure towards making structural changes in the building layout, air-flows etc. and significant fresh investment in medical equipment, bringing in immense strain on hospital cash flow and operational sustenance. FICCI has recommended that some relief through weighted deduction on CAPEX u/s 35AD be provided to all hospitals that have made any capital expenditure for prevention and/ or treatment of COVID patients.

On the GST front, government need to consider zero rating of GST for healthcare services.

Healthcare Infrastructure investments

The Finance Ministry has devised an inspiring INR 111 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) for 2020-25, which includes INR 1.69 lakh crores for infrastructure development projects for healthcare.

There is also a need to increase proportion of Health Research allocation in overall Health Expenditure to at least 6% of the funds allocated to MoHFW. The pandemic has ascertained that Health Research is a critical component for forging an effective healthcare response and it is also important for attaining SDG-3 goals.

Healthcare should be accorded ‘National Priority’ status, as was done for the IT sector, to bring in requisite attention and investment. Innovative long-term financing structures, special healthcare zones, subsidized cost for land and electricity, higher FSI for hospital buildings are some of the measures needed for enhancing infrastructure creation in healthcare.

Overall, Budget 2021 must focus on allocation of higher spending towards healthcare with special attention to preventive health and wellness segments.

Big News Network |

'Healthcare should be accorded National Priority status'

Union Budget is a much anticipated event every year and more so in FY 21-22, as expectations are running much higher this time.

The year that's ending has been a year of pandemic disrupting lives livelihoods causing economic turmoil. From being one of the fastest growing economies, people are still battling with the pandemic gloom.

In 2021-22 budget, prioritization of Healthcare sector shall be of utmost importance. While India fought Covid 19 reasonably well and with vaccines just being rolled out, one must not forget the indomitable spirit of the private health sector which fought the pandemic alongside with the government despite severe financial losses in revenues.

Covid 19 has shown us all that Health is the new normal and going forward health shall be significantly measured by sanitation, hygiene and preventive healthcare. With a market size of 1.4 billion people, the government must look into attracting investments into these sectors via existing as well as start-ups.

Attracting investments in healthcare start-ups "Atmanirbhar" in healthcare equipment

The key solution to address this gap in accessibility and affordability of healthcare is making homegrown technology-driven innovations that facilitate production and delivery of medical devices within the country, provided the policymakers use this opportunity to align the resources/budgets to ensure accessible, equitable, and quality healthcare for the citizens of India. The needs to be addressed in the budget this year with a specific allocation of the budget for healthcare delivery, healthcare personnel, infrastructural developments, and a special focus on innovations in healthcare by supporting start-ups in this field. It is evident that this pandemic has fast-tracked the need and adoption of technology-driven solutions in healthcare and this trend is here to stay. Healthcare providers have embraced technology with virtual consultations, robot-assisted procedures, wearables (AI in medical equipment), and many more innovations that aid smooth delivery of healthcare. Government can consider putting healthcare start-ups under MSME category which will enable them to get the extended advantages. Banks to also consider flexibility in lending to such start-ups as these will add the much needed boost to not just the start ups but also to the healthcare industry.

Digitization of healthcare and the impetus required

2020 has been the year of pandemic and the new normal which have changed the way all of us look at healthcare. The healthcare sector has been quick enough to change and adapt to the digital transformation. Going forward such changes are all set to go to the next level ably supported by AI, Big Data Analytics, Electronic Records Telemedicine. While everyone strives for seamless digitization people also have to work for protection against data breaches safeguard all such data.

Expectations on taxation vis-a-vis healthcare

It is also crucial that the government provides appropriate fiscal incentives and creates sustainable public policy to encourage investment in private healthcare infrastructure. Hospitals should be included under the definition of 'industrial undertaking' u/s 72A of IT Act. This has been a long standing demand, critical to expedite private investment in healthcare capacity building and to ensure that healthcare is treated at par with other sectors.

Currently, the benefits of deduction for CAPEX are extended only to hospitals having a minimum capacity of 100 beds. No benefits are provided to encourage the setup of smaller hospitals/nursing homes in rural areas posing as an impediment for organizations to start chains of smaller hospitals. Given that there is an urgent need for expansion of healthcare facilities in smaller cities and rural areas, the benefits u/s 35AD of IT Act should be extended to hospitals having:

(i) min of 50 beds in tier II, III and IV cities and
(ii) min of 25 beds in rural areas

The pandemic has also substantiated that one cannot be over-dependent on only testing and treatment of diseases. Primary and preventive care is vital for a strong healthcare system. It is recommended that tax exemption on Preventive Health check-up be raised from the current Rs 5,000 per person (Rs 7,000 for senior citizens) to Rs 20,000 u/s 80-D of IT Act. This is an opportunity incentivizing health-oriented consumer behaviour for insulating individuals from effects of unanticipated healthcare spending and for institutionalising a Healthcare Savings Fund.

Further, while grappling with COVID-19, hospitals have had to make substantial capital expenditure towards making structural changes in the building layout, air-flows etc. and significant fresh investment in medical equipment, bringing in immense strain on hospital cash flow and operational sustenance. FICCI has recommended that some relief through weighted deduction on CAPEX u/s 35AD be provided to all hospitals that have made any capital expenditure for prevention and/ or treatment of COVID patients.

On the GST front, government need to consider zero-rating of GST for healthcare services.

Healthcare Infrastructure investments

The Finance Ministry has devised an inspiring INR 111 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) for 2020-25, which includes INR 1.69 lakh crores for infrastructure development projects for healthcare.

There is also a need to increase proportion of Health Research allocation in overall Health Expenditure to at least 6 per cent of the funds allocated to MoHFW. The pandemic has ascertained that Health Research is a critical component for forging an effective healthcare response and it is also important for attaining SDG-3 goals.

Healthcare should be accorded 'National Priority' status, as was done for the IT sector, to bring in requisite attention and investment. Innovative long-term financing structures, special healthcare zones, subsidized cost for land and electricity, higher FSI for hospital buildings are some of the measures needed for enhancing infrastructure creation in healthcare.

Overall, Budget 2021 must focus on allocation of higher spending towards healthcare with special attention to preventive health and wellness segments.

Latest LY |

Healthcare should be accorded National Priority Status - Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals

Union Budget is a much anticipated event every year and more so in FY 21-22, as expectations are running much higher this time.

The year that's ending has been a year of pandemic disrupting lives & livelihoods & causing economic turmoil. From being one of the fastest growing economies, people are still battling with the pandemic gloom.

In 2021-22 budget, prioritization of Healthcare sector shall be of utmost importance. While India fought Covid 19 reasonably well and with vaccines just being rolled out, one must not forget the indomitable spirit of the private health sector which fought the pandemic alongside with the government despite severe financial losses in revenues.

Covid 19 has shown us all that Health is the new normal and going forward health shall be significantly measured by sanitation, hygiene and preventive healthcare. With a market size of 1.4 billion people, the government must look into attracting investments into these sectors via existing as well as start-ups.

Attracting investments in healthcare start-ups & "Atmanirbhar" in healthcare equipment

The key solution to address this gap in accessibility and affordability of healthcare is making homegrown technology-driven innovations that facilitate production and delivery of medical devices within the country, provided the policymakers use this opportunity to align the resources/budgets to ensure accessible, equitable, and quality healthcare for the citizens of India. The needs to be addressed in the budget this year with a specific allocation of the budget for healthcare delivery, healthcare personnel, infrastructural developments, and a special focus on innovations in healthcare by supporting start-ups in this field. It is evident that this pandemic has fast-tracked the need and adoption of technology-driven solutions in healthcare and this trend is here to stay. Healthcare providers have embraced technology with virtual consultations, robot-assisted procedures, wearables (AI in medical equipment), and many more innovations that aid smooth delivery of healthcare. Government can consider putting healthcare start-ups under MSME category which will enable them to get the extended advantages. Banks to also consider flexibility in lending to such start-ups as these will add the much needed boost to not just the start ups but also to the healthcare industry.

Digitization of healthcare and the impetus required

2020 has been the year of pandemic and the new normal which have changed the way all of us look at healthcare. The healthcare sector has been quick enough to change and adapt to the digital transformation. Going forward such changes are all set to go to the next level ably supported by AI, Big Data & Analytics, Electronic Records & Telemedicine. While everyone strives for seamless digitization people also have to work for protection against data breaches & safeguard all such data.

Expectations on taxation vis-a-vis healthcare

It is also crucial that the government provides appropriate fiscal incentives and creates sustainable public policy to encourage investment in private healthcare infrastructure. Hospitals should be included under the definition of 'industrial undertaking' u/s 72A of IT Act. This has been a long standing demand, critical to expedite private investment in healthcare capacity building and to ensure that healthcare is treated at par with other sectors.

Currently, the benefits of deduction for CAPEX are extended only to hospitals having a minimum capacity of 100 beds. No benefits are provided to encourage the setup of smaller hospitals/nursing homes in rural areas posing as an impediment for organizations to start chains of smaller hospitals. Given that there is an urgent need for expansion of healthcare facilities in smaller cities and rural areas, the benefits u/s 35AD of IT Act should be extended to hospitals having:

(i) min of 50 beds in tier II, III and IV cities and

(ii) min of 25 beds in rural areas

The pandemic has also substantiated that one cannot be over-dependent on only testing and treatment of diseases. Primary and preventive care is vital for a strong healthcare system. It is recommended that tax exemption on Preventive Health check-up be raised from the current Rs 5,000 per person (Rs 7,000 for senior citizens) to Rs 20,000 u/s 80-D of IT Act. This is an opportunity incentivizing health-oriented consumer behaviour for insulating individuals from effects of unanticipated healthcare spending and for institutionalising a Healthcare Savings Fund.

Further, while grappling with COVID-19, hospitals have had to make substantial capital expenditure towards making structural changes in the building layout, air-flows etc. and significant fresh investment in medical equipment, bringing in immense strain on hospital cash flow and operational sustenance. FICCI has recommended that some relief through weighted deduction on CAPEX u/s 35AD be provided to all hospitals that have made any capital expenditure for prevention and/ or treatment of COVID patients.

On the GST front, government need to consider zero-rating of GST for healthcare services.

Healthcare Infrastructure investments

The Finance Ministry has devised an inspiring INR 111 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) for 2020-25, which includes INR 1.69 lakh crores for infrastructure development projects for healthcare.

There is also a need to increase proportion of Health Research allocation in overall Health Expenditure to at least 6 per cent of the funds allocated to MoHFW. The pandemic has ascertained that Health Research is a critical component for forging an effective healthcare response and it is also important for attaining SDG-3 goals.

Healthcare should be accorded 'National Priority' status, as was done for the IT sector, to bring in requisite attention and investment. Innovative long-term financing structures, special healthcare zones, subsidized cost for land and electricity, higher FSI for hospital buildings are some of the measures needed for enhancing infrastructure creation in healthcare.

Overall, Budget 2021 must focus on allocation of higher spending towards healthcare with special attention to preventive health and wellness segments.

Express Healthcare |

IRDAI circular asks insurers to settle COVID-19 claims as per tariffs for other diseases

Insurers could probably now negotiate for lower rates and infectious disease treatment packages, says industry

As per a circular on January 13, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) reportedly asked insurers to make efforts “to have an agreement with health providers on rates for treatment of COVID-19 similar to other diseases for which rate agreements are in place.”

Responding to the circular, Dr Alok Roy, Chair FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals explained that for cashless reimbursement with hospital if insurers do not have specific agreement for COVID-19, they will have to work as per the agreed tariff and discounts only.

He explained that in this recent circular, the authority has recommended that specific rate negotiations must happen with hospitals with respect to COVID and COVID-like treatments based on GIC rates (which) are the state government rates but the same has to be in writing and mutually agreed upon. Otherwise reimbursement should be at hospital rates, according to Dr Roy.

He also pointed out that the authorities have also urged the insurers not to give lower rate for reimbursement of cases where cashless was denied. He opined that this has been a sore point between the insured and the insurance companies where “arm twisting attitude” has been seen by the insurance companies. But this opens the doors for insurance companies to negotiate lower rates or packages for infectious disease treatment, is his analysis of the situation.

The Hindu Business Line |

First dose: Some doctors look forward to vaccine, others seek answers

Doctors and other frontline workers to get the shot on Saturday

As doctors roll-up their sleeves to get the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in India, some of them will remember their colleagues who succumbed to the virus.

Over 730 doctors died “while fighting Covid”, Dr Jayesh Lele, Honorary Secretary General with the Indian Medical Association, told BusinessLine. Even the doctor who collated these details died from Covid, he says, agreeing that the number increases when you include nurses and other support staff in the wards. Healthcare workers in non-Covid facilities too were at risk, because they treated patients without the protective gear and any patient could have brought the infection, he says.

On Saturday, India rolls-out two vaccines — from Serum Institute (making the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine) and Bharat Biotech — for doctors and other frontline workers.

Having practised for 44 years, Dr Lele has registered to take the vaccine and is not particular about which one he gets. Unlike the small-pox vaccine that was given to everyone, this one is not compulsory and those having misgivings can refuse it, he says.

Trial details

And misgivings there are. Doctors from different regions have expressed concerns on not having the entire clinical trial details before them, before giving them the shot. Nor will they have the option to choose between the vaccines.

Dr Pradeep Kumar, consultant orthopaedic and arthroscopy surgeon with New Hope Medical Centre, is not satisfied with relying on vaccine trial data from just European volunteers, for instance. It is important to have clinical trial data from Indian volunteers, he says, pointing out that little was known in terms of the duration or the period of time the vaccine would protect an individual or the frequency with which the vaccine needed to be taken.

Having lost his senior colleague to Covid-19 and worn protective gear just to bury him in a dramatic incident in Chennai last year, Pradeep says, he would have taken the vaccine if trials had been completed and there was greater transparency on the scientific data.

Possible shortages

Besides not having critical information on the vaccine and whether it works, he is also worried about possible shortages that could arise, since just two companies were making the vaccines. If the Government is confident on a vaccine, more companies should be brought in to manufacture it and avoid shortages and black-marketing, he added.

The medical fraternity, in fact, is seeing equally strong opinions and petitions, both for and against the Covid-19 vaccines. IMA’s national president JA Jayalal put out messages urging doctors to be a “role model”. A day before the vaccination drive, more messages went out saying “Don’t hesitate, vaccinate”.

In fact, at 10.30 am on Saturday, Dr Alok Roy will be getting his first dose of the vaccine. He has no hesitation in taking either vaccine, adding that both were safe and there was nothing to trigger a bad reaction. Dr Roy is Chair FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica group of Hospitals. “I have seen fear in people’s eyes due to the virus,” he says, recommending that the vaccination drive go the “whole hog” and cover the entire population.

Live Mint |

E-healthcare firms prepare for expanded vaccination

Digital healthcare platforms are expanding cold chain networks, training staff in vaccination, and even hoping to partner with large companies, despite the lack of clarity on the role of private sector in the mass immunization programme beginning 16 January.

India aims to vaccinate 300 million citizens over the next few months, with healthcare workers the first in line. In the second stage, those above 50 years of age, and those below 50 but having co-morbidities or with a high risk of infection will be vaccinated. Identification and monitoring of those who need to be vaccinated will be done over Co-WIN, an online platform for real-time tracking of covid vaccine delivery and distribution.

Bengaluru-based 1mg is investing ₹10-15 crore to expand its cold chain, training its 500-member team of lab technicians in vaccination, and strengthening systems so that it can integrate with Co-WIN. “We are in an early but active stage and are going after this opportunity. I am personally very confident that the government will call upon the private sector. We are setting up cold chain infrastructure and vaccinator networks. Having said that, we are waiting and watching for the government to give some clarity on how the private sector participates, because it (the Centre) will not do 100% of the vaccinations. We will be ready for that. We are also looking at scaling up to deliver 5-10 lakh vaccinations on a daily basis," said Prashant Tandon, co-founder and CEO, 1mg.

1mg is expanding its cold-chain facilities from 10 locations currently to 25 locations. It is also engaging with several state governments to understand the supply-demand imbalance so that 1mg can be focused in its efforts and support the government wherever needed.

Portea Medical said it is preparing its distribution and logistics units, and training its staff.

“...Also, when permitted, we will be ready to provide services to corporates for their employees’ and families’ vaccination. We have capability across the country and have administered large flu vaccination camps in the past," said Meena Ganesh, MD and CEO, Portea Medical.

1mg is currently training its 500 laboratorists in 40 cities for vaccinations.

“We need to make sure all of them are fully equipped with detailed knowledge on the covid-specific vaccines, how to administer (most are intra-muscular, some intra-dermal, etc.,), and what precautions are needed, what needles to use, how to manage safety and biomedical waste management protocols," Tandon said.

Meanwhile, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan told Mint that “the government has held talks with private hospital chains for aiding in the vaccination drive, but so far, no concrete agreement has been chalked out."

Digital Health Platforms (DHP), an industry association of e-pharmacy firms including Medlife, Reliance-Netmeds and Pharmeasy, is awaiting directions from the government.

While healthcare firms endorsed the approach in vaccine prioritization and data management, they were unanimous that the government should leverage the private sector, so that vaccine administration does not become a bottleneck.

According to a FICCI-EY white paper on vaccine strategy released in December, the country may need 130,000-140,000 vaccination centres, about 100,000 healthcare professionals (as inoculators) and 200,000 support staff for mass inoculation of prioritized individuals to support the vaccination programme.

“Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination," said Dr Alok Roy, chair of FICCI Health Services Committee and chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals.

While the initial phase will be largely managed by the Centre, a hybrid model involving resource-sharing between public and private firms may emerge to bridge capacity gaps as the vaccine rollout expands, said industry executives.

Indian Transport & Logistics News |

Private sector to partner with govt for Covid vaccine delivery: FICCI

Private sector has been showing their willingness and intent to support and augment government's capacity across the value chain of Covid-19 vaccine distribution and administration, informs FICCI.

The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) had met industry representatives in November last year to assess private sector capabilities and capacities for the procurement, distribution, and inoculation of the Covid-19 vaccine.

FICCI has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support the private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on 'Protecting India - Public-Private Partnership for vaccinating against Covid-19', submitted to NEGVAC last month. The paper was also released by NEGVAC Dr VK Paul during a session on vaccines at the FICCI AGM on Dec 12, 2020.

Dr Alok Roy, chair, FICCI health services committee and chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, said, "Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination program, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country."

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1.0 lakh healthcare professionals (as inoculators) and 2.0 lakh, support staff/ volunteers, to support government's mass-inoculation program. The private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 percent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity-constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 percent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front line workers in local areas and 75 percent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 percent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 percent are willing to impart training for inoculation.

FICCI, along with its members, has been working closely with the Government, the Empowered Committees as well as the States to help forge a strong response to the pandemic over the past several months. Private hospitals have dedicated up to 40-80 percent of their bed capacity for treating Covid-19 patients and supplemented government efforts of scaling up testing by contributing to 45 percent of the testing capacity in India.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in the national interest.

The World News Network |

Private sector willing to support govt in coronavirus vaccine roll-out, says FICCI

  • The private sector is willing to support and augment government’s capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration.
  • In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India – Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19’.
  • Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted.

Bureaucrats India |

Private sector willing to partner with the government for accelerating Covid-19 vaccine administration

Private sector has been showing their willingness and intent to support and augment government’s capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration. The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) had met industry representatives in November last year to assess private sector capabilities and capacities for the procurement, distribution, and inoculation of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In a statement on Thursday, FICCI said to have submitted a detailed plan outlining what support the private sector, including healthcare, can provide through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19’ to NEGVAC last month.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, said: “Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination program, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country.”

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, one lakh healthcare professionals as inoculators and two lakh support staff or volunteers to support government’s mass-inoculation program. Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, said the FICCI in the statement.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban or rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation.

FICCI, along with its members, have been working closely with the Government, the Empowered Committees as well as the States to help forge a strong response to the pandemic over the past several months. Private hospitals have dedicated up to 40 per cent to 80 per cent of their bed capacity for treating COVID-19 patients and supplemented government efforts of scaling up testing by contributing to 45 per cent of the testing capacity in India.

News Matters |

Private sector willing to partner with govt for accelerating COVID vaccine administration: FICCI

The non-public sector is keen to help and increase authorities’s capability throughout the worth chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration, business physique FICCI on Thursday stated. On this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Business (FICCI) has submitted an in depth plan outlining what help non-public sector, together with healthcare, can present, by means of the FICCI-EY Technique paper on ‘Defending India – Public Personal Partnership for vaccinating towards COVID-19’. The technique paper was submitted to the Nationwide Skilled Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) final month.

“On condition that we’re on the verge of launching the most important ever and a fancy vaccination programme, efficient partnerships and seamless collaborations will probably be pivotal for its success. We hope that the federal government has taken word of the intent and dedication from non-public sector gamers for accelerating the method of focused vaccination throughout the nation,” FICCI Chair Well being Providers Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy stated in an announcement.

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in session with varied stakeholders from healthcare, prescribed drugs, medical units, logistics, chilly chain and allied sectors, states that India would want 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and a couple of.0 lakh help employees/ volunteers to help authorities’s mass-inoculation programme.

Personal healthcare sector, accountable for virtually 70 per cent of healthcare supply within the nation, can adequately complement the bodily and human infrastructure provide in key capability constrained areas, particularly in city and semi-urban areas, FICCI famous.

A FICCI survey carried out in collaboration with EY and NABH, confirmed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from non-public healthcare business are keen to inoculate front-line staff in native areas and 75 per cent are keen to inoculate their native communities, 70 per cent are keen to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are keen to impart coaching for inoculation, it added.

The non-public gamers at the moment are ready for a route from the federal government on how one can contribute in the direction of the huge vaccination program, in nationwide curiosity, FICCI stated.

The Economic Times |

Private sector willing to partner with govt for accelerating COVID vaccine administration: FICCI

The private sector is willing to support and augment government's capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said. In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on 'Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19'. The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) last month.

"Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country," FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement.

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government's mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest, FICCI said.

The Economic Times |

Private sector willing to partner with govt for accelerating Covid vaccine administration: FICCI

The private sector is willing to support and augment the government's capacity across the value chain of Covid-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said. In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on 'Protecting India - Public-Private Partnership for vaccinating against Covid-19'. The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) last month.

"Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country," FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement.

The FICCI-EY paper, which was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government's mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity-constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest, FICCI said.

Business Standard |

Private sector willing to partner with govt in Covid vax roll-out: FICCI

The private sector is willing to support and augment government's capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said.

In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on 'Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19'. The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) last month.

"Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country," FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement.

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government's mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest, FICCI said.

Financial Express |

Private sector willing to partner with govt for accelerating COVID-19 vaccine administration: FICCI

The private sector is willing to support and augment government’s capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said.

In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India – Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19’. The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) last month.

“Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country,” FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement.

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government’s mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest, FICCI said.

The Hindu Business Line |

'Private sector can be tapped for vaccination drive'

India may need around 1 lakh inoculators for rolling out the Covid-19 vaccination programme. As the public sector may be able to provide only 60,000-70,000 personnel, the private sector can be tapped to address this capacity constraint, said a report from FICCI and EY released here.

According to the report, the States that would face serious shortage of manpower would be Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

An estimated 6 lakh nurse/ANM workforce (45 per cent of total) is employed in the public sector. With a requirement of about 1 lakh inoculators, almost 15-20 per cent of them will have to be earmarked for inoculation.

“Since public health centres have traditionally had a shortfall of healthcare workers, their ability to earmark more than 10 per cent of the capacity for inoculation shall be limited. With these constraints, the stated timeline for phase-1 shall get significantly extended especially in some key States unless the inoculator workforce is supplemented with support from private sector and second line of inoculators,” the report said.

Services of volunteers

In addition to inoculators, the programme would require the services of nearly two lakh volunteers or support staff for vaccinating 30-crore prioritised individuals in the first phase.

Their dipstick assessment also showed that the estimated cost of vaccine administration would be between ₹100 and ₹150 per dose, excluding the cost of vaccine, logistics and warehousing costs.

As many as 253 private hospitals, including 15 big hospitals with more than 500 beds, seven clinics and four labs have expressed willingness to participate in the programme through dissemination of training for vaccination, deployment of their own staff, allocation of trained inoculators to semi-urban and rural areas for vaccination and taking up responsibility of vaccinating those living around them.

The report pointed out that there is scope for collaboration between various private players and public entities across the value chain to augment physical infrastructure, human infrastructure and technology capabilities for rolling out the vaccination programme.

CO-WIN programme

While the government has the regulatory framework and provides standard guidelines for implementation of CO-WIN programme across the country, private sector participation may be explored across two indicative models (which may vary based on the need and capacity of the various state governments), the FICCI-EY report said.

The first model could be largely managed by the government. It could be used in the early phases of vaccine roll-out when the entire administration is controlled for prioritised beneficiary categories and the government has adequate capacity of human resources for inoculation. Apart from vaccine manufacturing, the private sector can manage vaccine transportation and vaccinate their own staff.

The second model is a hybrid one that could be used when the vaccine supply is ramped up. In this model, the private sector can play a more active role, by adopting various alternative models of resource sharing across different components of the supply chain as per infrastructural and technical capacity augmentation requirements of the government. Private sector can also engage in last-mile service delivery by providing infrastructure and human resources for inoculation through an empanelment process.

Deccan Herald |

Private sector willing to partner with govt for accelerating Covid-19 vaccine administration: FICCI

The private sector is willing to support and augment government's capacity across the value chain of Covid-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said.

In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on 'Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against Covid-19'.

The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) last month.

"Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country," FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement.

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh, support staff/volunteers, to support government's mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban area, FICCI noted.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest, FICCI said.

The New Indian Express |

Private sector willing to partner with govt for accelerating COVID-19 vaccine administration: FICCI

The private sector is willing to support and augment government's capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said.

In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on 'Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19'.

The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) last month.

"Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country," FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement.

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government's mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest, FICCI said.

Business Today |

Private sector willing to support govt in coronavirus vaccine roll-out, says FICCI

The private sector is willing to support and augment government's capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said.

In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on 'Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19'. The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) last month.

"Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country," FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement.

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government's mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest, FICCI said.

Outlook |

Private sector willing to partner with govt for accelerating COVID-19 vaccine administration: FICCI

The private sector is willing to support and augment government's capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said.

In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ''Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19''. The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) last month.

"Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country," FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement.

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government's mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest, FICCI said.

Money Control |

Private sector willing to partner with govt for accelerating COVID-19 vaccine administration: FICCI

The private sector is willing to support and augment government's capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said.

In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ''Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19''.

The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) last month.

"Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country," FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement.

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government''s mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest, FICCI said.

Healthcare Radius |

Private sector willing to partner with government to accelerate COVID-19 vaccine administration

FICCI submitted a plan to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 outlining how this sector, including healthcare, can support the vaccination drive

The private sector has been showing their willingness and intent to support and augment government’s capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration. The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) had met industry representatives in November last year to assess private sector capabilities and capacities for the procurement, distribution, and inoculation of the COVID-19 vaccine.

FICCI has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19’, submitted to NEGVAC last month. The paper was also released by Dr Paul during a session on Vaccines at the FICCI AGM on Dec 12, 2020.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination program, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country.”

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centers, 1.0 lakh healthcare professionals (as inoculators) and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government's mass-inoculation program. Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70% of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81% of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front line workers in local areas and 75% are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70% are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94% are willing to impart training for inoculation.

Private hospitals have dedicated up to 40%-80% of their bed capacity for treating COVID-19 patients and supplemented government efforts of scaling up testing by contributing to 45% of the testing capacity in India. The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest.

Express Pharma |

Private sector expresses willingness to partner with government for COVID-19 vaccine administration

FICCI has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India – Public-Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19’, submitted to NEGVAC last month. The paper was also released by Dr Paul during a session on vaccines at the FICCI AGM on Dec 12, 2020.

The private sector has been showing their willingness and intent to support and augment government’s capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration. The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) had met industry representatives in November last year to assess private sector capabilities and capacities for the procurement, distribution, and inoculation of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination program, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country.”

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharma, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1.0 lakh healthcare professionals (as inoculators) and 2.0 lakh, support staff/ volunteers, to support government’s mass-inoculation program. The private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity-constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation.

A release from FICCI said that private hospitals have dedicated up to 40-80 per cent of their bed capacity for treating COVID-19 patients and supplemented government efforts of scaling up testing by contributing to 45 per cent of the testing capacity in India. The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in the national interest.

Healthcare Executive |

Private sector willing to partner with the government for accelerating COVID-19 vaccine administration

Private sector has been showing their willingness and intent to support and augment government’s capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration. The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) had met industry representatives in November last year to assess private sector capabilities and capacities for the procurement, distribution, and inoculation of the COVID-19 vaccine.

FICCI has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19’, submitted to NEGVAC last month. The paper was also released by Dr Paul during a session on Vaccines at the FICCI AGM on Dec 12, 2020.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination program, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country.”

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, Logistics, Cold Chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centers, 1.0 lakh healthcare professionals (as inoculators) and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government's mass-inoculation program. Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70% of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81% of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front line workers in local areas and 75% are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70% are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94% are willing to impart training for inoculation.

FICCI, along with its members, have been working closely with the Government, the Empowered Committees as well as the States to help forge a strong response to the pandemic over past several months. Private hospitals have dedicated up to 40%-80% of their bed capacity for treating COVID-19 patients and supplemented government efforts of scaling up testing by contributing to 45% of the testing capacity in India.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest.

The report can also be downloaded via link: http://www.ficci.in/publication.asp?spid=23380

Deviscourse |

Private sector willing to partner with govt for accelerating COVID-19 vaccine administration: FICCI

The private sector is willing to support and augment government's capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said. In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on 'Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19'. The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) last month.

''Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country,'' FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement. The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government's mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted. A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest, FICCI said.

Pharma Biz |

Private sector willing to partner with govt for accelerating Covid-19 vaccine administration: FICCI-EY report

Private sector has been showing their willingness and intent to support and augment government’s capacity across the value chain of Covid-19 vaccine distribution and administration, according to FICCI-EY report.

The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) had met industry representatives in November last year to assess private sector capabilities and capacities for the procurement, distribution, and inoculation of the Covid-19 vaccine.

FICCI has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against Covid-19’, submitted to NEGVAC last month. The paper was also released by Dr Paul during a session on Vaccines at the FICCI AGM on December 12, 2020.

Dr Alok Roy, chair, FICCI health services committee and chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country.”

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centers, 1.0 lakh healthcare professionals (as inoculators) and 2.0 lakh support staff/volunteers to support government's mass-inoculation programme. Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70% of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81% of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front line workers in local areas and 75% are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70% are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94% are willing to impart training for inoculation.

FICCI, along with its members, have been working closely with the government, the Empowered Committees as well as the States to help forge a strong response to the pandemic over past several months. Private hospitals have dedicated up to 40%-80% of their bed capacity for treating Covid-19 patients and supplemented government efforts of scaling up testing by contributing to 45% of the testing capacity in India.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination programme, in national interest.

India Narrative |

Pvt sector comes forth to assist govt in Covid-19 vaccine drive

A statement by industry body FICCI said that the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) had met industry representatives in November last year to assess private sector capabilities and capacities for the procurement, distribution, and inoculation of the much awaited vaccine.

FICCI has already submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide.

Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination program, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country.”

A joint strategy paper developed by FICCI and EY — ‘Protecting India – Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19’ in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, noted that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1.0 lakh healthcare professionals (as inoculators) and 2.0 lakh support staff or volunteers for the government’s mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, the study showed.

Meanwhile, the government is set to start its vaccine drive from next week.

As many as 3 crore healthcare and frontline workers such as policemen will be inoculated in the first phase. The Union government has already uploaded data related to these recipients on the CO-WIN IT platform which will be used for the immunization programme.

Breaking News TV |

Private sector willing to partner with govt for accelerating COVID-19 vaccine administration: FICCI

“The private sector is willing to support and augment government’s capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said.

In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India – Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19’. The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) last month.

“Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country,” FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement.

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government’s mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest, FICCI said.”

India Right Now News |

Private sector willing to partner with govt for accelerating COVID-19 vaccine administration: FICCI

“The private sector is willing to support and augment government’s capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said.

In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India – Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19’. The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) last month.

“Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country,” FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement.

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government’s mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest, FICCI said.”

Ten News |

Private Sector Willing To Partner With The Government For Accelerating COVID-19 Vaccine Administration

Private sector has been showing their willingness and intent to support and augment government’s capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration. The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) had met industry representatives in November last year to assess private sector capabilities and capacities for the procurement, distribution, and inoculation of the COVID-19 vaccine.

FICCI has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India – Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19’, submitted to NEGVAC last month. The paper was also released by Dr Paul during a session on Vaccines at the FICCI AGM on Dec 12, 2020.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination program, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country.”

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, Logistics, Cold Chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centers, 1.0 lakh healthcare professionals (as inoculators) and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government’s mass-inoculation program. Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70% of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81% of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front line workers in local areas and 75% are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70% are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94% are willing to impart training for inoculation.

FICCI, along with its members, have been working closely with the Government, the Empowered Committees as well as the States to help forge a strong response to the pandemic over past several months. Private hospitals have dedicated up to 40%-80% of their bed capacity for treating COVID-19 patients and supplemented government efforts of scaling up testing by contributing to 45% of the testing capacity in India.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest.

France News Live |

Private sector players are waiting for government instructions on how to contribute to the deployment of the COVID-19 vaccine

According to a FICCI survey, 81% of respondents in the private health industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in the region, 75% are willing to inoculate local communities, and 70% are suburban / rural areas. Willing to allocate personnel to.94 percent willing to give training for vaccination and for vaccination

Private sector players are waiting and reporting that they are ready to play their role as a second dry run of India’s COVID-19 vaccination is planned. Dry Run already includes several private and public health facilities (District Hospital / Medical Colleges), as well as rural or urban outreach sites across more than 700 districts in all states / UT.

In a FICCI statement, Dr Alok Roy, chair of the FICCI Health Services Committee and chair of the Medica Group of Hospitals, said: "Because we are on the verge of launching the largest and most complex vaccination program to date, effective partnerships and seamless collaboration are crucial to its success. The government has targeted vaccination nationwide. We hope to focus on the intent and commitment of private sector players to accelerate the process."

The statement reiterated that the private sector has shown its willingness and intent to support and enhance government capacity throughout the COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration value chain. The National Group of Experts on COVID-19 Vaccine Management (NEGVAC) met with industry representatives last November to assess the private sector’s capabilities and capabilities in sourcing, distributing and inoculating COVID-19 vaccine.

FICCI submitted a detailed plan outlining the support that the private sector, including healthcare, can provide through the FICCI-EY Strategy Paper on "Protecting India-Public-Private Partnership for COVID-19" submitted to NEGVAC last month. It is reported that. This treatise was published by Dr. VK Paul during a vaccine session held at FICCI AGM on December 12, 2020.

The FICCI-EY paper, produced in consultation with various stakeholders in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chains, and related sectors, is a 1.3-1.4 Raku vaccination center in India, 1.0 Raku. He states that he needs a medical professional (as an inoculator). Support staff / volunteers of Rs 20,000 to support the government mass vaccination program.

The treatise provides physical and human infrastructure supplies in areas with key capacity constraints, especially in urban and suburban areas, as the private health sector was responsible for nearly 70% of the country’s healthcare delivery. He pointed out that it can be supplemented appropriately.

According to a FICCI survey conducted jointly with EY and NABH, 81% of survey respondents in the private health industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in the region and 75% are willing to inoculate the local community. , 70% are willing to allocate personnel to sub-urban / rural areas for advanced vaccination, and 94% are willing to provide training for vaccination.

FICCI complements the government’s efforts to expand testing by private hospitals spending up to 40% -80% of bed capacity in treating COVID-19 patients and contributing 45% of India’s testing capacity. It states. With the association Members have worked closely with governments, delegation committees, and states to build a strong response to pandemics over the past few months.

According to a FICCI statement, private companies are currently waiting for government instructions on how to contribute to large-scale vaccination programs for national interests.

Latest News |

Private sector willing to partner with govt for accelerating COVID vaccine administration: FICCI

The private sector is willing to help and increase authorities’s capability throughout the worth chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration, trade physique FICCI on Thursday stated. In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted an in depth plan outlining what help personal sector, together with healthcare, can present, via the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India – Public Private Partnership for vaccinating towards COVID-19’. The technique paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) final month.

“Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country,” FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy stated in an announcement.

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in session with varied stakeholders from healthcare, prescription drugs, medical gadgets, logistics, chilly chain and allied sectors, states that India would want 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and a couple of.0 lakh help employees/ volunteers to help authorities’s mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, accountable for nearly 70 per cent of healthcare supply within the nation, can adequately complement the bodily and human infrastructure provide in key capability constrained areas, particularly in city and semi-urban areas, FICCI famous.

A FICCI survey carried out in collaboration with EY and NABH, confirmed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from personal healthcare trade are willing to inoculate front-line employees in native areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their native communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart coaching for inoculation, it added.

The personal gamers are actually ready for a path from the federal government on how to contribute in the direction of the huge vaccination program, in nationwide curiosity, FICCI stated.

Bio Voice |

Private sector willing to partner with govt to accelerate COVID-19 vaccine administration

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support the private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India – Public-Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19’.

The report was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) when it had met industry representatives during November last year to assess private sector capabilities and capacities for the procurement, distribution, and inoculation of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The paper was also released by Dr. Vinod K. Paul during a session on Vaccines at the FICCI AGM on Dec 12, 2020.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination program, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country.”

The FICCI-EY paper, which was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, Logistics, Cold Chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centers, 1.0 lakh healthcare professionals (as inoculators) and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government’s mass-inoculation program. The private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70% of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity-constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH showed that 81% of survey respondents from the private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front line workers in local areas and 75% are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70% are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94% are willing to impart training for inoculation.

FICCI, along with its members, has been working closely with the Government, the Empowered Committees as well as the States to help forge a strong response to the pandemic over past several months. Private hospitals have dedicated up to 40%-80% of their bed capacity for treating COVID-19 patients and supplemented government efforts of scaling up testing by contributing to 45% of the testing capacity in India.

The private sector has been showing its willingness and intent to support and augment the government’s capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration. The players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in the national interest.

The Hans India |

Private sector ready to partner with government: FICCI

The private sector is willing to support and augment government's capacity across the value chain of Covid-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said.

In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on 'Protecting India - Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against Covid-19'.

The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) last month. "Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country," FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement. The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government's mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

Medical Buyer |

Private sector willing to partner with govt in COVID vax roll-out: FICCI

The private sector is willing to support and augment government’s capacity across the value chain of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration, industry body FICCI on Thursday said.

In this regard, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has submitted a detailed plan outlining what support private sector, including healthcare, can provide, through the FICCI-EY Strategy paper on ‘Protecting India – Public Private Partnership for vaccinating against COVID-19’. The strategy paper was submitted to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) last month.

“Given that we are on the verge of launching the largest ever and a complex vaccination programme, effective partnerships and seamless collaborations will be pivotal for its success. We hope that the government has taken note of the intent and commitment from private sector players for accelerating the process of targeted vaccination across the country,” FICCI Chair Health Services Committee and Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy said in a statement.

The FICCI-EY paper, that was developed in consultation with various stakeholders from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, cold chain and allied sectors, states that India would need 1.3-1.4 lakh vaccination centres, 1 lakh healthcare professionals and 2.0 lakh support staff/ volunteers to support government’s mass-inoculation programme.

Private healthcare sector, responsible for almost 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in the country, can adequately supplement the physical and human infrastructure supply in key capacity constrained regions, specifically in urban and semi-urban areas, FICCI noted.

A FICCI survey conducted in collaboration with EY and NABH, showed that 81 per cent of survey respondents from private healthcare industry are willing to inoculate front-line workers in local areas and 75 per cent are willing to inoculate their local communities, 70 per cent are willing to allocate manpower in semi-urban/rural areas for vaccination and 94 per cent are willing to impart training for inoculation, it added.

The private players are now waiting for a direction from the government on how to contribute towards the massive vaccination program, in national interest, FICCI said.

Bio Voice |

States gear up to tackle vision care during pandemic

Addressing the session on ‘Central and West conclave of the Spotlight on Visually Impaired in the wake of COVID-19’, organized by FICCI, experts from the field highlighted the challenges faced by patients with eye disorders due to COVID-19 as well as the various proactive steps taken by respective state governments and the way ahead.

“The goal of the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB&VI) is to reduce the prevalence rate of needless and avoidable blindness by providing uniform, comprehensive eye care services,” stated by Dr Utpal Jani, Technical Advisor, State NPCB & VI Program, Government of Gujarat.

Dr Jani said that post-COVID-19, developing Tele-Ophthalmology based eye care services to enhance healthcare access, quality and patient satisfaction has been their topmost objective. “We want to strengthen the teleophthalmology network in our state,” he said.

He further added that post-lockdown, phase-wise eye care services have resumed at all levels of eye care services. He added that they aim to reduce the prevalence rate of blindness up to 0.3 percent along with the elimination of cataract backlog from the state of Gujarat by maintaining current CSR. “We also aim at increasing coverage of service delivery for diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, childhood blindness, and corneal blindness up to 20 per cent in the next three years,” he further added.

Dr Hemant Sinha, Joint Director (Eye) and SPO (NPCB), Govt of Madhya Pradesh said, “While cornea donations were stopped during the pandemic, we asked our fellows and ophthalmic assistants to district wise line list Corneal Opacity. We then listed all Eye Surgeons in the public sector for the training of Keratoplasty.”

“We have designed an app for spectacles distribution and have ensured availability of and distributed Streak Retinoscope Auto Refractometers,” he said. Also, two districts- Indore and Balaghat have been selected for Eye OT construction.

For the Eye Care road ahead in Madhya Pradesh, we will go ahead with corneoplasty under the Hospital Corneal Retrieval Program (HCRP); spectacles distribution through app; strengthening of the Indore and Balaghat unit; and screening of glaucoma in the community and diabetic Retinopathy Screening & Treatment involving the public sector, NGOs and other partners,” Dr Sinha further added.

Dr Kim, Director-IT, AECS, Chief Medical Officer, Aravind Eye Hospital said that one of the important things to have happened during the COVID pandemic was the introduction of the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines that were issued on 25 March.

“We came up with quick-fix video conferencing solutions to create a platform where patients could get access to the doctors directly by using smartphones,” Dr Kim added.

The event was attended by various other experts- Dr Manish Joshi, Senior Consultant-Opthalmologist, Apollo Hospitals, Gandhinagar, Gujarat; Mr Chanakya Misra, Business Head, Novartis India Ltd; Dr Prashant Bawankule, Managing Director, Sarakshi Netralaya; Dr Nishikant Borse, Director – Insight Eye Clinic, Mumbai; Dr Indu Pandey, Ophthalmologist, Dept of Ophthalmology, Western Railway Hospital Mumbai; Brig Dr Poninder Kumar, Professor and Head Ophthalmology, AFMC Pune; Dr S Natarajan, Chairman & Managing Director, Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital Pvt Ltd; Dr Mayuri Khamar, Consultant Glaucoma Specialist, Occura Eye hospital; Dr Niteen Dedhia, Medical Director – Ojas Eye Hospital, Mumbai; Dr Saroj Sahdev, Professor & Head, Dept of Ophthalmology, TNMC & BYL Nair Charitable Hospital Mumbai; Dr Memuna Bahadur, Senior Consultant (Department of Ophthalmology)-Central Railway Hospital Mumbai; Dr C M Wavikar, Founder & Medical Director, Wavikar Eye Institute; Dr Anand Saxena, Director, Shri Aurobindo Netralaya; Dr Mahendra D Chauhan, Keshvi Eye Hospital; Dr Chandrakant Gaonkar, Director – My Eye Institute; Dr Prateep Vyas, Medical Director, Centre for Sight, Indore; Ms Saigeeta Bhargava, Director of Actuarial Services, PwC India

India Education Diary |

State governments geared up to tackle vision care during pandemic: Experts

Dr Utpal Jani, Technical Advisor, State NPCB & VI Program, Govt of Gujarat yesterday said that the goal of the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB&VI) is to reduce the prevalence rate of needless and avoidable blindness by providing uniform, comprehensive eye care services.

Addressing the session on ‘Central and West conclave of the Spotlight on Visually Impaired in the wake of COVID-19’, organized by FICCI, experts from the field highlighted the challenges faced by patients with eye disorders, due to COVID-19, the various proactive steps taken by respective state governments and the way ahead.

Dr Jani said that post-COVID-19, developing Tele-Ophthalmology based eye care services to enhance healthcare access, quality and patient satisfaction has been their topmost objective. “We want to strengthen the teleophthalmology network in our state,” he said.

He further added that post-lockdown, phase-wise eye care services have resumed at all levels of eye care services. He added that they aim to reduce the prevalence rate of blindness up to 0.3 per cent along with the elimination of cataract backlog from the state of Gujarat by maintaining current CSR. “We also aim at increasing coverage of service delivery for diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, childhood blindness, and corneal blindness up to 20 per cent in the next three years,” he further added.

Dr Hemant Sinha, Joint Director (Eye) and SPO (NPCB), Govt of Madhya Pradesh said, “While cornea donations were stopped during the pandemic, we asked our fellows and ophthalmic assistants to district wise line list Corneal Opacity. We then listed all Eye Surgeons in the public sector for the training of Keratoplasty.”

“We have designed an app for spectacles distribution and have ensured availability of and distributed Streak Retinoscope Auto Refractometers,” he said. Also, two districts- Indore and Balaghat have been selected for Eye OT construction.

“For the Eye Care road ahead in Madhya Pradesh, we will go ahead with corneoplasty under the Hospital Corneal Retrieval Program (HCRP); spectacles distribution through app; strengthening of the Indore and Balaghat unit; and screening of glaucoma in the community and diabetic Retinopathy Screening & Treatment involving the public sector, NGOs and other partners,” Dr Sinha further added.

Dr Kim, Director-IT, AECS, Chief Medical Officer, Aravind Eye Hospital said that one of the important things to have happened during the COVID pandemic was the introduction of the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines that were issued on 25 March.

“We came up with quick-fix video conferencing solutions to create a platform where patients could get access to the doctors directly by using smartphones,” Dr Kim added.

The event was attended by various other experts- Dr Manish Joshi, Senior Consultant-Opthalmologist, Apollo Hospitals, Gandhinagar, Gujarat; Mr Chanakya Misra, Business Head, Novartis India Ltd; Dr Prashant Bawankule, Managing Director, Sarakshi Netralaya; Dr Nishikant Borse, Director – Insight Eye Clinic, Mumbai; Dr Indu Pandey, Ophthalmologist, Dept of Ophthalmology, Western Railway Hospital Mumbai; Brig Dr Poninder Kumar, Professor and Head Ophthalmology, AFMC Pune; Dr S Natarajan, Chairman & Managing Director, Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital Pvt Ltd; Dr Mayuri Khamar, Consultant Glaucoma Specialist, Occura Eye hospital; Dr Niteen Dedhia, Medical Director – Ojas Eye Hospital, Mumbai; Dr Saroj Sahdev, Professor & Head, Dept of Ophthalmology, TNMC & BYL Nair Charitable Hospital Mumbai; Dr Memuna Bahadur, Senior Consultant (Department of Ophthalmology)-Central Railway Hospital Mumbai; Dr C M Wavikar, Founder & Medical Director, Wavikar Eye Institute; Dr Anand Saxena, Director, Shri Aurobindo Netralaya; Dr Mahendra D Chauhan, Keshvi Eye Hospital; Dr Chandrakant Gaonkar, Director – My Eye Institute; Dr Prateep Vyas, Medical Director, Centre for Sight, Indore; Ms Saigeeta Bhargava, Director of Actuarial Services, PwC India.

Healthcare Radius |

Apollo Hospitals joins UAE's Waterfalls Initiative

The Apollo Hospitals Group announced that it has joined the UAE’s Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World. This initiative aims to train health and medical professionals around the world and empower them through building and strengthening their capabilities.

The Apollo Hospitals Group will support the Waterfall Initiative’s educational program that includes specialized lectures, seminars and workshops on vital topics in medicine, pharmacy, nutrition, public health, nursing, dentistry, and hospital management. 52 senior doctors from various reputed hospitals in India are joining the Waterfalls Initiative. FICCI and the Apollo Hospitals Group are the Indian partners for this initiative that aims to reach and empower 1 million health professionals worldwide.

Speaking at the Virtual Launch, Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “We are honoured to join this global initiative that aims to deliver continuous education and support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields. We also thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VP and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai and His Highness Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the UAE for his decision in launching the initiative, which will benefit one million health professionals. We are sure that Apollo Hospitals will add tremendous value to the specialized webinars, lectures and workshops delivered across the world through an internet based digital e-learning platform.” She added that today, advances in e-learning technology enable innovative, interactive delivery of the latest medical developments that can be conveniently accessed across platforms and geographies.

“The project is the largest of its kind and will offer a virtual medical training across 14 medical sectors. Within the Waterfall platform, those affiliated with the initiative will obtain a training certificate and approved hours from the international scientific and academic bodies participating in the initiative, and they can benefit from it in the scope of their work or in their research, or in completing their scientific studies through continuous distance education without having to leave their jobs or leaving their workplace or bearing any financial burdens, through the initiative link,” said H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al Banna, UAE Ambassador to India

Waterfalls Continuous Education is an initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The initiative is being conducted under the supervision of His Highness Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and the Department of Behavioral Rewards at the Ministry of Possibilities in collaboration with INDEX Holding.

Those registered with Waterfalls Registration will receive a training certificate and credit hours accredited by the scientific and academic entities participating in the initiative. The Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World will have over 230 speakers and over 77000 participants.

The virtual launch event for India’s participation in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World was hosted by Eng. Anas Al Madani, Vice Chairman and Group CEO - INDEX Holding and had Uday Shankar, President, FICCI; Sangita Reddy, Immediate Past President, FICCI, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited; H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al Banna, The UAE Ambassador to India; Dr. Alok Roy, Chairperson, FICCI Health Services Committee & Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals speaking on the occasion. Also present were H.E. Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to UAE; Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai; Colonel Abdulrahman Ali Al Mansouri, Director of the Executive, Office in the Department of Behavioural Rewards at the Ministry of Possibilities; and, Dr. Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman of Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World, Chairman of INDEX Holding.

The Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World is a global project by the Government of UAE’s Ministry of Possibilities and INDEX Holding and in cooperation with Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields through live and on-demand instruction.

The initiative will be supported by Dr Rakesh Jalali, Medical Director - Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC), Professor of Radiation Oncology, Dr Sandeep Guleria - Senior Consultant, Kidney Transplantation, Dr Sai Satish - Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiology, Dr T Sunder - Senior Consultant Heart and Transplant Surgery, Dr Subash Wangnoo - Senior Consultant Endocrinology, Dr Arvind Garg - Head, Department of Paediatrics from Apollo Hospitals Group.

Express Healthcare |

Vision for 2030 will be more holistic, hospitals must be sectoral: Dr Alok Roy

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals

COVID-19 has been undoubtedly the most devastating public health emergency in the last century. This pandemic has taught us that we need to relook at the way we design our hospitals. The processes in the hospital like hand washing, sanitisation, air circulation system and other safety protocols should be refocused.

The vision for 2030 will be more holistic, the hospitals must be sectoral and should be vertically split into infectious prone area and non- infectious zone.

We must adopt to the new normal. The new normal is that we have to rely and invest on technology, teleconsultations and digital way of operations. Technology could be harnessed to ensure good quality of outcomes in all the programs announced by the Government.

We will have to focus on schemes like financial inclusion as well as strengthening last-mile delivery in healthcare services. These together will lay the foundation for sustained growth and opening opportunities for private investment. We need to fit the hospital in retrofit or forward format where we can change the settings in as short a period as possible.

India’s public health expenditure stood at 1.15 per cent of its gross domestic product – this must take a quantum leap and must be more than doubled to reach the goal of 2.5 per cent set by the National Health Policy 2017, while being further increased to 3-4 per cent of the GDP in medium term.

Express Healthcare |

FICCI, Apollo Hospitals join UAE’s Waterfalls Initiative in continuous medical education

FICCI and Apollo Hospitals Group have joined as the Indian partners for the UAE’s Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World. This unique initiative aims to train 1 million health and medical professionals around the world and empower them through building and strengthening their capabilities.

The Apollo Hospitals Group will support the Waterfall Initiative’s educational programme that includes specialised lectures, seminars and workshops on vital topics in medicine, pharmacy, nutrition, public health, nursing, dentistry, and hospital management. 52 senior doctors from various reputed hospitals in India are joining the Waterfalls Initiative.

As per a release, the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World is a global project by the Government of UAE’s Ministry of Possibilities and INDEX Holding and in cooperation with Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields through live and on-demand instruction. The details of the initiative, information on webinars and speakers are available on https://waterfalls.ae/.

The initiative will be supported by Dr Rakesh Jalali, Medical Director – Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC), Professor of Radiation Oncology, Dr Sandeep Guleria, Senior Consultant, Kidney Transplantation, Dr Sai Satish, Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiology, Dr T Sunder, Senior Consultant Heart and Transplant Surgery, Dr Subash Wangnoo, Senior Consultant Endocrinology, and Dr Arvind Garg, Head, Department of Paediatrics from Apollo Hospitals Group.

“The project is the largest of its kind and will offer a virtual medical training across 14 medical sectors. Within the Waterfall platform, those affiliated with the initiative will obtain a training certificate and approved hours from the international scientific and academic bodies participating in the initiative, and they can benefit from it in the scope of their work or in their research, or in completing their scientific studies through continuous distance education without having to leave their jobs or leaving their workplace or bearing any financial burdens, through the initiative link.” H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al Banna, UAE Ambassador to India

Those registered with Waterfalls Registration will receive a training certificate and credit hours accredited by the scientific and academic entities participating in the initiative. The Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World will have over 230 speakers and over 77000 participants.

Business World |

How digital innovation is driving healthcare space during COVID-19 pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to disrupt businesses across the world. Being one of the most hustling sectors globally, healthcare has turned into the most reshaped ecosystem amid the crisis. In the initial phase of the pandemic, the healthcare ecosystem was afflicting several challenges in terms of delivery of services. However, technological innovation enforced the sector to adopt digital models, resulting in the holistic development of the sector.

Reimagining the healthcare space through digital innovation creates an ecosystem for improved delivery of healthcare services. During COVID-19, the digital turn in the healthcare sector has always been customer-centric. It spans across patient and doctors’ communication, diagnosis, and treatment while complying to travel restrictions and social distancing norms.

The Healthcare sector is emerging as one of the largest and most thriving sectors in India. To provide universal health coverage to the citizens, the newly launched ‘National Digital Health Mission’ by the Government of India is also set for the nationwide rollout. It aims at reforming the healthcare system by bringing more transparency, standardization, and innovation. According to the estimates of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and FICCI, the economic value of the benefits covered under the mission are estimated at R.1.5 trillion over the next decade.

Enhanced doctor-patient engagement

The healthcare sector is one of the earliest yet slow adopters of technology and digital innovation. However, with the pandemic induced lockdown and restrictions, the sector instantly turned into a connected community of patients and doctors. The acceptance of digital channels allows doctors to communicate with their patients more effectively or vice versa without having to see them personally. They have brought new ways of boosting engagement at both ends that help in delivering improved and informed healthcare outcomes.

The widespread use of virtual tools by doctors is transforming the way they interact with their patients. From appointment scheduling to providing treatments, technology has evolved the ever-growing needs of the patients. Furthermore, the need for reducing physical touchpoints has empowered doctors and patients to be in a closed-looped communication. This results in effective patient care management that removed the barriers to delayed diagnosis, patient privacy, and doctor’s availability.

Voice-enabled digital prescriptions

Digital healthcare in today’s scenario is about ensuring accuracy and efficiency. The adoption of new-age technology in digital innovations have strengthened the healthcare sector. Several healthcare organizations and doctors are embracing the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in simplifying the lives of doctors, patients, and other stakeholders. The tools integrated with AI transform the healthcare delivery model by automating the everyday processes in the sector and providing improved patient outcomes.

To redefine the doctor and patient interaction, Voice AI (Voice-driven Artificial Intelligence) works as a smart and technologically advanced solution in the industry. Its technological intelligence recognizes and analyses medical jargon that results in improved patient care. The transformational tool also automates the process of writing prescriptions, ensuring speed and accuracy in the process. It works as a convenient solution, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when a patient receives a digital copy of the prescription that cannot be misplaced or misinterpret by the patient. Moreover, to reduce the physical touchpoints, the same prescription can be shared with the pharmacy as well as other doctors for a second opinion.

One-click prescriptions

  • Doctor’s time is very important is should be prudcently used mainly for patient care
  • Technology can aid the doctors in writing prescription faster using pattern recognition and artificial intelligence, doctors can create prescriptions faster than the old pen and paper way and can tranmit the prescription to patient digitally on email/ whatsapp
  • Doctors can also use the electronic record of patient history to diagnose the patient better
Burgeoning trend of telehealth

During the ongoing pandemic, telehealth has become one of the safest methods for patient care. Though it is not a new concept, the widespread deployment of digital technologies has made it remarkably important, especially in the era of social distancing. According to the reports, the global telehealth market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25.2% from USD 61.40 billion in 2019 to USD 559.52 billion by 2027.

Telehealth effectively bridges the gap between patients, doctors, and health systems that are used for treating patients virtually. In the context of COVID-19, telehealth has resulted in becoming the most powerful tool for patient care where doctors can communicate and treat the patients without having to visit the hospital. This results in reducing the spread of coronavirus infection to other people and medical staff present in the hospital.

The COVID-19 has accelerated the acceptance of digital innovation in the healthcare space. By harnessing the power of digital tools, the sector can deliver highly-personalized patient and healthcare delivery services.

Asia Pacific News |

Health security area of cooperation between India, UAE

Health security has emerged as a big area of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and India, the UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Banna said on Tuesday.

India also participated in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World organised by FICCI and the Government of UAE and Index Holding.

"Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE. Indian doctors and nurses in UAE have already shown mettle in difficult circumstances during Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 caused unprecedented disruption in all sectors. But it has also shown the interdependence of the India-UAE strategic relations," Al-Banna said at a webinar.

At the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative, UAE, the envoy added it "was started with the aim to empower 1mn healthcare cadres around the world. It will be a virtual medical training for across 14 sectors.

"Uday Shankar, President of FICCI at the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative said that the Indian healthcare industry is projected to reach $372 billion by 2022. The UAE and India have already identified areas of collaboration in this sector."

Shankar also lauded the effort by UAE in taking remarkable step of bringing experts from the healthcare sphere to empower healthcare and medical professionals from around the world.

Former FICCI President Sangita Reddy also participated in the event and said, "The Waterfalls Initiative and the sentiment behind it is outstanding. Medical professionals are national assets and they must be acknowledged." 'Waterfalls' is a global project by the UAE to empower medical cadres from around the world. The initiative aims to deliver web-based distance continuing education for around one million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists in the medical field.

All courses are free. Attendees can register for the respective webinar and obtain a certificate and approved hours from the respective international scientific and academic organisations participating in the project.

The project is a joint initiative by the UAE's Ministry of Possibilities, INDEX Holding and Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields.

Oman News |

Health security area of cooperation between India, UAE

Health security has emerged as a big area of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and India, the UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Banna said on Tuesday.

India also participated in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World organised by FICCI and the Government of UAE and Index Holding.

"Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE. Indian doctors and nurses in UAE have already shown mettle in difficult circumstances during Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 caused unprecedented disruption in all sectors. But it has also shown the interdependence of the India-UAE strategic relations," Al-Banna said at a webinar.

At the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative, UAE, the envoy added it "was started with the aim to empower 1mn healthcare cadres around the world. It will be a virtual medical training for across 14 sectors.

"Uday Shankar, President of FICCI at the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative said that the Indian healthcare industry is projected to reach $372 billion by 2022. The UAE and India have already identified areas of collaboration in this sector."

Shankar also lauded the effort by UAE in taking remarkable step of bringing experts from the healthcare sphere to empower healthcare and medical professionals from around the world.

Former FICCI President Sangita Reddy also participated in the event and said, "The Waterfalls Initiative and the sentiment behind it is outstanding. Medical professionals are national assets and they must be acknowledged." 'Waterfalls' is a global project by the UAE to empower medical cadres from around the world. The initiative aims to deliver web-based distance continuing education for around one million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists in the medical field.

All courses are free. Attendees can register for the respective webinar and obtain a certificate and approved hours from the respective international scientific and academic organisations participating in the project.

The project is a joint initiative by the UAE's Ministry of Possibilities, INDEX Holding and Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields.

Qatar News |

Health security area of cooperation between India, UAE

Health security has emerged as a big area of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and India, the UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Banna said on Tuesday.

India also participated in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World organised by FICCI and the Government of UAE and Index Holding.

"Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE. Indian doctors and nurses in UAE have already shown mettle in difficult circumstances during Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 caused unprecedented disruption in all sectors. But it has also shown the interdependence of the India-UAE strategic relations," Al-Banna said at a webinar.

At the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative, UAE, the envoy added it "was started with the aim to empower 1mn healthcare cadres around the world. It will be a virtual medical training for across 14 sectors."

Uday Shankar, President of FICCI at the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative said that the Indian healthcare industry is projected to reach $372 billion by 2022. The UAE and India have already identified areas of collaboration in this sector."

Shankar also lauded the effort by UAE in taking remarkable step of bringing experts from the healthcare sphere to empower healthcare and medical professionals from around the world.

Former FICCI President Sangita Reddy also participated in the event and said, "The Waterfalls Initiative and the sentiment behind it is outstanding. Medical professionals are national assets and they must be acknowledged." 'Waterfalls' is a global project by the UAE to empower medical cadres from around the world. The initiative aims to deliver web-based distance continuing education for around one million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists in the medical field.

All courses are free. Attendees can register for the respective webinar and obtain a certificate and approved hours from the respective international scientific and academic organisations participating in the project.

The project is a joint initiative by the UAE's Ministry of Possibilities, INDEX Holding and Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields.

Morocco News |

Health security area of cooperation between India, UAE

Health security has emerged as a big area of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and India, the UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Banna said on Tuesday.

India also participated in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World organised by FICCI and the Government of UAE and Index Holding.

"Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE. Indian doctors and nurses in UAE have already shown mettle in difficult circumstances during Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 caused unprecedented disruption in all sectors. But it has also shown the interdependence of the India-UAE strategic relations," Al-Banna said at a webinar.

At the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative, UAE, the envoy added it "was started with the aim to empower 1mn healthcare cadres around the world. It will be a virtual medical training for across 14 sectors."

Uday Shankar, president of FICCI at the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative said that the Indian healthcare industry is projected to reach $372 billion by 2022. The UAE and India have already identified areas of collaboration in this sector."

Shankar also lauded the effort by UAE in taking remarkable step of bringing experts from the healthcare sphere to empower healthcare and medical professionals from around the world.

Former FICCI president Sangita Reddy also participated in the event and said, "The Waterfalls Initiative and the sentiment behind it is outstanding. Medical professionals are national assets and they must be acknowledged." 'Waterfalls' is a global project by the UAE to empower medical cadres from around the world. The initiative aims to deliver web-based distance continuing education for around one million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists in the medical field.

All courses are free. Attendees can register for the respective webinar and obtain a certificate and approved hours from the respective international scientific and academic organisations participating in the project.

The project is a joint initiative by the UAE's Ministry of Possibilities, INDEX Holding and Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields.

The Iran News |

Health security area of cooperation between India, UAE

Health security has emerged as a big area of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and India, the UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Banna said on Tuesday.

India also participated in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World organised by FICCI and the Government of UAE and Index Holding.

"Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE. Indian doctors and nurses in UAE have already shown mettle in difficult circumstances during Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 caused unprecedented disruption in all sectors. But it has also shown the interdependence of the India-UAE strategic relations," Al-Banna said at a webinar.

At the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative, UAE, the envoy added it "was started with the aim to empower 1mn healthcare cadres around the world. It will be a virtual medical training for across 14 sectors."

Uday Shankar, President of FICCI at the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative said that the Indian healthcare industry is projected to reach $372 billion by 2022. The UAE and India have already identified areas of collaboration in this sector."

Shankar also lauded the effort by UAE in taking remarkable step of bringing experts from the healthcare sphere to empower healthcare and medical professionals from around the world.

Former FICCI President Sangita Reddy also participated in the event and said, "The Waterfalls Initiative and the sentiment behind it is outstanding. Medical professionals are national assets and they must be acknowledged." 'Waterfalls' is a global project by the UAE to empower medical cadres from around the world. The initiative aims to deliver web-based distance continuing education for around one million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists in the medical field.

All courses are free. Attendees can register for the respective webinar and obtain a certificate and approved hours from the respective international scientific and academic organisations participating in the project.

The project is a joint initiative by the UAE's Ministry of Possibilities, INDEX Holding and Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields.

North Africa News |

Health security area of cooperation between India, UAE

Health security has emerged as a big area of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and India, the UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Banna said on Tuesday.

India also participated in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World organised by FICCI and the Government of UAE and Index Holding.

"Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE. Indian doctors and nurses in UAE have already shown mettle in difficult circumstances during Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 caused unprecedented disruption in all sectors. But it has also shown the interdependence of the India-UAE strategic relations," Al-Banna said at a webinar.

At the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative, UAE, the envoy added it "was started with the aim to empower 1mn healthcare cadres around the world. It will be a virtual medical training for across 14 sectors."

Uday Shankar, President of FICCI at the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative said that the Indian healthcare industry is projected to reach $372 billion by 2022. The UAE and India have already identified areas of collaboration in this sector."

Shankar also lauded the effort by UAE in taking remarkable step of bringing experts from the healthcare sphere to empower healthcare and medical professionals from around the world.

Former FICCI President Sangita Reddy also participated in the event and said, "The Waterfalls Initiative and the sentiment behind it is outstanding. Medical professionals are national assets and they must be acknowledged." 'Waterfalls' is a global project by the UAE to empower medical cadres from around the world. The initiative aims to deliver web-based distance continuing education for around one million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists in the medical field.

All courses are free. Attendees can register for the respective webinar and obtain a certificate and approved hours from the respective international scientific and academic organisations participating in the project.

The project is a joint initiative by the UAE's Ministry of Possibilities, INDEX Holding and Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields.

BC Post |

Health security area of cooperation between India, UAE

Health security has emerged as a big area of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and India, the UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Banna said on Tuesday.

India also participated in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World organised by FICCI and the Government of UAE and Index Holding.

"Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE. Indian doctors and nurses in UAE have already shown mettle in difficult circumstances during Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 caused unprecedented disruption in all sectors. But it has also shown the interdependence of the India-UAE strategic relations," Al-Banna said at a webinar.

At the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative, UAE, the envoy added it "was started with the aim to empower 1mn healthcare cadres around the world. It will be a virtual medical training for across 14 sectors."

Uday Shankar, President of FICCI at the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative said that the Indian healthcare industry is projected to reach $372 billion by 2022. The UAE and India have already identified areas of collaboration in this sector." Shankar also lauded the effort by UAE in taking remarkable step of bringing experts from the healthcare sphere to empower healthcare and medical professionals from around the world.

Former FICCI President Sangita Reddy also participated in the event and said, "The Waterfalls Initiative and the sentiment behind it is outstanding. Medical professionals are national assets and they must be acknowledged." 'Waterfalls' is a global project by the UAE to empower medical cadres from around the world. The initiative aims to deliver web-based distance continuing education for around one million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists in the medical field.

All courses are free. Attendees can register for the respective webinar and obtain a certificate and approved hours from the respective international scientific and academic organisations participating in the project.

The project is a joint initiative by the UAE's Ministry of Possibilities, INDEX Holding and Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields.

IND News |

Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE: Envoy Al-Banna

Health security has emerged as a big area of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and India, the UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Banna said on Tuesday.

India also participated in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World organised by FICCI and the Government of UAE and Index Holding.

"Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE. Indian doctors and nurses in UAE have already shown mettle in difficult circumstances during Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 caused unprecedented disruption in all sectors. But it has also shown the interdependence of the India-UAE strategic relations," Al-Banna said at a webinar.

At the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative, UAE, the envoy added it "was started with the aim to empower 1mn healthcare cadres around the world. It will be a virtual medical training for across 14 sectors."

Uday Shankar, President of FICCI at the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative said that the Indian healthcare industry is projected to reach $372 billion by 2022. The UAE and India have already identified areas of collaboration in this sector.

Business World |

Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE: Envoy Al-Banna

Health security has emerged as a big area of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and India, the UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Banna said on Tuesday.

India also participated in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World organised by FICCI and the Government of UAE and Index Holding.

"Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE. Indian doctors and nurses in UAE have already shown mettle in difficult circumstances during Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 caused unprecedented disruption in all sectors. But it has also shown the interdependence of the India-UAE strategic relations," Al-Banna said at a webinar.

At the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative, UAE, the envoy added it "was started with the aim to empower 1mn healthcare cadres around the world. It will be a virtual medical training for across 14 sectors."

Uday Shankar, President of FICCI at the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative said that the Indian healthcare industry is projected to reach $372 billion by 2022. The UAE and India have already identified areas of collaboration in this sector."
Shankar also lauded the effort by UAE in taking remarkable step of bringing experts from the healthcare sphere to empower healthcare and medical professionals from around the world.

Former FICCI President Sangita Reddy also participated in the event and said, "The Waterfalls Initiative and the sentiment behind it is outstanding. Medical professionals are national assets and they must be acknowledged."

'Waterfalls' is a global project by the UAE to empower medical cadres from around the world. The initiative aims to deliver web-based distance continuing education for around one million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists in the medical field.

All courses are free. Attendees can register for the respective webinar and obtain a certificate and approved hours from the respective international scientific and academic organisations participating in the project.

The project is a joint initiative by the UAE's Ministry of Possibilities, INDEX Holding and Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields.

Zee5 |

Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE: Envoy Al-Banna

Health security has emerged as a big area of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and India, the UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Banna said on Tuesday.

India also participated in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World organised by FICCI and the Government of UAE and Index Holding.

“Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE. Indian doctors and nurses in UAE have already shown mettle in difficult circumstances during Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 caused unprecedented disruption in all sectors. But it has also shown the interdependence of the India-UAE strategic relations,” Al-Banna said at a webinar.

At the launch of India’s Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative, UAE, the envoy added it “was started with the aim to empower 1mn healthcare cadres around the world. It will be a virtual medical training for across 14 sectors.”

Uday Shankar, President of FICCI at the launch of India’s Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative said that the Indian healthcare industry is projected to reach $372 billion by 2022. The UAE and India have already identified areas of collaboration in this sector.”

Shankar also lauded the effort by UAE in taking remarkable step of bringing experts from the healthcare sphere to empower healthcare and medical professionals from around the world.

Former FICCI President Sangita Reddy also participated in the event and said, “The Waterfalls Initiative and the sentiment behind it is outstanding. Medical professionals are national assets and they must be acknowledged.”

‘Waterfalls’ is a global project by the UAE to empower medical cadres from around the world. The initiative aims to deliver web-based distance continuing education for around one million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists in the medical field.

All courses are free. Attendees can register for the respective webinar and obtain a certificate and approved hours from the respective international scientific and academic organisations participating in the project.

The project is a joint initiative by the UAE’s Ministry of Possibilities, INDEX Holding and Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields.

Yahoo News |

Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE: Envoy Al-Banna

Health security has emerged as a big area of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and India, the UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Banna said on Tuesday.

India also participated in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World organised by FICCI and the Government of UAE and Index Holding.

"Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE. Indian doctors and nurses in UAE have already shown mettle in difficult circumstances during Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 caused unprecedented disruption in all sectors. But it has also shown the interdependence of the India-UAE strategic relations," Al-Banna said at a webinar.

At the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative, UAE, the envoy added it "was started with the aim to empower 1mn healthcare cadres around the world. It will be a virtual medical training for across 14 sectors."

Uday Shankar, President of FICCI at the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative said that the Indian healthcare industry is projected to reach $372 billion by 2022. The UAE and India have already identified areas of collaboration in this sector."

Shankar also lauded the effort by UAE in taking remarkable step of bringing experts from the healthcare sphere to empower healthcare and medical professionals from around the world.

Former FICCI President Sangita Reddy also participated in the event and said, "The Waterfalls Initiative and the sentiment behind it is outstanding. Medical professionals are national assets and they must be acknowledged."

'Waterfalls' is a global project by the UAE to empower medical cadres from around the world. The initiative aims to deliver web-based distance continuing education for around one million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists in the medical field.

All courses are free. Attendees can register for the respective webinar and obtain a certificate and approved hours from the respective international scientific and academic organisations participating in the project.

The project is a joint initiative by the UAE's Ministry of Possibilities, INDEX Holding and Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields.

Malaysia Sun |

Health security area of cooperation between India, UAE

Health security has emerged as a big area of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and India, the UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Banna said on Tuesday.

India also participated in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World organised by FICCI and the Government of UAE and Index Holding.

"Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE. Indian doctors and nurses in UAE have already shown mettle in difficult circumstances during Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 caused unprecedented disruption in all sectors. But it has also shown the interdependence of the India-UAE strategic relations," Al-Banna said at a webinar.

At the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative, UAE, the envoy added it "was started with the aim to empower 1mn healthcare cadres around the world. It will be a virtual medical training for across 14 sectors.

"Uday Shankar, President of FICCI at the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative said that the Indian healthcare industry is projected to reach $372 billion by 2022. The UAE and India have already identified areas of collaboration in this sector."

Shankar also lauded the effort by UAE in taking remarkable step of bringing experts from the healthcare sphere to empower healthcare and medical professionals from around the world.

Former FICCI President Sangita Reddy also participated in the event and said, "The Waterfalls Initiative and the sentiment behind it is outstanding. Medical professionals are national assets and they must be acknowledged."

'Waterfalls' is a global project by the UAE to empower medical cadres from around the world. The initiative aims to deliver web-based distance continuing education for around one million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists in the medical field.

All courses are free. Attendees can register for the respective webinar and obtain a certificate and approved hours from the respective international scientific and academic organisations participating in the project.

The project is a joint initiative by the UAE's Ministry of Possibilities, INDEX Holding and Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields.

Deviscourse |

Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE: Envoy Al-Banna

Health security has emerged as a big area of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and India, the UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Banna said on Tuesday. India also participated in the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World organised by FICCI and the Government of UAE and Index Holding.

"Health security has emerged as big area of cooperation between India and UAE. Indian doctors and nurses in UAE have already shown mettle in difficult circumstances during Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 caused unprecedented disruption in all sectors. But it has also shown the interdependence of the India-UAE strategic relations," Al-Banna said at a webinar. At the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative, UAE, the envoy added it "was started with the aim to empower 1mn healthcare cadres around the world. It will be a virtual medical training for across 14 sectors."

Uday Shankar, President of FICCI at the launch of India's Participation in the Waterfalls Initiative said that the Indian healthcare industry is projected to reach $372 billion by 2022. The UAE and India have already identified areas of collaboration in this sector." Shankar also lauded the effort by UAE in taking remarkable step of bringing experts from the healthcare sphere to empower healthcare and medical professionals from around the world.

Former FICCI President Sangita Reddy also participated in the event and said, "The Waterfalls Initiative and the sentiment behind it is outstanding. Medical professionals are national assets and they must be acknowledged." 'Waterfalls' is a global project by the UAE to empower medical cadres from around the world. The initiative aims to deliver web-based distance continuing education for around one million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists in the medical field.

All courses are free. Attendees can register for the respective webinar and obtain a certificate and approved hours from the respective international scientific and academic organisations participating in the project. The project is a joint initiative by the UAE's Ministry of Possibilities, INDEX Holding and Aqdar World Summit to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields.

Media News4u |

Happy Soul partners with FICCI at the 2nd Edition of Global Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020

Happy Soul brand owned by Magicians of Wellness (India) LLP, have partnered with FICCI, the voice of India’s business and industry, at the 2nd Edition of the Global Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020 that will be held from the 23rd to the 26th of November 2020. This will be Happy Soul’s first foray into virtual exhibitions by participating at the Global Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo.

The holistic lifestyle brand Happy Soul will launch their new range of wellness-based Home Decor during the four-day expo. The brand-new collection of hand-blended and hand-rolled Incense Sticks, essential oil-infused Soy Wax Candles, and healing Agate Coasters will be available for purchase at their virtual booth during the Global Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020. The retail franchise model for their multi-vendor wellness outlets will also be available

Actress and Founder of Happy Soul, Pooja Bedi says “Happy Soul looks forward to being a part of the 2nd Edition of the Global Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020, where we expect to expand our supply chain of Happy Soul products Pan-India and Internationally. It’s a fabulous platform for business and Happy Soul will be exploring potential investment, Franchising, and Retailing partners for our products and expansion plans at our virtual booth during the four-day FICCI Global Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo.”

Pooja Bedi will also take the virtual stage to represent her brand and enlighten the audience about the importance of mental wellbeing during her live talk show, Positive Vibes with Pooja Bedi. The live talk show will be held on the 23rd of November 2020 at 6:00 pm online at the expo.

Daily Hunt |

Happy Soul partners with FICCI at the 2nd Edition of Global Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020

Happy Soul brand owned by Magicians of Wellness (India) LLP, have partnered with FICCI, the voice of India's business and industry, at the 2nd Edition of the Global Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020 that will be held from the 23rd to the 26th of November 2020. This will be Happy Soul's first foray into virtual exhibitions by participating at the Global Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo.

The holistic lifestyle brand Happy Soul will launch their new range of wellness-based Home Decor during the four-day expo. The brand-new collection of hand-blended and hand-rolled Incense Sticks, essential oil-infused Soy Wax Candles, and healing Agate Coasters will be available for purchase at their virtual booth during the Global Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020. The retail franchise model for their multi-vendor wellness outlets will also be available.

Actress and Founder of Happy Soul, Pooja Bedi says "Happy Soul looks forward to being a part of the 2nd Edition of the Global Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020, where we expect to expand our supply chain of Happy Soul products Pan-India and Internationally. It's a fabulous platform for business and Happy Soul will be exploring potential investment, Franchising, and Retailing partners for our products and expansion plans at our virtual booth during the four-day FICCI Global Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo."

Pooja Bedi will also take the virtual stage to represent her brand and enlighten the audience about the importance of mental wellbeing during her live talk show, Positive Vibes with Pooja Bedi. The live talk show will be held on the 23rd of November 2020 at 6:00 pm online at the expo.

Medical Tourism |

Global Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry is all set to organise the Global Virtual Healthcare Expo (GVHE) from November 23 to 27 in its bid to connect Indian business houses and manufacturers with the world and ensure an impetus in exports.

The focussed regions will be ASEAN, Africa, CIS & Russia Middle East, SAARC and South East Asia, LAC and North America.

“Virtual Expo gives a completely immersive experience where the Exhibitor, Delegate or Visitor come on a virtual platform from their home through their handheld devices and showcase their products, do one on one meetings, have pre- fixed B2B meetings and can participate in real-time conferences or product launches or media interactions. It gives a one-stop solution from the comfort of your home to connect with your desired buyers, traders, distributors and decision-makers,” the FICCI said in a statement.

The focus sectors of the exhibition include AYUSH & Wellness, Pharmaceuticals, Pharma Machinery & Technology, Medical Devices, Medical Textile, Hygiene & Sanitization.

India is currently the largest provider of generic drugs globally. Its Pharma exports stood up at US$ 19.13 billion in the fiscal 2019. Indian pharmaceutical sector is expected to grow to US$ 100 billion and medical device market expected to grow US$ 25 billion by 2025. The total export of AYUSH products, including extracts of medicinal herbs, has gone up to 446 million U.S. dollars in 2019.

For exhibitor registration, click on the link below:-

https://registrations.ficci.com/GVHHE/reporttweb_exhibitor.asp

India Education Diary |

Urgent need to prioritize Eyecare in India: Industry Experts

Experts at the South India II Conclave: Spotlight on visually impaired in the wake of COVID-19, yesterday highlighted the challenges faced by patients with eye disorders due to COVID-19 and the way ahead.

Addressing the virtual session organized by FICCI, Dr SV Chandrakumar, Project Director, State Programme Officer, Tamil Nadu State Blindness Control Society said that for patients requiring immediate eye care during COVID-19, the Tamil Nadu government started the teleophthalmology consultation and the soon to launch mobile ophthalmology units.

“The state was unable to perform eye surgeries till the month of September due to the pandemic, however, private hospitals and NGOs have started conducting cataract operations following the guidelines issued by the Govt of India to resume eye care services in the state,” said Dr Chandrakumar.

In the wake of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu, Government-run hospitals have become designated COVID hospitals that have driven patients towards private healthcare, which many cannot afford, he said.

Speaking on various government initiatives Dr Chandrakumar said, “We provide two lakh free spectacles to school children every year and this year we are providing free spectacles to senior citizens as well.” He also informed that they regularly supply equipment to medical colleges, are building a centre of excellence and constructing operation theatres and post-operative wards for the wellbeing of patients in the state.

Dr Neena Rani, Deputy Director, National Blindness Control Program and Visual Impairment, Government of Kerala said, “The pandemic has impacted the regular vision screening in schools and old age homes, however, the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology has been providing treatments and performing emergency surgeries as per requirements.”

Ms Ambili Vijayaraghavan, Chief Operating Officer – Aster Medcity, said that in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic visual impairment has been the biggest challenge for healthcare providers as eye care has taken a backseat.

Dr Kim, Director-IT, AECS, Chief Medical Officer, Aravind Eye Hospital said that a positive to have happened during the pandemic was the introduction of the telemedicine practice. “We realized that technology could be an excellent enabler in reaching people at the primary healthcare level,” said Dr Kim.

Mr Chanakya Misra, Business Head, Novartis India Ltd, said that older adults living with retinal diseases are at a high risk of accidents. “It is important to be Atmanirbhar today, but it is equally important to be ‘Netranirbhar’,” he added.

Dr Ronnie George, Deputy Director in Glaucoma Service, Sankara Nethralaya noted that they had taken utmost protection in reaching out to patients during these challenging times as prevention of blindness is a very important outcome for healthcare services in India.

Dr Pramod Bhende, Director, Department of Vitreo Retinal Services, MRF, Sankara Nethralaya said that the fear of virus has led patients to prolong medication and postpone surgery follow-ups resulting in further complications, but things are gradually easing out and patients have started to come for treatments following safety protocols.

Dr Mohan Rajan, Chairman and Medical Director, Rajan Eye Care mentioned that patients are delaying their eye treatments and follow-ups due to fear of the virus which is increasing the risk of further deterioration.

Dr Gopal Pillai, HOD- Dept. of Ophthalmology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi said that several govt hospitals that treat eye diseases have been converted to COVID centres, which has confused the patients as the charges in private hospitals are unaffordable for many.

Mr Bhabatosh Mishra, Director and Head for Products, Claims and Underwriting, Max Bupa Health Insurance Company believed eye health is an important subject and in a country like India, healthcare, and healthcare financing work together.

The conclave was attended by Dr Mariam, Ophthalmologist, Military Hospital, Chennai; Dr Haripriya Aravind, HOD Cataract, Aravind Eye Hospital; Dr Girish Shiva Rao, President- Medical Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya; Dr Suresh Kaliamurthy, Additional Chief Health Director, Southern Railways; Dr D Ramamurthy, Chairman, The Eye Foundation, Coimbatore; and Dr Anand Rajendran, Professor and Sr Consultant, Aravind Eye Hospital, among others.

India Education Diary |

India & Five Central Asian Countries to Focus on Developing Air Corridors, Promote Collaboration in Healthcare sector: 2nd India-Central Asia Business Council meeting

The 2nd meeting of the India Central Asia Business Council organised virtually by FICCI today witnessed the representation of the Heads of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Central Asia and India, Indian Ambassadors in Central Asia and Central Asian Ambassadors in India.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “We are meeting today to collectively assess and work towards a new and more robust framework for articulating future collaborations based on mutual trust and to meet fast evolving global challenges. At FICCI, it is our endeavour to explore the unexplored, be it technology, new areas of cooperation, possibilities for promoting investments and finding new modes of connectivity so that we are able to think in advance to build on the economic complementarity both Indian and Central Asian economies boast of.”

The Joint Declaration of the India Central Asia Business Council has been mutually agreed upon by the six Chambers including (FICCI from India and five Central Asian countries). The Council has agreed to constitute four ‘Joint Working Groups’ (JWGs) in sectors like Energy (Oil and Gas & Renewable Energy), Agro, Food-Processing and Textiles, Tourism, Air Corridors, Pharmaceutical, Life-sciences and Healthcare.

The Terms of Reference specifically underlines the need to deepen cooperation for establishing ties between the large, medium and small enterprises of council member countries of India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for encouraging and promoting trade, economic and business relations. Given the importance of connectivity for deepening trade relations, the council will also promote the development of air-corridors between India and Central Asian countries.

HE Mr Ikramov Adkham Ilkhamovich, Chairman, Chamber of Commerce & Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan said, “We must envision the 3rd meeting of the India Central Asia Business Council in Tashkent, Uzbekistan next year and hopefully we all will meet offline in Tashkent to continue trade and economic cooperation.”

While reporting back to the six Foreign Minister of India and Central Asian countries post the 2nd ICABC meeting, Dr Sangita Reddy said, “With the endorsement of Joint Declaration and formation of four JWGs, a concrete beginning has been made and we all are of the firm view that this initiative shall go a long way for India and the five Central Asian countries to redraw and weave ‘New Silk Route’ that shall bind India and rediscover its long-standing cultural, economic and civilizational bond with Central Asian countries.”

Financial Express |

Cooperation, innovation & collaboration necessary to fight COVID-19: Experts

The impact of COVID-19 has been devastating for the world and fighting it requires cooperation, innovation and collaboration, experts said on Friday at a virtual event organised by the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI).

The overall strengthening of the healthcare system is important. The government has embarked on a tremendous job on Ayushman Bharat, and its combination with insurance for all sections of people will be an important building block in the vision of accessible, affordable and high quality care, FICCI President and Apollo Hospitals MD Sangita Reddy said.

The next is primary healthcare where reimagining, rethinking of processes, policies are required, she added while addressing the session on ‘Building a Pandemic Resistant World’.

“We are fighting the war of our generation. Let’s respond with innovation, with new thought processes, with cooperation and collaboration between all the elements…,” Reddy said.

There is also the need for enhancing the focus on healthcare workforce, she added.

Stating that today there is not a single country in the world which can afford to give universal healthcare of a proper standard to all their citizens, Medanta Chairman & MD Naresh Trehan said, “Everybody is struggling.”

Wealth lies in preventing disease and in health. “If we want our country to become a healthy nation…, we need to pay equal attention, equal amount of money, equal infrastructure to be built into building health so that we can decrease the disease burden,” he added.

We also need early warning system to ensure that the next pandemic does not bring us down on our knees, he added.

Collaborative efforts within the government and between the government and the private sector is the need of the hour, Trehan said.

“Surveillance, containment and collaboration are crucial to create a pandemic resistant world. All countries have to come together to create a robust surveillance system with proactive involvement and need to invest considerably to improve the global health infrastructure,” AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said.

Innovation is another area that is important in the upscaling of healthcare infrastructure, he added.

“If we need to have a pandemic resistant world, we need to have a system which is sustainable and works even when the pandemic is over,” Guleria said.

Live Mint |

India needs a sustainable healthcare system post pandemic too: AIIMS director

To have a pandemic-resistant world, India needs to invest heavily in health infrastructure, Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said at a virtual event organized by Public Affairs Forum of India(PAFI) on Friday.

Speaking about One Health, Guleria said India needs to invest in it. "Unless we look at the health in holistic terms, we won’t be able to prevent outbreaks," he added imparting that we must aggressively work on the concept of One Health. As described by the World Health Organisation (WHO), One Health is a collaborative effort of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally, and globally to attain optimal health for people, animals and our environment.

"If we need to have a pandemic-resistant world, we need to have a system which is sustainable and works even when the pandemic is over," said Guleria.

Surveillance, containment and collaboration are also crucial to create a pandemic-resistant world, said Guleria. "All countries have to come together to create a robust surveillance system with proactive involvement and need to invest considerably to improve the global health infrastructure. Innovation is another area that is important in the upscaling of healthcare infrastructure. There are many opportunities as far as telehealth and technology is concerned but we are slow at adopting them in healthcare sector," he added.

“There has to be a lot of data sharing and planning for prevention of future outbreaks. We should look at the central surveillance team globally which could look at the data coming from all parts of the world. Data sharing within the country is also important to fill the gaps in the policies," said the AIIMS director, highlighting the role of data sharing.

Covid-19 has posed challenges and created opportunities for healthcare system. Several healthcare experts discussed the roadmap and strategies on how the industry can work with stakeholders - government, health agencies and multilateral institutions- in building a pandemic-resistant world at PAFI’s event.

“The first step towards a pandemic-resistant world is the development of a sustainable and affordable healthcare system. Covid-19 has exposed that across countries, the universal health coverage systems are fragile and underfunded," Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman and Managing Director, Medanta hospital said.

Trehan emphasized on the importance of building infrastructure to decrease the existing disease burden. “We, along with the world, need an early warning system to ensure that the next pandemic does not bring us down on our knees. Also, the quality of data and an ability to analyse it has to be cultivated. Collaborative efforts within the government and between the government and the private sector is the need of the hour," he said.

For this pandemic experience to be translated into something meaningful, Trehan pointed out that the WHO needs to be more robust and responsible and the need for China to be more transparent. "India must also capitalize on its soft power of knowledge, skills and technology to create universally applicable solutions," Trehan said at the event.

Sangita Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospital and President, FICCI pointed out that connect between the centre, state and districts is also evident which needs greater attention and streamlining."

Speaking about the need for a better connect among the center, states and districts, Sangita Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospital and President, FICCI, said it needs greater attention and streamlining.

Shubhashis Gangopadhyay, Research Director, India Development Foundation (IDF) and Dean, Indian School of Public Policy said that healthcare is not just a sector, but should be viewed as the fundamental backbone of any economy.

“Investment in healthcare would reduce the demand on healthcare services and also increase productivity of the nation. Additionally, the healthcare sector is potentially the biggest employer in the country and may aid in solving the unemployment issues. Businesses with a high ES rating have been more resilient to this pandemic," said Gangopadhyay. He recommended that such businesses should be rewarded/incentivised by the government to operate in such a manner. “A healthy economy will improve productivity. Health sector is the largest employer in a broader sense. There is need for more research in health economics. It is crucial to move from a data-rich to a data-intelligent country. Use of data in policy making, strategizing and planning is needed," he said.

Outlook |

Cooperation, innovation & collaboration necessary to fight COVID-19: Experts

The impact of COVID-19 has been devastating for the world and fighting it requires cooperation, innovation and collaboration, experts said on Friday at a virtual event organised by the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI).

The overall strengthening of the healthcare system is important. The government has embarked on a tremendous job on Ayushman Bharat, and its combination with insurance for all sections of people will be an important building block in the vision of accessible, affordable and high quality care, FICCI President and Apollo Hospitals MD Sangita Reddy said.

The next is primary healthcare where reimagining, rethinking of processes, policies are required, she added while addressing the session on ''Building a Pandemic Resistant World''.

"We are fighting the war of our generation. Let's respond with innovation, with new thought processes, with cooperation and collaboration between all the elements...," Reddy said.

There is also the need for enhancing the focus on healthcare workforce, she added.

Stating that today there is not a single country in the world which can afford to give universal healthcare of a proper standard to all their citizens, Medanta Chairman & MD Naresh Trehan said, "Everybody is struggling."

Wealth lies in preventing disease and in health. "If we want our country to become a healthy nation..., we need to pay equal attention, equal amount of money, equal infrastructure to be built into building health so that we can decrease the disease burden," he added.

We also need early warning system to ensure that the next pandemic does not bring us down on our knees, he added.

Collaborative efforts within the government and between the government and the private sector is the need of the hour, Trehan said.

"Surveillance, containment and collaboration are crucial to create a pandemic resistant world. All countries have to come together to create a robust surveillance system with proactive involvement and need to invest considerably to improve the global health infrastructure," AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said.

Innovation is another area that is important in the upscaling of healthcare infrastructure, he added.

"If we need to have a pandemic resistant world, we need to have a system which is sustainable and works even when the pandemic is over," Guleria said.

Yahoo News |

Cooperation, innovation & collaboration necessary to fight COVID-19: Experts

The impact of COVID-19 has been devastating for the world and fighting it requires cooperation, innovation and collaboration, experts said on Friday at a virtual event organised by the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI).

The overall strengthening of the healthcare system is important. The government has embarked on a tremendous job on Ayushman Bharat, and its combination with insurance for all sections of people will be an important building block in the vision of accessible, affordable and high quality care, FICCI President and Apollo Hospitals MD Sangita Reddy said.

The next is primary healthcare where reimagining, rethinking of processes, policies are required, she added while addressing the session on 'Building a Pandemic Resistant World'.

'We are fighting the war of our generation. Let's respond with innovation, with new thought processes, with cooperation and collaboration between all the elements...,' Reddy said.

There is also the need for enhancing the focus on healthcare workforce, she added.

Stating that today there is not a single country in the world which can afford to give universal healthcare of a proper standard to all their citizens, Medanta Chairman & MD Naresh Trehan said, 'Everybody is struggling.' Wealth lies in preventing disease and in health. 'If we want our country to become a healthy nation..., we need to pay equal attention, equal amount of money, equal infrastructure to be built into building health so that we can decrease the disease burden,' he added.

We also need early warning system to ensure that the next pandemic does not bring us down on our knees, he added.

Collaborative efforts within the government and between the government and the private sector is the need of the hour, Trehan said.

'Surveillance, containment and collaboration are crucial to create a pandemic resistant world. All countries have to come together to create a robust surveillance system with proactive involvement and need to invest considerably to improve the global health infrastructure,' AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said.

Innovation is another area that is important in the upscaling of healthcare infrastructure, he added.

'If we need to have a pandemic resistant world, we need to have a system which is sustainable and works even when the pandemic is over,' Guleria said.

Devdiscourse |

Cooperation, innovation & collaboration necessary to fight COVID-19: Experts

The impact of COVID-19 has been devastating for the world and fighting it requires cooperation, innovation and collaboration, experts said on Friday at a virtual event organised by the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI). The overall strengthening of the healthcare system is important. The government has embarked on a tremendous job on Ayushman Bharat, and its combination with insurance for all sections of people will be an important building block in the vision of accessible, affordable and high quality care, FICCI President and Apollo Hospitals MD Sangita Reddy said.

The next is primary healthcare where reimagining, rethinking of processes, policies are required, she added while addressing the session on 'Building a Pandemic Resistant World'. "We are fighting the war of our generation. Let's respond with innovation, with new thought processes, with cooperation and collaboration between all the elements...," Reddy said.

There is also the need for enhancing the focus on healthcare workforce, she added. Stating that today there is not a single country in the world which can afford to give universal healthcare of a proper standard to all their citizens, Medanta Chairman & MD Naresh Trehan said, "Everybody is struggling." Wealth lies in preventing disease and in health. "If we want our country to become a healthy nation..., we need to pay equal attention, equal amount of money, equal infrastructure to be built into building health so that we can decrease the disease burden," he added.

We also need early warning system to ensure that the next pandemic does not bring us down on our knees, he added. Collaborative efforts within the government and between the government and the private sector is the need of the hour, Trehan said.

"Surveillance, containment and collaboration are crucial to create a pandemic resistant world. All countries have to come together to create a robust surveillance system with proactive involvement and need to invest considerably to improve the global health infrastructure," AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said. Innovation is another area that is important in the upscaling of healthcare infrastructure, he added.

"If we need to have a pandemic resistant world, we need to have a system which is sustainable and works even when the pandemic is over," Guleria said..

Zee Business |

We have provided COVID Risk Scan facility in Apollo 24x7 health platform: Sangita Reddy, JMD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises

Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, talks about the Goddess to whom she relates and who inspires her the most, women empowerment, programme Greater 50%, healthcare spending in the country and e-pharmacies among others during a candid chat with Swati Khandelwal, Zee Business, in the Navratri Special Series. Edited Excerpts

Q: Wish you a very happy Navratri. Can you tell us the form of Goddess Parvati you relate with and why?

A: A very happy Navratri to you and your viewers. It’s a very special time and people across the nation are worshipping and are hoping for the best for their families, their friends and their business. But also, at this point of COVID, everyone is hoping for the health of the family, the country and also for the economic output of the country. So, this is a very important time to worship. I believe in all the Goddesses but Goddess Saraswati is little special because it is a knowledge time and expect that she will provide good knowledge and intelligence to everyone and provide guidance to them. I hope that Goddess Saraswati can guide all of us to a better world.

Q: We always talk about women empowerment. You are a strong leader, so, how will you encourage women to take up leadership roles?

A: One of the most important things for women empowerment is for them to achieve economic independence. It is towards that I think we must start a foundation that is education, so every girl child should be educated. Then they are given equal opportunities at work and I think we should take some special care towards guidance counselling and that’s why we at the FICCI along with FLO we have done a programme called Greater 50% because I have an idea that the women actually contribute 48% of the population however their impact is much more than 50%.

This is why it has been termed as Greater 50% and it includes training of women who are on boards, women empowerment, women in the workplace and how they should be groomed for more leadership roles. Besides, in the MSME and at the grass-root, who doesn’t belong even to the micro-industry but are nano, i.e. very small industries then how they can avail the bank loans, how they can do marketing and the quality awareness training. For this purpose, we have a vertical in it and we want to bring its model across India with Mann Deshi Bank and in it Chetna Sinha, she is a very good friend.

When each one of these verticals is being driven by women leaders. There is a good thing in it and that is many men are coming forward because every evolved human being knows that the society will be a good one and will improve when men and women can play an equal role.

Q: Let’s talk about the sector, where you have the expertise, healthcare, and you have good experience in the same. Currently, spending on healthcare has improved a lot of post COVID. But in India, we are still spending much less as compared to the total GDP. How do you see healthcare spending of total GDP in India going forward and what is the level to which it is increased?

A: Everyone understood the importance of healthcare due to CORONA. So, the government will definitely spend more and I think that this 2% will go up closer to 3% and it includes an important scheme of the Prime Minister that every health insurance is created. Besides that, there is a very important scheme which is the National Digital Health Mission and the primary care strengthening.

So along with Ayushman Bharat enhanced primary healthcare and the national digital health mission, these three things will boost up the spending. And more insurance, enhancement of outpatient insurance will also increase the spending but what is very important is that one must look only at the GDP but should look at how the productivity of a nation increases when the healthcare of the nation is good. Because everyone knows that young people are getting heart attacks. So all doctors see to it every day that 40-45-year-olds are getting a heart attack. Very importantly Lancet’s editor has said that currently, we are looking at CORONA as a pandemic but actually, three epidemics are happening parallelly.

The first is the COVID epidemic, the second is the epidemic of the non-communicable disease and the heart disease, cancer, strokes, neurological problems and this needs preventive healthcare, health check-up and lifestyle, which is very important for this. Response to COVID of those with these problems is also not as good as of those who are completely healthy. So being healthy, taking health check-ups, being fit and those with diabetes should keep their sugar under control, should keep their hypertension under control.

For this purpose, we are doing many programmes related to condition management and health checks. We also have a post-COVID come back to normal because in COVID it is visible that more reports are coming at present. In PubMed every one hour, eight papers are coming out and, in these papers,, it is seen that people are having post-COVID complications. For this also, health is a very important subject. The most important aspect is that it is said that ‘Health is Wealth’, so in this Puja Season, I wish your all viewers very good health and happiness and all the best to them.

Q: E-pharmacies are growing a lot and you are also present in the sector. So what is your outlook on the growth and what is your view on e-pharmacies and the segment?

A: Clearly, digital is an important path because healthcare should be provided to individuals and the best way to do it through the mobile phone. We have done something and we in the last two years were making building blocks in it. Early this year we have launched Apollo 24x7. It is an omnichannel health platform and it has content, pharmacy, diagnostics and the most important is that you can put your health records and it provides video consults with the doctors as well and doctor appointment and booking is also available there.

So, one is that it is the most comprehensive, it is omnichannel and is the fastest growing health application in the country. At a time of COVID, we have added a COVID risk scan to it using artificial intelligence and almost 13 million people have already used the scan and the response is good due to it.

And, we will utilize it in the best way to help people stay healthy and give people access to Apollo Health Ecosystem, may it be a hospital or a doctor, access to everyone will be provided and I think it will become a very important building block in the overall development of the Apollo Ecosystem.

Khaleej Times |

UAE-India to strengthen ties in medical sector

India will play a crucial role in ensuring availability of the Covid-19 vaccine, said an Indian envoy in the UAE during a virtual healthcare conference.

"India's vaccine manufacturers will play a crucial role in ensuring the widespread availability of the Covid-19 vaccine," said Pavan Kapoor, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, at the first UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020.

The conference, held on Monday, was organised in partnership the Indian missions in the UAE, the Federation of Indian Chambers Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Invest India.

"The UAE Government is constantly improving its image as a destination for medical tourism and also as a manufacturing and distribution hub for pharmaceutical products," added Kapoor.

Dr Amin Alamiri, assistant undersecretary of health policy and licensing at the Ministry of Healthy and Prevention (Mohap), said: "We have great cooperation with India and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us."

Ways to exchange ideas

With contributions from policymakers and leaders in the healthcare sector, the conference was a platform for deliberations on collaboration and exploring ways and means for the two health systems to engage more deeply.

Speakers discussed ways in which the two nations will exchange ideas on exploring new avenues for partnership as India and UAE work towards delivering accessible, affordable and world class healthcare to people.

"The world requires a new kind of approach to tackle such unprecedented health and economic crisis, one that fosters cooperation and not isolation among all the stakeholders," said Dr Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India.

Dr Sangita Reddy, joint managing director, Apollo Hospitals Group and president of FICCI, said the pandemic situation has made the world enter an era of medical diplomacy. She suggested various means in which there can be an exchange of medical professionals and technical know-how to beat common medical challenges faced by both countries.

Consul-General of India to Dubai Dr Aman Puri added: "This conference becomes all the more topical as key stakeholders from the UAE and Indian healthcare landscape join together to explore new avenues for partnership."

The scope of traditional medicines such as ayurveda in the UAE was also discussed. Girish Krishnamurty, CEO and director of Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Dr Azad Moopen, chairman and MD of Aster DM Healthcare, Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman and MD, VPS Healthcare Group, Sophiya Faizal, director, KEF Holdings, and Akbar Moideen Thumbay, vice-president, healthcare division at the Thumbay Group also gave presentations.

Khaleej Times |

UAE-India to strengthen ties in medical sector

India will play a crucial role in ensuring availability of the Covid-19 vaccine, said an Indian envoy in the UAE during a virtual healthcare conference.

"India's vaccine manufacturers will play a crucial role in ensuring the widespread availability of the Covid-19 vaccine," said Pavan Kapoor, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, at the first UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020.

The conference, held on Monday, was organised in partnership the Indian missions in the UAE, the Federation of Indian Chambers Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Invest India.

"The UAE Government is constantly improving its image as a destination for medical tourism and also as a manufacturing and distribution hub for pharmaceutical products," added Kapoor.

Dr Amin Alamiri, assistant undersecretary of health policy and licensing at the Ministry of Healthy and Prevention (Mohap), said: "We have great cooperation with India and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us."

Ways to exchange ideas

With contributions from policymakers and leaders in the healthcare sector, the conference was a platform for deliberations on collaboration and exploring ways and means for the two health systems to engage more deeply.

Speakers discussed ways in which the two nations will exchange ideas on exploring new avenues for partnership as India and UAE work towards delivering accessible, affordable and world class healthcare to people.

"The world requires a new kind of approach to tackle such unprecedented health and economic crisis, one that fosters cooperation and not isolation among all the stakeholders," said Dr Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India.

Dr Sangita Reddy, joint managing director, Apollo Hospitals Group and President of FICCI, said the pandemic situation has made the world enter an era of medical diplomacy. She suggested various means in which there can be an exchange of medical professionals and technical know-how to beat common medical challenges faced by both countries.

Consul-General of India to Dubai Dr Aman Puri added: "This conference becomes all the more topical as key stakeholders from the UAE and Indian healthcare landscape join together to explore new avenues for partnership."

The scope of traditional medicines such as ayurveda in the UAE was also discussed. Girish Krishnamurty, CEO and director of Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Dr Azad Moopen, chairman and MD of Aster DM Healthcare, Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman and MD, VPS Healthcare Group, Sophiya Faizal, director, KEF Holdings, and Akbar Moideen Thumbay, vice-president, healthcare division at the Thumbay Group also gave presentations.

Money Control |

UAE to provide incentives to Indian healthcare firms with strong R&D facilities: Envoy

The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support Indian healthcare manufacturing companies having strong research and development facilities, India's envoy in the country said.

The UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020, which was organised on Monday jointly by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate General of India, Dubai, FICCI and Invest India, helped explore ways to promote collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and alternative medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew attention toward close collaboration between the two countries during Covid times and stated that the UAE side had shown a strong desire for setting up manufacturing facilities for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian companies having strong R&D facilities.

The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will also make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support such healthcare manufacturing companies from India, he said.

Kapoor asked Indian companies to look into this offer, which will provide an excellent opportunity for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as African markets in the entire pharma supply chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - except Iraq.

Ambassador Kapoor also emphasised that there were huge opportunities for the UAE to invest in India where seven mega parks- three in the pharmaceutical sector and four in medical devices have recently been announced.

"Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires a lot of infrastructure and the same can be complemented by the UAE side. The introduction of AYUSH system of traditional Indian medicine can also be used to complement the health system in the UAE, he added.

Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority said, the UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are several areas in the health sector where both sides can explore collaboration and continue this partnership with an aim to benefit the people of both the countries and provide high-quality and efficient patient care.
Humaid Al Qutami also highlighted areas such as innovation, research and development, medical education and training as well as telehealth, where there is a strong potential for further collaboration.

He added that this conference would be the right forum to establish a channel to achieve the common goals for the healthcare sectors of both countries. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration between both the countries, he added.

Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, said that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our global economic ecosystems.

Ambassador Albanna said: COVID-19 will mark an era of a paradigm shift in the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage. In the wake of the pandemic, the new dimension of medical diplomacy has indeed further bolstered the strategic partnership between the two nations.

There is a huge untapped potential in the healthcare sectors between the two countries, he added.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said that at no other time in the world has healthcare become as centerstage as it is today.

This is an important meeting of people with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to find new solutions, she said.

Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy and Licensing, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi stressed on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between both the nations.

We have great cooperation with India, and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us, Dr Amiri said. Dr Amiri also provided several facts about Indian healthcare workers and UAE as well as pharma and medical tourism, going forward.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO of National Health Authority, highlighted the transformation currently underway in India as the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered.

This program will eventually benefit more than 500 million people and create huge opportunities for investment by the UAE and other international investors in the healthcare sector., he said.

Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, said, This conference becomes all the more relevant as key stakeholders from UAE and India healthcare landscapes join together to deliberate on exploring new avenues for partnership between the two countries.

Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman, Waterfalls, UAE said that there is a need to further strengthen business relations with India.

Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman & MD, Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman & MD, VPS Healthcare Group; Girish Krishnamurty, CEO & Director- Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Tata MD; Dr Akbar Moideen, VP Thumbay Group; Dr Viren Shetty from Narayana Hrudayalaya; Sophiya Faizal, Director, KEF Holdings (Meitra Hospital), Dr Taher Shams, MD Zulekha India, made presentations on opportunities in healthcare in the UAE and India.

The conference also had three separate sessions focusing on the UAE India Partnership in Healthcare Delivery, Pharma & Medical Devices and Ayush in which renowned doctors, entrepreneurs and regulatory authorities made their presentation and discussed ways and means to further boost bilateral cooperation in the respective fields.

India VS Disinformation |

India, UAE can be significant partners in pharma and healthcare sector: Indian envoy

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) can be significant partners during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, both countries acknowledged during the ‘UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020’ which opened on Monday.

Top industry professionals, policy makers and officials participated in the event organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Invest India. The virtual conference was hosted by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and Consulate General of India in Dubai along with FICCI and Invest India.

The event saw the participation of Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor, UAE Ambassador to India Ahmed Al Banna and Consul General of India to Dubai Dr Aman Puri among others.

Speaking at the event, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Pavan Kapoor said, “India can be a significant partner in terms of the supply of pharmaceutical products and other surgical consumables to the UAE.”

The Indian pharmaceutical and healthcare industry is one of the largest, most advanced and well-recognized industries in the world, he added further.

Calling for more investments from the UAE, Pavan Kapoor said, “There is a huge opportunity for UAE to invest in India where 7 mega parks - 3 in the pharmaceutical sector and 4 in Medical Device have recently been announced.”

At the conference, both sides tried to shed light on the healthcare issues troubling the world and how solutions can be reached for the same. The sides discussed the importance of the cooperation of the countries in the medical sector to develop affordable and world-class services for common people.

UAE's Ambassador to India Ahmed Al Banna said, “The world requires a new kind of approach to tackle such unprecedented health and economic crisis, one that fosters cooperation & not isolation among all the stakeholders.”

COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our global economic ecosystems, he said further.

Underlining India’s role in fighting the pandemic globally, Kapoor said, “It is expected that the bulk of the manufacturing capacity of India's vaccine manufacturers will play a crucial role in ensuring the widespread availability of the COVID-19 vaccine.”

Not just the UAE, but the world has been witnessing the vital role played by the Indian pharmaceutical sector in meeting the unprecedented demand for medicine from across the globe, he said further.

Both sides also cheered the bilateral partnerships in the healthcare sector. Addressing his fellow speakers, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy & Licensing of the UAE, Dr Amin Al Ameeri said, “We have great cooperation with India & we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us.”

Indian Consul General to Dubai, Dr Aman Puri highlighted the importance of such conferences in exploring new avenues for partnerships between two countries.

In recent years, India and the UAE have seen a surge in the medical exchanges and investments in the healthcare sector. The relationship saw an enhancement during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic where both nations helped each other with open arms. One example of the same was seen in May this year when India sent a batch of 88 nurses to the UAE to help the latter fight against the pandemic as COVID-19 cases saw a surge.

Today News |

UAE to offer incentives to Indian healthcare companies with robust R&D services: Envoy

The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support Indian healthcare manufacturing companies having strong research and development facilities, India’s envoy in the country said.

The UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020, which was organised on Monday jointly by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate General of India, Dubai, FICCI and Invest India, helped explore ways to promote collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and alternative medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew attention toward close collaboration between the two countries during Covid times and stated that the UAE side had shown a strong desire for setting up manufacturing facilities for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian companies having strong R&D facilities.

“The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will also make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support such healthcare manufacturing companies from India,” he said.

Kapoor asked Indian companies to look into this offer, which will provide an excellent opportunity for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as African markets in the entire pharma supply chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – except Iraq.

Ambassador Kapoor also emphasised that there were huge opportunities for the UAE to invest in India where seven mega parks- three in the pharmaceutical sector and four in medical devices have recently been announced.

“Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires a lot of infrastructure and the same can be complemented by the UAE side. The introduction of AYUSH system of traditional Indian medicine can also be used to complement the health system in the UAE,” he added.

Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority said, “The UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are several areas in the health sector where both sides can explore collaboration and continue this partnership with an aim to benefit the people of both the countries and provide high-quality and efficient patient care”.

Humaid Al Qutami also highlighted areas such as innovation, research and development, medical education and training as well as telehealth, where there is a strong potential for further collaboration.

He added that this conference would be the right forum to establish a channel to achieve the common goals for the healthcare sectors of both countries. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration between both the countries, he added.

Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, said that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our global economic ecosystems.

Ambassador Albanna said: “COVID-19 will mark an era of a paradigm shift in the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage.

In the wake of the pandemic, the new dimension of medical diplomacy has indeed further bolstered the strategic partnership between the two nations. There is a huge untapped potential in the healthcare sectors between the two countries, he added.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said that at no other time in the world has healthcare become as centerstage as it is today.

“This is an important meeting of people with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to find new solutions, she said.

Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy and Licensing, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi stressed on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between both the nations.

“We have great cooperation with India, and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us,” Dr Amiri said. Dr Amiri also provided several facts about Indian healthcare workers and UAE as well as pharma and medical tourism, going forward.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO of National Health Authority, highlighted the transformation currently underway in India as the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered.

This program will eventually benefit more than 500 million people and create huge opportunities for investment by the UAE and other international investors in the healthcare sector., he said.

Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, said, “This conference becomes all the more relevant as key stakeholders from UAE and India healthcare landscapes join together to deliberate on exploring new avenues for partnership between the two countries.”

Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman, Waterfalls, UAE said that there is a need to further strengthen business relations with India.

Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman & MD, Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman & MD, VPS Healthcare Group; Girish Krishnamurty, CEO & Director- Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Tata MD; Dr Akbar Moideen, VP Thumbay Group; Dr Viren Shetty from Narayana Hrudayalaya; Sophiya Faizal, Director, KEF Holdings (Meitra Hospital), Dr Taher Shams, MD Zulekha India, made presentations on opportunities in healthcare in the UAE and India.

The conference also had three separate sessions focusing on the UAE India Partnership in Healthcare Delivery, Pharma & Medical Devices and Ayush in which renowned doctors, entrepreneurs and regulatory authorities made their presentation and discussed ways and means to further boost bilateral cooperation in the respective fields.

Digital Poker |

UAE to Provide incentives to Indian Healthcare firms with strong R&D facilities amid Pandemic: Envoy

The UAE authorities will present incentives, together with monetary contributions, and can make efforts to create a full ecosystem to help Indian healthcare manufacturing corporations having robust analysis and growth services, India’s envoy within the nation stated. The UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020, which was organised on Monday collectively by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate General of India, Dubai, FICCI and Invest India, helped discover methods to promote collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, prescription drugs, medical gadgets and different medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew consideration towards shut collaboration between the 2 nations throughout Covid occasions and said that the UAE aspect had proven a robust want for organising manufacturing services for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian corporations having robust R&D services. “The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will also make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support such healthcare manufacturing companies from India,” he stated. Kapoor requested Indian corporations to look into this provide, which can present a superb alternative for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in addition to African markets in your complete pharma provide chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and financial union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – besides Iraq. Ambassador Kapoor additionally emphasised that there have been large alternatives for the UAE to spend money on India the place seven mega parks- three within the pharmaceutical sector and 4 in medical gadgets have not too long ago been introduced.

“Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires a lot of infrastructure and the same can be complemented by the UAE side. The introduction of AYUSH system of traditional Indian medicine can also be used to complement the health system in the UAE, he added. Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority said, “The UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are a number of areas within the well being sector the place each side can discover collaboration and proceed this partnership with an purpose to profit the individuals of each the nations and supply high-quality and environment friendly affected person care.” Humaid Al Qutami also highlighted areas such as innovation, research and development, medical education and training as well as telehealth, where there is a strong potential for further collaboration.

He added that this conference would be the right forum to establish a channel to achieve the common goals for the healthcare sectors of both countries. “We look ahead to a fruitful collaboration between each the nations, he added. Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, stated that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our world financial ecosystems.” Ambassador Albanna said: COVID-19 will mark an era of a paradigm shift in the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage.

In the wake of the pandemic, the new dimension of medical diplomacy has indeed further bolstered the strategic partnership between the two nations. There is a huge untapped potential in the healthcare sectors between the two countries, he added. Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said that at no other time in the world has healthcare become as centerstage as it is today. This is an important meeting of people with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to find new solutions, she said.

Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy and Licensing, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi stressed on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between both the nations. We have great cooperation with India, and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us, Dr Amiri said. Dr Amiri also provided several facts about Indian healthcare workers and UAE as well as pharma and medical tourism, going forward.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO of National Health Authority, highlighted the transformation currently underway in India as the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered. This program will eventually benefit more than 500 million people and create huge opportunities for investment by the UAE and other international investors in the healthcare sector., he said. Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, said, This conference becomes all the more relevant as key stakeholders from UAE and India healthcare landscapes join together to deliberate on exploring new avenues for partnership between the two countries.

Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman, Waterfalls, UAE stated that there’s a want to additional strengthen enterprise relations with India. Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman & MD, Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman & MD, VPS Healthcare Group; Girish Krishnamurty, CEO & Director- Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Tata MD; Dr Akbar Moideen, VP Thumbay Group; Dr Viren Shetty from Narayana Hrudayalaya; Sophiya Faizal, Director, KEF Holdings (Meitra Hospital), Dr Taher Shams, MD Zulekha India, made displays on alternatives in healthcare within the UAE and India. The convention additionally had three separate periods specializing in the UAE India Partnership in Healthcare Delivery, Pharma & Medical Devices and Ayush through which famend docs, entrepreneurs and regulatory authorities made their presentation and mentioned methods and means to additional enhance bilateral cooperation within the respective fields. .

Port Gyaan |

Industry leaders to participate in UAE-India Healthcare Conference

The importance of countries cooperating in the medical sector and how affordable, world class services could be made available to the common man would be among the topics in focus during the virtual ‘UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020’ on Monday. The webinar is being hosted by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai, in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Invest India.

Policy makers, medical industry leaders and top executives of allied sectors - private and public - from the two nations will exchange ideas on how best India and the UAE can collaborate to deliver accessible, affordable and world class healthcare to its people, according to an official statement on Sunday.

The pandemic has highlighted the need for deeper engagement between health systems as the world today is more inter-dependent and connected and people travel and work in multiple geographies.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor said the close cooperation between the two countries during the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged them to proceed with this event.

“I believe there are multiple learning avenues that exist between both countries to collaborate. Going forward, I can see India and the UAE working closely to shape a more efficient healthcare system,” said Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO of National Health Authority of India.

The UAE’s Ambassador to India Dr Ahmed Albanna will also address the conference. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the new dimension of ‘medical diplomacy’ has further bolstered the strategic partnership between the UAE and India, Albanna said.

“The defining principles, which brought the two countries closer than ever before were ‘collective leadership’ and ‘coordinated actions’. It is my firm belief that this multifaceted and time-tested partnership is poised to lead the world by example in the post-Covid era,” Dr Albanna said.

Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Humaid Al Qutami, will deliver the Keynote address at the conference, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two countries in several fields including the health sector.

“The DHA is keen to collaborate with global health institutions to foster knowledge-transfer and provide high-quality care to patients and that this unique webinar will provide an opportunity for the two countries to explore collaboration in key healthcare areas with an aim to further enhance healthcare delivery and efficiency,” he said.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group & President of FICCI, will also address the meet.

Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India to Dubai, said, “This Conference is aimed at catalysing partnerships between healthcare organisations of UAE and India, both in the public and private sectors.”

News Adda |

UAE to present incentives to Indian Healthcare companies with robust R&D amenities amid pandemic: Envoy

The UAE authorities will present incentives, together with monetary contributions, and can make efforts to create a full ecosystem to help Indian healthcare manufacturing firms having sturdy analysis and improvement services, India’s envoy within the nation stated. The UAE-India Healthcare Convention 2020, which was organised on Monday collectively by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate Common of India, Dubai, FICCI and Make investments India, helped discover methods to advertise collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, prescribed drugs, medical units and different medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew consideration towards shut collaboration between the 2 international locations throughout Covid instances and acknowledged that the UAE aspect had proven a powerful need for establishing manufacturing services for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian firms having sturdy R&D services. “The UAE authorities will present incentives, together with monetary contributions, and also will make efforts to create a full ecosystem to help such healthcare manufacturing firms from India,” he stated. Kapoor requested Indian firms to look into this provide, which can present a superb alternative for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in addition to African markets in all the pharma provide chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and financial union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – besides Iraq. Ambassador Kapoor additionally emphasised that there have been enormous alternatives for the UAE to put money into India the place seven mega parks- three within the pharmaceutical sector and 4 in medical units have not too long ago been introduced.

“Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires lots of infrastructure and the identical could be complemented by the UAE aspect. The introduction of AYUSH system of conventional Indian drugs will also be used to enhance the well being system within the UAE, he added. Humaid Al Qutami, Director-Common of Dubai Well being Authority stated, “The UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are a number of areas within the well being sector the place either side can discover collaboration and proceed this partnership with an goal to profit the individuals of each the international locations and supply high-quality and environment friendly affected person care.” Humaid Al Qutami additionally highlighted areas akin to innovation, analysis and improvement, medical training and coaching in addition to telehealth, the place there’s a sturdy potential for additional collaboration.

He added that this convention can be the proper discussion board to ascertain a channel to attain the frequent targets for the healthcare sectors of each international locations. “We look ahead to a fruitful collaboration between each the international locations, he added. Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, stated that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our international financial ecosystems.” Ambassador Albanna stated: COVID-19 will mark an period of a paradigm shift within the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage.

Within the wake of the pandemic, the brand new dimension of medical diplomacy has certainly additional bolstered the strategic partnership between the 2 nations. There’s a enormous untapped potential within the healthcare sectors between the 2 international locations, he added. Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, stated that at no different time on this planet has healthcare change into as centerstage as it’s at present. This is a vital assembly of individuals with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to seek out new options, she stated.

Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Well being Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Well being Coverage and Licensing, Ministry of Well being and Prevention, Abu Dhabi careworn on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between each the nations. We’ve nice cooperation with India, and we look ahead to supporting any Indian pharma or medical business to speculate with us, Dr Amiri stated. Dr Amiri additionally supplied a number of info about Indian healthcare employees and UAE in addition to pharma and medical tourism, going ahead.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Extra CEO of Nationwide Well being Authority, highlighted the transformation presently underway in India because the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered. This program will ultimately profit greater than 500 million individuals and create enormous alternatives for funding by the UAE and different worldwide buyers within the healthcare sector., he stated. Dr Aman Puri, Consul Common of India, stated, This convention turns into all of the extra related as key stakeholders from UAE and India healthcare landscapes be part of collectively to deliberate on exploring new avenues for partnership between the 2 international locations.

Abdul Salam Al Madani, Government Chairman, Waterfalls, UAE stated that there’s a have to additional strengthen enterprise relations with India. Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman & MD, Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman & MD, VPS Healthcare Group; Girish Krishnamurty, CEO & Director- Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Tata MD; Dr Akbar Moideen, VP Thumbay Group; Dr Viren Shetty from Narayana Hrudayalaya; Sophiya Faizal, Director, KEF Holdings (Meitra Hospital), Dr Taher Shams, MD Zulekha India, made displays on alternatives in healthcare within the UAE and India. The convention additionally had three separate classes specializing in the UAE India Partnership in Healthcare Supply, Pharma & Medical Gadgets and Ayush during which famend docs, entrepreneurs and regulatory authorities made their presentation and mentioned methods and means to additional increase bilateral cooperation within the respective fields.

Xpress News |

UAE to present incentives to Indian Healthcare companies with sturdy R&D services amid pandemic: Envoy

The UAE authorities will present incentives, together with monetary contributions, and can make efforts to create a full ecosystem to help Indian healthcare manufacturing firms having sturdy analysis and growth services, India’s envoy within the nation mentioned. The UAE-India Healthcare Convention 2020, which was organised on Monday collectively by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate Common of India, Dubai, FICCI and Make investments India, helped discover methods to advertise collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, prescription drugs, medical units and various medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew consideration towards shut collaboration between the 2 international locations throughout Covid instances and said that the UAE aspect had proven a robust want for organising manufacturing services for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian firms having sturdy R&D services. “The UAE authorities will present incentives, together with monetary contributions, and also will make efforts to create a full ecosystem to help such healthcare manufacturing firms from India,” he mentioned. Kapoor requested Indian firms to look into this supply, which is able to present a superb alternative for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in addition to African markets in the complete pharma provide chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and financial union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – besides Iraq. Ambassador Kapoor additionally emphasised that there have been enormous alternatives for the UAE to spend money on India the place seven mega parks- three within the pharmaceutical sector and 4 in medical units have lately been introduced.

“Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires numerous infrastructure and the identical might be complemented by the UAE aspect. The introduction of AYUSH system of conventional Indian drugs can be used to enrich the well being system within the UAE, he added. Humaid Al Qutami, Director-Common of Dubai Well being Authority mentioned, “The UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are a number of areas within the well being sector the place each side can discover collaboration and proceed this partnership with an intention to profit the individuals of each the international locations and supply high-quality and environment friendly affected person care.” Humaid Al Qutami additionally highlighted areas akin to innovation, analysis and growth, medical training and coaching in addition to telehealth, the place there’s a sturdy potential for additional collaboration.

He added that this convention can be the fitting discussion board to determine a channel to attain the frequent objectives for the healthcare sectors of each international locations. “We sit up for a fruitful collaboration between each the international locations, he added. Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, mentioned that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our international financial ecosystems.” Ambassador Albanna mentioned: COVID-19 will mark an period of a paradigm shift within the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage.

Within the wake of the pandemic, the brand new dimension of medical diplomacy has certainly additional bolstered the strategic partnership between the 2 nations. There’s a enormous untapped potential within the healthcare sectors between the 2 international locations, he added. Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, mentioned that at no different time on this planet has healthcare develop into as centerstage as it’s at this time. This is a crucial assembly of individuals with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to seek out new options, she mentioned.

Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Well being Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Well being Coverage and Licensing, Ministry of Well being and Prevention, Abu Dhabi pressured on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between each the nations. We now have nice cooperation with India, and we sit up for supporting any Indian pharma or medical business to speculate with us, Dr Amiri mentioned. Dr Amiri additionally supplied a number of details about Indian healthcare employees and UAE in addition to pharma and medical tourism, going ahead.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Further CEO of Nationwide Well being Authority, highlighted the transformation presently underway in India because the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered. This program will finally profit greater than 500 million individuals and create enormous alternatives for funding by the UAE and different worldwide traders within the healthcare sector., he mentioned. Dr Aman Puri, Consul Common of India, mentioned, This convention turns into all of the extra related as key stakeholders from UAE and India healthcare landscapes be a part of collectively to deliberate on exploring new avenues for partnership between the 2 international locations.

Abdul Salam Al Madani, Govt Chairman, Waterfalls, UAE mentioned that there’s a have to additional strengthen enterprise relations with India. Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman & MD, Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman & MD, VPS Healthcare Group; Girish Krishnamurty, CEO & Director- Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Tata MD; Dr Akbar Moideen, VP Thumbay Group; Dr Viren Shetty from Narayana Hrudayalaya; Sophiya Faizal, Director, KEF Holdings (Meitra Hospital), Dr Taher Shams, MD Zulekha India, made shows on alternatives in healthcare within the UAE and India. The convention additionally had three separate periods specializing in the UAE India Partnership in Healthcare Supply, Pharma & Medical Gadgets and Ayush through which famend docs, entrepreneurs and regulatory authorities made their presentation and mentioned methods and means to additional increase bilateral cooperation within the respective fields. .

Yahoo News |

UAE to provide incentives to Indian healthcare firms with strong R&D facilities: Envoy

The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support Indian healthcare manufacturing companies having strong research and development facilities, India's envoy in the country said.

The UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020, which was organised on Monday jointly by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate General of India, Dubai, FICCI and Invest India, helped explore ways to promote collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and alternative medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew attention toward close collaboration between the two countries during Covid times and stated that the UAE side had shown a strong desire for setting up manufacturing facilities for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian companies having strong R&D facilities.

“The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will also make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support such healthcare manufacturing companies from India,” he said. Kapoor asked Indian companies to look into this offer, which will provide an excellent opportunity for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as African markets in the entire pharma supply chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - except Iraq.

Ambassador Kapoor also emphasised that there were huge opportunities for the UAE to invest in India where seven mega parks- three in the pharmaceutical sector and four in medical devices have recently been announced.

'Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires a lot of infrastructure and the same can be complemented by the UAE side. The introduction of AYUSH system of traditional Indian medicine can also be used to complement the health system in the UAE,” he added.

Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority said, “The UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are several areas in the health sector where both sides can explore collaboration and continue this partnership with an aim to benefit the people of both the countries and provide high-quality and efficient patient care”.

Humaid Al Qutami also highlighted areas such as innovation, research and development, medical education and training as well as telehealth, where there is a strong potential for further collaboration.

He added that this conference would be the right forum to establish a channel to achieve the common goals for the healthcare sectors of both countries. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration between both the countries, he added.

Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, said that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our global economic ecosystems.

Ambassador Albanna said: “COVID-19 will mark an era of a paradigm shift in the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage.

In the wake of the pandemic, the new dimension of medical diplomacy has indeed further bolstered the strategic partnership between the two nations. There is a huge untapped potential in the healthcare sectors between the two countries, he added.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said that at no other time in the world has healthcare become as centerstage as it is today.

“This is an important meeting of people with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to find new solutions, she said.

Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy and Licensing, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi stressed on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between both the nations.

“We have great cooperation with India, and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us,” Dr Amiri said. Dr Amiri also provided several facts about Indian healthcare workers and UAE as well as pharma and medical tourism, going forward.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO of National Health Authority, highlighted the transformation currently underway in India as the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered.

Money Control |

UAE to provide incentives to Indian healthcare firms with strong R&D facilities: Envoy

The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support Indian healthcare manufacturing companies having strong research and development facilities, India's envoy in the country said.

The UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020, which was organised on Monday jointly by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate General of India, Dubai, FICCI and Invest India, helped explore ways to promote collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and alternative medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew attention toward close collaboration between the two countries during Covid times and stated that the UAE side had shown a strong desire for setting up manufacturing facilities for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian companies having strong R&D facilities.

The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will also make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support such healthcare manufacturing companies from India, he said.

Kapoor asked Indian companies to look into this offer, which will provide an excellent opportunity for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as African markets in the entire pharma supply chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - except Iraq.

Ambassador Kapoor also emphasised that there were huge opportunities for the UAE to invest in India where seven mega parks- three in the pharmaceutical sector and four in medical devices have recently been announced.

"Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires a lot of infrastructure and the same can be complemented by the UAE side. The introduction of AYUSH system of traditional Indian medicine can also be used to complement the health system in the UAE, he added.

Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority said, the UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are several areas in the health sector where both sides can explore collaboration and continue this partnership with an aim to benefit the people of both the countries and provide high-quality and efficient patient care.
Humaid Al Qutami also highlighted areas such as innovation, research and development, medical education and training as well as telehealth, where there is a strong potential for further collaboration.

He added that this conference would be the right forum to establish a channel to achieve the common goals for the healthcare sectors of both countries. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration between both the countries, he added.

Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, said that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our global economic ecosystems.

Ambassador Albanna said: COVID-19 will mark an era of a paradigm shift in the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage. In the wake of the pandemic, the new dimension of medical diplomacy has indeed further bolstered the strategic partnership between the two nations.

There is a huge untapped potential in the healthcare sectors between the two countries, he added.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said that at no other time in the world has healthcare become as centerstage as it is today.

This is an important meeting of people with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to find new solutions, she said.

Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy and Licensing, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi stressed on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between both the nations.

We have great cooperation with India, and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us, Dr Amiri said. Dr Amiri also provided several facts about Indian healthcare workers and UAE as well as pharma and medical tourism, going forward.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO of National Health Authority, highlighted the transformation currently underway in India as the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered.

This program will eventually benefit more than 500 million people and create huge opportunities for investment by the UAE and other international investors in the healthcare sector, he said.

Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, said, This conference becomes all the more relevant as key stakeholders from UAE and India healthcare landscapes join together to deliberate on exploring new avenues for partnership between the two countries.

Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman, Waterfalls, UAE said that there is a need to further strengthen business relations with India.

Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman & MD, Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman & MD, VPS Healthcare Group; Girish Krishnamurty, CEO & Director- Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Tata MD; Dr Akbar Moideen, VP Thumbay Group; Dr Viren Shetty from Narayana Hrudayalaya; Sophiya Faizal, Director, KEF Holdings (Meitra Hospital), Dr Taher Shams, MD Zulekha India, made presentations on opportunities in healthcare in the UAE and India.

The conference also had three separate sessions focusing on the UAE India Partnership in Healthcare Delivery, Pharma & Medical Devices and Ayush in which renowned doctors, entrepreneurs and regulatory authorities made their presentation and discussed ways and means to further boost bilateral cooperation in the respective fields.

India vs Disinformation |

India, UAE can be significant partners in pharma and healthcare sector: Indian envoy

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) can be significant partners during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, both countries acknowledged during the ‘UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020’ which opened on Monday.

Top industry professionals, policy makers and officials participated in the event organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Invest India. The virtual conference was hosted by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and Consulate General of India in Dubai along with FICCI and Invest India.

The event saw the participation of Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor, UAE Ambassador to India Ahmed Al Banna and Consul General of India to Dubai Dr Aman Puri among others.

Speaking at the event, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Pavan Kapoor said, “India can be a significant partner in terms of the supply of pharmaceutical products and other surgical consumables to the UAE.”

The Indian pharmaceutical and healthcare industry is one of the largest, most advanced and well-recognized industries in the world, he added further.

Calling for more investments from the UAE, Pavan Kapoor said, “There is a huge opportunity for UAE to invest in India where 7 mega parks - 3 in the pharmaceutical sector and 4 in Medical Device have recently been announced.”

At the conference, both sides tried to shed light on the healthcare issues troubling the world and how solutions can be reached for the same. The sides discussed the importance of the cooperation of the countries in the medical sector to develop affordable and world-class services for common people.

UAE's Ambassador to India Ahmed Al Banna said, “The world requires a new kind of approach to tackle such unprecedented health and economic crisis, one that fosters cooperation & not isolation among all the stakeholders.”

COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our global economic ecosystems, he said further.

Underlining India’s role in fighting the pandemic globally, Kapoor said, “It is expected that the bulk of the manufacturing capacity of India's vaccine manufacturers will play a crucial role in ensuring the widespread availability of the COVID-19 vaccine.”

Not just the UAE, but the world has been witnessing the vital role played by the Indian pharmaceutical sector in meeting the unprecedented demand for medicine from across the globe, he said further.

Both sides also cheered the bilateral partnerships in the healthcare sector. Addressing his fellow speakers, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy & Licensing of the UAE, Dr Amin Al Ameeri said, “We have great cooperation with India & we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us.”

Indian Consul General to Dubai, Dr Aman Puri highlighted the importance of such conferences in exploring new avenues for partnerships between two countries.

In recent years, India and the UAE have seen a surge in the medical exchanges and investments in the healthcare sector. The relationship saw an enhancement during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic where both nations helped each other with open arms. One example of the same was seen in May this year when India sent a batch of 88 nurses to the UAE to help the latter fight against the pandemic as COVID-19 cases saw a surge.

The Economic Times |

UAE to provide incentives to Indian healthcare firms with strong R&D facilities: Envoy

The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support Indian healthcare manufacturing companies having strong research and development facilities, India's envoy in the country said. The UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020, which was organised on Monday jointly by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate General of India, Dubai, FICCI and Invest India, helped explore ways to promote collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and alternative medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew attention toward close collaboration between the two countries during Covid times and stated that the UAE side had shown a strong desire for setting up manufacturing facilities for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian companies having strong R&D facilities.

"The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will also make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support such healthcare manufacturing companies from India," he said.

Kapoor asked Indian companies to look into this offer, which will provide an excellent opportunity for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as African markets in the entire pharma supply chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - except Iraq.

Ambassador Kapoor also emphasised that there were huge opportunities for the UAE to invest in India where seven mega parks- three in the pharmaceutical sector and four in medical devices have recently been announced.

"Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires a lot of infrastructure and the same can be complemented by the UAE side. The introduction of AYUSH system of traditional Indian medicine can also be used to complement the health system in the UAE," he added.

Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority said, "The UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are several areas in the health sector where both sides can explore collaboration and continue this partnership with an aim to benefit the people of both the countries and provide high-quality and efficient patient care".

Humaid Al Qutami also highlighted areas such as innovation, research and development, medical education and training as well as telehealth, where there is a strong potential for further collaboration.

He added that this conference would be the right forum to establish a channel to achieve the common goals for the healthcare sectors of both countries. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration between both the countries, he added.

Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, said that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our global economic ecosystems.

Ambassador Albanna said: "COVID-19 will mark an era of a paradigm shift in the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage.

In the wake of the pandemic, the new dimension of medical diplomacy has indeed further bolstered the strategic partnership between the two nations. There is a huge untapped potential in the healthcare sectors between the two countries, he added.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said that at no other time in the world has healthcare become as centerstage as it is today.

"This is an important meeting of people with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to find new solutions, she said.

Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy and Licensing, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi stressed on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between both the nations.

"We have great cooperation with India, and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us," Dr Amiri said. Dr Amiri also provided several facts about Indian healthcare workers and UAE as well as pharma and medical tourism, going forward.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO of National Health Authority, highlighted the transformation currently underway in India as the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered.

This program will eventually benefit more than 500 million people and create huge opportunities for investment by the UAE and other international investors in the healthcare sector., he said.

Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, said, "This conference becomes all the more relevant as key stakeholders from UAE and India healthcare landscapes join together to deliberate on exploring new avenues for partnership between the two countries."

Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman, Waterfalls, UAE said that there is a need to further strengthen business relations with India.

Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman & MD, Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman & MD, VPS Healthcare Group; Girish Krishnamurty, CEO & Director- Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Tata MD; Dr Akbar Moideen, VP Thumbay Group; Dr Viren Shetty from Narayana Hrudayalaya; Sophiya Faizal, Director, KEF Holdings (Meitra Hospital), Dr Taher Shams, MD Zulekha India, made presentations on opportunities in healthcare in the UAE and India.

The conference also had three separate sessions focusing on the UAE India Partnership in Healthcare Delivery, Pharma & Medical Devices and Ayush in which renowned doctors, entrepreneurs and regulatory authorities made their presentation and discussed ways and means to further boost bilateral cooperation in the respective fields.

Outlook |

UAE to provide incentives to Indian healthcare firms with strong R&D facilities: Envoy

The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support Indian healthcare manufacturing companies having strong research and development facilities, India's envoy in the country said.

The UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020, which was organised on Monday jointly by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate General of India, Dubai, FICCI and Invest India, helped explore ways to promote collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and alternative medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew attention toward close collaboration between the two countries during Covid times and stated that the UAE side had shown a strong desire for setting up manufacturing facilities for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian companies having strong R&D facilities.

“The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will also make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support such healthcare manufacturing companies from India,” he said.

Kapoor asked Indian companies to look into this offer, which will provide an excellent opportunity for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as African markets in the entire pharma supply chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - except Iraq.

Ambassador Kapoor also emphasised that there were huge opportunities for the UAE to invest in India where seven mega parks- three in the pharmaceutical sector and four in medical devices have recently been announced.

"Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires a lot of infrastructure and the same can be complemented by the UAE side. The introduction of AYUSH system of traditional Indian medicine can also be used to complement the health system in the UAE,” he added.

Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority said, “The UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are several areas in the health sector where both sides can explore collaboration and continue this partnership with an aim to benefit the people of both the countries and provide high-quality and efficient patient care”.

Humaid Al Qutami also highlighted areas such as innovation, research and development, medical education and training as well as telehealth, where there is a strong potential for further collaboration.

He added that this conference would be the right forum to establish a channel to achieve the common goals for the healthcare sectors of both countries. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration between both the countries, he added.

Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, said that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our global economic ecosystems.

Ambassador Albanna said: “COVID-19 will mark an era of a paradigm shift in the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage.

In the wake of the pandemic, the new dimension of medical diplomacy has indeed further bolstered the strategic partnership between the two nations. There is a huge untapped potential in the healthcare sectors between the two countries, he added.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said that at no other time in the world has healthcare become as centerstage as it is today.

“This is an important meeting of people with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to find new solutions, she said.

Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy and Licensing, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi stressed on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between both the nations.

“We have great cooperation with India, and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us,” Dr Amiri said. Dr Amiri also provided several facts about Indian healthcare workers and UAE as well as pharma and medical tourism, going forward.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO of National Health Authority, highlighted the transformation currently underway in India as the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered.

This program will eventually benefit more than 500 million people and create huge opportunities for investment by the UAE and other international investors in the healthcare sector., he said.

Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, said, “This conference becomes all the more relevant as key stakeholders from UAE and India healthcare landscapes join together to deliberate on exploring new avenues for partnership between the two countries.”

Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman, Waterfalls, UAE said that there is a need to further strengthen business relations with India.

Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman & MD, Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman & MD, VPS Healthcare Group; Girish Krishnamurty, CEO & Director- Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Tata MD; Dr Akbar Moideen, VP Thumbay Group; Dr Viren Shetty from Narayana Hrudayalaya; Sophiya Faizal, Director, KEF Holdings (Meitra Hospital), Dr Taher Shams, MD Zulekha India, made presentations on opportunities in healthcare in the UAE and India.

The conference also had three separate sessions focusing on the UAE India Partnership in Healthcare Delivery, Pharma & Medical Devices and Ayush in which renowned doctors, entrepreneurs and regulatory authorities made their presentation and discussed ways and means to further boost bilateral cooperation in the respective fields.

News18 |

UAE to provide incentives to Indian Healthcare firms with strong R&D facilities amid pandemic: Envoy

The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support Indian healthcare manufacturing companies having strong research and development facilities, India's envoy in the country said. The UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020, which was organised on Monday jointly by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate General of India, Dubai, FICCI and Invest India, helped explore ways to promote collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and alternative medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew attention toward close collaboration between the two countries during Covid times and stated that the UAE side had shown a strong desire for setting up manufacturing facilities for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian companies having strong R&D facilities. "The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will also make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support such healthcare manufacturing companies from India," he said. Kapoor asked Indian companies to look into this offer, which will provide an excellent opportunity for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as African markets in the entire pharma supply chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - except Iraq. Ambassador Kapoor also emphasised that there were huge opportunities for the UAE to invest in India where seven mega parks- three in the pharmaceutical sector and four in medical devices have recently been announced.

"Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires a lot of infrastructure and the same can be complemented by the UAE side. The introduction of AYUSH system of traditional Indian medicine can also be used to complement the health system in the UAE, he added. Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority said, "The UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are several areas in the health sector where both sides can explore collaboration and continue this partnership with an aim to benefit the people of both the countries and provide high-quality and efficient patient care." Humaid Al Qutami also highlighted areas such as innovation, research and development, medical education and training as well as telehealth, where there is a strong potential for further collaboration.

He added that this conference would be the right forum to establish a channel to achieve the common goals for the healthcare sectors of both countries. "We look forward to a fruitful collaboration between both the countries, he added. Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, said that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our global economic ecosystems." Ambassador Albanna said: COVID-19 will mark an era of a paradigm shift in the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage.

In the wake of the pandemic, the new dimension of medical diplomacy has indeed further bolstered the strategic partnership between the two nations. There is a huge untapped potential in the healthcare sectors between the two countries, he added. Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said that at no other time in the world has healthcare become as centerstage as it is today. This is an important meeting of people with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to find new solutions, she said.

Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy and Licensing, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi stressed on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between both the nations. We have great cooperation with India, and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us, Dr Amiri said. Dr Amiri also provided several facts about Indian healthcare workers and UAE as well as pharma and medical tourism, going forward.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO of National Health Authority, highlighted the transformation currently underway in India as the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered. This program will eventually benefit more than 500 million people and create huge opportunities for investment by the UAE and other international investors in the healthcare sector., he said. Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, said, This conference becomes all the more relevant as key stakeholders from UAE and India healthcare landscapes join together to deliberate on exploring new avenues for partnership between the two countries.

Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman, Waterfalls, UAE said that there is a need to further strengthen business relations with India. Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman & MD, Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman & MD, VPS Healthcare Group; Girish Krishnamurty, CEO & Director- Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Tata MD; Dr Akbar Moideen, VP Thumbay Group; Dr Viren Shetty from Narayana Hrudayalaya; Sophiya Faizal, Director, KEF Holdings (Meitra Hospital), Dr Taher Shams, MD Zulekha India, made presentations on opportunities in healthcare in the UAE and India. The conference also had three separate sessions focusing on the UAE India Partnership in Healthcare Delivery, Pharma & Medical Devices and Ayush in which renowned doctors, entrepreneurs and regulatory authorities made their presentation and discussed ways and means to further boost bilateral cooperation in the respective fields.

The Economic Times |

UAE to provide incentives to Indian healthcare firms with strong R&D facilities: Envoy

The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support Indian healthcare manufacturing companies having strong research and development facilities, India's envoy in the country said. The UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020, which was organised on Monday jointly by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate General of India, Dubai, FICCI and Invest India, helped explore ways to promote collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and alternative medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew attention toward close collaboration between the two countries during Covid times and stated that the UAE side had shown a strong desire for setting up manufacturing facilities for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian companies having strong R&D facilities.

"The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will also make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support such healthcare manufacturing companies from India," he said.

Kapoor asked Indian companies to look into this offer, which will provide an excellent opportunity for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as African markets in the entire pharma supply chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - except Iraq.

Ambassador Kapoor also emphasised that there were huge opportunities for the UAE to invest in India where seven mega parks- three in the pharmaceutical sector and four in medical devices have recently been announced.

"Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires a lot of infrastructure and the same can be complemented by the UAE side. The introduction of AYUSH system of traditional Indian medicine can also be used to complement the health system in the UAE," he added.

Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority said, "The UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are several areas in the health sector where both sides can explore collaboration and continue this partnership with an aim to benefit the people of both the countries and provide high-quality and efficient patient care".

Humaid Al Qutami also highlighted areas such as innovation, research and development, medical education and training as well as telehealth, where there is a strong potential for further collaboration.

He added that this conference would be the right forum to establish a channel to achieve the common goals for the healthcare sectors of both countries. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration between both the countries, he added.

Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, said that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our global economic ecosystems.

Ambassador Albanna said: "COVID-19 will mark an era of a paradigm shift in the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage.

In the wake of the pandemic, the new dimension of medical diplomacy has indeed further bolstered the strategic partnership between the two nations. There is a huge untapped potential in the healthcare sectors between the two countries, he added.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said that at no other time in the world has healthcare become as centerstage as it is today.

"This is an important meeting of people with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to find new solutions, she said.

Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy and Licensing, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi stressed on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between both the nations.

"We have great cooperation with India, and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us," Dr Amiri said. Dr Amiri also provided several facts about Indian healthcare workers and UAE as well as pharma and medical tourism, going forward.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO of National Health Authority, highlighted the transformation currently underway in India as the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered.

This program will eventually benefit more than 500 million people and create huge opportunities for investment by the UAE and other international investors in the healthcare sector., he said.

Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, said, "This conference becomes all the more relevant as key stakeholders from UAE and India healthcare landscapes join together to deliberate on exploring new avenues for partnership between the two countries."

Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman, Waterfalls, UAE said that there is a need to further strengthen business relations with India.

Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman & MD, Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman & MD, VPS Healthcare Group; Girish Krishnamurty, CEO & Director- Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Tata MD; Dr Akbar Moideen, VP Thumbay Group; Dr Viren Shetty from Narayana Hrudayalaya; Sophiya Faizal, Director, KEF Holdings (Meitra Hospital), Dr Taher Shams, MD Zulekha India, made presentations on opportunities in healthcare in the UAE and India.

The conference also had three separate sessions focusing on the UAE India Partnership in Healthcare Delivery, Pharma & Medical Devices and Ayush in which renowned doctors, entrepreneurs and regulatory authorities made their presentation and discussed ways and means to further boost bilateral cooperation in the respective fields.

Outlook |

UAE to provide incentives to Indian healthcare firms with strong R&D facilities: Envoy

The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support Indian healthcare manufacturing companies having strong research and development facilities, India''s envoy in the country said.

The UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020, which was organised on Monday jointly by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate General of India, Dubai, FICCI and Invest India, helped explore ways to promote collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and alternative medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew attention toward close collaboration between the two countries during Covid times and stated that the UAE side had shown a strong desire for setting up manufacturing facilities for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian companies having strong R&D facilities.

“The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will also make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support such healthcare manufacturing companies from India,” he said.

Kapoor asked Indian companies to look into this offer, which will provide an excellent opportunity for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as African markets in the entire pharma supply chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - except Iraq.

Ambassador Kapoor also emphasised that there were huge opportunities for the UAE to invest in India where seven mega parks- three in the pharmaceutical sector and four in medical devices have recently been announced.

"Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires a lot of infrastructure and the same can be complemented by the UAE side. The introduction of AYUSH system of traditional Indian medicine can also be used to complement the health system in the UAE,” he added.

Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority said, “The UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are several areas in the health sector where both sides can explore collaboration and continue this partnership with an aim to benefit the people of both the countries and provide high-quality and efficient patient care”.

Humaid Al Qutami also highlighted areas such as innovation, research and development, medical education and training as well as telehealth, where there is a strong potential for further collaboration.

He added that this conference would be the right forum to establish a channel to achieve the common goals for the healthcare sectors of both countries. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration between both the countries, he added.

Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, said that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our global economic ecosystems.

Ambassador Albanna said: “COVID-19 will mark an era of a paradigm shift in the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage.

In the wake of the pandemic, the new dimension of medical diplomacy has indeed further bolstered the strategic partnership between the two nations. There is a huge untapped potential in the healthcare sectors between the two countries, he added.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said that at no other time in the world has healthcare become as centerstage as it is today.

“This is an important meeting of people with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to find new solutions, she said.

Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy and Licensing, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi stressed on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between both the nations.

“We have great cooperation with India, and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us,” Dr Amiri said. Dr Amiri also provided several facts about Indian healthcare workers and UAE as well as pharma and medical tourism, going forward.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO of National Health Authority, highlighted the transformation currently underway in India as the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered.

This program will eventually benefit more than 500 million people and create huge opportunities for investment by the UAE and other international investors in the healthcare sector., he said.

Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, said, “This conference becomes all the more relevant as key stakeholders from UAE and India healthcare landscapes join together to deliberate on exploring new avenues for partnership between the two countries.”

Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman, Waterfalls, UAE said that there is a need to further strengthen business relations with India.

Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman & MD, Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman & MD, VPS Healthcare Group; Girish Krishnamurty, CEO & Director- Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Tata MD; Dr Akbar Moideen, VP Thumbay Group; Dr Viren Shetty from Narayana Hrudayalaya; Sophiya Faizal, Director, KEF Holdings (Meitra Hospital), Dr Taher Shams, MD Zulekha India, made presentations on opportunities in healthcare in the UAE and India.

The conference also had three separate sessions focusing on the UAE India Partnership in Healthcare Delivery, Pharma & Medical Devices and Ayush in which renowned doctors, entrepreneurs and regulatory authorities made their presentation and discussed ways and means to further boost bilateral cooperation in the respective fields.

News18 |

UAE to Provide Incentives to Indian Healthcare Firms with Strong R&D Facilities amid Pandemic: Envoy

The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support Indian healthcare manufacturing companies having strong research and development facilities, India's envoy in the country said. The UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020, which was organised on Monday jointly by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate General of India, Dubai, FICCI and Invest India, helped explore ways to promote collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and alternative medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew attention toward close collaboration between the two countries during Covid times and stated that the UAE side had shown a strong desire for setting up manufacturing facilities for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian companies having strong R&D facilities. "The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will also make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support such healthcare manufacturing companies from India," he said. Kapoor asked Indian companies to look into this offer, which will provide an excellent opportunity for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as African markets in the entire pharma supply chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - except Iraq. Ambassador Kapoor also emphasised that there were huge opportunities for the UAE to invest in India where seven mega parks- three in the pharmaceutical sector and four in medical devices have recently been announced.

"Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires a lot of infrastructure and the same can be complemented by the UAE side. The introduction of AYUSH system of traditional Indian medicine can also be used to complement the health system in the UAE, he added. Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority said, "The UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are several areas in the health sector where both sides can explore collaboration and continue this partnership with an aim to benefit the people of both the countries and provide high-quality and efficient patient care." Humaid Al Qutami also highlighted areas such as innovation, research and development, medical education and training as well as telehealth, where there is a strong potential for further collaboration.

He added that this conference would be the right forum to establish a channel to achieve the common goals for the healthcare sectors of both countries. "We look forward to a fruitful collaboration between both the countries, he added. Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, said that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our global economic ecosystems." Ambassador Albanna said: COVID-19 will mark an era of a paradigm shift in the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage.

In the wake of the pandemic, the new dimension of medical diplomacy has indeed further bolstered the strategic partnership between the two nations. There is a huge untapped potential in the healthcare sectors between the two countries, he added. Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said that at no other time in the world has healthcare become as centerstage as it is today. This is an important meeting of people with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to find new solutions, she said.

Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy and Licensing, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi stressed on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between both the nations. We have great cooperation with India, and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us, Dr Amiri said. Dr Amiri also provided several facts about Indian healthcare workers and UAE as well as pharma and medical tourism, going forward.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO of National Health Authority, highlighted the transformation currently underway in India as the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered. This program will eventually benefit more than 500 million people and create huge opportunities for investment by the UAE and other international investors in the healthcare sector., he said. Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, said, This conference becomes all the more relevant as key stakeholders from UAE and India healthcare landscapes join together to deliberate on exploring new avenues for partnership between the two countries.

Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman, Waterfalls, UAE said that there is a need to further strengthen business relations with India. Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman & MD, Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman & MD, VPS Healthcare Group; Girish Krishnamurty, CEO & Director- Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Tata MD; Dr Akbar Moideen, VP Thumbay Group; Dr Viren Shetty from Narayana Hrudayalaya; Sophiya Faizal, Director, KEF Holdings (Meitra Hospital), Dr Taher Shams, MD Zulekha India, made presentations on opportunities in healthcare in the UAE and India. The conference also had three separate sessions focusing on the UAE India Partnership in Healthcare Delivery, Pharma & Medical Devices and Ayush in which renowned doctors, entrepreneurs and regulatory authorities made their presentation and discussed ways and means to further boost bilateral cooperation in the respective fields. .

The Tribune |

UAE to provide incentives to Indian healthcare firms with strong R&D facilities: Envoy

The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support Indian healthcare manufacturing companies having strong research and development facilities, India’s envoy in the country said.
The UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020, which was organised on Monday jointly by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and Consulate General of India, Dubai, FICCI and Invest India, helped explore ways to promote collaboration and partnerships in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and alternative medicines.

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, drew attention toward close collaboration between the two countries during Covid times and stated that the UAE side had shown a strong desire for setting up manufacturing facilities for vaccines and generic medicines by Indian companies having strong R&D facilities.

“The UAE government will provide incentives, including financial contributions, and will also make efforts to create a full ecosystem to support such healthcare manufacturing companies from India,” he said.

Kapoor asked Indian companies to look into this offer, which will provide an excellent opportunity for them to enter into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as African markets in the entire pharma supply chain ecosystem.

The GCC is a regional intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - except Iraq.

Ambassador Kapoor also emphasised that there were huge opportunities for the UAE to invest in India where seven mega parks- three in the pharmaceutical sector and four in medical devices have recently been announced.

“Ayushman Bharat Yojana requires a lot of infrastructure and the same can be complemented by the UAE side. The introduction of AYUSH system of traditional Indian medicine can also be used to complement the health system in the UAE,” he added.

Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority said, “The UAE and India share a deep-rooted, historic partnership and there are several areas in the health sector where both sides can explore collaboration and continue this partnership with an aim to benefit the people of both the countries and provide high-quality and efficient patient care”.

Humaid Al Qutami also highlighted areas such as innovation, research and development, medical education and training as well as telehealth, where there is a strong potential for further collaboration.

He added that this conference would be the right forum to establish a channel to achieve the common goals for the healthcare sectors of both countries. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration between both the countries, he added.
Ahmed Albanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, said that COVID-19 has altered the dynamics of our global economic ecosystems.

Ambassador Albanna said: “COVID-19 will mark an era of a paradigm shift in the realm of diplomacy with healthcare medical diplomacy taking the centre stage.

In the wake of the pandemic, the new dimension of medical diplomacy has indeed further bolstered the strategic partnership between the two nations. There is a huge untapped potential in the healthcare sectors between the two countries, he added.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said that at no other time in the world has healthcare become as centerstage as it is today.

“This is an important meeting of people with shared ideologies to innovate, collaborate and to find new solutions, she said.
Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority, and Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policy and Licensing, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi stressed on the historic and strategic relationship that exists between both the nations.

“We have great cooperation with India, and we look forward to supporting any Indian pharma or medical industry to invest with us,” Dr Amiri said. Dr Amiri also provided several facts about Indian healthcare workers and UAE as well as pharma and medical tourism, going forward.

Dr Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO of National Health Authority, highlighted the transformation currently underway in India as the Ayushman Bharat Programme is being delivered.

This program will eventually benefit more than 500 million people and create huge opportunities for investment by the UAE and other international investors in the healthcare sector., he said.

Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, said, “This conference becomes all the more relevant as key stakeholders from UAE and India healthcare landscapes join together to deliberate on exploring new avenues for partnership between the two countries.”
Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman, Waterfalls, UAE said that there is a need to further strengthen business relations with India.

Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman & MD, Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman & MD, VPS Healthcare Group; Girish Krishnamurty, CEO & Director- Tata Medical and Diagnostics, Tata MD; Dr Akbar Moideen, VP Thumbay Group; Dr Viren Shetty from Narayana Hrudayalaya; Sophiya Faizal, Director, KEF Holdings (Meitra Hospital), Dr Taher Shams, MD Zulekha India, made presentations on opportunities in healthcare in the UAE and India.

The conference also had three separate sessions focusing on the UAE India Partnership in Healthcare Delivery, Pharma & Medical Devices and Ayush in which renowned doctors, entrepreneurs and regulatory authorities made their presentation and discussed ways and means to further boost bilateral cooperation in the respective fields.

The Arunachal Times |

Industry leaders to participate in UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020

The importance of countries cooperating in the medical sector and how affordable, worldclass services could be made available to the common man would be among the topics in focus during the virtual UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020′ on Monday.

The webinar is being hosted by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai, in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Invest India.

Policy makers, medical industry leaders and top executives of allied sectors — private and public — from the two nations will exchange ideas on how best India and the UAE can collaborate to deliver accessible, affordable and worldclass healthcare to its people, according to an official statement on Sunday.

The pandemic has highlighted the need for deeper engagement between health systems as the world today is more inter-dependent and connected and people travel and work in multiple geographies.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor said the close cooperation between the two countries during the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged them to proceed with this event.

“I believe there are multiple learning avenues that exist between both countries to collaborate. Going forward, I can see India and the UAE working closely to shape a more efficient healthcare system,” said Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO of National Health Authority of India.

The UAE’s Ambassador to India Dr Ahmed Albanna will also address the conference. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the new dimension of ‘medical diplomacy’ has further bolstered the strategic partnership between the UAE and India, Albanna said.

The defining principles, which brought the two countries closer than ever before were collective leadership’ and coordinated actions’. It is my firm belief that this multifaceted and time-tested partnership is poised to lead the world by example in the postCovid era, Dr Albanna said.

Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Humaid Al Qutami, will deliver the Keynote address at the conference, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two countries in several fields including the health sector.

The DHA is keen to collaborate with global health institutions to foster knowledge-transfer and provide high-quality care to patients and that this unique webinar will provide an opportunity for the two countries to explore collaboration in key healthcare areas with an aim to further enhance healthcare delivery and efficiency, he said.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group & President of FICCI, will also address the meet.

Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India to Dubai, said, This Conference is aimed at catalysing partnerships between healthcare organisations of UAE and India, both in the public and private sectors.

Yahoo News |

Industry leaders to participate in UAE-India Healthcare Conference

The importance of countries cooperating in the medical sector and how affordable, worldclass services could be made available to the common man would be among the topics in focus during the virtual ‘UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020’ on Monday.

The webinar is being hosted by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai, in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Invest India.

Policy makers, medical industry leaders and top executives of allied sectors -- private and public -- from the two nations will exchange ideas on how best India and the UAE can collaborate to deliver accessible, affordable and worldclass healthcare to its people, according to an official statement on Sunday.

The pandemic has highlighted the need for deeper engagement between health systems as the world today is more inter-dependent and connected and people travel and work in multiple geographies.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor said the close cooperation between the two countries during the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged them to proceed with this event.

'I believe there are multiple learning avenues that exist between both countries to collaborate. Going forward, I can see India and the UAE working closely to shape a more efficient healthcare system,' said Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO of National Health Authority of India.

The UAE's Ambassador to India Dr Ahmed Albanna will also address the conference. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the new dimension of 'medical diplomacy' has further bolstered the strategic partnership between the UAE and India, Albanna said.

“The defining principles, which brought the two countries closer than ever before were ‘collective leadership’ and ‘coordinated actions’. It is my firm belief that this multifaceted and time-tested partnership is poised to lead the world by example in the post–Covid era,” Dr Albanna said.

Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Humaid Al Qutami, will deliver the Keynote address at the conference, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two countries in several fields including the health sector.

“The DHA is keen to collaborate with global health institutions to foster knowledge-transfer and provide high-quality care to patients and that this unique webinar will provide an opportunity for the two countries to explore collaboration in key healthcare areas with an aim to further enhance healthcare delivery and efficiency,” he said.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group & President of FICCI, will also address the meet.

Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India to Dubai, said, “This Conference is aimed at catalysing partnerships between healthcare organisations of UAE and India, both in the public and private sectors.'

Devdiscourse |

Industry leaders to participate in UAE-India Healthcare Conference

The importance of countries cooperating in the medical sector and how affordable, worldclass services could be made available to the common man would be among the topics in focus during the virtual ‘UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020’ on Monday. The webinar is being hosted by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai, in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Invest India.

Policy makers, medical industry leaders and top executives of allied sectors -- private and public -- from the two nations will exchange ideas on how best India and the UAE can collaborate to deliver accessible, affordable and worldclass healthcare to its people, according to an official statement on Sunday. The pandemic has highlighted the need for deeper engagement between health systems as the world today is more inter-dependent and connected and people travel and work in multiple geographies.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor said the close cooperation between the two countries during the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged them to proceed with this event. "I believe there are multiple learning avenues that exist between both countries to collaborate. Going forward, I can see India and the UAE working closely to shape a more efficient healthcare system," said Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO of National Health Authority of India.

The UAE's Ambassador to India Dr Ahmed Albanna will also address the conference. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the new dimension of 'medical diplomacy' has further bolstered the strategic partnership between the UAE and India, Albanna said. “The defining principles, which brought the two countries closer than ever before were ‘collective leadership’ and ‘coordinated actions’. It is my firm belief that this multifaceted and time-tested partnership is poised to lead the world by example in the post–Covid era,” Dr Albanna said.

Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Humaid Al Qutami, will deliver the Keynote address at the conference, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two countries in several fields including the health sector. “The DHA is keen to collaborate with global health institutions to foster knowledge-transfer and provide high-quality care to patients and that this unique webinar will provide an opportunity for the two countries to explore collaboration in key healthcare areas with an aim to further enhance healthcare delivery and efficiency,” he said.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group & President of FICCI, will also address the meet. Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India to Dubai, said, “This Conference is aimed at catalysing partnerships between healthcare organisations of UAE and India, both in the public and private sectors."

India Tour Tips |

Industry leaders to participate in UAE-India Healthcare Conference

The importance of countries cooperating in the medical sector and how affordable, worldclass services could be made available to the common man would be among the topics in focus during the virtual UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020′ on Monday. The webinar is being hosted by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai, in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Invest India.

Policy makers, medical industry leaders and top executives of allied sectors — private and public — from the two nations will exchange ideas on how best India and the UAE can collaborate to deliver accessible, affordable and worldclass healthcare to its people, according to an official statement on Sunday. The pandemic has highlighted the need for deeper engagement between health systems as the world today is more inter-dependent and connected and people travel and work in multiple geographies.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor said the close cooperation between the two countries during the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged them to proceed with this event. “I believe there are multiple learning avenues that exist between both countries to collaborate. Going forward, I can see India and the UAE working closely to shape a more efficient healthcare system,” said Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO of National Health Authority of India.

The UAE’s Ambassador to India Dr Ahmed Albanna will also address the conference. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the new dimension of ‘medical diplomacy’ has further bolstered the strategic partnership between the UAE and India, Albanna said. The defining principles, which brought the two countries closer than ever before were collective leadership’ and coordinated actions’. It is my firm belief that this multifaceted and time-tested partnership is poised to lead the world by example in the postCovid era, Dr Albanna said.

Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Humaid Al Qutami, will deliver the Keynote address at the conference, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two countries in several fields including the health sector. The DHA is keen to collaborate with global health institutions to foster knowledge-transfer and provide high-quality care to patients and that this unique webinar will provide an opportunity for the two countries to explore collaboration in key healthcare areas with an aim to further enhance healthcare delivery and efficiency, he said.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group & President of FICCI, will also address the meet. Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India to Dubai, said, This Conference is aimed at catalysing partnerships between healthcare organisations of UAE and India, both in the public and private sectors.” .

Outlook |

Industry leaders to participate in UAE-India Healthcare Conference

The importance of countries cooperating in the medical sector and how affordable, worldclass services could be made available to the common man would be among the topics in focus during the virtual ‘UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020’ on Monday.

The webinar is being hosted by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai, in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Invest India.

Policy makers, medical industry leaders and top executives of allied sectors -- private and public -- from the two nations will exchange ideas on how best India and the UAE can collaborate to deliver accessible, affordable and worldclass healthcare to its people, according to an official statement on Sunday.

The pandemic has highlighted the need for deeper engagement between health systems as the world today is more inter-dependent and connected and people travel and work in multiple geographies.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor said the close cooperation between the two countries during the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged them to proceed with this event.

"I believe there are multiple learning avenues that exist between both countries to collaborate. Going forward, I can see India and the UAE working closely to shape a more efficient healthcare system," said Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO of National Health Authority of India.

The UAE's Ambassador to India Dr Ahmed Albanna will also address the conference. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the new dimension of ''medical diplomacy'' has further bolstered the strategic partnership between the UAE and India, Albanna said.

“The defining principles, which brought the two countries closer than ever before were ‘collective leadership’ and ‘coordinated actions’. It is my firm belief that this multifaceted and time-tested partnership is poised to lead the world by example in the post–Covid era,” Dr Albanna said.

Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Humaid Al Qutami, will deliver the Keynote address at the conference, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two countries in several fields including the health sector.

“The DHA is keen to collaborate with global health institutions to foster knowledge-transfer and provide high-quality care to patients and that this unique webinar will provide an opportunity for the two countries to explore collaboration in key healthcare areas with an aim to further enhance healthcare delivery and efficiency,” he said.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group & President of FICCI, will also address the meet.

Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India to Dubai, said, “This Conference is aimed at catalysing partnerships between healthcare organisations of UAE and India, both in the public and private sectors."

News18 |

Industry leaders to participate in UAE-India Healthcare Conference

The importance of countries cooperating in the medical sector and how affordable, worldclass services could be made available to the common man would be among the topics in focus during the virtual UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020′ on Monday. The webinar is being hosted by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai, in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Invest India.

Policy makers, medical industry leaders and top executives of allied sectors — private and public — from the two nations will exchange ideas on how best India and the UAE can collaborate to deliver accessible, affordable and worldclass healthcare to its people, according to an official statement on Sunday. The pandemic has highlighted the need for deeper engagement between health systems as the world today is more inter-dependent and connected and people travel and work in multiple geographies.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor said the close cooperation between the two countries during the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged them to proceed with this event. “I believe there are multiple learning avenues that exist between both countries to collaborate. Going forward, I can see India and the UAE working closely to shape a more efficient healthcare system,” said Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO of National Health Authority of India.

The UAE’s Ambassador to India Dr Ahmed Albanna will also address the conference. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the new dimension of ‘medical diplomacy’ has further bolstered the strategic partnership between the UAE and India, Albanna said. The defining principles, which brought the two countries closer than ever before were collective leadership’ and coordinated actions’. It is my firm belief that this multifaceted and time-tested partnership is poised to lead the world by example in the postCovid era, Dr Albanna said.

Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Humaid Al Qutami, will deliver the Keynote address at the conference, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two countries in several fields including the health sector. The DHA is keen to collaborate with global health institutions to foster knowledge-transfer and provide high-quality care to patients and that this unique webinar will provide an opportunity for the two countries to explore collaboration in key healthcare areas with an aim to further enhance healthcare delivery and efficiency, he said.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group & President of FICCI, will also address the meet. Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India to Dubai, said, This Conference is aimed at catalysing partnerships between healthcare organisations of UAE and India, both in the public and private sectors.” .

The Economic Times |

Industry leaders to participate in UAE-India Healthcare Conference

The importance of countries cooperating in the medical sector and how affordable, worldclass services could be made available to the common man would be among the topics in focus during the virtual 'UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020' on Monday. The webinar is being hosted by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai, in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Invest India.

Policy makers, medical industry leaders and top executives of allied sectors -- private and public -- from the two nations will exchange ideas on how best India and the UAE can collaborate to deliver accessible, affordable and worldclass healthcare to its people, according to an official statement on Sunday.

The pandemic has highlighted the need for deeper engagement between health systems as the world today is more inter-dependent and connected and people travel and work in multiple geographies.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor said the close cooperation between the two countries during the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged them to proceed with this event.

"I believe there are multiple learning avenues that exist between both countries to collaborate. Going forward, I can see India and the UAE working closely to shape a more efficient healthcare system," said Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO of National Health Authority of India.

The UAE's Ambassador to India Dr Ahmed Albanna will also address the conference. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the new dimension of 'medical diplomacy' has further bolstered the strategic partnership between the UAE and India, Albanna said.

"The defining principles, which brought the two countries closer than ever before were 'collective leadership' and 'coordinated actions'. It is my firm belief that this multifaceted and time-tested partnership is poised to lead the world by example in the post-Covid era," Dr Albanna said.

Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Humaid Al Qutami, will deliver the Keynote address at the conference, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two countries in several fields including the health sector.

"The DHA is keen to collaborate with global health institutions to foster knowledge-transfer and provide high-quality care to patients and that this unique webinar will provide an opportunity for the two countries to explore collaboration in key healthcare areas with an aim to further enhance healthcare delivery and efficiency," he said.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group & President of FICCI, will also address the meet.

Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India to Dubai, said, "This Conference is aimed at catalysing partnerships between healthcare organisations of UAE and India, both in the public and private sectors."

Business Standard |

Industry leaders to participate in UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020

The importance of countries cooperating in the medical sector and how affordable, worldclass services could be made available to the common man would be among the topics in focus during the virtual UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020' on Monday.

The webinar is being hosted by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai, in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Invest India.

Policy makers, medical industry leaders and top executives of allied sectors -- private and public -- from the two nations will exchange ideas on how best India and the UAE can collaborate to deliver accessible, affordable and worldclass healthcare to its people, according to an official statement on Sunday.

The pandemic has highlighted the need for deeper engagement between health systems as the world today is more inter-dependent and connected and people travel and work in multiple geographies.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor said the close cooperation between the two countries during the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged them to proceed with this event.

"I believe there are multiple learning avenues that exist between both countries to collaborate. Going forward, I can see India and the UAE working closely to shape a more efficient healthcare system," said Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO of National Health Authority of India.

The UAE's Ambassador to India Dr Ahmed Albanna will also address the conference. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the new dimension of 'medical diplomacy' has further bolstered the strategic partnership between the UAE and India, Albanna said.

The defining principles, which brought the two countries closer than ever before were collective leadership' and coordinated actions'. It is my firm belief that this multifaceted and time-tested partnership is poised to lead the world by example in the postCovid era, Dr Albanna said.

Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Humaid Al Qutami, will deliver the Keynote address at the conference, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two countries in several fields including the health sector.

The DHA is keen to collaborate with global health institutions to foster knowledge-transfer and provide high-quality care to patients and that this unique webinar will provide an opportunity for the two countries to explore collaboration in key healthcare areas with an aim to further enhance healthcare delivery and efficiency, he said.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group & President of FICCI, will also address the meet.

Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India to Dubai, said, This Conference is aimed at catalysing partnerships between healthcare organisations of UAE and India, both in the public and private sectors.

Live Mint |

Industry leaders to participate in UAE-India Healthcare Conference

The importance of countries cooperating in the medical sector and how affordable, world class services could be made available to the common man would be among the topics in focus during the virtual ‘UAE-India Healthcare Conference 2020’ on Monday.

The webinar is being hosted by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai, in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Invest India.

Policy makers, medical industry leaders and top executives of allied sectors private and public from the two nations will exchange ideas on how best India and the UAE can collaborate to deliver accessible, affordable and world class healthcare to its people, according to an official statement on Sunday.

The pandemic has highlighted the need for deeper engagement between health systems as the world today is more inter-dependent and connected and people travel and work in multiple geographies.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor said the close cooperation between the two countries during the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged them to proceed with this event.

"I believe there are multiple learning avenues that exist between both countries to collaborate. Going forward, I can see India and the UAE working closely to shape a more efficient healthcare system," said Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO of National Health Authority of India.

The UAE's Ambassador to India Dr Ahmed Albanna will also address the conference. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the new dimension of 'medical diplomacy' has further bolstered the strategic partnership between the UAE and India, Albanna said.

“The defining principles, which brought the two countries closer than ever before were ‘collective leadership’ and ‘coordinated actions’. It is my firm belief that this multifaceted and time-tested partnership is poised to lead the world by example in the post–Covid era," Dr Albanna said.

Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Humaid Al Qutami, will deliver the Keynote address at the conference, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two countries in several fields including the health sector.

“The DHA is keen to collaborate with global health institutions to foster knowledge-transfer and provide high-quality care to patients and that this unique webinar will provide an opportunity for the two countries to explore collaboration in key healthcare areas with an aim to further enhance healthcare delivery and efficiency," he said.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group & President of FICCI, will also address the meet.

Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India to Dubai, said, “This Conference is aimed at catalysing partnerships between healthcare organisations of UAE and India, both in the public and private sectors."

Gulf News |

UAE, India to discuss healthcare collaboration advances in virtual conference

The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of Indian in Dubai will host the virtual UAE-India Healthcare Conference on Monday, October 19.

The virtual conference will be organised in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Invest India, and will be a significant platform for deliberations on collaboration and exploring ways and means for the two health systems to engage more deeply.

New avenues

Policymakers, health executives, and eminent leaders from the health care and allied industries of both nations will exchange ideas on exploring new avenues for partnership as India and UAE work towards delivering accessible, affordable and world class health care to their peoples. The COVID-19 pandemic has especially highlighted the need for deeper engagement between health systems, the as we live in an increasingly interdependent and connected world where people travel and work in multiple geographies, the Consulate said in a statement to the press.

“I look forward to fruitful exchanges with UAE authorities on enhancing bilateral health care cooperation during the forthcoming UAE-India Healthcare Conference. Our close cooperation during this ongoing pandemic encouraged us to proceed with this event,” said Pavan Kapoor, Indian Ambassador to the UAE.

Medical diplomacy

“In the wake of the COVID — 19 pandemic, the new dimension of ‘medical diplomacy’ has further bolstered the strategic partnership between UAE and India. The defining principles, which brought the two countries closer than ever before, were ‘collective leadership’ and ‘coordinated actions’. It is my firm belief that this multifaceted and time tested partnership is poised to lead the world by example in the post — COVID era,” said UAE Ambassador to India, Dr. Ahmed Albanna. He will lso address the conference on Monday.

Combat healthcare challenges

Dr Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Group and President of FICCI, will also address the meeting. “As, the world fights COVID as a collective force, this is the most opportune time to identify areas for collaboration, and jointly work to strengthen the healthcare sector of both the countries. I invite health care professionals both from India and the UAE to join this thought-provoking conference which will help ideate new developments, innovations and methods that can enhance health care delivery, and further equip us to combat current day challenges,” said Dr Reddy.

India Education Diary |

Government adopting privacy and security features in NDHM design: CEO, AB-PMJAY

Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO, AB-PMJAY and the National Health Authority (NHA), GoI today said that the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) blueprint was developed over the last two years, which aims to provide a unique health id to every citizen and link them together with electronic health records. The aim is to improve transparency in the sector, make health services more accessible, interoperable, and make policy more evidence-based.

Addressing a webinar ‘Digital Revolution Going Viral’ during the FICCI HEAL 2020, Dr Bhushan said, “The NDHM has citizens at the center of the whole concept and we are adopting privacy and security in the design itself and not as an afterthought.”

Drawing a parallel with other government initiatives, Dr Bhushan said that India has gone through the FinTech revolution and the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) that has revolutionized the financial sector and we aim to do the same thing in the health sector through the NDHM. “We will be providing the digital infrastructure and it will revolutionize the health sector,” added Dr Bhushan.

Elaborating on the government’s digital initiatives, specifically on the telemedicine, Dr Bhushan said, “The excitement regarding telemedicine and digitizing the whole healthcare system stems from the PM himself. The NDHM was one of the major announcements from the ramparts of the Red Fort this Independence Day.”

He stated that the implementation of the NDHM has been initiated on a pilot basis. “We are acting on the ‘start small, think big and scale fast’ principle, and hopefully, in six months you will start seeing the impact on a larger ecosystem,” noted Dr Bhushan.

Highlighting the impact of COVID-19 on digital health, Dr Bhushan said that the crisis has spurred some reforms and digital health is one of them. “The crisis showed the fault lines in the health sector. India is investing too little in health and is one of the lowest in the world. This crisis has shown that we need to do much more and we need to invest more in the primary, secondary, and critical care,” he emphasized.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI & Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals, said that COVID-19 brought together some of the most powerful and innovative thought processes across the world. “Telemedicine is not just tele-consults; it is an integrated platform that one can use. It is evolving and emerging and the day that physical medicine and telemedicine are seamlessly integrated is when we’ve won the telemedicine game,” she said.

Dr Reddy further stated that India is clearly ramping up for the vaccination challenge and it is not just about production. We will produce for India and the world. One of the critical aspects of administering vaccines is human resources and India has the human resource to do that. “The National Health Service (NHS), UK is looking to acquire doctors and nurses from India to help them in this challenge. This is a tremendous opportunity for India to showcase its capabilities,” she added.

Dr Scott Atlas, Special Advisor to the President of the United States, Member, White House Coronavirus Task Force, Robert Wesson Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, USA said that the US has used digital health effectively during the COVID times and that there has been an explosion of telemedicine in the United States.

“This is one of the positives that has come out of this very tragic period and this was done because of the necessity and the need for mobilizing resources and making them available to people who were either forced to not come to medical centres due to the lockdown or were afraid,” he said.

Mr Kieran Murphy, President & CEO, GE Healthcare said that during COVID, the pressure to get sufficient number of components at the right place at the right time was immense. However, there wasn’t a single company around the world that refused help when asked.

Dr Jan Herzhoff, President- Global Health Markets, Elsevier said that the usage of some of their platforms has increased by almost 65 per cent during the COVID times. “Most of the healthcare professionals being pulled in were not able to use the ventilators. Our first task was to get students and healthcare workers to understand the functionalities of the machines,” he said.

Mr Bart Janssens, MD and Senior Partner, The Boston Consulting Group Inc, said that COVID gave an opportunity to a large group of companies and organizations to come together who, in normal times, would not have collaborated. “The mission of the Swasth app when COVID hit India was two-folds. The short-term and the most visible part was about helping to respond to the crisis by rapidly deploying COVID care solutions. The second was to help accelerate the adoption of the NDHM by contributing to building big digital healthcare infrastructure,” he said.

Dr Vidur Mahajan, Head- R&D, CARING, and Associate Director, Mahajan Imaging, said that the built-in consent management in the National Digital Health Mission is laudable. “Instead of a technological – centric view the whole healthcare ecosystem should have a patient-centric view,” he added.

Agency Reporter |

BCG and FICCI's latest report emphasizes the need for a digital healthcare system in India

A joint publication by BCG and FICCI titled “Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Reimaging Healthcare for Every Indian” was released at the 14th FICCI HEAL, (the annual health conference organized by FICCI) by Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India, Dr. Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD Apollo Hospitals, and Mr. Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group. This report will be distributed to the Prime Minister’s Office, NITI Aayog, Chief Ministers, Health Ministers, State ministries, and Secretaries among other dignitaries in the public and private sector.

The way we live, and work has been profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to upending our lives the pandemic has also exposed India’s weak healthcare system and reinforced the need to urgently improve all levels of healthcare, including primary care. As is inevitable in times of adversity, the pandemic has also inspired promising innovations, particularly in digital healthcare models. From the telemedicine guidelines being announced in March 2020 to the launch of national digital health ID in August 2020, we have just started to see the digital era in healthcare take shape.

Surveys conducted by BCG across doctors and patients highlight that 85% of the clinicians used digital platforms for patient interactions during the lockdown. 50% of the clinicians found these platforms to be an effective medium for providing care. Additionally, 60% of patients across metro and tier 1 cities reported they would continue using digital platforms for primary care in the post COVID world due to the fundamental benefits of shorter waiting time and easy access to qualified doctors. In addition, as per reports, the lockdown period saw teleconsultation services being accessed by over 2000 small towns, with 80% of patients being first-time users.

We are now at the cusp of the digital 3.0 era of Open Digital Ecosystems that represents a fundamental change in the way the government can leverage technology for public care delivery and enable private sector innovation. It entails the creation of a shared public digital infrastructure that can be leveraged by both public and private players to deploy new solutions that enhance the end-user experience. Just like the creation of a shared digital infrastructure in the financial industry enabling UPI payments, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), in the next few years, will catalyze a robust digital infrastructure for the Indian healthcare ecosystem. As per the report, it is estimated that over the next decade, NDHM can potentially unlock an incremental value of INR 1.5 lakh crore for the healthcare industry.

The report undertakes a collaborative approach to ensure that multiple perspectives across government bodies, private sector entities, developers, and the user community are brought to the forefront. It aims to drive active stakeholder discussions to help accelerate India’s journey towards a healthcare system that puts the patient at the center of all solutions and drives accessible, affordable and quality healthcare all.

Dr. Indu Bhushan, CEO NHA and PM-JAY, said “With the guiding principles outlined in the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB), the government has laid out a comprehensive strategy to bring a fundamental transformation in healthcare and open a range of market opportunities for all stakeholders. This report details out how the entire ecosystem will gain, and the industry will be galvanized as a result of the implementation of NDHB over the next few years.”

Dr. Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD, Apollo Hospitals said “There is an urgent need to shift to a new care delivery paradigm that leverages public technology infrastructure. This needs to be done while ensuring patient-centricity, and adequate digital security. It is great to see that this timely and pertinent report has been put together to drive active discussions amongst the stakeholders.”

Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG said “We anticipate that over the next 10 years, NDHM can unlock the incremental economic value of over USD 200 billion for the healthcare sector. Public and private ecosystem players will have to realign their operating models to capture this value and stay ahead of the curve. This will pave way for more patient-centric solutions driving accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare for all.” Dr. Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee, and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “The need to accelerate changes in our health care system is an obvious inference of this pandemic. The advent of an open digital health ecosystem will unleash a new wave of innovation and transform the way primary healthcare is delivered in India. As illustrated in this detailed report, the health ODE will enable patients who are under-served by the physical healthcare infrastructure to access high-quality healthcare, by leveraging a common digital infrastructure”.

ET Healthworld |

Combination of two epidemics causing Covid-19 mortality: Prof Richard C Horton, The Lancet

COVID-19 is not a pandemic, but a synthesis of epidemics- SARS CoV 2 and the non-communicable diseases, putting people with pre-existing diseases, who get this virus particularly at risk, said Prof Richard C Horton, Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet on Thursday.

The global deaths from Covid-19 have reached 1 million and over 34 million people have been infected with the virus.

Speaking at the annual healthcare conference FICCI Heal 2020, he explained that he continues to have an optisimic view as we have learned from the pandemics in the past on how healthcare is taken more seriously and leads to change in societies, public and governments.

During the virtual event, Prof Thorton addresses five key questions on the crucial aspects on the ongoing fight against Covid-19. Edited excerpts

Q1: What is the current situation?

The pandemic is still raging through the world. It's precipitated not only as a health crisis in many countries but also an economic, indeed, a political crisis in many countries. There still remains the risk of a breakdown in public order in many settings, the economic costs are massive. The World Bank estimates that over 100 million people will be tipped into extreme poverty by the pandemic with worsening inequality. The pandemic has disproportionately affected the very poorest people in our society, and especially women and children.

18 million children in the world today are missing essential vaccinations. Over 1 billion young children are out of school. The Lancet Covid-19 Commission led by the economist, (Prof) Jeffrey Sachs, we met earlier this week, and agreed that the situation for children is now an international emergency, because we truly risk losing a generation.

The political language that our leaders often use invoke war metaphors and the idea that we are fighting an invisible enemy, we must defeat the virus. But this isn’t conventional war and the virus will not be defeated in the way that one side might defeat the other side in a war. Instead, we are currently renegotiating our relationship with this virus to try and achieve a place of peaceful coexistence.

Q2: What are the lessons so far?

We've learned that our society is very brittle, and the vulnerable groups in our society have been revealed. Those who are poor, older members of our society, those living with chronic illness in western countries like an Asian minority ethnic populations have been particularly vulnerable.

The second lesson is that Covid-19 is not a pandemic. Now that may seem paradoxical...Covid-19 is actually a combination of two epidemics, an epidemic of a new virus SARS CoV 2, but also an epidemic of non-communicable diseases. There is a synthesis between Covid-19 and non-communicable disease, and when those two intersect, when they combine, that is what is causing the mortality.

People with pre-existing disease, who get this virus are particularly at risk. On a background of poverty and inequality, because this virus exploits, exacerbates and accentuates disparity inequalities in our society. Covid-19 is not a pandemic, It's what we call a “syndemic” or a synthesis of epidemics, and that's an important distinction because the solution will lie in addressing the virus, chronic diseases, inequality and poverty in our society. This is a very different challenge than the one that has so far been laid out.

The third lesson, which is also very important is that science has been critically important to not just understanding this syndemic, but also in guiding our response. It was on January 24, that the Lancet published the first paper describing Covid-19. Although much remains to be learned, we now know so much about the transmission of the disease, the virus itself, the complications of the diseases, it spread, its control, the risks, diagnosis and treatments and how we prevent it.

What is now so important to understand is that as our economies are hit, science is going to be hit. The projections are that science will be very severely damaged by this syndemic. So it's very important that as we move forward, governments do all they possibly can to protect their ability to generate new knowledge, because it's that knowledge that will act as a protector for the societies in the future.

Q3: What could we have done better?

We need to be ruthlessly honest and self critical, because clearly many countries perhaps most countries in the world were sadly not prepared for this pandemic. So what should we have had in place to protect ourselves from the pandemic are good surveillance systems to be able to pick up new disease threats. We need a health workforce, nurses, physicians, pharmacists, because this can actually make sure that we are protected, both in terms of our health system, but also our public health system.

We need laboratories where the results of testing for this new infection can be carried around. We need policymakers, who can act as a conduit of new knowledge to those in government charged with the responsibility for decision making. And we need strong communities, because our communities have been under attack by this virus.

But worse is that the signals coming out of China, or that came from the World Health Organization at the end of January when Dr Tedros (Director-General, WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern. We didn't take those signals seriously and we were too slow to respond. This is a global syndemic which demands a global response. And yet, there has still not been an occasion when nations have been able to come together to share their understanding, to share their experiences, so that we can learn from one another and forge a more constructive coordinated response for the future.

And thirdly, I think we've underestimated the importance of communication, especially in an era, with a radically changed media landscape...We don't just have a pandemic or a syndemic, we also have an infodemic. In other words, an epidemic of information, a huge avalanche of information, some of which is good, but some of which is disinformation, or misinformation. And so for governments it's been absolutely vital to have clear messages and clear leadership over those messages. And the countries that have often been most successful at managing their syndemic have been those countries where they've been able to get very clear lines of communication.

Q4. What is the end game?

The end game is that we're putting our trust, our hope and our faith in the discovery of a vaccine...In total, there are around 140 vaccines that are in various stages of preclinical and early clinical development, in addition to those nine that are in phase three trials. But these vaccines are facing really stiff opposition and that is because an anti vaccination movement, which has been in existence for some time is now regrouping, and is working very hard to destroy public confidence in these vaccines.

So, when you look at opinion poll surveys unfortunately it's becoming clear that public confidence is waning in vaccines. It's vital that those of us who work in healthcare, do all we can to encourage trust in these vaccines...I have to conclude that, as of today, there is no end game at present because the virus is with us. It's endemic. And the goal can only to be to count community transmission to keep the R value less than one.

A vaccine when it comes, will help, but it will not erase the virus from our communities 100%...Vaccine cannot be a magic bullet, no vaccine is 100% effective, or 100% safe, or 100% used by everybody in the world. So we have a balance, and we have to navigate this balance in renegotiating the relationship.

Q5. What must governments do?

Well first, agree to find this pandemic as a syndemic. Governments must manage this pandemic as a syndemic, focusing on the virus, but focusing on the general health of their populations and addressing inequality. This pandemic has been a moral provocation to us. We've held a mirror up to our society...We've seen who those vulnerable groups are. And so we now have a moral and ethical responsibility to do all we can to protect those vulnerable groups in our society.

Second, what governments must do is to build public health systems for surveillance, the public health workforce, a strong health system, and scientific policies are vital elements to help protect our societies, our nations, our economies in the future.

In 2020, we need to remember there are over 1 million people who have died, and we need to keep their memories alive. Because the way we have described this pandemic in terms of numbers, statistics, tables and graphs, this radically dehumanizes the impact of this virus, and we need to rehumanize this crisis in order to truly learn the lessons of it.

I want to end optimistically. I have edited The Lancet for 25 years now, and I have never experienced the kind of cooperation, solidarity and unity of purpose that I have seen from the international medical and scientific community in these past 10 months. It has been inspiring for me to observe this level of collaboration...It's true that Covid-19 has challenged us all. But it is revealed the best of us.

Health Wire |

Investment in healthcare must be given its due importance: Member NITI Aayog

The pandemic had laid bare some of the stark realities of the Indian healthcare system, said Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog on Thursday. “Investment in healthcare must be given its due importance. We need a strong healthcare system that comprises both the public as well as the private healthcare systems,” he added.

Addressing the Session on ‘Learnings for the Future’, during virtual FICCI HEAL 2020, Dr Paul said that according to the new guidelines for the Priority Sector Lending, the RBI has doubled the credit limit for improvement of health infrastructure, including those under Ayushman Bharat. “The investment cap for health facilities in Tier II to Tier VI cities has been enhanced from Rs 5 cr to 10 cr. This was one of the demands from the sector and is a stimulus under the new RBI guidelines,” Dr Paul said.

He also emphasized on the need for establishing a seamless connect between the public and private sectors. “Investment in health must be given due importance that translates into a strong centre and state public healthcare system,” Dr Paul added.

The pandemic has been a global reality check of future challenges to healthcare sector. “The specialist deficient is profound in our country. We need, at least, five times the existing number of specialist doctors. A lot needs to be done by way of creating the resources and infrastructure,” he highlighted.

Elucidating on the need to change social behaviour, Dr Paul informed that the central and the state governments were embarking on a behaviour change endeavour from next week. “This needs to be a Jan-Aandolan of an unprecedented magnitude. We are worried about the festive and winter season upon us, and therefore, to work on the preventive side is even more important,” he said.

Mr Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, MoHFW, Govt of India said that lessons and learnings for the future will flow from what we are doing at present. “It is important that we have critical care infrastructures not only in urban cities but also in Tier II-VI cities. We need to seriously visualise critical care hospital blocks at district headquarter levels,” he added.

Mr Bhushan also mentioned that seamless public and private sector collaboration is imperative for not just infrastructure but also for skilling and reskilling healthcare human resources in the country.

Elaborating the ongoing efforts of the government, Mr Bhushan said that the government’s adoption of the ‘Whole of the Government Approach’ meant that the responsibility of handling the crisis was not only on one ministry but on the entire government. “11 Empowered Groups involving all relevant ministries were constituted. Multiple ministries have worked in an orchestrated manner and in tandem to tackle the pandemic and to strengthen the effects of the nodal ministry, the MOHFW, in ensuring that we put our best foot forward,” he said.

Highlighting the government’s unique policy to utilise the grassroots public health network, Mr Bhushan said that foot soldiers like the Asha workers, A&Ms, Anganvadi Sevikas and Sahikas did the surveillance, manned the containment areas, house-to-house searches for active cases.

Deliberating on how the world prepares for a post-COVID scenario, Prof Richard C Horton, FRCP FMedSci, Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet, during his Valedictory address, said that what we are experiencing is not a pandemic but a ‘Syndemic’. It means that there is a synthesis between COVID-19 and non-communicable diseases, and when those two combines, it causes high mortality. He further mentioned that India is going through a demographic change and the economic growth is creating a burden for non-communicable diseases to rise even higher, which is a danger and threatens the very foundation of our societies.

Dr Preetha Reddy, Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals said that we need to re-engineer our minds during the pandemic. “The supply chains and business models have been different, and the point of care has shifted from the traditional brick- and- mortar hospitals to patients’ beds. The pandemic has made the healthcare ecosystem much stronger with all stakeholders working in close partnerships,” added Dr Reddy.

Mr Sukumar Ranganathan, Editor, Hindustan Times said that four broad areas where India could learn and do better in the future were science-based decisions, collection of real-time data to empower the decision making, transparency, and social responsibilities towards COVID-19 etiquette.

Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services Committee said that we have come a long way, but every day has been a new learning experience. Time and patience are the two important warriors for humans now. “With rights come responsibility, so till the time a vaccine is discovered, we have to rely on individual responsibilities to protect ourselves,” added Dr Puri.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said that the conference deliberations highlighted the paradigm shift in the economy and society. Post pandemic, the healthcare ecosystem will be driven by the behavioural changes in the society, awareness about health, hygiene and fitness, scaling up of preventive and primary care at the grassroots with digitalisation of the health systems in the country, he added.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imaging said that his biggest learning from COVID-19 is being Atmanirbhar. “From growing from 1 to 1837 labs and testing six times of our previous capacity, we have learnt that if we stand united, nothing is impossible,” he said.

The Pharma Times |

Private sector should join PM Jan Arogya Yojana to deliver tertiary care: Cabinet Secretary

Mr Rajiv Gauba, Cabinet Secretary, Government of India today said that in just two years after its launch, the PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) movement has become a hugely successful platform for delivering tertiary care to some of the most vulnerable sections of our population.

Addressing webinar on ‘FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards’, during the three-day ‘HEAL-2020’, Mr Gauba urged the private sector to come forward and join the PM Jan Arogya Yojana movement. “The private sector hospitals, particularly the big groups should come forward and join this platform,” he said.

Mr Gauba said that as a country we have emerged from a state of total dependence on imports to being exporters of COVID-19 necessary medical items. “Today we have 187 labs in the government sector and 749 private testing labs for COVID testing,” he added.

He further stated that the larger challenge of making healthcare affordable and accessible will continue to be with us even after the COVID-19 situation. “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 developing countries,” added Mr Gauba.

“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 extremely important that people don’t let their guard down, he further added.

Mr Gauba also complimented FICCI in recognizing excellence in the healthcare sector. “The awards are a recognition of not only the outstanding work done by individuals and institutions but, in fact, the entire fraternity of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals,” he said.

Mr CK Mishra, Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt of India said that the private sector has proven to the world that India is the hub of providing best cost-effective treatment. “As a country, 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.

Emphasizing on the importance of PPP, Mr Mishra added that healthcare is a partnership between the private and public sector along with the pooling of resources from both sides in taking the country ahead. “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 added.

Mr Mishra said, “We (the public and private sector) must look closely at promoting public health. We should not be looking at a society where we are too eager to treat a sick man but not that eager to push preventive health. Public health should be at the centre of what we do,” he said.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said that there has been no time in the history that healthcare has 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.

Dr Reddy further said that the award ceremony is to celebrate the COVID-19 heroes of the healthcare sector. The concepts of innovation, sustainability, impact and scalability are very critical parameters. FICCI HEAL is a confluence of the best minds in healthcare, she added.

Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services Committee; Former Chairman-NABH; Advisor- Medical Operations, Fortis Healthcare Ltd, said that the Healthcare Excellence Awards have evolved as the most credible and coveted in the healthcare sector in a short span of time. “It has taken us a long journey of trying to keep modifying the awards from time to time in keeping up with the traditions of the practices,” he stated.

Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI said that the excellence in healthcare awards are special and relevant during these times. “Over the years we have been able to create a credible platform that not only recognizes but provides a fillip for further innovation and excellence in healthcare,” he added.

List of winners – 12th FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards:

Winners – Individual Categories

Sr Category Name Designation Organization/ Location
1.Lifetime Achievement AwardProf K Srinath ReddyPresidentPublic Health Foundation of India
2.Healthcare Personality of the YearDr Preetha ReddyVice ChairpersonApollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited
2.Healthcare Personality of the YearDr Om Prakash ManchandaManaging DirectorDr Lal PathLabs Ltd
4.Healthcare Humanitarian AwardDr Ravindra & Smita KolheSocial activistMelghat, Maharashtra
5.Special Award for COVID 19Dr Camilla RodriguesConsultant Microbiologist, Chairperson Infection Control CommitteeP D Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre
6.Special Award for COVID 19Ms Minimole VargheseChief Nursing OfficerFortis Hospital, Mulund

Winners – General Categories

Sr Category Winner (S)
1.Excellence in Scaling-up of Manufacturing for COVID demandVanguard Diagnostics Private Limited
2.Excellence in Hospital Preparedness for COVID 19 – Hospital1. Apollo Hospitals Chennai
2. Christian Medical College, Vellore
2.Excellence in Hospital Preparedness for COVID 19 – Standalone Diagnostic Centre or Blood BankMax Lab, Saket
4.Excellence in Home HealthcareHealthCare atHOME India Pvt Ltd.
5.Excellence in Telemedicine/ Digital HealthAster DM Healthcare
6.Innovative Medical Device/ TechnologyTranslumina Therapeutics LLP
7Excellence in Capacity BuildingApollo MedSkills Limited
8Excellence in Social InitiativeMaulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences

Mumbai News Network |

Investment cap for health facilities in Tier II-VI cities enhanced under Priority Sector Lending: Member, NITI Aayog

Dr. V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, yesterday said that the pandemic had laid bare some of the stark realities of the Indian healthcare system. “Investment in healthcare must be given its due importance. We need a strong healthcare system that comprises both the public as well as the private healthcare systems,” he added.

Addressing the Session on ‘Learnings for the Future’, during virtual FICCI HEAL 2020, Dr. Paul said that according to the new guidelines for the Priority Sector Lending, the RBI has doubled the credit limit for the improvement of health infrastructure, including those under Ayushman Bharat. “The investment cap for health facilities in Tier II to Tier VI cities has been enhanced from Rs 5 cr to 10 cr. This was one of the demands from the sector and is a stimulus under the new RBI guidelines,” Dr. Paul said.

He also emphasized on the need for establishing a seamless connect between the public and private sectors. “Investment in health must be given due importance that translates into a strong centre and state public healthcare system,” Dr. Paul added.

The pandemic has been a global reality check of future challenges to the healthcare sector. “The specialist deficient is profound in our country. We need, at least, five times the existing number of specialist doctors. A lot needs to be done by way of creating the resources and infrastructure,” he highlighted.

Elucidating on the need to change social behaviour, Dr. Paul informed that the central and the state governments were embarking on a behaviour change endeavour from next week. “This needs to be a Jan-Aandolan of an unprecedented magnitude. We are worried about the festive and winter season upon us, and therefore, to work on the preventive side is even more important,” he said.

Mr. Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, MoHFW, Govt of India said that lessons and learnings for the future will flow from what we are doing at present. “It is important that we have critical care infrastructures not only in urban cities but also in Tier II-VI cities. We need to seriously visualise critical care hospital blocks at district headquarter levels,” he added.

Mr. Bhushan also mentioned that seamless public and private sector collaboration is imperative for not just infrastructure but also for skilling and reskilling of healthcare human resources in the country.

Elaborating the ongoing efforts of the government, Mr. Bhushan said that the government’s adoption of the ‘Whole of the Government Approach’ meant that the responsibility of handling the crisis was not only on one ministry but on the entire government. “11 Empowered Groups involving all relevant ministries were constituted. Multiple ministries have worked in an orchestrated manner and in tandem to tackle the pandemic and to strengthen the effects of the nodal ministry, the MOHFW, in ensuring that we put our best foot forward,” he said.

Highlighting the government’s unique policy to utilise the grassroots public health network, Mr. Bhushan said that foot soldiers like the Asha workers, A&Ms, Anganwadi Sevikas, and Sahikas did the surveillance, manned the containment areas, house-to-house searches for active cases.

Deliberating on how the world prepares for a post-COVID scenario, Prof Richard C Horton, FRCP FMedSci, Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet, during his Valedictory address, said that what we are experiencing is not a pandemic but a ‘Syndemic’. It means that there is a synthesis between COVID-19 and non-communicable diseases, and when those two combine, it causes high mortality. He further mentioned that India is going through a demographic change and the economic growth is creating a burden for non-communicable diseases to rise even higher, which is a danger and threatens the very foundation of our societies.

Dr. Preetha Reddy, Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals said that we need to re-engineer our minds during the pandemic. “The supply chains and business models have been different, and the point of care has shifted from the traditional brick- and- mortar hospitals to patients’ beds. The pandemic has made the healthcare ecosystem much stronger with all stakeholders working in close partnerships,” added Dr. Reddy.

Mr. Sukumar Ranganathan, Editor, Hindustan Times said that four broad areas where India could learn and do better in the future were science-based decisions, collection of real-time data to empower the decision making, transparency, and social responsibilities towards COVID-19 etiquette.

Dr. Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services Committee said that we have come a long way, but every day has been a new learning experience. Time and patience are the two important warriors for humans now. “With rights come responsibility, so till the time a vaccine is discovered, we have to rely on individual responsibilities to protect ourselves,” added Dr. Puri.

Dr. Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said that the conference deliberations highlighted the paradigm shift in the economy and society. Post pandemic, the healthcare ecosystem will be driven by the behavioural changes in the society, awareness about health, hygiene, and fitness, scaling up of preventive and primary care at the grassroots with digitalisation of the health systems in the country, he added.

Dr. Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imaging said that his biggest learning from COVID-19 is being Atmanirbhar. “From growing from 1 to 1837 labs and testing six times of our previous capacity, we have learnt that if we stand united, nothing is impossible,” he said.

Bio Voice |

Govt adopting privacy & security features in NDHM design: CEO, AB-PMJAY

Addressing a webinar ‘Digital Revolution Going Viral’ during the FICCI HEAL 2020, Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO, AB-PMJAY and the National Health Authority (NHA), Government of India said that the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) blueprint was developed over the last two years, which aims to provide a unique health id to every citizen and link them together with electronic health records. The aim is to improve transparency in the sector, make health services more accessible, interoperable, and make policy more evidence-based.

Dr Bhushan added, “The NDHM has citizens at the center of the whole concept and we are adopting privacy and security in the design itself and not as an afterthought.”

Drawing a parallel with other government initiatives, Dr Bhushan said that India has gone through the FinTech revolution and the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) that has revolutionized the financial sector and we aim to do the same thing in the health sector through the NDHM.

“We will be providing the digital infrastructure and it will revolutionize the health sector,” added Dr Bhushan.

Elaborating on the government’s digital initiatives, specifically on the telemedicine, Dr Bhushan said, “The excitement regarding telemedicine and digitizing the whole healthcare system stems from the PM himself. The NDHM was one of the major announcements from the ramparts of the Red Fort this Independence Day.”

He stated that the implementation of the NDHM has been initiated on a pilot basis. “We
are acting on the ‘start small, think big and scale fast’ principle, and hopefully, in six months you will start seeing the impact on a larger ecosystem,” noted Dr Bhushan.

Highlighting the impact of COVID-19 on digital health, Dr Bhushan said that the crisis has spurred some reforms and digital health is one of them. “The crisis showed the fault lines in the health sector. India is investing too little in health and is one of the lowest in the world. This crisis has shown that we need to do much more and we need to invest more in the primary, secondary, and critical care,” he emphasized.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President-FICCI & Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals, said that COVID-19 brought together some of the most powerful and innovative thought processes across the world. “Telemedicine is not just tele-consults; it is an integrated platform that one can use. It is evolving and emerging and the day that physical medicine and telemedicine are seamlessly integrated is when we’ve won the telemedicine game,” she said.

Dr Reddy further stated that India is clearly ramping up for the vaccination challenge and it is not just about production. We will produce for India and the world. One of the critical aspects of administering vaccines is human resources and India has the human resource to do that. “The National Health Service (NHS), UK is looking to acquire doctors and nurses from India to help them in this challenge. This is a tremendous opportunity for India to showcase its capabilities,” she added.

Dr Scott Atlas, Special Advisor to the President of the United States, Member, White House Coronavirus Task Force, Robert Wesson Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, USA said that the US has used digital health effectively during the COVID times and that there has been an explosion of telemedicine in the United States.

“This is one of the positives that has come out of this very tragic period and this was done because of the necessity and the need for mobilizing resources and making them available to people who were either forced to not come to medical centres due to the lockdown or were afraid,” he said.

Mr Kieran Murphy, President & CEO, GE Healthcare said that during COVID, the pressure to get sufficient number of components at the right place at the right time was immense. However, there wasn’t a single company around the world that refused help when asked.

Dr Jan Herzhoff, President- Global Health Markets, Elsevier said that the usage of some of their platforms has increased by almost 65 per cent during the COVID times. “Most of the healthcare professionals being pulled in were not able to use the ventilators. Our first task was to get students and healthcare workers to understand the functionalities of the machines,” he said.

Mr Bart Janssens, MD and Senior Partner, The Boston Consulting Group Inc, said that COVID gave an opportunity to a large group of companies and organizations to come together who, in normal times, would not have collaborated. “The mission of the Swasth app when COVID hit India was two-folds. The short-term and the most visible part was about helping to respond to the crisis by rapidly deploying COVID care solutions. The second was to help accelerate the adoption of the NDHM by contributing to building big digital healthcare infrastructure,” he said.

Dr Vidur Mahajan, Head- R&D, CARING, and Associate Director, Mahajan Imaging, said that the built-in consent management in the National Digital Health Mission is laudable. “Instead of a technological- centric view the whole healthcare ecosystem should have a patient-centric view,” he added.

ET Healthworld |

Covid-19 crisis highlighted need for more investment in health sector: Ayushman Bharat CEO

The coronavirus crisis highlighted that the country was investing too little in the health sector, CEO of AB-PMJAY Indu Bhushan said on Thursday as he stressed on the need to invest more in primary, secondary and critical care.

Addressing a webinar titled ‘Digital Revolution Going Viral' during FICCI HEAL 2020 event, he said the crisis has spurred some reforms and digital health is one of them, according to a statement issued by FICCI.

“The (COVID-19) crisis showed the fault lines in the health sector. India is investing too little in health and it is one of the lowest in the world. This crisis has shown that we need to do much more and we need to invest more in the primary, secondary and critical care,” Bhushan was quoted as saying in the statement.

Bhushan, CEO of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY) and the National Health Authority, said the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) blueprint was developed over the last two years, which aims to provide a unique health ID to every citizen and link them together with electronic health records.

The aim is to improve transparency in the sector, make health services more accessible, interoperable, and make policy more evidence-based, he said.

“The NDHM has citizens at the centre of the whole concept and we are adopting privacy and security in the design itself and not as an afterthought,” the official asserted.

Drawing a parallel with other government initiatives, Bhushan said India has gone through the FinTech revolution and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) which have revolutionised the financial sector, adding “we aim to do the same thing in the health sector through NDHM”.

“We will be providing the digital infrastructure and it will revolutionise the health sector,” he said.

Elaborating on the government's digital initiatives, specifically the telemedicine network, Bhushan said, “The excitement regarding telemedicine and digitising the whole healthcare system stems from the PM himself.

“The NDHM was one of the major announcements from the ramparts of the Red Fort this Independence Day,” he added.

The senior official said the implementation of NDHM has been initiated on a pilot basis.

“We are acting on the ‘start small, think big and scale fast' principle, and hopefully, in six months, you will start seeing the impact on a larger ecosystem,” he noted.

Sangita Reddy, President-FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals, said COVID-19 brought together some of the most powerful and innovative thought processes across the world.

“Telemedicine is not just tele-consults, it is an integrated platform that one can use. It is evolving and emerging and the day physical medicine and telemedicine are seamlessly integrated is when we have won the telemedicine game,” she was quoted as saying in the statement.

She said India is clearly ramping up for the vaccination challenge and it is not just about production.

We will produce for India and the world. One of the critical aspects of administering vaccines is human resources and India has the human resource to do that, Reddy said.

“The National Health Service (NHS), UK is looking to acquire doctors and nurses from India to help them in this challenge. This is a tremendous opportunity for India to showcase its capabilities,” she added.

Business Standard |

Covid crisis highlights need to invest in healthcare: Ayushman Bharat CEO

The coronavirus crisis highlighted that the country was investing too little in the health sector, CEO of AB-PMJAY Indu Bhushan said on Thursday as he stressed on the need to invest more in primary, secondary and critical care.

Addressing a webinar titled Digital Revolution Going Viral' during FICCI HEAL 2020 event, he said the crisis has spurred some reforms and digital health is one of them, according to a statement issued by FICCI.

The (COVID-19) crisis showed the fault lines in the health sector. India is investing too little in health and it is one of the lowest in the world. This crisis has shown that we need to do much more and we need to invest more in the primary, secondary and critical care, Bhushan was quoted as saying in the statement.

Bhushan, CEO of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY) and the National Health Authority, said the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) blueprint was developed over the last two years, which aims to provide a unique health ID to every citizen and link them together with electronic health records.

The aim is to improve transparency in the sector, make health services more accessible, interoperable, and make policy more evidence-based, he said.

The NDHM has citizens at the centre of the whole concept and we are adopting privacy and security in the design itself and not as an afterthought, the official asserted.

Drawing a parallel with other government initiatives, Bhushan said India has gone through the FinTech revolution and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) which have revolutionised the financial sector, adding we aim to do the same thing in the health sector through NDHM.

We will be providing the digital infrastructure and it will revolutionise the health sector, he said.

Elaborating on the government's digital initiatives, specifically the telemedicine network, Bhushan said, The excitement regarding telemedicine and digitising the whole healthcare system stems from the PM himself.

The NDHM was one of the major announcements from the ramparts of the Red Fort this Independence Day, he added.

The senior official said the implementation of NDHM has been initiated on a pilot basis.

We are acting on the start small, think big and scale fast' principle, and hopefully, in six months, you will start seeing the impact on a larger ecosystem, he noted.

Sangita Reddy, President-FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals, said COVID-19 brought together some of the most powerful and innovative thought processes across the world.

Telemedicine is not just tele-consults, it is an integrated platform that one can use. It is evolving and emerging and the day physical medicine and telemedicine are seamlessly integrated is when we have won the telemedicine game, she was quoted as saying in the statement.

She said India is clearly ramping up for the vaccination challenge and it is not just about production.

We will produce for India and the world. One of the critical aspects of administering vaccines is human resources and India has the human resource to do that, Reddy said.

The National Health Service (NHS), UK is looking to acquire doctors and nurses from India to help them in this challenge. This is a tremendous opportunity for India to showcase its capabilities, she added.

Express Healthcare |

NDHM can potentially unlock incremental value of Rs 1.5 lakh crore for healthcare industry: BCG-FICCI report

Just like the creation of shared digital infrastructure in the financial industry enabled UPI payments, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), in the next few years, will catalyse a robust digital infrastructure for the Indian healthcare ecosystem.

A recently released BCG-FICCI report, estimates that over the next decade, India’s National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) can potentially unlock an incremental value of Rs 1.5 lakh crore for the healthcare industry.

The joint publication by BCG and FICCI titled “Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Reimaging Healthcare for Every Indian” as released at the 14th FICCI HEAL by Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India, Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD Apollo Hospitals, and Bart Janssens, MD and senior partner, Boston Consulting Group.

As per a release, the report will be distributed to the Prime Minister’s Office, Niti Aayog, Chief Ministers, Health Ministers, State ministries and Secretaries among other dignitaries in the public and private sector.

The release states that India is now at the cusp of the digital 3.0 era of Open Digital Ecosystems that represents a fundamental change in the way the government can leverage technology for public care delivery and enable private sector innovation. It entails creation of a shared public digital infrastructure that can be leveraged by both public and private players to deploy new solutions that enhance the end-user experience.

Referring to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which also exposed India’s weak healthcare system and reinforced the need to urgently improve all levels of healthcare, including primary care, the release highlights that in times of adversity, the pandemic has also inspired promising innovations, particularly in digital healthcare models. From the telemedicine guidelines being announced in March 2020 to the launch of national digital health ID in August 2020, we have just started to see the digital era in healthcare take shape.

Surveys conducted by BCG across doctors and patients highlight that 85 per cent of the clinicians used digital platforms for patient interactions during the lockdown. 50 per cent of the clinicians found these platforms to be an effective medium for providing care. Additionally, 60 per cent patients across metro and tier 1 cities reported they would continue using digital platforms for primary care in the post COVID world due to the fundamental benefits of shorter waiting time and easy access to qualified doctors. In addition, as per reports, the lockdown period saw teleconsultation services being accessed by over 2000 small towns, with 80 per cent patients being first time users.

The report undertakes a collaborative approach to ensure that multiple perspectives across government bodies, private sector entities, developers, and the user community are brought to the forefront. It aims to drive active stakeholder discussions to help accelerate India’s journey towards a healthcare system that puts the patient at the center of all solutions and drives accessible, affordable and quality healthcare all.

Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO NHA and PM-JAY, said “With the guiding principles outlined in the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB), the government has laid out a comprehensive strategy to bring a fundamental transformation in healthcare and open a range of market opportunities for all stakeholders. This report details out how the entire ecosystem will gain, and the industry will be galvanised as a result of the implementation of NDHB over the next few years.”

Outlook |

COVID-19 crisis highlighted need for more investment in health sector: Ayushman Bharat CEO

The coronavirus crisis highlighted that the country was investing too little in the health sector, CEO of AB-PMJAY Indu Bhushan said on Thursday as he stressed on the need to invest more in primary, secondary and critical care.

Addressing a webinar titled ‘Digital Revolution Going Viral’ during FICCI HEAL 2020 event, he said the crisis has spurred some reforms and digital health is one of them, according to a statement issued by FICCI.

“The (COVID-19) crisis showed the fault lines in the health sector. India is investing too little in health and it is one of the lowest in the world. This crisis has shown that we need to do much more and we need to invest more in the primary, secondary and critical care,” Bhushan was quoted as saying in the statement.

Bhushan, CEO of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY) and the National Health Authority, said the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) blueprint was developed over the last two years, which aims to provide a unique health ID to every citizen and link them together with electronic health records.

The aim is to improve transparency in the sector, make health services more accessible, interoperable, and make policy more evidence-based, he said.

“The NDHM has citizens at the centre of the whole concept and we are adopting privacy and security in the design itself and not as an afterthought,” the official asserted.

Drawing a parallel with other government initiatives, Bhushan said India has gone through the FinTech revolution and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) which have revolutionised the financial sector, adding “we aim to do the same thing in the health sector through NDHM”.

“We will be providing the digital infrastructure and it will revolutionise the health sector,” he said.

Elaborating on the government’s digital initiatives, specifically the telemedicine network, Bhushan said, “The excitement regarding telemedicine and digitising the whole healthcare system stems from the PM himself.

“The NDHM was one of the major announcements from the ramparts of the Red Fort this Independence Day,” he added.

The senior official said the implementation of NDHM has been initiated on a pilot basis.

“We are acting on the ‘start small, think big and scale fast’ principle, and hopefully, in six months, you will start seeing the impact on a larger ecosystem,” he noted.

Sangita Reddy, President-FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals, said COVID-19 brought together some of the most powerful and innovative thought processes across the world.

“Telemedicine is not just tele-consults, it is an integrated platform that one can use. It is evolving and emerging and the day physical medicine and telemedicine are seamlessly integrated is when we have won the telemedicine game,” she was quoted as saying in the statement.

She said India is clearly ramping up for the vaccination challenge and it is not just about production.

We will produce for India and the world. One of the critical aspects of administering vaccines is human resources and India has the human resource to do that, Reddy said.

“The National Health Service (NHS), UK is looking to acquire doctors and nurses from India to help them in this challenge. This is a tremendous opportunity for India to showcase its capabilities,” she added.

Bloomberg Quint |

Covid-19 crisis makes case for more investment in health: Ayushman Bharat CEO

The coronavirus crisis highlighted that the country was investing too little in the health sector, Chief Executive of Ayushman Bharat scheme Indu Bhushan said on Thursday as he stressed on the need to invest more in primary, secondary and critical care.

Addressing a webinar titled Digital Revolution Going Viral' during FICCI HEAL 2020 event, he said the crisis has spurred some reforms and digital health is one of them, according to a statement issued by FICCI.

The (Covid-19) crisis showed the fault lines in the health sector. India is investing too little in health and it is one of the lowest in the world. This crisis has shown that we need to do much more and we need to invest more in the primary, secondary and critical care, Bhushan was quoted as saying in the statement.

Bhushan, CEO of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna and the National Health Authority, said the National Digital Health Mission blueprint was developed over the last two years, which aims to provide a unique health ID to every citizen and link them together with electronic health records.

The aim is to improve transparency in the sector, make health services more accessible, interoperable, and make policy more evidence-based, he said.

The NDHM has citizens at the centre of the whole concept and we are adopting privacy and security in the design itself and not as an afterthought, the official asserted.

Drawing a parallel with other government initiatives, Bhushan said India has gone through the FinTech revolution and the Unified Payments Interface which have revolutionised the financial sector, adding we aim to do the same thing in the health sector through NDHM.

We will be providing the digital infrastructure and it will revolutionise the health sector, he said.

Elaborating on the government's digital initiatives, specifically the telemedicine network, Bhushan said, The excitement regarding telemedicine and digitising the whole healthcare system stems from the PM himself.

The NDHM was one of the major announcements from the ramparts of the Red Fort this Independence Day, he added.

The senior official said the implementation of NDHM has been initiated on a pilot basis.

We are acting on the start small, think big and scale fast' principle, and hopefully, in six months, you will start seeing the impact on a larger ecosystem, he noted.

Sangita Reddy, President-FICCI and joint managing director, Apollo Hospitals, said Covid-19 brought together some of the most powerful and innovative thought processes across the world.

Telemedicine is not just tele-consults, it is an integrated platform that one can use. It is evolving and emerging and the day physical medicine and telemedicine are seamlessly integrated is when we have won the telemedicine game, she was quoted as saying in the statement.

She said India is clearly ramping up for the vaccination challenge and it is not just about production.

We will produce for India and the world. One of the critical aspects of administering vaccines is human resources and India has the human resource to do that, Reddy said.

The National Health Service , U.K. is looking to acquire doctors and nurses from India to help them in this challenge. This is a tremendous opportunity for India to showcase its capabilities, she added.

Pharma Biz |

Government to adopt privacy and security features in NDHM design to make health services more accessible: Dr Indu Bhushan

Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO, AB-PMJAY and the National Health Authority (NHA), GoI said that Government will adopt privacy and security features in National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) design to improve transparency in the sector, make health services more accessible, interoperable, and make policy more evidence-based.

NDHM blueprint was developed over the last two years, which aims to provide a unique health id to every citizen and link them together with electronic health records. The aim is.

Addressing a webinar ‘Digital Revolution Going Viral’ during the FICCI HEAL 2020, Dr Bhushan said, “The NDHM has citizens at the center of the whole concept and we are adopting privacy and security in the design itself and not as an afterthought.”

Drawing a parallel with other government initiatives, Dr Bhushan said that India has gone through the FinTech revolution and the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) that has revolutionized the financial sector and we aim to do the same thing in the health sector through the NDHM. “We will be providing the digital infrastructure and it will revolutionize the health sector,” added Dr Bhushan.

Elaborating on the government’s digital initiatives, specifically on the telemedicine, Dr Bhushan said, “The excitement regarding telemedicine and digitizing the whole healthcare system stems from the PM himself. The NDHM was one of the major announcements from the ramparts of the Red Fort this Independence Day.”

He stated that the implementation of the NDHM has been initiated on a pilot basis. “We are acting on the ‘start small, think big and scale fast’ principle, and hopefully, in six months you will start seeing the impact on a larger ecosystem,” noted Dr Bhushan.

Highlighting the impact of COVID-19 on digital health, Dr Bhushan said that the crisis has spurred some reforms and digital health is one of them. “The crisis showed the fault lines in the health sector. India is investing too little in health and is one of the lowest in the world. This crisis has shown that we need to do much more and we need to invest more in the primary, secondary, and critical care,” he emphasized.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President-FICCI and joint MD, Apollo Hospitals, said that COVID-19 brought together some of the most powerful and innovative thought processes across the world. “Telemedicine is not just teleconsults; it is an integrated platform that one can use. It is evolving and emerging and the day that physical medicine and telemedicine are seamlessly integrated is when we’ve won the telemedicine game,” she said.

Dr Reddy further stated that India is clearly ramping up for the vaccination challenge and it is not just about production. We will produce for India and the world. One of the critical aspects of administering vaccines is human resources and India has the human resource to do that. “The National Health Service (NHS), UK is looking to acquire doctors and nurses from India to help them in this challenge. This is a tremendous opportunity for India to showcase its capabilities,” she added.

Dr Scott Atlas, Special Advisor to the President of the United States, Member, White House Coronavirus Task Force, Robert Wesson Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, USA said that the US has used digital health effectively during the COVID times and that there has been an explosion of telemedicine in the United States.

“This is one of the positives that has come out of this very tragic period and this was done because of the necessity and the need for mobilizing resources and making them available to people who were either forced to not come to medical centres due to the lockdown or were afraid,” he said.

Kieran Murphy, President & CEO, GE Healthcare said that during COVID, the pressure to get sufficient number of components at the right place at the right time was immense. However, there wasn’t a single company around the world that refused help when asked.

Dr Jan Herzhoff, President- global health markets, Elsevier said that the usage of some of their platforms has increased by almost 65 per cent during the COVID times. “Most of the healthcare professionals being pulled in were not able to use the ventilators. Our first task was to get students and healthcare workers to understand the functionalities of the machines,” he said.

Bart Janssens, MD and senior partner, The Boston Consulting Group Inc, said that COVID gave an opportunity to a large group of companies and organizations to come together who, in normal times, would not have collaborated. “The mission of the Swasth app when COVID hit India was two-folds. The short-term and the most visible part was about helping to respond to the crisis by rapidly deploying COVID care solutions. The second was to help accelerate the adoption of the NDHM by contributing to building big digital healthcare infrastructure,” he said.

Dr Vidur Mahajan, head- R&D, CARING, and associate director, Mahajan Imaging, said that the built-in consent management in the National Digital Health Mission is laudable. “Instead of a technological- centric view the whole healthcare ecosystem should have a patient-centric view,” he added.

Bio Spectrum |

Government to adopt security features in NDHM design

Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO, AB-PMJAY and the National Health Authority (NHA), GoI has said that the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) blueprint was developed over the last two years, which aims to provide a unique health id to every citizen and link them together with electronic health records. The aim is to improve transparency in the sector, make health services more accessible, interoperable, and make policy more evidence-based.

Addressing a webinar ‘Digital Revolution Going Viral’ during the FICCI HEAL 2020 on 1 October, Dr Bhushan said, “The NDHM has citizens at the center of the whole concept and we are adopting privacy and security in the design itself and not as an afterthought.”

Drawing a parallel with other government initiatives, Dr Bhushan said that India has gone through the FinTech revolution and the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) that has revolutionized the financial sector and we aim to do the same thing in the health sector through the NDHM. “We will be providing the digital infrastructure and it will revolutionize the health sector,” added Dr Bhushan.

Elaborating on the government’s digital initiatives, specifically on the telemedicine, Dr Bhushan said, “The excitement regarding telemedicine and digitizing the whole healthcare system stems from the PM himself. The NDHM was one of the major announcements from the ramparts of the Red Fort this Independence Day.”

He stated that the implementation of the NDHM has been initiated on a pilot basis. “We are acting on the ‘start small, think big and scale fast’ principle, and hopefully, in six months you will start seeing the impact on a larger ecosystem,” noted Dr Bhushan.

Highlighting the impact of COVID-19 on digital health, Dr Bhushan said that the crisis has spurred some reforms and digital health is one of them. “The crisis showed the fault lines in the health sector. India is investing too little in health and is one of the lowest in the world. This crisis has shown that we need to do much more and we need to invest more in the primary, secondary, and critical care,” he emphasized.

Yahoo News |

COVID-19 crisis highlighted need for more investment in health sector: Ayushman Bharat CEO

The coronavirus crisis highlighted that the country was investing too little in the health sector, CEO of AB-PMJAY Indu Bhushan said on Thursday as he stressed on the need to invest more in primary, secondary and critical care.

Addressing a webinar titled ‘Digital Revolution Going Viral’ during FICCI HEAL 2020 event, he said the crisis has spurred some reforms and digital health is one of them, according to a statement issued by FICCI.

“The (COVID-19) crisis showed the fault lines in the health sector. India is investing too little in health and it is one of the lowest in the world. This crisis has shown that we need to do much more and we need to invest more in the primary, secondary and critical care,” Bhushan was quoted as saying in the statement.

Bhushan, CEO of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY) and the National Health Authority, said the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) blueprint was developed over the last two years, which aims to provide a unique health ID to every citizen and link them together with electronic health records.

The aim is to improve transparency in the sector, make health services more accessible, interoperable, and make policy more evidence-based, he said.

“The NDHM has citizens at the centre of the whole concept and we are adopting privacy and security in the design itself and not as an afterthought,” the official asserted.

Drawing a parallel with other government initiatives, Bhushan said India has gone through the FinTech revolution and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) which have revolutionised the financial sector, adding “we aim to do the same thing in the health sector through NDHM”.

“We will be providing the digital infrastructure and it will revolutionise the health sector,” he said.

Elaborating on the government’s digital initiatives, specifically the telemedicine network, Bhushan said, “The excitement regarding telemedicine and digitising the whole healthcare system stems from the PM himself.

“The NDHM was one of the major announcements from the ramparts of the Red Fort this Independence Day,” he added.

The senior official said the implementation of NDHM has been initiated on a pilot basis.

“We are acting on the ‘start small, think big and scale fast’ principle, and hopefully, in six months, you will start seeing the impact on a larger ecosystem,” he noted.

Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals, said COVID-19 brought together some of the most powerful and innovative thought processes across the world.

“Telemedicine is not just tele-consults, it is an integrated platform that one can use. It is evolving and emerging and the day physical medicine and telemedicine are seamlessly integrated is when we have won the telemedicine game,” she was quoted as saying in the statement.

She said India is clearly ramping up for the vaccination challenge and it is not just about production.

We will produce for India and the world. One of the critical aspects of administering vaccines is human resources and India has the human resource to do that, Reddy said.

“The National Health Service (NHS), UK is looking to acquire doctors and nurses from India to help them in this challenge. This is a tremendous opportunity for India to showcase its capabilities,” she added.

Medical Buyer |

Open digital health ecosystem - A game changer for healthcare industry

A joint publication by BCG and FICCI titled “Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Reimaging Healthcare for Every Indian” was released at the 14th FICCI HEAL, (the annual health conference organized by FICCI) by Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India, Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD Apollo Hospitals, and Mr. Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group. This report will be distributed to the Prime Minister’s Office, NITI Aayog, Chief Ministers, Health Ministers, State ministries and Secretaries among other dignitaries in the public and private sector.

The way we live, and work has been profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to upending our lives the pandemic has also exposed India’s weak healthcare system and reinforced the need to urgently improve all levels of healthcare, including primary care. As is inevitable in times of adversity, the pandemic has also inspired promising innovations, particularly in digital healthcare models. From the telemedicine guidelines being announced in March 2020 to the launch of national digital health ID in August 2020, we have just started to see the digital era in healthcare take shape.

Surveys conducted by BCG across doctors and patients highlight that 85% of the clinicians used digital platforms for patient interactions during the lockdown. 50% of the clinicians found these platforms to be an effective medium for providing care. Additionally, 60% patients across metro and tier 1 cities reported they would continue using digital platforms for primary care in the post COVID world due to the fundamental benefits of shorter waiting time and easy access to qualified doctors. In addition, as per reports, the lockdown period saw teleconsultation services being accessed by over 2000 small towns, with 80% patients being first time users.

We are now at the cusp of the digital 3.0 era of Open Digital Ecosystems that represents a fundamental change in the way the government can leverage technology for public care delivery and enable private sector innovation. It entails creation of a shared public digital infrastructure that can be leveraged by both public and private players to deploy new solutions that enhance the end-user experience. Just like the creation of shared digital infrastructure in the financial industry enabling UPI payments, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), in the next few years, will catalyze a robust digital infrastructure for the Indian healthcare ecosystem. As per the report, it is estimated that over the next decade, NDHM can potentially unlock an incremental value of INR 1.5 lakh crore for the healthcare industry.

The report undertakes a collaborative approach to ensure that multiple perspectives across government bodies, private sector entities, developers, and the user community are brought to the forefront. It aims to drive active stakeholder discussions to help accelerate India’s journey towards a healthcare system that puts the patient at the center of all solutions and drives accessible, affordable and quality healthcare all.

Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO NHA and PM-JAY, said “With the guiding principles outlined in the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB), the government has laid out a comprehensive strategy to bring a fundamental transformation in healthcare and open a range of market opportunities for all stakeholders. This report details out how the entire ecosystem will gain, and the industry will be galvanized as a result of the implementation of NDHB over the next few years.”

Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD, Apollo Hospitals said “There is an urgent need to shift to a new care delivery paradigm that leverages public technology infrastructure. This needs to be done while ensuring patient-centricity, and adequate digital security. It is great to see that this timely and pertinent report has been put together to drive active discussions amongst the stakeholders.”

Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG said “We anticipate that over the next 10 years, NDHM can unlock incremental economic value of over USD 200 billion for the healthcare sector. Public and private ecosystem players will have to realign their operating models to capture this value and stay ahead of the curve. This will pave way for more patient-centric solutions driving accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for all.”

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “The need to accelerate changes in our health care system is an obvious inference of this pandemic. The advent of an open digital health ecosystem will unleash a new wave of innovation and transform the way primary healthcare is delivered in India. As illustrated in this detailed report, the health ODE will enable patients who are under-served by the physical healthcare infrastructure to access high quality healthcare, by leveraging a common digital infrastructure”

Bio Voice |

Open digital health ecosystem is a gamechanger for India & healthcare industry: FICCI-BCG Report

A joint publication by BCG and FICCI titled “Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Reimaging Healthcare for Every Indian” was released at the 14th FICCI HEAL by M Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India, Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD Apollo Hospitals, and Mr. Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group. This report will be distributed to the Prime Minister’s Office, NITI Aayog, Chief Ministers, Health Ministers, State ministries and Secretaries among other dignitaries in the public and private sector.

FICCI HEAL is the annual health conference organized by FICCI. This time the event has been held on a virtual platform.

The way we live, and work has been profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to upending our lives the pandemic has also exposed India’s weak healthcare system and reinforced the need to urgently improve all levels of healthcare, including primary care. As is inevitable in times of adversity, the pandemic has also inspired promising innovations, particularly in digital healthcare models. From the telemedicine guidelines being announced in March 2020 to the launch of national digital health ID in August 2020, we have just started to see the digital era in healthcare take shape.

Surveys conducted by BCG across doctors and patients highlight that 85% of the clinicians used digital platforms for patient interactions during the lockdown. 50% of the clinicians found these platforms to be an effective medium for providing care.

Additionally, 60% patients across metro and tier 1 cities reported they would continue using digital platforms for primary care in the post COVID world due to the fundamental benefits of shorter waiting time and easy access to qualified doctors. In addition, as per reports, the lockdown period saw teleconsultation services being accessed by over 2000 small towns, with 80% patients being first time users.

We are now at the cusp of the digital 3.0 era of Open Digital Ecosystems that represents a fundamental change in the way the government can leverage technology for public care delivery and enable private sector innovation. It entails creation of a shared public digital infrastructure that can be leveraged by both public and private players to deploy new solutions that enhance the end-user experience. Just like the creation of shared digital infrastructure in the financial industry enabling UPI payments, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), in the next few years, will catalyze a robust digital infrastructure for the Indian healthcare ecosystem. As per the report, it is estimated that over the next decade, NDHM can potentially unlock an incremental value of INR 1.5 lakh crore for the healthcare industry.

The report undertakes a collaborative approach to ensure that multiple perspectives across government bodies, private sector entities, developers, and the user community are brought to the forefront. It aims to drive active stakeholder discussions to help accelerate India’s journey towards a healthcare system that puts the patient at the center of all solutions and drives accessible, affordable and quality healthcare all.

Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO NHA and PM-JAY, said “With the guiding principles outlined in the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB), the government has laid out a comprehensive strategy to bring a fundamental transformation in healthcare and open a range of market opportunities for all stakeholders. This report details out how the entire ecosystem will gain, and the industry will be galvanized as a result of the implementation of NDHB over the next few years.”

Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD, Apollo Hospitals said “There is an urgent need to shift to a new care delivery paradigm that leverages public technology infrastructure. This needs to be done while ensuring patient-centricity, and adequate digital security. It is great to see that this timely and pertinent report has been put together to drive active discussions amongst the stakeholders.”

Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG said “We anticipate that over the next 10 years, NDHM can unlock incremental economic value of over USD 200 billion for the healthcare sector. Public and private ecosystem players will have to realign their operating models to capture this value and stay ahead of the curve. This will pave way for more patient-centric solutions driving accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for all.”

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “The need to accelerate changes in our health care system is an obvious inference of this pandemic. The advent of an open digital health ecosystem will unleash a new wave of innovation and transform the way primary healthcare is delivered in India. As illustrated in this detailed report, the health ODE will enable patients who are under-served by the physical healthcare infrastructure to access high quality healthcare, by leveraging a common digital infrastructure”

Daily Hunt |

COVID-19 Crisis highlighted need for more investment in health sector: Ayushman Bharat CEO

The coronavirus crisis highlighted that the country was investing too little in the health sector, CEO of AB-PMJAY Indu Bhushan said on Thursday as he stressed on the need to invest more in primary, secondary and critical care.Addressing a webinar titled 'Digital Revolution Going Viral' during FICCI HEAL 2020 event, he said the crisis has spurred some reforms and digital health is one of them, according to a statement issued by FICCI.

"The (COVID-19) crisis showed the fault lines in the health sector. India is investing too little in health and it is one of the lowest in the world. This crisis has shown that we need to do much more and we need to invest more in the primary, secondary and critical care," Bhushan was quoted as saying in the statement.

Bhushan, CEO of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY) and the National Health Authority, said the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) blueprint was developed over the last two years, which aims to provide a unique health ID to every citizen and link them together with electronic health records.The aim is to improve transparency in the sector, make health services more accessible, interoperable, and make policy more evidence-based, he said.

"The NDHM has citizens at the centre of the whole concept and we are adopting privacy and security in the design itself and not as an afterthought," the official asserted.

Drawing a parallel with other government initiatives, Bhushan said India has gone through the FinTech revolution and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) which have revolutionised the financial sector, adding "we aim to do the same thing in the health sector through NDHM".

"We will be providing the digital infrastructure and it will revolutionise the health sector," he said.

Elaborating on the government's digital initiatives, specifically the telemedicine network, Bhushan said, "The excitement regarding telemedicine and digitising the whole healthcare system stems from the PM himself.

The NDHM was one of the major announcements from the ramparts of the Red Fort this Independence Day,he added.The senior official said the implementation of NDHM has been initiated on a pilot basis.

"We are acting on the 'start small, think big and scale fast' principle, and hopefully, in six months, you will start seeing the impact on a larger ecosystem," he noted.

Sangita Reddy, President-FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals, said COVID-19 brought together some of the most powerful and innovative thought processes across the world.Telemedicine is not just tele-consults, it is an integrated platform that one can use. It is evolving and emerging and the day physical medicine and telemedicine are seamlessly integrated is when we have won the telemedicine game,she was quoted as saying in the statement.

She said India is clearly ramping up for the vaccination challenge and it is not just about production.We will produce for India and the world. One of the critical aspects of administering vaccines is human resources and India has the human resource to do that, Reddy said.

"The National Health Service (NHS), UK is looking to acquire doctors and nurses from India to help them in this challenge. This is a tremendous opportunity for India to showcase its capabilities," she added.

Medgate Today |

FICCI HEAL 2020: "Post-COVID Healthcare World - The New Beginning"

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented disruption for the global health community and overstretched healthcare infrastructure of even the most developed countries. It has forced healthcare institutions and regulatory bodies to re-think, restructure and reform the existing processes and systems and seek more advanced and alternative ways of providing healthcare.

In India, while healthcare has not been very high on the political or public agenda, COVID-19 has triggered the much-needed government focus towards healthcare infrastructure development. It is evident that the pandemic will bring in a huge paradigm shift in not only the way medicine will be practiced in future, but the way healthcare is envisioned- by the government, the industry as well as the community at large.

Traditionally India has not invested sufficient resources on public health infrastructure development as well as to anticipate a response to sudden large outbreak of infectious diseases. Despite the significant TB burden in India and sporadic outbreaks of other infectious diseases including chicken pox, our public health infrastructure is still inadequate which has been further accentuated during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Managing and responding to the triple disease burden for 1.3 billion population is indeed a mammoth task. India will never have sufficient public funds to achieve universal healthcare. In order to overcome the twin challenge of surging non-communicable and infectious diseases, it is imperative that the public spending on healthcare is increased to 4.5% of GDP over next 7-10 years. The government had envisaged to reach at least 2.5% of GDP by 2022. However, we need to start spending an extra 0.5% of GDP or at least INR 70,000 cr every year on health for the next five years to be able to fill the deficit. There for private sector investment and public private partnerships in the healthcare sector is going to be critical to meet to fulfil SDG3 goals.

The government has been rolling out a series of reforms to achieve universal healthcare through theimplementation of the National Health Policy of 2017, the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the recent Atma-Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and National Digital Health Blueprint. Even though healthcare costs in India are almost 10 times lower than other nations, due to low per capita income, challenge of access, affordability and quality of care persists.

The pandemic, however, has enforced the paradigm shift in the entire approach to life, work and healthcare. Health, hygiene, sanitation and fitness have come to the center-stage of civilisation. These behavioural changes are giving way to a transformed healthcare delivery system- including new care delivery models, enhanced use of digital tools and technologies, greater focus on preventive and primary care along with point of care and home-based care, restructured facilities and operating models, and boost to local manufacturing as well as R&D in products and treatment for better health outcomes.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, enumerated, “Building digital infrastructure for the healthcare sector through the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) initiated by the PM’s Digital India movement,willcatalyse robust reforms forimproving health care delivery to the last milein next few years. IT industry was the key growth driver for the Indian economy for the last 30 years. NDHM can leverage and maximize the potential of the Health care industry to be the growth driver of the Indian economy for the next 100 years provided timely implementation of appropriate interventions and reforms are done.

Dr Alok Roy, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee highlighted, “with this vision, the FICCI Healthservices Committee has carefully crafted the Theme for FICCI’s annual healthcare conference- FICCI HEAL 2020- as “Post-COVID Healthcare World” – The New Beginning”.The FICCI HEAL Conference would provide that unique platform needed today to exchange innovative ideas and best practices as well as deliberate on all the emerging opportunities for the post-pandemic healthcare world that is affordable and accessible for every citizen of the country”.

The pre- and post- conference sessions over the three days will highlight the impact of COVID as well as learnings and opportunities for the future development of healthcare systems- across the spectrum, including evolving care delivery, developments in diagnostics, enabling digital technologies, rise in home healthcare, changing pharma landscape, self-reliance in medical technology. There will be a parallel stream of Scientific Sessions that would focus on the clinical challenges faced due to COVID-19 and the response from various stakeholders. FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards, Keynote addresses and Medtech Bootcamps are the other significant features of the Conference.

Apeksha News |

Government adopting privacy and security features in NDHM design: CEO, AB-PMJAY

Dr. Indu Bhushan, CEO, AB-PMJAY and the National Health Authority (NHA), GoI today said that the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) blueprint was developed over the last two years, which aims to provide a unique health ID to every citizen and link them together with electronic health records. The aim is to improve transparency in the sector, make health services more accessible, interoperable, and make policy more evidence-based.

Addressing a webinar ‘Digital Revolution Going Viral’ during the FICCI HEAL 2020, Dr Bhushan said, “The NDHM has citizens at the center of the whole concept and we are adopting privacy and security in the design itself and not as an afterthought.”

Drawing a parallel with other government initiatives, Dr Bhushan said that India has gone through the FinTech revolution and the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) that has revolutionized the financial sector and we aim to do the same thing in the health sector through the NDHM. “We will be providing the digital infrastructure and it will revolutionize the health sector,” added Dr Bhushan.

Elaborating on the government’s digital initiatives, specifically on the telemedicine, Dr Bhushan said, “The excitement regarding telemedicine and digitizing the whole healthcare system stems from the PM himself. The NDHM was one of the major announcements from the ramparts of the Red Fort this Independence Day.”

He stated that the implementation of the NDHM has been initiated on a pilot basis. “We are acting on the ‘start small, think big and scale fast’ principle, and hopefully, in six months you will start seeing the impact on a larger ecosystem,” noted Dr Bhushan.

Highlighting the impact of COVID-19 on digital health, Dr Bhushan said that the crisis has spurred some reforms and digital health is one of them. “The crisis showed the fault lines in the health sector. India is investing too little in health and is one of the lowest in the world. This crisis has shown that we need to do much more and we need to invest more in the primary, secondary, and critical care,” he emphasized.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President-FICCI & Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals, said that COVID-19 brought together some of the most powerful and innovative thought processes across the world. “Telemedicine is not just tele-consults; it is an integrated platform that one can use. It is evolving and emerging and the day that physical medicine and telemedicine are seamlessly integrated is when we’ve won the telemedicine game,” she said.

Dr Reddy further stated that India is clearly ramping up for the vaccination challenge and it is not just about production. We will produce for India and the world. One of the critical aspects of administering vaccines is human resources and India has the human resource to do that. “The National Health Service (NHS), UK is looking to acquire doctors and nurses from India to help them in this challenge. This is a tremendous opportunity for India to showcase its capabilities,” she added.

Dr Scott Atlas, Special Advisor to the President of the United States, Member, White House Coronavirus Task Force, Robert Wesson Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, USA said that the US has used digital health effectively during the COVID times and that there has been an explosion of telemedicine in the United States.

“This is one of the positives that has come out of this very tragic period and this was done because of the necessity and the need for mobilizing resources and making them available to people who were either forced to not come to medical centres due to the lockdown or were afraid,” he said.

Mr Kieran Murphy, President & CEO, GE Healthcare said that during COVID, the pressure to get sufficient number of components at the right place at the right time was immense. However, there wasn’t a single company around the world that refused help when asked.

Dr Jan Herzhoff, President- Global Health Markets, Elsevier said that the usage of some of their platforms has increased by almost 65 per cent during the COVID times. “Most of the healthcare professionals being pulled in were not able to use the ventilators. Our first task was to get students and healthcare workers to understand the functionalities of the machines,” he said.

Mr Bart Janssens, MD and Senior Partner, The Boston Consulting Group Inc, said that COVID gave an opportunity to a large group of companies and organizations to come together who, in normal times, would not have collaborated. “The mission of the Swasth app when COVID hit India was two-folds. The short-term and the most visible part was about helping to respond to the crisis by rapidly deploying COVID care solutions. The second was to help accelerate the adoption of the NDHM by contributing to building big digital healthcare infrastructure,” he said.

Dr Vidur Mahajan, Head- R&D, CARING, and Associate Director, Mahajan Imaging, said that the built-in consent management in the National Digital Health Mission is laudable. “Instead of a technological- centric view the whole healthcare ecosystem should have a patient-centric view,” he added.

The Economic Times |

COVID-19 crisis highlighted need for more investment in health sector: Ayushman Bharat CEO

The coronavirus crisis highlighted that the country was investing too little in the health sector, CEO of AB-PMJAY Indu Bhushan said on Thursday as he stressed on the need to invest more in primary, secondary and critical care.

Addressing a webinar titled ‘Digital Revolution Going Viral' during FICCI HEAL 2020 event, he said the crisis has spurred some reforms and digital health is one of them, according to a statement issued by FICCI.

“The (COVID-19) crisis showed the fault lines in the health sector. India is investing too little in health and it is one of the lowest in the world. This crisis has shown that we need to do much more and we need to invest more in the primary, secondary and critical care,” Bhushan was quoted as saying in the statement.

Bhushan, CEO of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY) and the National Health Authority, said the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) blueprint was developed over the last two years, which aims to provide a unique health ID to every citizen and link them together with electronic health records.

The aim is to improve transparency in the sector, make health services more accessible, interoperable, and make policy more evidence-based, he said.

“The NDHM has citizens at the centre of the whole concept and we are adopting privacy and security in the design itself and not as an afterthought,” the official asserted.

Drawing a parallel with other government initiatives, Bhushan said India has gone through the FinTech revolution and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) which have revolutionised the financial sector, adding “we aim to do the same thing in the health sector through NDHM”.

“We will be providing the digital infrastructure and it will revolutionise the health sector,” he said.

Elaborating on the government's digital initiatives, specifically the telemedicine network, Bhushan said, “The excitement regarding telemedicine and digitising the whole healthcare system stems from the PM himself.

“The NDHM was one of the major announcements from the ramparts of the Red Fort this Independence Day,” he added.

The senior official said the implementation of NDHM has been initiated on a pilot basis.


“We are acting on the ‘start small, think big and scale fast' principle, and hopefully, in six months, you will start seeing the impact on a larger ecosystem,” he noted.

Sangita Reddy, President-FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals, said COVID-19 brought together some of the most powerful and innovative thought processes across the world.

“Telemedicine is not just tele-consults, it is an integrated platform that one can use. It is evolving and emerging and the day physical medicine and telemedicine are seamlessly integrated is when we have won the telemedicine game,” she was quoted as saying in the statement.

She said India is clearly ramping up for the vaccination challenge and it is not just about production.

We will produce for India and the world. One of the critical aspects of administering vaccines is human resources and India has the human resource to do that, Reddy said.

“The National Health Service (NHS), UK is looking to acquire doctors and nurses from India to help them in this challenge. This is a tremendous opportunity for India to showcase its capabilities,” she added.

The New Indian Express |

Call for public-private partnership in health

The webinar at the 12th FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards on Tuesday saw a pitch being made for public-private partnership to provide the much-needed boost for the health sector in India to make medical services affordable and accessible to all.Addressing the webinar during the three-day ‘HEAL-2020’ when the awards were given away, Rajiv Gauba, Cabinet Secretary, Government of India, urged the private sector to come forward and join the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) movement. “Private sector hospitals, particularly the big groups, should come forward and join this platform,” he said.

In just two years after its launch, the PM-JAY movement has become a hugely successful platform for delivering tertiary care to some of the most vulnerable sections of the Indian population. “As a country, we have emerged from a state of total dependence on imports to being exporters of Covid-19 medical items. Today, we have 187 labs in the government sector and 749 private labs for Covid testing,” Gauba said.

However, the larger challenge of making healthcare affordable and accessible will continue even after the Covid-19 situation. “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.”

C K Mishra, former secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said healthcare partnership between the private and public sector is the pooling of resources from both sides in taking the country ahead. “It is the government’s responsibility to create a platform to facilitate this.”

ET Healthworld |

NDHM can unlock an incremental value of Rs 1.5 lakh cr for the healthcare industry: FICCI-BCG Report

A joint publication by BCG and FICCI titled “Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Reimaging Healthcare for Every Indian” was released at the 14th annual health conference FICCI HEAL, by M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon'ble Vice President of India, Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD Apollo Hospitals, and Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group.

Surveys conducted by BCG across doctors and patients highlight that 85% of the clinicians used digital platforms for patient interactions during the lockdown. 50% of the clinicians found these platforms to be an effective medium for providing care. Additionally, 60% patients across metro and tier 1 cities reported they would continue using digital platforms for primary care in the post Covid world due to the fundamental benefits of shorter waiting time and easy access to qualified doctors. In addition, as per reports, the lockdown period saw teleconsultation services being accessed by over 2000 small towns, with 80% patients being first time users.

In the release, Ficci said, we are now at the cusp of the digital 3.0 era of Open Digital Ecosystems that represents a fundamental change in the way the government can leverage technology for public care delivery and enable private sector innovation. It entails creation of a shared public digital infrastructure that can be leveraged by both public and private players to deploy new solutions that enhance the end-user experience. Just like the creation of shared digital infrastructure in the financial industry enabling UPI payments, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), in the next few years, will catalyze a robust digital infrastructure for the Indian healthcare ecosystem.

As per the report, it is estimated that over the next decade, NDHM can potentially unlock an incremental value of INR 1.5 lakh crore for the healthcare industry

“With the guiding principles outlined in the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB), the government has laid out a comprehensive strategy to bring a fundamental transformation in healthcare and open a range of market opportunities for all stakeholders. This report details out how the entire ecosystem will gain, and the industry will be galvanized as a result of the implementation of NDHB over the next few years,” said Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO NHA and PM-JAY.

The report undertakes a collaborative approach to ensure that multiple perspectives across government bodies, private sector entities, developers, and the user community are brought to the forefront. It aims to drive active stakeholder discussions to help accelerate India’s journey towards a healthcare system that puts the patient at the center of all solutions and drives accessible, affordable and quality healthcare all.

Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG said “We anticipate that over the next 10 years, NDHM can unlock incremental economic value of over USD 200 billion for the healthcare sector. Public and private ecosystem players will have to realign their operating models to capture this value and stay ahead of the curve. This will pave way for more patient-centric solutions driving accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for all.”

"The need to accelerate changes in our health care system is an obvious inference of this pandemic. The advent of an open digital health ecosystem will unleash a new wave of innovation and transform the way primary healthcare is delivered in India. As illustrated in this detailed report, the health ODE will enable patients who are under-served by the physical healthcare infrastructure to access high quality healthcare, by leveraging a common digital infrastructure,” said Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals.

Live Mint |

Digital health mission can unlock ₹1.5 trln in value for healthcare: Study

The National Digital Health Mission has the potential to unlock ₹1.5 trillion in incremental value for India's healthcare industry in about 10 years, a joint report by FICCI and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said on Wednesday.

The report--Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Reimaging Healthcare for Every Indian--highlighted that the adoption of an open digital health ecosystem will mark a fundamental shift in the way the healthcare market currently operates, and stakeholders interact.

“Just like the creation of shared digital infrastructure in the financial industry enabling UPI payments, the NDHM in the next few years, will catalyse a robust digital infrastructure for the Indian healthcare ecosystem," the report said.

The surveys conducted by BCG across doctors and patients highlight that 85% of the clinicians used digital platforms for patient interactions during the lockdown. About 50% of clinicians found these platforms effective while 60% patients across metros and tier 1 cities said they would continue using digital platforms for primary care in the post-covid world.

Also, the lockdown saw tele-consultation services being accessed in over 2,000 small towns, with 80% patients being first time users.

“With the guiding principles outlined in the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB), the government has laid out a comprehensive strategy to bring a fundamental transformation in healthcare and open a range of market opportunities for all stakeholders," Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO National Health authority (NHA) said.

In addition to upending lives, the pandemic has also exposed India’s weak healthcare system and reinforced the need to improve healthcare across levels, the report said, adding that as is inevitable in times of adversity, the pandemic has also inspired innovations, particularly in digital healthcare models.

Business World |

Open Digital Health Ecosystem - A game changer for India and the healthcare industry: FICCI-BCG Report

A joint publication by BCG and FICCI titled “Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Reimaging Healthcare for Every Indian” was released at the 14th FICCI HEAL, (the annual health conference organized by FICCI) by Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon'ble Vice President of India, Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD Apollo Hospitals, and Mr. Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group. This report will be distributed to the Prime Minister’s Office, NITI Aayog, Chief Ministers, Health Ministers, State ministries and Secretaries among other dignitaries in the public and private sector.

The way we live, and work has been profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to upending our lives the pandemic has also exposed India’s weak healthcare system and reinforced the need to urgently improve all levels of healthcare, including primary care. As is inevitable in times of adversity, the pandemic has also inspired promising innovations, particularly in digital healthcare models. From the telemedicine guidelines being announced in March 2020 to the launch of national digital health ID in August 2020, we have just started to see the digital era in healthcare take shape.

Surveys conducted by BCG across doctors and patients highlight that 85% of the clinicians used digital platforms for patient interactions during the lockdown. 50% of the clinicians found these platforms to be an effective medium for providing care. Additionally, 60% patients across metro and tier 1 cities reported they would continue using digital platforms for primary care in the post COVID world due to the fundamental benefits of shorter waiting time and easy access to qualified doctors. In addition, as per reports, the lockdown period saw teleconsultation services being accessed by over 2000 small towns, with 80% patients being first time users.

We are now at the cusp of the digital 3.0 era of Open Digital Ecosystems that represents a fundamental change in the way the government can leverage technology for public care delivery and enable private sector innovation. It entails creation of a shared public digital infrastructure that can be leveraged by both public and private players to deploy new solutions that enhance the end-user experience. Just like the creation of shared digital infrastructure in the financial industry enabling UPI payments, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), in the next few years, will catalyze a robust digital infrastructure for the Indian healthcare ecosystem. As per the report, it is estimated that over the next decade, NDHM can potentially unlock an incremental value of INR 1.5 lakh crore for the healthcare industry.

The report undertakes a collaborative approach to ensure that multiple perspectives across government bodies, private sector entities, developers, and the user community are brought to the forefront. It aims to drive active stakeholder discussions to help accelerate India’s journey towards a healthcare system that puts the patient at the center of all solutions and drives accessible, affordable and quality healthcare all.

Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO NHA and PM-JAY, said “With the guiding principles outlined in the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB), the government has laid out a comprehensive strategy to bring a fundamental transformation in healthcare and open a range of market opportunities for all stakeholders. This report details out how the entire ecosystem will gain, and the industry will be galvanized as a result of the implementation of NDHB over the next few years.”

Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD, Apollo Hospitals said “There is an urgent need to shift to a new care delivery paradigm that leverages public technology infrastructure. This needs to be done while ensuring patient-centricity, and adequate digital security. It is great to see that this timely and pertinent report has been put together to drive active discussions amongst the stakeholders.”

Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG said “We anticipate that over the next 10 years, NDHM can unlock incremental economic value of over USD 200 billion for the healthcare sector. Public and private ecosystem players will have to realign their operating models to capture this value and stay ahead of the curve. This will pave way for more patient-centric solutions driving accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for all.”

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, "The need to accelerate changes in our health care system is an obvious inference of this pandemic. The advent of an open digital health ecosystem will unleash a new wave of innovation and transform the way primary healthcare is delivered in India. As illustrated in this detailed report, the health ODE will enable patients who are under-served by the physical healthcare infrastructure to access high quality healthcare, by leveraging a common digital infrastructure”

Business Today |

National Digital Health Mission to unlock over $200 billion incremental economic value

The proposed National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) can unlock incremental economic value of over $200 billion for the health sector over the next 10 years. If implemented with improved health outcomes, there will be an increase in productivity which will lead to an additional benefit of $200-250 billion to India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), said a report.

The report of global management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and industry body The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) said there will be a main open digital ecosystem (ODE) that will drive healthcare transformation in India. This will include transparency of information with 'health registries' acting as the single source of information for all stakeholders. Ability of all stakeholders to use data interoperable between different stakeholders will allow patients to share their digital health records across providers. Further, standardised claim processing, digitised prescriptions and development of patient-centric innovations will improve healthcare in India.

It said healthcare access will undergo a fundamental shift with increased adoption of digital service delivery models such as e-consultation, e-pharmacy, e-diagnostics and e-ICU, with increased demand for Out-Patient Department (OPD) care. Affordability will increase as competition, coupled with reduction in administrative costs will lead to price rationalisation in the sector. Patient trust will increase due to health registries as it allows patients to select providers as per their needs and preferences.

Diagnosis rates will increase for medical conditions due to higher OPD and more "consumerism" (patient's self-involvement in their care), driven by aspects like digital health records. Health insurers' business models will transform due to overall reduction in costs, catalysing a stronger shift to managed care, including the introduction of the next generation of insurance products, including OPD insurance.

The report said digital health will improve care quality significantly since patient behaviour will improve as they are able to better access healthcare. New healthcare models will evolve with analytics on aggregated and anonymised data allowing population wide co-relation between clinician advice and health outcomes, leading to standardising clinical protocols and improving care quality. Payors will reward providers that deliver higher quality care, as insurers will steer patients towards providers with better quality, making healthcare more evidence-driven and catalysing innovations in clinical practices, the report adds.

Currently, healthcare stakeholders use disparate health data systems that create inefficiencies in multi-stakeholder processes and interactions. These processes and interactions will be streamlined significantly with significant cost savings for all players. Digital health will simplify providers' administrative systems-processes, streamline claim filing and processing. Digital "ways of working" will reduce workforce costs and increase productivity, leading to significant cost savings for the entire healthcare ecosystem, the report says.

Th report adds the new digital health system will drastically change healthcare market dynamics, threatening existing business models. The report anticipates Central Government to play a critical role in shaping its evolution including policies, standards, and the overall design of the systems and processes.

The State governments will play a dual role - ensure roll-outs of the Health ODE (registration of patients and providers), and drive on the ground management change and identifying implications, expediting separation of its role as a provider, payor and regulator to avoid conflicts, it says. Health tech start-ups stand to benefit the most and are expected to drive the consumerism of healthcare with higher patient engagement. New players will emerge, and business models will undergo significant shifts, said the report.

BW Healthcare World |

Need to ensure good quality healthcare, accessible and affordable for all: Vice President of India

Mr M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India today acknowledged the role of private hospitals in rising to the occasion and battling COVID-19. He also urged the private sector to take full advantage of the Atmanirbhar Abhiyan and give a fillip to the manufacturing of various medical devices.

Addressing the inaugural session of the three-day ‘FICCI HEAL-2020’ virtually, Mr Naidu said, “We have to make available good quality healthcare, accessible and affordable to all. We must capitalize on the core competence of each stakeholder in the country. We must also draw best from the world to strengthen our healthcare delivery system.”

Mr Naidu further urged the private sector to come forward and expand their footprint through public-private partnership and set-up modern healthcare facilities in the rural areas. “Private players have added to the capacity and capability of our healthcare system in the country. They will continue to play an important role in augmenting the infrastructure and skills in the sector. There has to be a collaborative effort from the industry and the civil society in supporting the government’s initiatives,” he emphasized.

Highlighting the potential of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Vice President added that with the expansion of the healthcare sector, the public and private hospitals, the demand for pharmaceutical products, medical devices and equipment will increase in the coming years.

Mr Naidu also complimented FICCI members who have not only been sharing the best practices and solutions to combat the pandemic but have been supporting the government in augmenting healthcare facilities. He appreciated the role of private hospitals by offering their facilities, manpower, equipment in treatment of COVID and non-COVID patients during this crucial hour.

“The current pandemic has also created opportunities to transform our healthcare delivery system including new care delivery models with focus on preventive and primary care, use of advanced technologies, home care facilities,” he said.

Mr Naidu said that the world’s largest health coverage program, the Ayushman Bharat, is now being expanded to every section of the country. “This would ensure that much larger section of uncovered population including informal sector workers are provided health coverage,” he said.

Emphasizing on the need of adopting the traditional Indian lifestyle, Mr Naidu added that this pandemic has taught us the overriding importance of staying healthy, both physically and mentally. “We have to follow the concepts of ‘Dinacharya’ - daily regime and ‘Ritucharya’ - seasonal regime to maintain a healthy life. Fitness coupled with a balanced diet is essential to stave off illness. I suggest that Yoga and meditation should become part of daily time-table along with sports in schools and colleges once normalcy returns,” he stated.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “At no other time in the world has health care been so centre stage. At no other time have the problems been so intense and required us to innovate, ideate and collaborate.”

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said that the private healthcare sector has been the bedrock of capacity and capabilities in India. FICCI has been working very closely with the government and the industry on the response to COVID-19 including recommendations on workable strategy and facilitation of logistics.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder and Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imaging Centre said that the deliberations during the three-day FICCI HEAL 2020 will lead to better diagnostic and treatment outcomes for patients and help in controlling the pandemic.

Pharma Biz |

Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu releases BCG-FICCI report on digital healthcare

A joint publication by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) titled “Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Reimaging Healthcare for Every Indian” was released at the 14th FICCI HEAL by the hands of Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu alongwith Dr Sangita Reddy, president, FICCI and joint MD, Apollo Hospitals, Bart Janssens, managing director and senior partner, BCG.

The report undertakes a collaborative approach to ensure that multiple perspectives across government bodies, private sector entities, developers, and the user community are brought to the forefront.

It aims to drive active stakeholder discussions to help accelerate India’s journey towards a healthcare system that puts the patient at the center of all solutions and drives accessible, affordable and quality healthcare all.

This report will be distributed to the Prime Minister’s Office, Niti Aayog, Chief Ministers, Health Ministers, State ministries and Secretaries among other dignitaries in the public and private sector.

Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO NHA and PM-JAY, said “With the guiding principles outlined in the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB), the government has laid out a comprehensive strategy to bring a fundamental transformation in healthcare and open a range of market opportunities for all stakeholders. This report details out how the entire ecosystem will gain, and the industry will be galvanized as a result of the implementation of NDHB over the next few years.”

Dr Sangita Reddy, president FICCI and joint MD, Apollo Hospitals said “There is an urgent need to shift to a new care delivery paradigm that leverages public technology infrastructure. This needs to be done while ensuring patient-centricity, and adequate digital security. It is great to see that this timely and pertinent report has been put together to drive active discussions amongst the stakeholders.”

Bart Janssens, managing director and Senior Partner, BCG said “We anticipate that over the next 10 years, NDHM can unlock incremental economic value of over US$ 200 billion for the healthcare sector. Public and private ecosystem players will have to realign their operating models to capture this value and stay ahead of the curve. This will pave way for more patient-centric solutions driving accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for all.”

Dr Alok Roy, chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, "The need to accelerate changes in our health care system is an obvious inference of this pandemic. The advent of an open digital health ecosystem will unleash a new wave of innovation and transform the way primary healthcare is delivered in India. As illustrated in this detailed report, the health ODE will enable patients who are under-served by the physical healthcare infrastructure to access high quality healthcare, by leveraging a common digital infrastructure”

Abhishek Gopalka, managing director and partner, BCG said “Central and State Governments will play a pioneering and pivotal role for ensuring the success of this open digital health ecosystem in India. They will need to facilitate collaboration and coordination across all key stakeholders and nudge them towards the common goal of transforming “healthcare value” for all Indian citizens – significantly improved health outcomes, with lower overall health system costs.

As is inevitable in times of adversity, the pandemic has also inspired promising innovations, particularly in digital healthcare models. From the telemedicine guidelines being announced in March 2020 to the launch of national digital health ID in August 2020, we have just started to see the digital era in healthcare take shape.

Surveys conducted by BCG across doctors and patients highlight that 85% of the clinicians used digital platforms for patient interactions during the lockdown. 50% of the clinicians found these platforms to be an effective medium for providing care. Additionally, 60% patients across metro and tier 1 cities reported they would continue using digital platforms for primary care in the post COVID world due to the fundamental benefits of shorter waiting time and easy access to qualified doctors. In addition, as per reports, the lockdown period saw teleconsultation services being accessed by over 2,000 small towns, with 80% patients being first time users.

Just like the creation of shared digital infrastructure in the financial industry enabling UPI payments, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), in the next few years, will catalyze a robust digital infrastructure for the Indian healthcare ecosystem. As per the report, it is estimated that over the next decade, NDHM can potentially unlock an incremental value of Rs.1.5 lakh crore for the healthcare industry.

Express Healthcare |

Private sector must focus on PPP to develop modern healthcare facilities in rural areas: Vice President of India

M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India acknowledged the role of private hospitals in rising to the occasion and battling COVID-19. He also urged the private sector to take full advantage of the Atmanirbhar Abhiyan and give a fillip to the manufacturing of various medical devices.

Addressing the inaugural session of the three-day FICCI HEAL-2020 virtually the Hon’ble Vice President of India said, “We have to make available good quality healthcare, accessible and affordable to all. We must capitalise on the core competence of each stakeholder in the country. We must also draw best from the world to strengthen our healthcare delivery system.”

He further urged the private sector to come forward and expand their footprint through public-private partnership and set-up modern healthcare facilities in the rural areas. “Private players have added to the capacity and capability of our healthcare system in the country. They will continue to play an important role in augmenting the infrastructure and skills in the sector. There has to be a collaborative effort from the industry and the civil society in supporting the government’s initiatives,” he emphasised.

Highlighting the potential of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Vice President added that with the expansion of the healthcare sector, the public and private hospitals, the demand for pharmaceutical products, medical devices and equipment will increase in the coming years.

He also complimented FICCI members who have not only been sharing the best practices and solutions to combat the pandemic but have been supporting the government in augmenting healthcare facilities. He appreciated the role of private hospitals by offering their facilities, manpower, equipment in the treatment of COVID and non-COVID patients during this crucial hour.

“The current pandemic has also created opportunities to transform our healthcare delivery system including new care delivery models with focus on preventive and primary care, use of advanced technologies, home care facilities,” he said.

He informed that the world’s largest health coverage programme, Ayushman Bharat, is now being expanded to every section of the country. “This would ensure that much larger section of uncovered population including informal sector workers are provided health coverage,” he said.

Dr Sangita Reddy, president, FICCI said, “At no other time in the world has health care been so centre stage. At no other time have the problems been so intense and required us to innovate, ideate and collaborate.”

Dr Alok Roy, chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said that the private healthcare sector has been the bedrock of capacity and capabilities in India. FICCI has been working very closely with the government and the industry on the response to COVID-19 including recommendations on workable strategy and facilitation of logistics.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, co-chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and founder and chief radiologist, Mahajan Imaging Centre said that the deliberations during the three-day FICCI HEAL 2020 will lead to better diagnostic and treatment outcomes for patients and help in controlling the pandemic.

Bio Spectrum |

Naidu calls private sector to expand footprint in healthcare

M Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India has acknowledged the role of private hospitals in rising to the occasion and battling COVID-19. He also urged the private sector to take full advantage of the Atmanirbhar Abhiyan and give a fillip to the manufacturing of various medical devices.

Addressing the inaugural session of the three-day ‘FICCI HEAL-2020’ virtually, Naidu said, “We have to make available good quality healthcare, accessible and affordable to all. We must capitalize on the core competence of each stakeholder in the country. We must also draw best from the world to strengthen our healthcare delivery system.”

Naidu further urged the private sector to come forward and expand their footprint through public-private partnership and set-up modern healthcare facilities in the rural areas.

“Private players have added to the capacity and capability of our healthcare system in the country. They will continue to play an important role in augmenting the infrastructure and skills in the sector. There has to be a collaborative effort from the industry and the civil society in supporting the government’s initiatives,” he emphasized.

APN News |

Aster DM Healthcare wins "Excellence in Telemedicine"

Aster DM Healthcare has bagged “Excellence in Tele-Medicine/ Digital Health” award at FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2020 for its initiatives during the Covid 19 pandemic. The award category was introduced this year in the backdrop of the COVID 19 pandemic and recognised the efforts of the industry in ensuring the delivery of quality healthcare to the patients.

An initiative by Aster DM Healthcare, ‘Aster Covid-19 Tele triage’, a 24/7 helpline facility, serviced the worried & symptomatic patients to reach out for professional help. The hospital also introduced ‘Aster Covid Self- assessment tool’ which helped in self-evaluation and seek assistance from the nearest health centre. These platforms by Aster DM healthcare assisted those in need to get professional medical advice on both prevention and management of Covid-19.

Later, Aster also provided ‘Aster eConsult’ (an online video consultation platform) accessible through an App and browser for helping patients to seek medical advice from the comfort of their home. Aster provided tele-consultation to more than 25,000 patients during April- June, 2020 with nearly 50% of the e-Consult free during this period through its strong 500+ doctors across specialities.
Speaking on the achievement, Dr Harish Pillai, CEO- Aster India, said, “The award is a testament to our efforts in leveraging technology and introducing innovative techniques to provide excellent quality healthcare to our patients. We have always been at the forefront of patient care and remain committed to provide affordable, accessible quality care to our patients.”

Digi World Blog |

NDHM can unlock an incremental value of Rs 1.5 lakh cr for the healthcare industry: FICCI-BCG Report

A joint publication by BCG and FICCI titled “Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Reimaging Healthcare for Every Indian” was launched on the 14th annual well being convention FICCI HEAL, by M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India, Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD Apollo Hospitals, and Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group.Surveys performed by BCG throughout docs and sufferers spotlight that 85% of the clinicians used digital platforms for affected person interactions through the lockdown. 50% of the clinicians discovered these platforms to be an efficient medium for offering care. Additionally, 60% sufferers throughout metro and tier 1 cities reported they might proceed utilizing digital platforms for major care within the submit Covid world as a result of elementary advantages of shorter ready time and quick access to certified docs. In addition, as per reviews, the lockdown interval noticed teleconsultation companies being accessed by over 2000 small cities, with 80% sufferers being first time customers.

In the discharge, Ficci stated, we at the moment are on the cusp of the digital 3.0 period of Open Digital Ecosystems that represents a elementary change in the best way the federal government can leverage expertise for public care supply and allow personal sector innovation. It entails creation of a shared public digital infrastructure that may be leveraged by each private and non-private gamers to deploy new options that improve the end-user expertise. Just just like the creation of shared digital infrastructure within the monetary industry enabling UPI funds, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), within the subsequent few years, will catalyze a sturdy digital infrastructure for the Indian healthcare ecosystem.

As per the report, it’s estimated that over the subsequent decade, NDHM can probably unlock an incremental worth of INR 1.5 lakh crore for the healthcare business“With the guiding principles outlined in the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB), the government has laid out a comprehensive strategy to bring a fundamental transformation in healthcare and open a range of market opportunities for all stakeholders. This report details out how the entire ecosystem will gain, and the industry will be galvanized as a result of the implementation of NDHB over the next few years,” stated Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO NHA and PM-JAY.

The report undertakes a collaborative strategy to make sure that a number of views throughout authorities our bodies, personal sector entities, builders, and the person group are dropped at the forefront. It goals to drive lively stakeholder discussions to assist speed up India’s journey in the direction of a healthcare system that places the affected person on the middle of all options and drives accessible, inexpensive and high quality healthcare all.

Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG stated “We anticipate that over the next 10 years, NDHM can unlock incremental economic value of over USD 200 billion for the healthcare sector. Public and private ecosystem players will have to realign their operating models to capture this value and stay ahead of the curve. This will pave way for more patient-centric solutions driving accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for all.”

“The have to speed up modifications in our well being care system is an apparent inference of this pandemic. The creation of an open digital well being ecosystem will unleash a brand new wave of innovation and remodel the best way major healthcare is delivered in India. As illustrated on this detailed report, the well being ODE will allow sufferers who’re under-served by the bodily healthcare infrastructure to entry top quality healthcare, by leveraging a typical digital infrastructure,” stated Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals.

Medical Buyer |

Call for public-private partnership in health

The webinar at the 12th FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards on Tuesday saw a pitch being made for public-private partnership to provide the much-needed boost for the health sector in India to make medical services affordable and accessible to all.Addressing the webinar during the three-day ‘HEAL-2020’ when the awards were given away, Rajiv Gauba, Cabinet Secretary, Government of India, urged the private sector to come forward and join the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) movement. “Private sector hospitals, particularly the big groups, should come forward and join this platform,” he said.

In just two years after its launch, the PM-JAY movement has become a hugely successful platform for delivering tertiary care to some of the most vulnerable sections of the Indian population. “As a country, we have emerged from a state of total dependence on imports to being exporters of Covid-19 medical items. Today, we have 187 labs in the government sector and 749 private labs for Covid testing,” Gauba said.

However, the larger challenge of making healthcare affordable and accessible will continue even after the Covid-19 situation. “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.”

C K Mishra, former secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said healthcare partnership between the private and public sector is the pooling of resources from both sides in taking the country ahead. “It is the government’s responsibility to create a platform to facilitate this.”

Media Catalyst |

Open Digital Health Ecosystem - A game changer for India and the healthcare industry: FICCI-BCG Report

A joint publication by BCG and FICCI titled “Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Reimaging Healthcare for Every Indian” was released at the 14th FICCI HEAL, (the annual health conference organized by FICCI) by Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India, Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD Apollo Hospitals, and Mr. Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group. This report will be distributed to the Prime Minister’s Office, NITI Aayog, Chief Ministers, Health Ministers, State ministries and Secretaries among other dignitaries in the public and private sector.

The way we live, and work has been profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to upending our lives the pandemic has also exposed India’s weak healthcare system and reinforced the need to urgently improve all levels of healthcare, including primary care. As is inevitable in times of adversity, the pandemic has also inspired promising innovations, particularly in digital healthcare models. From the telemedicine guidelines being announced in March 2020 to the launch of national digital health ID in August 2020, we have just started to see the digital era in healthcare take shape.

Surveys conducted by BCG across doctors and patients highlight that 85% of the clinicians used digital platforms for patient interactions during the lockdown. 50% of the clinicians found these platforms to be an effective medium for providing care. Additionally, 60% patients across metro and tier 1 cities reported they would continue using digital platforms for primary care in the post COVID world due to the fundamental benefits of shorter waiting time and easy access to qualified doctors. In addition, as per reports, the lockdown period saw teleconsultation services being accessed by over 2000 small towns, with 80% patients being first time users.

We are now at the cusp of the digital 3.0 era of Open Digital Ecosystems that represents a fundamental change in the way the government can leverage technology for public care delivery and enable private sector innovation. It entails creation of a shared public digital infrastructure that can be leveraged by both public and private players to deploy new solutions that enhance the end-user experience. Just like the creation of shared digital infrastructure in the financial industry enabling UPI payments, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), in the next few years, will catalyze a robust digital infrastructure for the Indian healthcare ecosystem. As per the report, it is estimated that over the next decade, NDHM can potentially unlock an incremental value of INR 1.5 lakh crore for the healthcare industry.

The report undertakes a collaborative approach to ensure that multiple perspectives across government bodies, private sector entities, developers, and the user community are brought to the forefront. It aims to drive active stakeholder discussions to help accelerate India’s journey towards a healthcare system that puts the patient at the center of all solutions and drives accessible, affordable and quality healthcare all.

Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO NHA and PM-JAY, said “With the guiding principles outlined in the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB), the government has laid out a comprehensive strategy to bring a fundamental transformation in healthcare and open a range of market opportunities for all stakeholders. This report details out how the entire ecosystem will gain, and the industry will be galvanized as a result of the implementation of NDHB over the next few years.”

Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals said “There is an urgent need to shift to a new care delivery paradigm that leverages public technology infrastructure. This needs to be done while ensuring patient-centricity, and adequate digital security. It is great to see that this timely and pertinent report has been put together to drive active discussions amongst the stakeholders.”

Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG said “We anticipate that over the next 10 years, NDHM can unlock incremental economic value of over USD 200 billion for the healthcare sector. Public and private ecosystem players will have to realign their operating models to capture this value and stay ahead of the curve. This will pave way for more patient-centric solutions driving accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for all.”

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “The need to accelerate changes in our health care system is an obvious inference of this pandemic. The advent of an open digital health ecosystem will unleash a new wave of innovation and transform the way primary healthcare is delivered in India. As illustrated in this detailed report, the health ODE will enable patients who are under-served by the physical healthcare infrastructure to access high quality healthcare, by leveraging a common digital infrastructure.”

Lucknow News |

Vice President advises following the concept of "Dincharya" and "Ritucharya" to maintain a healthy lifestyle

The Vice President, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu today underscored the significance of a sound body and solid psyche saying “we need to follow the ideas of “Dinacharya” – day by day systems and “Ritucharya” – occasional systems to keep up a sound life.

Initiating through a video meeting the fourteenth Edition of FICCI HEAL on the topic “Post COVID Healthcare World- – The New Beginning”, the Vice President said the pandemic has shown us the abrogating significance of remaining sound, both genuinely and intellectually, the Vice President said and included that wellness combined with adjusted eating regimen was basic to fight off ailments.

Bringing up that inactive way of life was one of the fundamental guilty parties behind the developing rate of non-transmittable ailments in the nation, he asked individuals to make any type of physical movement like spot running/running/energetic strolling/heart stimulating exercise and extending some portion of their day by day schedule to stay fit.

He likewise called upon the specialists and media to make mindfulness and instruct individuals to remain solid and fit.

Shri Naidu said Yoga and contemplation ought to turn out to be important for everyday plan alongside sports in schools and universities once regularity returns.

Alluding to the occasion’s topic which discussed fresh start in post-COVID Healthcare World, the Vice President said the fresh start ought to likewise be tied in with returning to old propensities. “Our progenitors have recommended us sustenance rich food. We ought to keep away from inexpensive food and thoughtless eating”, he included.

Calling upon individuals to adjust to the way of life of the new ordinary and pay attention to all the endorsed safety measures to battle COVID-19 pandemic, he said that it was exceptionally basic for the individuals to act dependably and uphold the diverse endeavours of the legislature and wellbeing experts to break the transmission of the feared infection. “We just can’t permit smugness to set in and bring down our defences,” he included.

Keeping up that the country can not stay in lockdown perpetually, he alluded to the Prime Minister’s explanation that life is significant yet work is likewise similarly significant.

Communicating the expectation that there would be uplifting news on the immunization front sooner rather than later, Shri Naidu encouraged individuals to wear veils, keep up social removing, and as often as possible wash hands.

Censuring the occasions of shame and oppression cutting edge warriors and COVID-19 patients, the Vice President said such conduct was unsatisfactory and must be stopped from the beginning. “It is significant that we don’t victimize any individual who is COVID positive or any individual who has interacted with a COVID persistent. We need to advance compassionate disposition and positive informing around COVID-19,” he included.

Talking on the widespread psychosocial sway brought about by the pandemic, he stated, “The psychosocial parts of more established individuals, their parental figures, mental patients and underestimated networks need uncommon consideration.”

Focusing on the need to on the whole push forward with reestablished assurance to overcome the infection, Shri Naidu said: “In addition to the fact that we need to discover approaches to kill the infection, however, we should likewise be set up to address post-COVID difficulties and be well-prepared to confront any future pandemics”.

Expressing that in future individuals would constantly come close the life previously, during and after the crown, he focused on the need to set up people, in general, to confront any such test in future.

The Vice President called for making great quality medical care open and reasonable for all. He asked the private division to approach and extend its impression through Public-Private Partnership and set up present-day medical care offices in the country zones, especially in the distant and blocked off spots.

He said there was a need to profit by the centre ability of every partner in our nation. “We should draw on the best from the world to fortify our medical services conveyance framework”, he included.

He encouraged the private segment to exploit Atmanirbhar Abhiyan so as to give a fillip to the assembling of different clinical gadgets, including hello there tech and progressed gear.

The Vice President recognized the part of FICCI individuals in supporting the administration in the battle against pandemic and for sharing accepted procedures and answers for battle it. He additionally communicated satisfaction on the advancement telemedicine stage ‘SWASTH’ for counselling specialists on COVID treatment.

The Vice President additionally delivered the FICCI BCG report named, “Jumping to a Digital medical services System: Reimagining Healthcare for each Indian”.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, Dr. Alok Roy, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee, Dr. Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee, and others were available.

Following is the full content of the discourse –

Dear sisters and siblings,

At the start, let me praise the FICCI for holding this opportune occasion on the topic - 'Post COVID Healthcare- – The New Beginning'.

Today, the world is in the hold of a remarkable pandemic with the medical services framework extended as far as possible in many nations. At this crossroads, the prompt worry everything being equal and wellbeing specialists is to contain the spread of the infectious infection, spare lives, and backing endeavors for immunization improvement. Let us trust that there will be uplifting news on the immunization front soon.

The pandemic has caused a gigantic unfavorable effect on the medical services frameworks and the economies of the countries. With the illness being profoundly infectious and no fix till now, social separating, wearing veils, successive washing of hands, and lockdowns have gotten unavoidable to forestall its spread. Without a doubt, all segments of the general public needed to confront noteworthy difficulty considering the disturbance to their typical everyday practice.

In any case, we as a whole need to by and large push forward with restored assurance to vanquish the infection. In addition to the fact that we need to discover approaches to dispose of the infection, however, we likewise must be set up to address post-COVID difficulties and be well-prepared to confront any future pandemics.

Dear sisters and Brothers

It is exceptionally basic for the individuals to act mindfully and uphold the diverse endeavors of the administration and wellbeing experts to break the transmission of the feared infection. They should adjust to the way of life of new types and pay attention to all the endorsed safeguards.

From the underlying lockdown to progressive facilitating of different limitations, the administration took a few measures to forestall the spread of disease and alleviate the difficulty caused to the individuals. The progressive and staged returning is helping the people, networks, and frameworks to adapt to the pandemic and all the while help resuscitate the economy.

Notwithstanding, we as a whole should keep on being watchful till routineness returns. We just can’t permit smugness to set in and bring down our defenses.

Steps were taken by the administration to make extra wellbeing foundation, improve human assets, and indigenous creation of basic clinical consumables and gadgets, for example, PPEs, N-95 covers, and ventilators. I am happy that DRDO and a portion of the private ventures met people’s high expectations in meeting the prerequisite.

For proper administration of COVID-19 cases, the Government of India has prompted State governments to arrange a three-level game plan of wellbeing offices solely for COVID.

Dear sisters and siblings,

We need to manage as a top priority that COVID-19, sadly, has additionally caused widespread psychosocial effects and prompted sorrow and mental conditions among certain individuals. The psychosocial parts of more seasoned individuals, their parental figures, mental patients, and underestimated networks need unique consideration.

There have been miserable examples of disgrace and victimization bleeding-edge warriors and COVID-19 patients. Such conduct is absolutely unsuitable and must be stopped from the beginning.

It is significant that we don’t victimize any individual who is COVID positive or any individual who has interacted with a COVID quiet. We need to advance a compassionate mentality and positive informing around COVID-19.

I might want to exceptionally commend medical care laborers over the continuum-from specialists, specialists under preparing, attendants to senior wellbeing specialists, and care staff-for their benevolent help and commitment in fighting the spread of the infection and sparing lives.

I am glad to realize that FICCI individuals have in addition to the fact that sharing been best practices and answers for battle the pandemic has been supporting the administration in various manners including increasing medical care offices.

I might likewise want to recognize the function of numerous private emergency clinics for offering their offices, labor, and gear in the treatment of COVID and non-COVID patients at this vital hour.

Dear sisters and siblings,

The current pandemic while making new difficulties has additionally made chances to change our medical services conveyance framework. These incorporate fresher consideration conveyance models with a more prominent spotlight on preventive and essential consideration, utilization of cutting edge innovations, the ascent of the purpose of care and locally situated consideration, auxiliary changes in medical care offices for the readiness of irresistible ailments, lift to indigenous assembling just as R&D in items and therapy for better wellbeing results.

We need to make great quality medical care available and moderate. We should profit from the center’s ability of every partner in our nation. We should draw on the best from the world to fortify our medical care conveyance framework.

I might want the private segment to approach and grow its impression through Public-Private Partnership and set up present-day medical care offices in the provincial territories, especially in the distant and blocked off spots.

Private players have added to the limit and capacity of the medical services division in the nation. I am certain they would keep on assuming an imperative part in increasing the foundation and aptitudes.

Ten News |

Need to ensure good quality healthcare, accessible and affordable for all: Vice President of India

Mr M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India today acknowledged the role of private hospitals in rising to the occasion and battling COVID-19. He also urged the private sector to take full advantage of the Atmanirbhar Abhiyan and give a fillip to the manufacturing of various medical devices.
Addressing the inaugural session of the three-day ‘FICCI HEAL-2020’ virtually, Mr Naidu said, “We have to make available good quality healthcare, accessible and affordable to all. We must capitalize on the core competence of each stakeholder in the country. We must also draw best from the world to strengthen our healthcare delivery system.”

Mr Naidu further urged the private sector to come forward and expand their footprint through public-private partnership and set-up modern healthcare facilities in the rural areas. “Private players have added to the capacity and capability of our healthcare system in the country. They will continue to play an important role in augmenting the infrastructure and skills in the sector. There has to be a collaborative effort from the industry and the civil society in supporting the government’s initiatives,” he emphasized.

Highlighting the potential of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Vice President added that with the expansion of the healthcare sector, the public and private hospitals, the demand for pharmaceutical products, medical devices and equipment will increase in the coming years.
Mr Naidu also complimented FICCI members who have not only been sharing the best practices and solutions to combat the pandemic but have been supporting the government in augmenting healthcare facilities. He appreciated the role of private hospitals by offering their facilities, manpower, equipment in treatment of COVID and non-COVID patients during this crucial hour.

“The current pandemic has also created opportunities to transform our healthcare delivery system including new care delivery models with focus on preventive and primary care, use of advanced technologies, home care facilities,” he said.

Mr Naidu said that the world’s largest health coverage program, the Ayushman Bharat, is now being expanded to every section of the country. “This would ensure that much larger section of uncovered population including informal sector workers are provided health coverage,” he said.

Emphasizing on the need of adopting the traditional Indian lifestyle, Mr Naidu added that this pandemic has taught us the overriding importance of staying healthy, both physically and mentally. “We have to follow the concepts of ‘Dinacharya’ – daily regime and ‘Ritucharya’ – seasonal regime to maintain a healthy life. Fitness coupled with a balanced diet is essential to stave off illness. I suggest that Yoga and meditation should become part of daily time-table along with sports in schools and colleges once normalcy returns,” he stated.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “At no other time in the world has health care been so centre stage. At no other time have the problems been so intense and required us to innovate, ideate and collaborate.”

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said that the private healthcare sector has been the bedrock of capacity and capabilities in India. FICCI has been working very closely with the government and the industry on the response to COVID-19 including recommendations on workable strategy and facilitation of logistics.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder and Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imaging Centre said that the deliberations during the three-day FICCI HEAL 2020 will lead to better diagnostic and treatment outcomes for patients and help in controlling the pandemic.

FICCI-BCG Report ‘Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Re-imagining Healthcare for Every Indian’ was also released during the webinar.

Business News This Week |

Need to ensure good quality healthcare, accessible and affordable for all: Vice President of India

Mr M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India today acknowledged the role of private hospitals in rising to the occasion and battling COVID-19. He also urged the private sector to take full advantage of the Atmanirbhar Abhiyan and give a fillip to the manufacturing of various medical devices.

Addressing the inaugural session of the three-day ‘FICCI HEAL-2020’ virtually, Mr Naidu said, “We have to make available good quality healthcare, accessible and affordable to all. We must capitalize on the core competence of each stakeholder in the country. We must also draw best from the world to strengthen our healthcare delivery system.”

Mr Naidu further urged the private sector to come forward and expand its footprint through public-private partnership and set-up modern healthcare facilities in the rural areas. “Private players have added to the capacity and capability of our healthcare system in the country. They will continue to play an important role in augmenting the infrastructure and skills in the sector. There has to be a collaborative effort from the industry and the civil society in supporting the government’s initiatives,” he emphasized.

Highlighting the potential of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Vice President added that with the expansion of the healthcare sector, the public and private hospitals, the demand for pharmaceutical products, medical devices and equipment will increase in the coming years.

Mr. Naidu also complimented FICCI members who have not only been sharing the best practices and solutions to combat the pandemic but have been supporting the government in augmenting healthcare facilities. He appreciated the role of private hospitals by offering their facilities, manpower, and equipment in the treatment of COVID and non-COVID patients during this crucial hour.

“The current pandemic has also created opportunities to transform our healthcare delivery system including new care delivery models with a focus on preventive and primary care, use of advanced technologies, home care facilities,” he said.

Mr. Naidu said that the world’s largest health coverage program, the Ayushman Bharat, is now being expanded to every section of the country. “This would ensure that much larger section of uncovered population including informal sector workers are provided health coverage,” he said.

Emphasizing on the need of adopting the traditional Indian lifestyle, Mr Naidu added that this pandemic has taught us the overriding importance of staying healthy, both physically and mentally. “We have to follow the concepts of ‘Dinacharya’ – daily regime and ‘Ritucharya’ – seasonal regime to maintain a healthy life. Fitness coupled with a balanced diet is essential to stave off illness. I suggest that Yoga and meditation should become part of daily time-table along with sports in schools and colleges once normalcy returns,” he stated.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “At no other time in the world has health care been so centre stage. At no other time have the problems been so intense and required us to innovate, ideate and collaborate.”

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said that the private healthcare sector has been the bedrock of capacity and capabilities in India. FICCI has been working very closely with the government and the industry on the response to COVID-19 including recommendations on workable strategy and facilitation of logistics

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder and Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imaging Centre said that the deliberations during the three-day FICCI HEAL 2020 will lead to better diagnostic and treatment outcomes for patients and help in controlling the pandemic.

4Ps News |

Open Digital Health Ecosystem - A game changer for India and the healthcare industry: FICCI-BCG Report

A joint publication by BCG and FICCI titled “Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Reimaging Healthcare for Every Indian” was released at the 14th FICCI HEAL, (the annual health conference organized by FICCI) by Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon'ble Vice President of India, Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD Apollo Hospitals, and Mr. Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group. This report will be distributed to the Prime Minister’s Office, NITI Aayog, Chief Ministers, Health Ministers, State ministries and Secretaries among other dignitaries in the public and private sector.

The way we live, and work has been profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to upending our lives the pandemic has also exposed India’s weak healthcare system and reinforced the need to urgently improve all levels of healthcare, including primary care. As is inevitable in times of adversity, the pandemic has also inspired promising innovations, particularly in digital healthcare models. From the telemedicine guidelines being announced in March 2020 to the launch of national digital health ID in August 2020, we have just started to see the digital era in healthcare take shape.

Surveys conducted by BCG across doctors and patients highlight that 85% of the clinicians used digital platforms for patient interactions during the lockdown. 50% of the clinicians found these platforms to be an effective medium for providing care. Additionally, 60% patients across metro and tier 1 cities reported they would continue using digital platforms for primary care in the post COVID world due to the fundamental benefits of shorter waiting time and easy access to qualified doctors. In addition, as per reports, the lockdown period saw teleconsultation services being accessed by over 2000 small towns, with 80% patients being first time users.

We are now at the cusp of the digital 3.0 era of Open Digital Ecosystems that represents a fundamental change in the way the government can leverage technology for public care delivery and enable private sector innovation. It entails creation of a shared public digital infrastructure that can be leveraged by both public and private players to deploy new solutions that enhance the end-user experience. Just like the creation of shared digital infrastructure in the financial industry enabling UPI payments, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), in the next few years, will catalyze a robust digital infrastructure for the Indian healthcare ecosystem. As per the report, it is estimated that over the next decade, NDHM can potentially unlock an incremental value of INR 1.5 lakh crore for the healthcare industry.

The report undertakes a collaborative approach to ensure that multiple perspectives across government bodies, private sector entities, developers, and the user community are brought to the forefront. It aims to drive active stakeholder discussions to help accelerate India’s journey towards a healthcare system that puts the patient at the center of all solutions and drives accessible, affordable and quality healthcare all.

Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO NHA and PM-JAY, said “With the guiding principles outlined in the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB), the government has laid out a comprehensive strategy to bring a fundamental transformation in healthcare and open a range of market opportunities for all stakeholders. This report details out how the entire ecosystem will gain, and the industry will be galvanized as a result of the implementation of NDHB over the next few years.”

Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD, Apollo Hospitals said “There is an urgent need to shift to a new care delivery paradigm that leverages public technology infrastructure. This needs to be done while ensuring patient-centricity, and adequate digital security. It is great to see that this timely and pertinent report has been put together to drive active discussions amongst the stakeholders.”

Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG said “We anticipate that over the next 10 years, NDHM can unlock incremental economic value of over USD 200 billion for the healthcare sector. Public and private ecosystem players will have to realign their operating models to capture this value and stay ahead of the curve. This will pave way for more patient-centric solutions driving accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for all.”

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, "The need to accelerate changes in our health care system is an obvious inference of this pandemic. The advent of an open digital health ecosystem will unleash a new wave of innovation and transform the way primary healthcare is delivered in India. As illustrated in this detailed report, the health ODE will enable patients who are under-served by the physical healthcare infrastructure to access high quality healthcare, by leveraging a common digital infrastructure”

5Dariya News |

Venkaiah Naidu advises to follow the concept of "Dincharya" and "Ritucharya" to maintain a healthy lifestyle

The Vice President, M Venkaiah Naidu today emphasised the importance of a healthy body and healthy mind saying “we have to follow the concepts of “Dinacharya” - daily regimes and “Ritucharya” - seasonal regimes to maintain a healthy life.Inaugurating through a video conference the 14th Edition of FICCI HEAL on the theme “Post COVID Healthcare World--The New Beginning”, the Vice President said the pandemic has taught us the overriding importance of staying healthy, both physically and mentally, the Vice President said and added that fitness coupled with balanced diet was essential to stave off illnesses.Pointing out that sedentary lifestyle was one of the main culprits behind the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases in the country, he urged people to make any form of physical activity like spot jogging/running/brisk walking/ aerobics and stretching part of their daily routine to remain fit.He also called upon the doctors and media to create awareness and educate people to stay healthy and fit.Shri Naidu said Yoga and meditation should become part of daily timetable along with sports in schools and colleges once normalcy returns.Referring to the event’s theme which talked of new beginning in post-COVID Healthcare World, the Vice President said the new beginning should also be about going back to old habits. “Our ancestors have prescribed us nutrition rich food. We should avoid fast-food and mindless eating”, he added.Calling upon people to adapt to the culture of the new normal and take all the prescribed precautions seriously to fight COVID-19 pandemic, he said that it was highly critical for the people to act responsibly and support the multifarious efforts of the government and health professionals to break the transmission of the dreaded virus. “We simply cannot allow complacency to set in and lower our guard,” he added.Maintaining that the nation can not remain in lockdown forever, he referred to the Prime Minister’s statement that life is important but livelihood is also equally important.

Expressing the hope that there would be good news on the vaccine front in the near future, Shri Naidu urged people to wear masks, maintain social distancing and frequently wash hands.Condemning the instances of stigma and discrimination against frontline warriors and COVID-19 patients, the Vice President said such behaviour was unacceptable and must be nipped in the bud. “It is important that we do not discriminate against anyone who is COVID positive or anyone who has come in contact with a COVID patient. We have to promote empathetic attitude and positive messaging around COVID-19,” he added.Speaking on the universal psychosocial impact caused by the pandemic, he said, “The psychosocial aspects of older people, their caregivers, psychiatric patients and marginalised communities need special attention.”Stressing the need to collectively move ahead with renewed determination to defeat the virus, Shri Naidu said “Not only do we need to find ways to eliminate the virus, but we must also have to be prepared to meet post-COVID challenges and be well-equipped to face any future pandemics”.Stating that in future people would invariably compare the life before, during and after the corona, he stressed the need to prepare the public to face any such challenge in future.The Vice President called for making good quality healthcare accessible and affordable for all. He urged the private sector to come forward and expand its footprint through Public-Private Partnership and set up modern healthcare facilities in the rural areas, particularly in the remote and inaccessible places.He said there was a need to capitalize on the core competence of each stakeholder in our country. “We must draw on the best from the world to strengthen our healthcare delivery system”, he added.He urged the private sector to take full advantage of Atmanirbhar Abhiyan in order to give a fillip to the manufacturing of various medical devices, including hi-tech and advanced equipment.The Vice President acknowledged the role of FICCI members in supporting the government in the fight against pandemic and for sharing best practices and solutions to combat it. He also expressed happiness on the development telemedicine platform ‘SWASTH’ for consulting doctors on COVID treatment.The Vice President also released FICCI BCG report titled, “Leapfrogging to a Digital healthcare System: Reimagining Healthcare for every Indian”.Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, Dr Alok Roy, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee, Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and others were present.

Apeksha News Network |

FICCI HEAL 2020: Post-COVID Healthcare World - The New Beginning

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented disruption for the global health community and overstretched the healthcare infrastructure of even the most developed countries. It has forced healthcare institutions and regulatory bodies to rethink, restructure, and reform the existing processes and systems and seek more advanced and alternative ways of providing healthcare.

In India, while healthcare has not been very high on the political or public agenda, COVID-19 has triggered the much-needed government to focus on healthcare infrastructure development. It is evident that the pandemic will bring a huge paradigm shift in not only the way medicine will be practiced in the future, but the way healthcare is envisioned- by the government, the industry as well as the community at large.

Traditionally India has not invested sufficient resources on public health infrastructure development as well as to anticipate a response to a sudden large outbreak of infectious diseases. Despite the significant TB burden in India and sporadic outbreaks of other infectious diseases including chickenpox, our public health infrastructure is still inadequate which has been further accentuated during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Managing and responding to the triple disease burden for 1.3 billion population is indeed a mammoth task. India will never have sufficient public funds to achieve universal healthcare. In order to overcome the twin challenge of surging non-communicable and infectious diseases, it is imperative that public spending on healthcare is increased to 4.5% of GDP over the next 7-10 years. The government had envisaged reaching at least 2.5% of GDP by 2022. However, we need to start spending an extra 0.5% of GDP or at least INR 70,000 cr every year on health for the next five years to be able to fill the deficit. Therefore, private sector investment and public-private partnerships in the healthcare sector are going to be critical to meet to fulfill SDG3 goals.

The government has been rolling out a series of reforms to achieve universal healthcare through the implementation of the National Health Policy of 2017, the Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the recent Atma-Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and National Digital Health Blueprint. Even though healthcare costs in India are almost 10 times lower than other nations, due to low per capita income, the challenge of access, affordability and quality of care persists.

The pandemic, however, has enforced the paradigm shift in the entire approach to life, work, and healthcare. Health, hygiene, sanitation, and fitness have come to the center-stage of civilisation. These behavioral changes are giving way to a transformed healthcare delivery system- including new care delivery models, enhanced use of digital tools and technologies, a greater focus on preventive and primary care along with the point of care and home-based care, restructured facilities and operating models, and boost to local manufacturing as well as R&D in products and treatment for better health outcomes.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, enumerated, “Building digital infrastructure for the healthcare sector through the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) initiated by the PM’s Digital India movement, will catalyse robust reforms for improving health care delivery to the last mile in next few years. IT industry was the key growth driver for the Indian economy for the last 30 years. NDHM can leverage and maximize the potential of the Health care industry to be the growth driver of the Indian economy for the next 100 years provided a timely implementation of appropriate interventions and reforms are done.

Dr. Alok Roy, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee highlighted, “with this vision, the FICCI Healthservices Committee has carefully crafted the Theme for FICCI’s annual healthcare conference- FICCI HEAL 2020- as “Post-COVID Healthcare World” - The New Beginning”. The FICCI HEAL Conference would provide that unique platform needed today to exchange innovative ideas and best practices as well as deliberate on all the emerging opportunities for the post-pandemic healthcare world that is affordable and accessible for every citizen of the country”.

The pre- and post-conference sessions over the three days will highlight the impact of COVID as well as learnings and opportunities for the future development of healthcare systems - across the spectrum, including evolving care delivery, developments in diagnostics, enabling digital technologies, rise in home healthcare, changing pharma landscape, self-reliance in medical technology. There will be a parallel stream of Scientific Sessions that would focus on the clinical challenges faced due to COVID-19 and the response from various stakeholders. FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards, Keynote addresses, and Medtech Bootcamps are the other significant features of the Conference.

ET Healthworld |

Need a change in ecosystem to make our drug production cost competitive vis-à-vis China: Navdeep Rinwa

The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has come out with a report on catalyzing the transformation of the R&D and innovation in the pharma and medical devices sector, announced Joint Secretary Navdeep Rinwa on Tuesday.

Speaking at the 14th edition of FICCI’s annual healthcare conference – FICCI Heal 2020, he said, “We don’t want the situation to repeat, where we have to put export restrictions on a sector that is earning so much of foreign exchange for us. This will only happen if we are confident that we are not relying totally on some country.”

Rinwa was chairing the virtual panel discussion on the theme “Changing Landscape of pharma Industry” which deliberated on turning the Covid crisis into an opportunity for strengthening the domestic pharma supply chain.

The Hindu Business Line |

Private sector should join PM-JAY platform: Cabinet Secretary

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.

RStv |

Vice President calls upon people to adapt to the new normal amid pandemic and take maximum precautions

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today emphasised the importance of a healthy body and healthy mind saying “we have to follow the concepts of “Dinacharya” – daily regimes and “Ritucharya” – seasonal regimes to maintain a healthy life.

Inaugurating through a video conference the 14th Edition of FICCI HEAL on the theme “Post COVID Healthcare World–The New Beginning”, the Vice President said the pandemic has taught us the overriding importance of staying healthy, both physically and mentally, the Vice President said and added that fitness coupled with balanced diet was essential to stave off illnesses.

Pointing out that sedentary lifestyle was one of the main culprits behind the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases in the country, he urged people to make any form of physical activity like spot jogging/running/brisk walking/ aerobics and stretching part of their daily routine to remain fit.

He also called upon the doctors and media to create awareness and educate people to stay healthy and fit.

Vice President Naidu said Yoga and meditation should become part of daily timetable along with sports in schools and colleges once normalcy returns.

Referring to the event’s theme which talked of new beginning in post-COVID Healthcare World, the Vice President said the new beginning should also be about going back to old habits. “Our ancestors have prescribed us nutrition rich food. We should avoid fast-food and mindless eating”, he added.

Calling upon people to adapt to the culture of the new normal and take all the prescribed precautions seriously to fight COVID-19 pandemic, he said that it was highly critical for the people to act responsibly and support the multifarious efforts of the government and health professionals to break the transmission of the dreaded virus. “We simply cannot allow complacency to set in and lower our guard,” he added.

Maintaining that the nation can not remain in lockdown forever, he referred to the Prime Minister’s statement that life is important but livelihood is also equally important.

Expressing the hope that there would be good news on the vaccine front in the near future, he urged people to wear masks, maintain social distancing and frequently wash hands.

Condemning the instances of stigma and discrimination against frontline warriors and COVID-19 patients, the Vice President said such behaviour was unacceptable and must be nipped in the bud. “It is important that we do not discriminate against anyone who is COVID positive or anyone who has come in contact with a COVID patient. We have to promote empathetic attitude and positive messaging around COVID-19,” he added.

Speaking on the universal psychosocial impact caused by the pandemic, he said, “The psychosocial aspects of older people, their caregivers, psychiatric patients and marginalised communities need special attention.”

Stressing the need to collectively move ahead with renewed determination to defeat the virus, Shri Naidu said “Not only do we need to find ways to eliminate the virus, but we must also have to be prepared to meet post-COVID challenges and be well-equipped to face any future pandemics”.

Stating that in future people would invariably compare the life before, during and after the corona, he stressed the need to prepare the public to face any such challenge in future.

The Vice President called for making good quality healthcare accessible and affordable for all. He urged the private sector to come forward and expand its footprint through Public-Private Partnership and set up modern healthcare facilities in the rural areas, particularly in the remote and inaccessible places.

He said there was a need to capitalize on the core competence of each stakeholder in our country. “We must draw on the best from the world to strengthen our healthcare delivery system”, he added.

He urged the private sector to take full advantage of Atmanirbhar Abhiyan in order to give a fillip to the manufacturing of various medical devices, including hi-tech and advanced equipment.

The Vice President acknowledged the role of FICCI members in supporting the government in the fight against pandemic and for sharing best practices and solutions to combat it. He also expressed happiness on the development telemedicine platform ‘SWASTH’ for consulting doctors on COVID treatment.

The Vice President also released FICCI BCG report titled, “Leapfrogging to a Digital healthcare System: Reimagining Healthcare for every Indian”.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, Dr Alok Roy, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee, Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and others were present.

Outlook |

Naidu asks pvt sector to pitch in to develop modern healthcare facilities in rural India

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday called for making good quality healthcare accessible and affordable for all and urged the private sector to pitch in to develop modern facilities in rural India.

He said the private sector can come forward and expand its footprint through the public-private partnership.

Stressing on the need to capitalise on the core competence of each stakeholder in the country, he said people can take the best from the world to strengthen the healthcare delivery system.

He urged the private sector to take full advantage of Atmanirbhar Abhiyan in order to give a fillip to the manufacturing of various medical devices, including hi-tech and advanced equipment.

Naidu also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught people the overriding importance of staying healthy.

He said fitness coupled with a balanced diet was essential to stave off illnesses.

He also pointed out that sedentary lifestyle was one of the main culprits behind the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases in the country.

Naidu urged people to make physical activity a part of their daily routine to remain fit.

Addressing a FICCI event on post-COVID healthcare world, he said new beginning should also be about going back to old habits.

"Our ancestors have prescribed us nutrition rich food. We should avoid fast-food and mindless eating," he said.

Condemning the instances of stigma and discrimination against frontline warriors and COVID-19 patients, the vice president said such behaviour was unacceptable and must be nipped in the bud.

"It is important that we do not discriminate against anyone who is COVID positive or anyone who has come in contact with a COVID patient. We have to promote empathetic attitude and positive messaging around COVID-19," he stressed.

Speaking on the universal psychosocial impact caused by the pandemic, he said the psychosocial aspects of older people, their caregivers, psychiatric patients and marginalised communities need special attention.

Stressing on the need to collectively move ahead with renewed determination to defeat the virus, Naidu said "Not only do we need to find ways to eliminate the virus, but we must also have to be prepared to meet post-COVID challenges and be well-equipped to face any future pandemics."

India Education Diary |

Vice President inaugurates the 14th edition of FICCI HEAL

The Vice President, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu today emphasised the importance of a healthy body and healthy mind saying “we have to follow the concepts of “Dinacharya” – daily regimes and “Ritucharya” – seasonal regimes to maintain a healthy life.

Inaugurating through a video conference the 14th Edition of FICCI HEAL on the theme “Post COVID Healthcare World–The New Beginning”, the Vice President said the pandemic has taught us the overriding importance of staying healthy, both physically and mentally, the Vice President said and added that fitness coupled with balanced diet was essential to stave off illnesses.

Pointing out that sedentary lifestyle was one of the main culprits behind the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases in the country, he urged people to make any form of physical activity like spot jogging/running/brisk walking/ aerobics and stretching part of their daily routine to remain fit.

He also called upon the doctors and media to create awareness and educate people to stay healthy and fit.

Shri Naidu said Yoga and meditation should become part of daily timetable along with sports in schools and colleges once normalcy returns.

Referring to the event’s theme which talked of new beginning in post-COVID Healthcare World, the Vice President said the new beginning should also be about going back to old habits. “Our ancestors have prescribed us nutrition rich food. We should avoid fast-food and mindless eating”, he added.

Calling upon people to adapt to the culture of the new normal and take all the prescribed precautions seriously to fight COVID-19 pandemic, he said that it was highly critical for the people to act responsibly and support the multifarious efforts of the government and health professionals to break the transmission of the dreaded virus. “We simply cannot allow complacency to set in and lower our guard,” he added.

Maintaining that the nation can not remain in lockdown forever, he referred to the Prime Minister’s statement that life is important but livelihood is also equally important.

Expressing the hope that there would be good news on the vaccine front in the near future, Shri Naidu urged people to wear masks, maintain social distancing and frequently wash hands.

Condemning the instances of stigma and discrimination against frontline warriors and COVID-19 patients, the Vice President said such behaviour was unacceptable and must be nipped in the bud. “It is important that we do not discriminate against anyone who is COVID positive or anyone who has come in contact with a COVID patient. We have to promote empathetic attitude and positive messaging around COVID-19,” he added.

Speaking on the universal psychosocial impact caused by the pandemic, he said, “The psychosocial aspects of older people, their caregivers, psychiatric patients and marginalised communities need special attention.”

Stressing the need to collectively move ahead with renewed determination to defeat the virus, Shri Naidu said “Not only do we need to find ways to eliminate the virus, but we must also have to be prepared to meet post-COVID challenges and be well-equipped to face any future pandemics”.

Stating that in future people would invariably compare the life before, during and after the corona, he stressed the need to prepare the public to face any such challenge in future.

The Vice President called for making good quality healthcare accessible and affordable for all. He urged the private sector to come forward and expand its footprint through Public-Private Partnership and set up modern healthcare facilities in the rural areas, particularly in the remote and inaccessible places.

He said there was a need to capitalize on the core competence of each stakeholder in our country. “We must draw on the best from the world to strengthen our healthcare delivery system”, he added.

He urged the private sector to take full advantage of Atmanirbhar Abhiyan in order to give a fillip to the manufacturing of various medical devices, including hi-tech and advanced equipment.

The Vice President acknowledged the role of FICCI members in supporting the government in the fight against pandemic and for sharing best practices and solutions to combat it. He also expressed happiness on the development telemedicine platform ‘SWASTH’ for consulting doctors on COVID treatment.

The Vice President also released FICCI BCG report titled, “Leapfrogging to a Digital healthcare System: Reimagining Healthcare for every Indian”.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, Dr Alok Roy, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee, Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and others were present.

Following is the full text of the speech –

“Dear sisters and brothers,

At the outset, let me compliment the FICCI for holding this timely event on the theme—‘Post Covid Healthcare– The New Beginning’.

Today, the world is in the grip of an unprecedented pandemic with the healthcare infrastructure stretched to its limits in most countries. At this juncture, the immediate concern of all governments and health authorities is to contain the spread of the contagious virus, save lives and support efforts for vaccine development. Let us hope that there will be good news on the vaccine front in the near future.

The pandemic has caused massive adverse impact on the healthcare systems and the economies of the nations. With the disease being highly contagious and no cure till now, social distancing, wearing masks, frequent washing of hands and lockdowns have become inevitable to prevent its spread. Undoubtedly, all sections of the society had to face significant hardship in view of the disruption to their normal routine.

But, we all need to collectively move ahead with renewed determination to defeat the virus. Not only do we need to find ways to eliminate the virus, but we also have to be prepared to meet post-Covid challenges and be well-equipped to face any future pandemics.

Dear sisters and Brothers

It is highly critical for the people to act responsibly and support the multifarious efforts of the government and health professionals to break the transmission of the dreaded virus. They must adapt to the culture of new normal and take all the prescribed precautions seriously.

From the initial lockdown to gradual easing of various restrictions, the government took several measures to prevent the spread of infection and mitigate the hardship caused to the people. The gradual and phased reopening is helping the individuals, communities and systems to cope with the pandemic and simultaneously help revive the economy.

However, we all must continue to be vigilant till normalcy returns. We simply cannot allow complacency to set in and lower our guard.

Steps were taken by the government to create additional health infrastructure, enhance human resource and indigenous production of critical medical consumables and devices such as PPEs, N-95 masks and ventilators. I am glad that DRDO and some of the private industries rose to the occasion in meeting the requirement.

For appropriate management of COVID-19 cases, Government of India has advised State governments to setup a three-tier arrangement of health facilities exclusively for COVID.

Dear sisters and brothers,

We have to bear in mind that COVID-19, unfortunately, has also caused universal psychosocial impact and led to depression and psychiatric conditions among some people. The psychosocial aspects of older people, their caregivers, psychiatric patients and marginalized communities need special attention.

There have been deplorable instances of stigma and discrimination against frontline warriors and COVID-19 patients. Such behaviour is totally unacceptable and must be nipped in the bud.

It is important that we do not discriminate against anyone who is COVID positive or anyone who has come in contact with a COVID patient. We have to promote empathetic attitude and positive messaging around COVID-19.

I would like to specially compliment healthcare workers across the continuum- from practitioners, doctors under training, nurses to senior health experts and support staff- for their selfless service and devotion in combating the spread of the virus and saving lives.

I am happy to know that FICCI members have not only been sharing best practices and solutions to combat the pandemic but have been supporting the government in a number of ways including augmenting healthcare facilities.

I would also like to acknowledge the role of many private hospitals for offering their facilities, manpower and equipment in the treatment of COVID and non-COVID patients at this crucial hour.

Dear sisters and brothers,

The current pandemic while creating new challenges has also created opportunities to transform our healthcare delivery system. These include newer care delivery models with greater focus on preventive and primary care, use of advanced technologies, rise of point of care and home-based care, structural changes in healthcare facilities for preparedness of infectious diseases, boost to indigenous manufacturing as well as R&D in products and treatment for better health outcomes.

We have to make good quality healthcare accessible and affordable. We must capitalize on the core competence of each stakeholder in our country. We must draw on the best from the world to strengthen our healthcare delivery system.

I would like the private sector to come forward and expand its footprint through Public-Private Partnership and set up modern healthcare facilities in the rural areas, particularly in the remote and inaccessible places.

Private players have added to the capacity and capability of the health care sector in the country. I am sure they would continue to play a vital role in augmenting the infrastructure and skills.

There have to be collaborative efforts from the industry as well as the civil society organizations in supporting the government’s initiatives.

The world’s largest Universal Health Coverage program- the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), is now being expanded to the ‘missing middle’ population of the country. This would ensure that a much larger section of the uncovered population- comprising informal sector workers, self-employed, professionals, employees in MSMEs and others– are provided health coverage.

The COVID pandemic has highlighted the need for India to become self-reliant in this sector. With the expansion of healthcare infrastructure through public and private hospitals, the demand for pharmaceutical products, medical devices and equipment, including instruments, consumables and disposables, will increase in the coming years.

I urge the private sector to take full advantage of Atmanirbhar Abhiyan and give a fillip to manufacturing of various medical devices, including hi-tech and advanced equipment.

Dear Sisters and brothers,

At the risk of repetition, I would like to stress upon the most important lesson which pandemic taught. This pandemic has taught us the overriding importance of staying healthy, both physically and mentally. Fitness coupled with balanced diet is essential to stave off illnesses. Remaining healthy is the need of the hour. This would enable us to keep diseases at bay while discharging our duties effectively.

We all are very well aware that sedentary lifestyle is one of the main culprits behind the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases in the country. Any form of physical activity like spot jogging/running/brisk walking/ aerobics and stretching can become part of our daily routine to remain fit.

In fact, I suggest Yoga and meditation should become part of daily timetable along with sports in schools and colleges once normalcy returns.

Apart from having a fitness routine, it is essential to have a healthy and balanced diet. Rapid urbanization and modern lifestyle have drastically altered the eating habits of the people. It is high time to take control and mend our dietary habits. We should not eat for palate alone. Let’s remember that we are what we eat and food is for nourishment. Let us replace mindless eating with having nutritious and protein-rich food. A silver lining of this pandemic is the fact that more and more people are resorting to freshly cooked home-made organic food.

We have to follow the concepts of “Dinacharya” – daily regimes and “Ritucharya” – seasonal regimes to maintain healthy life.

We all know Health is Wealth. Investing time and energy on a daily basis for fitness will surely enable us to reap its benefits. This helps us to enjoy and savor finer aspects of life for a long, long time. Therefore, I once again urge everyone to give priority to health and adopt a fitness routine.

Dear sisters and brothers,

I commend the efforts made by our industry members in the wake of the pandemic. I once again urge all of you to join hands with the government to come up with successful and viable PPP models in the health sector.

I am also glad that various stakeholders in the private sector, including FICCI, have converged to develop a telemedicine platform called SWASTH for consulting doctors on COVID treatment.

We need to scale up and propagate such projects and expand healthcare facilities across the country to reach the unreached and achieve our vision of ‘Healthcare for All’.

I am happy that FICCI, through the HEAL platform, is extending the right stimulus to the industry through exchange of innovative ideas for best practices. I am sure that these interactions would help us to deal with the current crisis more effectively and lead to new solutions for providing affordable, accessible, quality healthcare in the country.

India Education Diary |

Vice President of India to inaugurate three-day 'FICCI HEAL 2020' Today

The 14th edition of FICCI HEAL on the theme, ‘Post-COVID Healthcare World – The New Beginning’ is scheduled from tomorrow. Hon’ble Vice President of India, Mr M Venkaiah Naidu will be inaugurating the three-day annual healthcare conference. FICCI HEAL has been supported by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and recently NITI Aayog, Government of India. Over the years, this has evolved as a landmark event and a credible platform for health industry stakeholders for sharing knowledge and best practices.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented disruption for the global health community and overstretched healthcare infrastructure of even the most developed countries. It has forced healthcare institutions and regulatory bodies to re-think, restructure, reform the existing processes and systems and seek more advanced ways of providing healthcare.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, said, “Building digital infrastructure for the healthcare sector through the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) initiated by the PM’s Digital India movement, will catalyse robust reforms for improving health care delivery to the last mile in next few years. IT industry was the key growth driver for the Indian economy for the last 30 years. NDHM can leverage and maximize the potential of the healthcare industry to be the growth driver of the Indian economy for the next 100 years provided timely implementation of appropriate interventions and reforms are done.”

Dr Alok Roy, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee said, “With this vision, the FICCI Health Services Committee has carefully crafted the theme for its annual healthcare conference FICCI HEAL 2020 – as ‘Post-COVID Healthcare World’ – The New Beginning. FICCI HEAL Conference would provide that unique platform needed today to exchange innovative ideas and best practices as well as deliberate on all the emerging opportunities for the post-pandemic healthcare world that is affordable and accessible for every citizen of the country.”

In India, COVID-19 has triggered the much-needed government focus towards healthcare infrastructure development. It is evident that the pandemic will bring in a huge paradigm shift in not only the way medicine will be practiced in future, but also the way healthcare is envisioned- by the government, the industry as well as the community at large.

Traditionally India has not invested sufficient resources on public health infrastructure development as well as to anticipate a response to sudden large outbreak of infectious diseases. Despite the significant TB burden in India and sporadic outbreaks of other infectious diseases including chicken pox, our public health infrastructure is still inadequate which has been further accentuated during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Managing and responding to the triple disease burden for 1.3 billion population is indeed a mammoth task. In order to overcome the twin challenge of surging non-communicable and infectious diseases, it is imperative that the public spending on healthcare is increased to 4.5% of GDP over next 7-10 years. The government had envisaged to reach at least 2.5% of GDP by 2022. However, we need to start spending an extra 0.5% of GDP or at least Rs 70,000 cr every year on health for the next five years to be able to fill the deficit. Private sector investment and public private partnerships in the healthcare sector is going to be critical to meet to fulfil SDG-3 goals.

The government has been rolling out a series of reforms to achieve universal healthcare through the implementation of the National Health Policy of 2017, the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the recent Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and National Digital Health Blueprint. Even though healthcare costs in India are almost 10 times lower than other nations, due to low per capita income, challenge of access, affordability and quality care persists.

The pandemic, however, has enforced the paradigm shift in the entire approach to life, work and healthcare. Health, hygiene, sanitation and fitness have come to the center-stage of civilisation. These behavioural changes are giving way to a transformed healthcare delivery system- including new care delivery models, enhanced use of digital tools and technologies, greater focus on preventive and primary care along with point of care and home-based care, restructured facilities and operating models, and boost to local manufacturing as well as R&D in products and treatment for better health outcomes.

The pre and post conference sessions over the three days will highlight the impact of COVID as well as learnings and opportunities for the future development of healthcare systems – across the spectrum, including evolving care delivery, developments in diagnostics, enabling digital technologies, rise in home healthcare, changing pharma landscape, self-reliance in medical technology. There will be a parallel stream of Scientific Sessions that would focus on the clinical challenges faced due to COVID-19 and the response from various stakeholders. FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards, Keynote addresses and Medtech Bootcamps are the other significant features of the Conference.

Orissa Diary |

Vice President of India to inaugurate three-day 'FICCI HEAL 2020' today

The 14th edition of FICCI HEAL on the theme, ‘Post-COVID Healthcare World – The New Beginning’ is scheduled from tomorrow. Hon’ble Vice President of India, Mr M Venkaiah Naidu will be inaugurating the three-day annual healthcare conference. FICCI HEAL has been supported by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and recently NITI Aayog, Government of India. Over the years, this has evolved as a landmark event and a credible platform for health industry stakeholders for sharing knowledge and best practices.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented disruption for the global health community and overstretched healthcare infrastructure of even the most developed countries. It has forced healthcare institutions and regulatory bodies to re-think, restructure, reform the existing processes and systems and seek more advanced ways of providing healthcare.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, said, “Building digital infrastructure for the healthcare sector through the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) initiated by the PM’s Digital India movement, will catalyse robust reforms for improving health care delivery to the last mile in next few years. IT industry was the key growth driver for the Indian economy for the last 30 years. NDHM can leverage and maximize the potential of the healthcare industry to be the growth driver of the Indian economy for the next 100 years provided timely implementation of appropriate interventions and reforms are done.”

Dr Alok Roy, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee said, “With this vision, the FICCI Health Services Committee has carefully crafted the theme for its annual healthcare conference FICCI HEAL 2020 – as ‘Post-COVID Healthcare World’ – The New Beginning. FICCI HEAL Conference would provide that unique platform needed today to exchange innovative ideas and best practices as well as deliberate on all the emerging opportunities for the post-pandemic healthcare world that is affordable and accessible for every citizen of the country.”

In India, COVID-19 has triggered the much-needed government focus towards healthcare infrastructure development. It is evident that the pandemic will bring in a huge paradigm shift in not only the way medicine will be practiced in future, but also the way healthcare is envisioned- by the government, the industry as well as the community at large.

Traditionally India has not invested sufficient resources on public health infrastructure development as well as to anticipate a response to sudden large outbreak of infectious diseases. Despite the significant TB burden in India and sporadic outbreaks of other infectious diseases including chicken pox, our public health infrastructure is still inadequate which has been further accentuated during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Managing and responding to the triple disease burden for 1.3 billion population is indeed a mammoth task. In order to overcome the twin challenge of surging non-communicable and infectious diseases, it is imperative that the public spending on healthcare is increased to 4.5% of GDP over next 7-10 years. The government had envisaged to reach at least 2.5% of GDP by 2022. However, we need to start spending an extra 0.5% of GDP or at least Rs 70,000 cr every year on health for the next five years to be able to fill the deficit. Private sector investment and public private partnerships in the healthcare sector is going to be critical to meet to fulfil SDG-3 goals.

The government has been rolling out a series of reforms to achieve universal healthcare through the implementation of the National Health Policy of 2017, the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the recent Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and National Digital Health Blueprint. Even though healthcare costs in India are almost 10 times lower than other nations, due to low per capita income, challenge of access, affordability and quality care persists.

The pandemic, however, has enforced the paradigm shift in the entire approach to life, work and healthcare. Health, hygiene, sanitation and fitness have come to the center-stage of civilisation. These behavioural changes are giving way to a transformed healthcare delivery system- including new care delivery models, enhanced use of digital tools and technologies, greater focus on preventive and primary care along with point of care and home-based care, restructured facilities and operating models, and boost to local manufacturing as well as R&D in products and treatment for better health outcomes.

The pre and post conference sessions over the three days will highlight the impact of COVID as well as learnings and opportunities for the future development of healthcare systems – across the spectrum, including evolving care delivery, developments in diagnostics, enabling digital technologies, rise in home healthcare, changing pharma landscape, self-reliance in medical technology. There will be a parallel stream of Scientific Sessions that would focus on the clinical challenges faced due to COVID-19 and the response from various stakeholders. FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards, Keynote addresses and Medtech Bootcamps are the other significant features of the Conference.

Devdiscourse |

Naidu asks pvt sector to pitch in to develop modern healthcare facilities in rural India

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday called for making good quality healthcare accessible and affordable for all and urged the private sector to pitch in to develop modern facilities in rural India. He said the private sector can come forward and expand its footprint through the public-private partnership. Stressing on the need to capitalise on the core competence of each stakeholder in the country, he said people can take the best from the world to strengthen the healthcare delivery system.

He urged the private sector to take full advantage of Atmanirbhar Abhiyan in order to give a fillip to the manufacturing of various medical devices, including hi-tech and advanced equipment. Naidu also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught people the overriding importance of staying healthy.

He said fitness coupled with a balanced diet was essential to stave off illnesses. He also pointed out that sedentary lifestyle was one of the main culprits behind the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases in the country.

Naidu urged people to make physical activity a part of their daily routine to remain fit. Addressing a FICCI event on post-COVID healthcare world, he said new beginning should also be about going back to old habits. "Our ancestors have prescribed us nutrition rich food. We should avoid fast-food and mindless eating," he said.

Condemning the instances of stigma and discrimination against frontline warriors and COVID-19 patients, the vice president said such behaviour was unacceptable and must be nipped in the bud. "It is important that we do not discriminate against anyone who is COVID positive or anyone who has come in contact with a COVID patient. We have to promote empathetic attitude and positive messaging around COVID-19," he stressed. Speaking on the universal psychosocial impact caused by the pandemic, he said the psychosocial aspects of older people, their caregivers, psychiatric patients and marginalised communities need special attention.

Stressing on the need to collectively move ahead with renewed determination to defeat the virus, Naidu said "Not only do we need to find ways to eliminate the virus, but we must also have to be prepared to meet post-COVID challenges and be well-equipped to face any future pandemics."

Ten News |

Private sector should join PM Jan Arogya Yojana to deliver tertiary care: Cabinet Secretary

Rajiv Gauba, Cabinet Secretary, Government of India today said that in just two years after its launch, the PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) movement has become a hugely successful platform for delivering tertiary care to some of the most vulnerable sections of our population.

Addressing webinar on ‘FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards’, during the three-day ‘HEAL-2020’, Gauba urged the private sector to come forward and join the PM Jan Arogya Yojana movement. “The private sector hospitals, particularly the big groups should come forward and join this platform,” he said.

Gauba said that as a country we have emerged from a state of total dependence on imports to being exporters of COVID-19 necessary medical items. “Today we have 187 labs in the government sector and 749 private testing labs for COVID testing,” he added.

He further stated that the larger challenge of making healthcare affordable and accessible will continue to be with us even after the COVID-19 situation. “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 developing countries,” added Gauba.

“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 extremely important that people don’t let their guard down, he further added.

Gauba also complimented FICCI in recognizing excellence in the healthcare sector. “The awards are a recognition of not only the outstanding work done by individuals and institutions but, in fact, the entire fraternity of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals,” he said.

CK Mishra, Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt of India said that the private sector has proven to the world that India is the hub of providing best cost-effective treatment. “As a country, 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.

Emphasizing on the importance of PPP, Mishra added that healthcare is a partnership between the private and public sector along with the pooling of resources from both sides in taking the country ahead. “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 added.

Mishra said, “We (the public and private sector) must look closely at promoting public health. We should not be looking at a society where we are too eager to treat a sick man but not that eager to push preventive health. Public health should be at the centre of what we do,” he said.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said that there has been no time in the history that healthcare has 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.

Dr Reddy further said that the award ceremony is to celebrate the COVID-19 heroes of the healthcare sector. The concepts of innovation, sustainability, impact and scalability are very critical parameters. FICCI HEAL is a confluence of the best minds in healthcare, she added.

Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services Committee; Former Chairman-NABH; Advisor- Medical Operations, Fortis Healthcare Ltd, said that the Healthcare Excellence Awards have evolved as the most credible and coveted in the healthcare sector in a short span of time. “It has taken us a long journey of trying to keep modifying the awards from time to time in keeping up with the traditions of the practices,” he stated.

Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI said that the excellence in healthcare awards are special and relevant during these times. “Over the years we have been able to create a credible platform that not only recognizes but provides a fillip for further innovation and excellence in healthcare,” he added.

List of winners – 12thFICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards:

Winners – Individual Categories

Sr Category Name Designation Organization/ Location
1. Lifetime Achievement Award Prof K Srinath Reddy President Public Health Foundation of India
2. Healthcare Personality of the Year Dr Preetha Reddy Vice Chairperson Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited
2. Healthcare Personality of the Year Dr Om Prakash Manchanda Managing Director Dr Lal PathLabs Ltd
4. Healthcare Humanitarian Award Dr Ravindra & Smita Kolhe Social activist Melghat, Maharashtra
5. Special Award for COVID 19 Dr Camilla Rodrigues Consultant Microbiologist, Chairperson Infection Control Committee P D Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre
6. Special Award for COVID 19 Minimole Varghese Chief Nursing Officer Fortis Hospital, Mulund

Winners – General Categories

Sr Category Winner (S)
1. Excellence in Scaling-up of Manufacturing for COVID demand Vanguard Diagnostics Private Limited
2. Excellence in Hospital Preparedness for COVID 19 – Hospital 1. Apollo Hospitals Chennai
2. Christian Medical College, Vellore
2. Excellence in Hospital Preparedness for COVID 19 – Standalone Diagnostic Centre or Blood Bank Max Lab, Saket
4. Excellence in Home Healthcare HealthCare atHOME India Pvt Ltd.
5. Excellence in Telemedicine/ Digital Health Aster DM Healthcare
6. Innovative Medical Device/ Technology Translumina Therapeutics LLP
7 Excellence in Capacity Building Apollo MedSkills Limited
8 Excellence in Social Initiative Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences

Yahoo News |

Naidu asks pvt sector to pitch in to develop modern healthcare facilities in rural India

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday called for making good quality healthcare accessible and affordable for all and urged the private sector to pitch in to develop modern facilities in rural India.

He said the private sector can come forward and expand its footprint through the public-private partnership.

Stressing on the need to capitalise on the core competence of each stakeholder in the country, he said people can take the best from the world to strengthen the healthcare delivery system.

He urged the private sector to take full advantage of Atmanirbhar Abhiyan in order to give a fillip to the manufacturing of various medical devices, including hi-tech and advanced equipment.

Naidu also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught people the overriding importance of staying healthy.

He said fitness coupled with a balanced diet was essential to stave off illnesses.

He also pointed out that sedentary lifestyle was one of the main culprits behind the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases in the country.

Naidu urged people to make physical activity a part of their daily routine to remain fit.

Addressing a FICCI event on post-COVID healthcare world, he said new beginning should also be about going back to old habits.

'Our ancestors have prescribed us nutrition rich food. We should avoid fast-food and mindless eating,' he said.

Condemning the instances of stigma and discrimination against frontline warriors and COVID-19 patients, the vice president said such behaviour was unacceptable and must be nipped in the bud.

'It is important that we do not discriminate against anyone who is COVID positive or anyone who has come in contact with a COVID patient. We have to promote empathetic attitude and positive messaging around COVID-19,' he stressed.

Speaking on the universal psychosocial impact caused by the pandemic, he said the psychosocial aspects of older people, their caregivers, psychiatric patients and marginalised communities need special attention.

Stressing on the need to collectively move ahead with renewed determination to defeat the virus, Naidu said 'Not only do we need to find ways to eliminate the virus, but we must also have to be prepared to meet post-COVID challenges and be well-equipped to face any future pandemics.'

Mumbai News Network |

Private sector should join PM Jan Arogya Yojana to deliver tertiary care: Cabinet Secretary

Mr Rajiv Gauba, Cabinet Secretary, Government of India today said that in just two years after its launch, the PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) movement has become a hugely successful platform for delivering tertiary care to some of the most vulnerable sections of our population.

Addressing webinar on ‘FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards’, during the three-day ‘HEAL-2020’, Mr Gauba urged the private sector to come forward and join the PM Jan Arogya Yojana movement. “The private sector hospitals, particularly the big groups should come forward and join this platform,” he said.

Mr Gauba said that as a country we have emerged from a state of total dependence on imports to being exporters of COVID-19 necessary medical items. “Today we have 187 labs in the government sector and 749 private testing labs for COVID testing,” he added.

He further stated that the larger challenge of making healthcare affordable and accessible will continue to be with us even after the COVID-19 situation. “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 developing countries,” added Mr Gauba.

“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 extremely important that people don’t let their guard down, he further added.

Mr Gauba also complimented FICCI in recognizing excellence in the healthcare sector. “The awards are a recognition of not only the outstanding work done by individuals and institutions but, in fact, the entire fraternity of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals,” he said.

Mr CK Mishra, Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt of India said that the private sector has proven to the world that India is the hub of providing best cost-effective treatment. “As a country, 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.

Emphasizing on the importance of PPP, Mr Mishra added that healthcare is a partnership between the private and public sector along with the pooling of resources from both sides in taking the country ahead. “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 added.

Mr Mishra said, “We (the public and private sector) must look closely at promoting public health. We should not be looking at a society where we are too eager to treat a sick man but not that eager to push preventive health. Public health should be at the centre of what we do,” he said.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said that there has been no time in the history that healthcare has 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.

Dr Reddy further said that the award ceremony is to celebrate the COVID-19 heroes of the healthcare sector. The concepts of innovation, sustainability, impact and scalability are very critical parameters. FICCI HEAL is a confluence of the best minds in healthcare, she added.

Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services Committee; Former Chairman-NABH; Advisor- Medical Operations, Fortis Healthcare Ltd, said that the Healthcare Excellence Awards have evolved as the most credible and coveted in the healthcare sector in a short span of time. “It has taken us a long journey of trying to keep modifying the awards from time to time in keeping up with the traditions of the practices,” he stated.

Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI said that the excellence in healthcare awards are special and relevant during these times. “Over the years we have been able to create a credible platform that not only recognizes but provides a fillip for further innovation and excellence in healthcare,” he added.

List of winners - 12thFICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards:

Winners – Individual Categories

Sr

Category

Name

Designation

Organization/ Location

1.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Prof K Srinath Reddy

President

Public Health Foundation of India

2.

Healthcare Personality of the Year

Dr Preetha Reddy

Vice Chairperson

Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited

2.

Healthcare Personality of the Year

Dr Om Prakash Manchanda

Managing Director

Dr Lal PathLabs Ltd

4.

Healthcare Humanitarian Award

Dr Ravindra & Smita Kolhe

Social activist

Melghat, Maharashtra

5.

Special Award for COVID 19

Dr Camilla Rodrigues

Consultant Microbiologist, Chairperson Infection Control Committee

P D Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre

6.

Special Award for COVID 19

Ms Minimole Varghese

Chief Nursing Officer

Fortis Hospital, Mulund


Winners – General Categories

Sr

Category

Winner (S)

1.

Excellence in Scaling-up of Manufacturing for COVID demand

Vanguard Diagnostics Private Limited

2.

Excellence in Hospital Preparedness for COVID 19 - Hospital

1. Apollo Hospitals Chennai
2. Christian Medical College, Vellore

2.

Excellence in Hospital Preparedness for COVID 19 - Standalone Diagnostic Centre or Blood Bank

Max Lab, Saket

4.

Excellence in Home Healthcare

HealthCare atHOME India Pvt Ltd.

5.

Excellence in Telemedicine/ Digital Health

Aster DM Healthcare

6.

Innovative Medical Device/ Technology

Translumina Therapeutics LLP

7

Excellence in Capacity Building

Apollo MedSkills Limited

8

Excellence in Social Initiative

Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences

Drug Today |

Private sector urged to join PMJAY to deliver tertiary care

India's Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has urged the private sector to come forward and join the PM Jan Arogya Yojana movement for delivering tertiary care to some of the most vulnerable sections of the country's population.

Addressing a webinar during the three-day FICCI HEAL-2020 event, Mr Gauba said, “The private sector hospitals, particularly the big groups, should come forward and join this platform.”

The Cabinet Secretary said that as a country we have emerged from a state of total dependence on imports to being exporters of Covid-19 necessary medical items.

“Today we have 187 labs in the government sector and 749 private testing labs for Covid testing,” he added.

“Due to present Covid-19 situation, we must improve healthcare indicators and make them comparable to the developing countries,” added Mr Gauba.

Mr Gauba urged 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 winters, it is extremely important that people don’t let their guard down, he further added.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said that there has been no time in the history that healthcare has been so centre-stage.

“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.

Article Wired |

Need a change in ecosystem to make our drug production cost competitive vis-a-vis China: Navdeep Rinwa

The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has come out with a report on catalyzing the transformation of the R&D and innovation in the pharma and medical devices sector, announced Joint Secretary Navdeep Rinwa on Tuesday.

Speaking at the 14th edition of FICCI’s annual healthcare conference – FICCI Heal 2020, he said, “We don’t want the situation to repeat, where we have to put export restrictions on a sector that is earning so much of foreign exchange for us. This will only happen if we are confident that we are not relying totally on some country.”

Rinwa was chairing the virtual panel discussion on the theme “Changing Landscape of pharma Industry” which deliberated on turning the Covid crisis into an opportunity for strengthening the domestic pharma supply chain.

India which is often called as the pharmacy of the world imports more than 70% of the API and intermediates from China. The over-dependence had led to massive disruptions in the Indian pharma supply chain post implementation of lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus in China.

With the aim to reduce this dependence on imports and boost domestic manufacturing of critical active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers announced a production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the promotion and manufacturing of pharmaceutical raw materials in India.

Elaborating on the progress made by the schemes, Rinwa said, “Through bulk drug parks, the states are coming out with their incentive policies to make capital expenditure and operational expenditure lower. We should not restrict make in India for India, but go for Make in India for the world and if we achieve that scale, only then we’ll be able to compete with China.”

However, he also added that there should be some change in the ecosystem which should make our cost of production competitive vis-à-vis China.

The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) aims to come up with many more initiatives to strengthen the Indian pharma ecosystem. According to Rinwa, the Covid pandemic is a blessing in disguise, as it showed that the issues can be solved faster if there is a regular interaction between the Department of Pharmaceuticals and the industry.

INVC News |

Private sector should join PM Jan Arogya Yojana to deliver tertiary care

Mr Rajiv Gauba, Cabinet Secretary, Government of India today said that in just two years after its launch, the PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) movement has become a hugely successful platform for delivering tertiary care to some of the most vulnerable sections of our population.

Addressing webinar on ‘FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards’, during the three-day ‘HEAL-2020’, Mr Gauba urged the private sector to come forward and join the PM Jan Arogya Yojana movement. “The private sector hospitals, particularly the big groups should come forward and join this platform,” he said.

Mr Gauba said that as a country we have emerged from a state of total dependence on imports to being exporters of COVID-19 necessary medical items. “Today we have 187 labs in the government sector and 749 private testing labs for COVID testing,” he added.

He further stated that the larger challenge of making healthcare affordable and accessible will continue to be with us even after the COVID-19 situation. “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 developing countries,” added Mr Gauba.

“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 extremely important that people don’t let their guard down, he further added.

Mr Gauba also complimented FICCI in recognizing excellence in the healthcare sector. “The awards are a recognition of not only the outstanding work done by individuals and institutions but, in fact, the entire fraternity of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals,” he said.

Mr CK Mishra, Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt of India said that the private sector has proven to the world that India is the hub of providing best cost-effective treatment. “As a country, 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.

Emphasizing on the importance of PPP, Mr Mishra added that healthcare is a partnership between the private and public sector along with the pooling of resources from both sides in taking the country ahead. “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 added.
Mr Mishra said, “We (the public and private sector) must look closely at promoting public health. We should not be looking at a society where we are too eager to treat a sick man but not that eager to push preventive health. Public health should be at the centre of what we do,” he said.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said that there has been no time in the history that healthcare has 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.

Dr Reddy further said that the award ceremony is to celebrate the COVID-19 heroes of the healthcare sector. The concepts of innovation, sustainability, impact and scalability are very critical parameters. FICCI HEAL is a confluence of the best minds in healthcare, she added.

Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services Committee; Former Chairman-NABH; Advisor- Medical Operations, Fortis Healthcare Ltd, said that the Healthcare Excellence Awards have evolved as the most credible and coveted in the healthcare sector in a short span of time. “It has taken us a long journey of trying to keep modifying the awards from time to time in keeping up with the traditions of the practices,” he stated.

Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI said that the excellence in healthcare awards are special and relevant during these times. “Over the years we have been able to create a credible platform that not only recognizes but provides a fillip for further innovation and excellence in healthcare,” he added.

List of winners - 12thFICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards:

Winners – Individual Categories


Sr

Category

Name

Designation

Organization/ Location

1.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Prof K Srinath Reddy

President

Public Health Foundation of India

2.

Healthcare Personality of the Year

Dr Preetha Reddy

Vice Chairperson

Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited

2.

Healthcare Personality of the Year

Dr Om Prakash Manchanda

Managing Director

Dr Lal PathLabs Ltd

4.

Healthcare Humanitarian Award

Dr Ravindra & Smita Kolhe

Social activist

Melghat, Maharashtra

5.

Special Award for COVID 19

Dr Camilla Rodrigues

Consultant Microbiologist, Chairperson Infection Control Committee

P D Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre

6.

Special Award for COVID 19

Ms Minimole Varghese

Chief Nursing Officer

Fortis Hospital, Mulund

Winners – General Categories

Sr

Category

Winner (S)

1.

Excellence in Scaling-up of Manufacturing for COVID demand

Vanguard Diagnostics Private Limited

2.

Excellence in Hospital Preparedness for COVID 19 - Hospital

1. Apollo Hospitals Chennai
2. Christian Medical College, Vellore

2.

Excellence in Hospital Preparedness for COVID 19 - Standalone Diagnostic Centre or Blood Bank

Max Lab, Saket

4.

Excellence in Home Healthcare

HealthCare atHOME India Pvt Ltd.

5.

Excellence in Telemedicine/ Digital Health

Aster DM Healthcare

6.

Innovative Medical Device/ Technology

Translumina Therapeutics LLP

7

Excellence in Capacity Building

Apollo MedSkills Limited

8

Excellence in Social Initiative

Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences

Bio Spectrum |

FICCI HEAL 2020: Emerging opportunities for post-pandemic healthcare

In India, while healthcare has not been very high on the political or public agenda, COVID-19 has triggered the much-needed government focus towards healthcare infrastructure development. It is evident that the pandemic will bring in a huge paradigm shift in not only the way medicine will be practiced in future, but the way healthcare is envisioned- by the government, the industry as well as the community at large.

Traditionally India has not invested sufficient resources on public health infrastructure development as well as to anticipate a response to sudden large outbreak of infectious diseases. Despite the significant TB burden in India and sporadic outbreaks of other infectious diseases including chicken pox, our public health infrastructure is still inadequate which has been further accentuated during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Managing and responding to the triple disease burden for 1.3 billion population is indeed a mammoth task. India will never have sufficient public funds to achieve universal healthcare. In order to overcome the twin challenge of surging non-communicable and infectious diseases, it is imperative that the public spending on healthcare is increased to 4.5% of GDP over next 7-10 years.

The government had envisaged to reach at least 2.5% of GDP by 2022. However, we need to start spending an extra 0.5% of GDP or at least Rs 70,000 cr every year on health for the next five years to be able to fill the deficit. There for private sector investment and public private partnerships in the healthcare sector is going to be critical to meet to fulfil SDG3 goals.

The government has been rolling out a series of reforms to achieve universal healthcare through theimplementation of the National Health Policy of 2017, the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the recent Atma-Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and National Digital Health Blueprint. Even though healthcare costs in India are almost 10 times lower than other nations, due to low per capita income, challenge of access, affordability and quality of care persists.

The pandemic, however, has enforced the paradigm shift in the entire approach to life, work and healthcare. Health, hygiene, sanitation and fitness have come to the center-stage of civilisation. These behavioural changes are giving way to a transformed healthcare delivery system- including new care delivery models, enhanced use of digital tools and technologies, greater focus on preventive and primary care along with point of care and home-based care, restructured facilities and operating models, and boost to local manufacturing as well as R&D in products and treatment for better health outcomes.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, enumerated, “Building digital infrastructure for the healthcare sector through the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) initiated by the PM’s Digital India movement,willcatalyse robust reforms forimproving health care delivery to the last milein next few years. IT industry was the key growth driver for the Indian economy for the last 30 years. NDHM can leverage and maximize the potential of the Health care industry to be the growth driver of the Indian economy for the next 100 years provided timely implementation of appropriate interventions and reforms are done.

Dr Alok Roy, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee highlighted, “with this vision, the FICCI Healthservices Committee has carefully crafted the Theme for FICCI’s annual healthcare conference- FICCI HEAL 2020- as “Post-COVID Healthcare World” - The New Beginning”.

The FICCI HEAL Conference would provide that unique platform needed today to exchange innovative ideas and best practices as well as deliberate on all the emerging opportunities for the post-pandemic healthcare world that is affordable and accessible for every citizen of the country”.

The pre- and post- conference sessions over the three days will highlight the impact of COVID as well as learnings and opportunities for the future development of healthcare systems- across the spectrum, including evolving care delivery, developments in diagnostics, enabling digital technologies, rise in home healthcare, changing pharma landscape, self-reliance in medical technology.

There will be a parallel stream of Scientific Sessions that would focus on the clinical challenges faced due to COVID-19 and the response from various stakeholders. FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards, Keynote addresses and Medtech Bootcamps are the other significant features of the Conference.

India Education Diary |

FICCI HEAL 2020: "Post-COVID Healthcare World" - The New Beginning"

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented disruption for the global health community and overstretched healthcare infrastructure of even the most developed countries. It has forced healthcare institutions and regulatory bodies to re-think, restructure and reform the existing processes and systems and seek more advanced and alternative ways of providing healthcare.

In India, while healthcare has not been very high on the political or public agenda, COVID-19 has triggered the much-needed government focus towards healthcare infrastructure development. It is evident that the pandemic will bring in a huge paradigm shift in not only the way medicine will be practiced in future, but the way healthcare is envisioned- by the government, the industry as well as the community at large.

Traditionally India has not invested sufficient resources on public health infrastructure development as well as to anticipate a response to sudden large outbreak of infectious diseases. Despite the significant TB burden in India and sporadic outbreaks of other infectious diseases including chicken pox, our public health infrastructure is still inadequate which has been further accentuated during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Managing and responding to the triple disease burden for 1.3 billion population is indeed a mammoth task. India will never have sufficient public funds to achieve universal healthcare. In order to overcome the twin challenge of surging non-communicable and infectious diseases, it is imperative that the public spending on healthcare is increased to 4.5% of GDP over next 7-10 years. The government had envisaged to reach at least 2.5% of GDP by 2022. However, we need to start spending an extra 0.5% of GDP or at least INR 70,000 cr every year on health for the next five years to be able to fill the deficit. There for private sector investment and public private partnerships in the healthcare sector is going to be critical to meet to fulfil SDG3 goals.

The government has been rolling out a series of reforms to achieve universal healthcare through the implementation of the National Health Policy of 2017, the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the recent Atma-Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and National Digital Health Blueprint. Even though healthcare costs in India are almost 10 times lower than other nations, due to low per capita income, challenge of access, affordability and quality of care persists.

The pandemic, however, has enforced the paradigm shift in the entire approach to life, work and healthcare. Health, hygiene, sanitation and fitness have come to the center-stage of civilisation. These behavioural changes are giving way to a transformed healthcare delivery system- including new care delivery models, enhanced use of digital tools and technologies, greater focus on preventive and primary care along with point of care and home-based care, restructured facilities and operating models, and boost to local manufacturing as well as R&D in products and treatment for better health outcomes.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, enumerated, “Building digital infrastructure for the healthcare sector through the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) initiated by the PM’s Digital India movement, will catalyse robust reforms for improving health care delivery to the last mile in next few years. IT industry was the key growth driver for the Indian economy for the last 30 years. NDHM can leverage and maximize the potential of the Health care industry to be the growth driver of the Indian economy for the next 100 years provided timely implementation of appropriate interventions and reforms are done.

Dr Alok Roy, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee highlighted, “with this vision, the FICCI Healthservices Committee has carefully crafted the Theme for FICCI’s annual healthcare conference- FICCI HEAL 2020- as “Post-COVID Healthcare World” – The New Beginning”. The FICCI HEAL Conference would provide that unique platform needed today to exchange innovative ideas and best practices as well as deliberate on all the emerging opportunities for the post-pandemic healthcare world that is affordable and accessible for every citizen of the country”.

The pre- and post- conference sessions over the three days will highlight the impact of COVID as well as learnings and opportunities for the future development of healthcare systems – across the spectrum, including evolving care delivery, developments in diagnostics, enabling digital technologies, rise in home healthcare, changing pharma landscape, self-reliance in medical technology. There will be a parallel stream of Scientific Sessions that would focus on the clinical challenges faced due to COVID-19 and the response from various stakeholders. FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards, Keynote addresses and Medtech Bootcamps are the other significant features of the Conference.

Everything Experiential |

FICCI HEAL 2020: "Post-COVID Healthcare World"

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented disruption for the global health community and overstretched healthcare infrastructure of even the most developed countries. It has forced healthcare institutions and regulatory bodies to re-think, restructure and reform the existing processes and systems and seek more advanced and alternative ways of providing healthcare.

In India, while healthcare has not been very high on the political or public agenda, COVID-19 has triggered the much-needed government focus towards healthcare infrastructure development. It is evident that the pandemic will bring in a huge paradigm shift in not only the way medicine will be practiced in future, but the way healthcare is envisioned- by the government, the industry as well as the community at large.

Traditionally India has not invested sufficient resources on public health infrastructure development as well as to anticipate a response to sudden large outbreak of infectious diseases. Despite the significant TB burden in India and sporadic outbreaks of other infectious diseases including chicken pox, our public health infrastructure is still inadequate which has been further accentuated during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Managing and responding to the triple disease burden for 1.3 billion population is indeed a mammoth task. India will never have sufficient public funds to achieve universal healthcare. In order to overcome the twin challenge of surging non-communicable and infectious diseases, it is imperative that the public spending on healthcare is increased to 4.5% of GDP over next 7-10 years. The government had envisaged to reach at least 2.5% of GDP by 2022. However, we need to start spending an extra 0.5% of GDP or at least INR 70,000 cr every year on health for the next five years to be able to fill the deficit. There for private sector investment and public private partnerships in the healthcare sector is going to be critical to meet to fulfil SDG3 goals.

The government has been rolling out a series of reforms to achieve universal healthcare through the implementation of the National Health Policy of 2017, the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the recent Atma-Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and National Digital Health Blueprint. Even though healthcare costs in India are almost 10 times lower than other nations, due to low per capita income, challenge of access, affordability and quality of care persists.

The pandemic, however, has enforced the paradigm shift in the entire approach to life, work and healthcare. Health, hygiene, sanitation and fitness have come to the center-stage of civilisation. These behavioural changes are giving way to a transformed healthcare delivery system- including new care delivery models, enhanced use of digital tools and technologies, greater focus on preventive and primary care along with point of care and home-based care, restructured facilities and operating models, and boost to local manufacturing as well as R&D in products and treatment for better health outcomes.

Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, enumerated, “Building digital infrastructure for the healthcare sector through the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) initiated by the PM’s Digital India movement, will catalyse robust reforms for improving health care delivery to the last mile in next few years. IT industry was the key growth driver for the Indian economy for the last 30 years. NDHM can leverage and maximize the potential of the Health care industry to be the growth driver of the Indian economy for the next 100 years provided timely implementation of appropriate interventions and reforms are done.

Alok Roy, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee highlighted, “with this vision, the FICCI Healthservices Committee has carefully crafted the Theme for FICCI’s annual healthcare conference- FICCI HEAL 2020- as “Post-COVID Healthcare World” - The New Beginning”. The FICCI HEAL Conference would provide that unique platform needed today to exchange innovative ideas and best practices as well as deliberate on all the emerging opportunities for the post-pandemic healthcare world that is affordable and accessible for every citizen of the country”.

The pre- and post- conference sessions over the three days will highlight the impact of COVID as well as learnings and opportunities for the future development of healthcare systems - across the spectrum, including evolving care delivery, developments in diagnostics, enabling digital technologies, rise in home healthcare, changing pharma landscape, self-reliance in medical technology. There will be a parallel stream of Scientific Sessions that would focus on the clinical challenges faced due to COVID-19 and the response from various stakeholders. FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards, Keynote addresses and Medtech Bootcamps are the other significant features of the Conference.

Apeksha News |

FICCI announces its annual healthcare conference, FICCI HEAL 2020

FICCI recently announced its annual healthcare conference – FICCI HEAL 2020 from 29th September 2020 to 1st October 2020. The 14th edition of FICCI HEAL on the theme, “Post-COVID Healthcare World - The New Beginning” is scheduled on a virtual platform and will include Keynote Addresses, Panel Discussions as well as Plenary Sessions covering the entire spectrum of healthcare - public health, care delivery, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, medical devices, integration of traditional medicine as well as digital health.

FICCI HEAL 2020 will be inaugurated by Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon'ble Vice President of India, and will be graced by esteemed Government and Industry Stalwarts like-
  • Dr Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Government of India *
  • Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India
  • Dr Scot Atlas, Advisor-White House Coronavirus Task Force; Robert Wesson Senior Fellow in Scientific Philosophy and Public Policy at Stanford University
  • Prof Richard C Horton FRCP FMedSci, Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet
  • Prof Arvind Panagariya, Prof of Economics & Jagdish Bhagwati Prof- Indian Political Economy, Columbia University
  • Prof Ashish Jha, Dean- Global Strategy, K.T. Li Professor of Global Health; Director, Harvard Global Health Institute
  • Mr Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
  • Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade*
  • Dr P D Vaghela, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, GoI*
  • Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO, National Health Authority, Government of India
  • Dr Tedros A Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organisation*
  • Ms K K Shailaja, Minister for Health, Social Justice and Woman and Child Development, State of Kerala*
  • Mr T V Mohandas Pai, Adviser, FICCI Skills Committee & Chairman, Manipal Global Education*
  • Dr Mahesh Verma, Head- COVID-19 Advisory Body to Delhi Government and Vice-Chancellor of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
  • Mr Kieran Murphy, Global CEO, GE Healthcare
  • Mr Jan Herzhoff, President- Global Health Markets, Elsevier
  • Dr Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson & MD, Biocon Limited*
  • Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd
  • (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Advisor- FICCI Health Services Committee and Executive Chairman, Dr Lal PathLabs
  • Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD & CEO, Fortis Healthcare
  • Mr Narendra Varde, General Manager & Country Head, Abbott Diagnostics
  • Dr G S K Velu, Chairman & Managing Director, Trivitron Healthcare
  • Mr Vishal Dembla, Chief Business Officer, ConnectedLife Health
Speaking on the event, Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “COVID-19 has highlighted the underlying inadequacies in our healthcare systems, specifically concerning an effective response to a pandemic. At the same time, it has opened up a plethora of opportunities for transforming our healthcare ecosystem to be future-ready. This calls for strengthening of stakeholder collaborations, rethinking of processes and policies, and adopting a more patient-centric as well as community-centric approach for healthcare delivery and we believe FICCI HEAL 2020 will provide a perfect platform for that.”

Adding to this, Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imaging said, “FICCI HEAL 2020 is an endeavor to bring together all the relevant stakeholders to share their experiences and deliberate on the solutions and reforms for post-COVID healthcare. The conference would be a conglomeration of CEOs, policymakers, national and international leaders from healthcare and allied industries.”

The three-day long event will have many insightful Business sessions on topics like Digital Revolution: Going Viral!; Changing landscape of Pharma Industry; Realizing Atmanirbhar Bharat through Make in India; Diagnostics- Pandemic & Beyond; Best Practices for Management of COVID-19; Home Healthcare; How the World will prepare for Post-COVID etc. Mr Gautam Khanna, Co-Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee and CEO, P D Hinduja Hospital is also supporting the program development, along with Dr Harsh Mahajan and Dr Alok Roy.

The Scientific Sessions will bring together top Clinical experts from India and around the world to share the latest data, experiences, exciting developments, and best research findings in the ongoing battle against COVID-19. Some of the sessions are- Private Healthcare at the forefront of battle with COVID-19: From Strategy to Frontline Trenches; COVID-19: Spectrum of clinical syndromes, complications; Therapies for COVID-19: Current therapies and their effectiveness; and more. Dr Arati Verma, Sr Vice President - Medical Quality, Max Healthcare and Dr N Subramanian, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Director, Medical Services & Sr. Consultant- Urology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals are convening the Scientific Sessions.

Continuing the long legacy of recognizing the best practices in the industry, FICCI is also organizing the 12th edition of its much-awaited ‘Healthcare Excellence Awards’, on September 29, 2020 from 11:30 am to 12:15 pm on the Virtual Platform. The eminent Jury will be Chaired by Mr C K Mishra, Former Secretary, MoEFCC and MoHFW, GoI and the Awards Ceremony will be moderated by Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services Committee; Former Chairman- NABH; Advisor-Medical Operations & Chairman- Fortis Medical Council, Fortis Healthcare Ltd.

This year in the backdrop of the COVID pandemic and to recognize the courage of healthcare workers, specific categories have been introduced. These categories are designed to recognize the efforts of the industry in ensuring the delivery of quality healthcare to the patients. Dr Y P Bhatia, Managing Director, Astron Hospital & Healthcare Consultants Pvt Ltd and Dr Ravi Gaur, Director & Chairman- Medical Strategy & Advisory Board, Oncquest Laboratories Ltd are the Chair and Co-Chair for the Awards. The awards are supported by Astron Healthcare and global consulting firm Ernst and Young LLB are the official tabulators

FICCI, in partnership with Boston Consulting Group, has also undertaken a study to layout the contours of the Open Digital Health Ecosystem as envisioned in the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) announced by the honorable Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi on 15 August 2020. This Report titled, “Ushering in the Digital Era for Healthcare Delivery in India”, will be released during the Inaugural Session of the Conference.

In addition, FICCI is also organising a Health Tech Innovation Bootcamp on Day 2 of the conference, that intends to bridge the existing gap between Indian Innovators and other key industry stakeholders by facilitating potential partnerships among them. The Bootcamp will be moderated by Mr Sashi Kumar, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee; Managing Director, Phoenix Medical Systems and Mr Shyam Vasudev Rao, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee; Founder & Director, Forus Health & Renalyx health systems

Ms Shobha Mishra Ghosh, Assistant Secretary-General, FICCI, further shared, FICCI has been organizing its annual healthcare conference, FICCI HEAL since 2007 supported by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, and recently by NITI Aayog, Government of India. Over the years, this has evolved as a landmark event and a credible platform for health industry stakeholders for sharing knowledge and best practices.

Express Healthcare |

FICCI HEAL 2020 from September 29-October 1, 2020

The 14th edition of FICCI’s annual healthcare conference – FICCI HEAL 2020 will be held virtually from September 29- October 1 2020 on the theme, “Post-COVID Healthcare World – The New Beginning” and will be inaugurated by Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India,

It will cover the entire spectrum of healthcare, from public health, care delivery, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, medical devices, integration of traditional medicine as well as digital health.

Speaking on the event, Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “COVID-19 has highlighted the underlying inadequacies in our healthcare systems, specifically concerning an effective response to a pandemic. At the same time, it has opened up a plethora of opportunities for transforming our healthcare ecosystem to be future-ready. This calls for strengthening of stakeholder collaborations, rethinking of processes and policies, and adopting a more patient-centric as well as community-centric approach for healthcare delivery and we believe FICCI HEAL 2020 will provide a perfect platform for that.”

Adding to this, Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imaging said, “FICCI HEAL 2020 is an endeavour to bring together all the relevant stakeholders to share their experiences and deliberate on the solutions and reforms for post-COVID healthcare. The conference would be a conglomeration of CEOs, policymakers, national and international leaders from healthcare and allied industries.”

The three-day long event will have many insightful business sessions on topics like Digital Revolution: Going Viral!; Changing landscape of Pharma Industry; Realising Atmanirbhar Bharat through Make in India; Diagnostics- Pandemic & Beyond; Best Practices for Management of COVID-19; Home Healthcare; How the World will prepare for Post-COVID etc. Gautam Khanna, Co-Chair, FICCI Health services Committee and CEO, P D Hinduja Hospital is also supporting the programme development, along with Dr Harsh Mahajan and Dr Alok Roy.

The Scientific Sessions will bring together top clinical experts from India and around the world to share the latest data, experiences, exciting developments, and best research findings in the ongoing battle against COVID-19.

Some of the sessions are- Private Healthcare at the forefront of battle with COVID-19: From Strategy to Frontline Trenches; COVID-19: Spectrum of clinical syndromes, complications; Therapies for COVID-19: Current therapies and their effectiveness; and more. Dr Arati Verma, Sr Vice President – Medical Quality, Max Healthcare and Dr N Subramanian, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Director, Medical Services & Sr. Consultant- Urology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals are convening the Scientific Sessions.

Continuing the long legacy of recognising the best practices in the industry, FICCI is also organising the 12th edition of the ‘Healthcare Excellence Awards’, on September 29, 2020 from 11:30 am to 12:15 pm on the Virtual Platform. The eminent Jury will be chaired by C K Mishra, Former Secretary, MoEFCC and MoHFW, GoI and the Awards Ceremony will be moderated by Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services Committee; Former Chairman- NABH; Advisor-Medical Operations & Chairman- Fortis Medical Council, Fortis Healthcare.

This year in the backdrop of the COVID pandemic and to recognise the courage of healthcare workers, specific categories have been introduced. These categories are designed to recognise the efforts of the industry in ensuring the delivery of quality healthcare to the patients. Dr Y P Bhatia, Managing Director, Astron Hospital & Healthcare Consultants and Dr Ravi Gaur, Director & Chairman- Medical Strategy & Advisory Board, Oncquest Laboratories are the Chair and Co-Chair for the Awards. The awards are supported by Astron Healthcare and global consulting firm Ernst and Young LLB are the official tabulators

FICCI, in partnership with Boston Consulting Group, has also undertaken a study to layout the contours of the Open Digital Health Ecosystem as envisioned in the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) announced by the honorable Prime Minister Shree Narendra Modi on 15 August 2020. This report titled, “Ushering in the Digital Era for Healthcare Delivery in India”, will be released during the inaugural session of the Conference.

In addition, FICCI is also organising a Health Tech Innovation Bootcamp on Day 2 of the conference that intends to bridge the existing gap between Indian Innovators and other key industry stakeholders by facilitating potential partnerships among them. The Bootcamp will be moderated by Sashi Kumar, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee; Managing Director, Phoenix Medical Systems and Shyam Vasudev Rao, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee; Founder & Director, Forus Health & Renalyx health systems.

FICCI HEAL 2020 will be graced by esteemed Government and industry stalwarts like-
  • Dr Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Government of India *
  • Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India
  • Dr Scot Atlas, Advisor-White House Coronavirus Task Force; Robert Wesson Senior Fellow in Scientific Philosophy and Public Policy at Stanford University
  • Prof Richard C Horton FRCP FMedSci,Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet
  • Prof Arvind Panagariya, Prof of Economics & Jagdish Bhagwati Prof- Indian Political Economy, Columbia University
  • Prof Ashish Jha, Dean- Global Strategy, K.T. Li Professor of Global Health; Director, Harvard Global Health Institute
  • Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
  • Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade*
  • Dr P D Vaghela, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, GoI*
  • Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO, National Health Authority, Government of India
  • Dr Tedros A Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organisation*
  • K K Shailaja, Minister for Health, Social Justice and Woman and Child Development, State of Kerala*
  • T V Mohandas Pai, Adviser, FICCI Skills Committee & Chairman, Manipal Global Education*
  • Dr Mahesh Verma, Head- COVID-19 Advisory Body to Delhi Government and Vice-Chancellor of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
  • Kieran Murphy, Global CEO, GE Healthcare
  • Jan Herzhoff, President- Global Health Markets, Elsevier
  • Dr Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson & MD, Biocon*
  • Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise
  • (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Advisor- FICCI Health Services Committee and Executive Chairman, Dr Lal PathLabs
  • Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD & CEO, Fortis Healthcare
  • Narendra Varde, General Manager & Country Head, Abbott Diagnostics
  • Dr G S K Velu, Chairman & Managing Director, Trivitron Healthcare
  • Vishal Dembla, Chief Business Officer, ConnectedLife Health

Live Mint |

E-health startups gear up for smaller cities, towns

E-health startups that saw a spike in business during the covid-led lockdown have their eyes set on smaller cities and towns to attract new customers with offers of value-added services like chronic illness care.

The founders of these startups believe the covid-19 pandemic has led to a significant shift in consumer behaviour toward online health services due to their convenience and faster access, prompting a search for the next wave of growth.

Before the pandemic there were 3.5 million households using e-pharmacy services. This grew nearly three times to 9 million in May, and is projected to increase further to 70 million households by 2025, according to a FICCI white paper on e-pharmacies published in August.

Around 50% consumers reported a decline in face-to-face doctor consultations during the pandemic. There was also a shift in demand for home delivery of medicines, according to FICCI’s findings.

Online health platform Practo that saw a sharp increase in online consultations claims that teleconsultations on its platform have grown by 10x in the last six months; 80% of all telemedicine customers were first-time users and 50% consultations were for patients from non-metros.

“At Practo, now we want to capture the next 200 million customers by continued focus on expansion and growth in Tier 2 cities. We will build a multilingual interface that will expand access to quality healthcare and enable interactions in native languages, bringing quality care to remote locations" said Shashank ND, CEO and co-founder, Practo.

Analysts agree the next wave of growth for online healthcare will come from non-metros.

“As the novelty wears off and the demand-driver moves from contactless to expertise—the ability for small town residents to pick any “big city" expert anywhere," said Prasanto K. Roy, a tech policy consultant.

For online health platform 1mg Technologies, the focus is on value-added health services like chronic care plans, expanding its diagnostic business to include vaccinations at home and building its healthcare advertising business.

The firm’s business grew over 65% from April to August and is at peak levels, getting very close to profitability, said co-founder Prashant Tandon, co-founder, 1mg Technologies and chairperson, Digital Health Platform, an association of e-pharmacies of India.

“1mg is also deepening its partnerships with hospitals, insurance and pharma companies to build strong digital health offerings to woo more users," Tandon said.

Bengaluru-based Portea Medical has in the last six months served over 1.5 million patients in their home environment offering services for chronic diseases, besides teleconsultation for almost 50,000 patients, and a chatbot service that saw more than 2.3 millions chats.

“We see increased demand for our chronic disease management solutions, as those with uncontrolled chronic diseases are more impacted by diseases like covid-19," says Meena Ganesh, MD and CEO, Portea Medical.

The e-health sector in India is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 68% to $16 billion by 2025, according to a report by RedSeer Consulting.

The report also estimates that eHealth services will reach 57 million households over the next five years.

Besides covid-19, startup founders believe that the government’s efforts to digitize the interaction between consumers and providers like pharmacies, doctors and diagnostic centres have also given an impetus to online health platforms.

In March, the government released guidelines for telemedicine and then, in August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the National Digital Health Mission.

“This has given a huge structural and regulatory boost to the digital health sector. Digital health is here to stay and India has a long way to go," 1mg’s Tandon said.

Shashank said the future of the healthcare industry is patient-centric, integrated and preventive and for that it requires a good blend of offline and online.

“The platforms will see more competition and patients and doctors, more choice. Many doctors have been unhappy with platform conditions, commissions, or limiting features, and will have more options to choose from," Roy said.

Medical Buyer |

E-health startups gear up for smaller cities, towns

E-health startups that saw a spike in business during the covid-led lockdown have their eyes set on smaller cities and towns to attract new customers with offers of value-added services like chronic illness care.

The founders of these startups believe the covid-19 pandemic has led to a significant shift in consumer behaviour toward online health services due to their convenience and faster access, prompting a search for the next wave of growth.

Before the pandemic there were 3.5 million households using e-pharmacy services. This grew nearly three times to 9 million in May, and is projected to increase further to 70 million households by 2025, according to a FICCI white paper on e-pharmacies published in August.

Around 50% consumers reported a decline in face-to-face doctor consultations during the pandemic. There was also a shift in demand for home delivery of medicines, according to FICCI’s findings.

Online health platform Practo that saw a sharp increase in online consultations claims that teleconsultations on its platform have grown by 10x in the last six months; 80% of all telemedicine customers were first-time users and 50% consultations were for patients from non-metros.

“At Practo, now we want to capture the next 200 million customers by continued focus on expansion and growth in Tier 2 cities. We will build a multilingual interface that will expand access to quality healthcare and enable interactions in native languages, bringing quality care to remote locations” said Shashank ND, CEO and co-founder, Practo.

Analysts agree the next wave of growth for online healthcare will come from non-metros.

“As the novelty wears off and the demand-driver moves from contactless to expertise—the ability for small town residents to pick any “big city” expert anywhere,” said Prasanto K. Roy, a tech policy consultant.

For online health platform 1mg Technologies, the focus is on value-added health services like chronic care plans, expanding its diagnostic business to include vaccinations at home and building its healthcare advertising business.

The firm’s business grew over 65% from April to August and is at peak levels, getting very close to profitability, said co-founder Prashant Tandon, co-founder, 1mg Technologies and chairperson, Digital Health Platform, an association of e-pharmacies of India.

“1mg is also deepening its partnerships with hospitals, insurance and pharma companies to build strong digital health offerings to woo more users,” Tandon said.

Bengaluru-based Portea Medical has in the last six months served over 1.5 million patients in their home environment offering services for chronic diseases, besides teleconsultation for almost 50,000 patients, and a chatbot service that saw more than 2.3 millions chats.

“We see increased demand for our chronic disease management solutions, as those with uncontrolled chronic diseases are more impacted by diseases like covid-19,” says Meena Ganesh, MD and CEO, Portea Medical.

The e-health sector in India is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 68% to $16 billion by 2025, according to a report by RedSeer Consulting.

The report also estimates that eHealth services will reach 57 million households over the next five years.

Besides covid-19, startup founders believe that the government’s efforts to digitize the interaction between consumers and providers like pharmacies, doctors and diagnostic centres have also given an impetus to online health platforms.

In March, the government released guidelines for telemedicine and then, in August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the National Digital Health Mission.

“This has given a huge structural and regulatory boost to the digital health sector. Digital health is here to stay and India has a long way to go,” 1mg’s Tandon said.

Shashank said the future of the healthcare industry is patient-centric, integrated and preventive and for that it requires a good blend of offline and online.

“The platforms will see more competition and patients and doctors, more choice. Many doctors have been unhappy with platform conditions, commissions, or limiting features, and will have more options to choose from,” Roy said.

Health Wire |

FICCI announces its Annual Healthcare Conference, FICCI HEAL 2020

FICCI recently announced its annual healthcare conference – FICCI HEAL 2020 from 29th September 2020 to 1st October 2020. The 14th edition of FICCI HEAL on the theme, “Post-COVID Healthcare World – The New Beginning” is scheduled on a virtual platform and will include Keynote Addresses, Panel Discussions as well as Plenary Sessions covering the entire spectrum of healthcare- public health, care delivery, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, medical devices, integration of traditional medicine as well as digital health.

FICCI HEAL 2020 will be inaugurated by Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India, and will be graced by esteemed Government and Industry Stalwarts like Dr Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India, etc.

Speaking on the event, Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “COVID-19 has highlighted the underlying inadequacies in our healthcare systems, specifically concerning an effective response to a pandemic. At the same time, it has opened up a plethora of opportunities for transforming our healthcare ecosystem to be future-ready. This calls for strengthening of stakeholder collaborations, rethinking of processes and policies, and adopting a more patient-centric as well as community-centric approach for healthcare delivery and we believe FICCI HEAL 2020 will provide a perfect platform for that.”

Adding to this, Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imagingsaid,“FICCI HEAL 2020 is an endeavor to bring together all the relevant stakeholders to share their experiences and deliberate on the solutions and reforms for post-COVID healthcare. The conference would be a conglomeration of CEOs, policymakers, national and international leaders from healthcare and allied industries.”

The three-day long event will have many insightful Business sessions on topics like Digital Revolution: Going Viral!;Changing landscape of Pharma Industry;Realizing Atmanirbhar Bharat through Make in India;Diagnostics- Pandemic & Beyond;Best Practices for Management of COVID-19; Home Healthcare; How the World will prepare for Post-COVID etc.Mr Gautam Khanna, Co-Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee and CEO, P D Hinduja Hospital is also supporting the program development, along with Dr Harsh Mahajan and Dr Alok Roy.

The Scientific Sessionswill bring together top Clinical experts from India and around the world to share the latest data, experiences, exciting developments, and best research findings in the ongoing battle against COVID-19. Some of the sessions are- Private Healthcare at the forefront of battle with COVID-19:From Strategy to Frontline Trenches; COVID-19: Spectrum of clinical syndromes, complications; Therapies for COVID-19: Current therapies and their effectiveness; and more.Dr Arati Verma, Sr Vice President – Medical Quality, Max Healthcare andDr N Subramanian, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Director, Medical Services & Sr. Consultant- Urology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals are convening the Scientific Sessions.

Continuing the long legacy of recognizing the best practices in the industry, FICCI is also organizing the 12th edition of its much-awaited ‘Healthcare Excellence Awards’, on September 29, 2020 from 11:30 am to 12:15 pm on the Virtual Platform. The eminent Jury will be Chaired by Mr C K Mishra, Former Secretary, MoEFCC and MoHFW, GoI and the Awards Ceremony will be moderated by Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services Committee; Former Chairman- NABH; Advisor-Medical Operations & Chairman- Fortis Medical Council, Fortis Healthcare Ltd.

This year in the backdrop of the COVID pandemic and to recognize the courage of healthcare workers, specific categories have been introduced. These categories are designed to recognize the efforts of the industry in ensuring the delivery of quality healthcare to the patients. Dr Y P Bhatia, Managing Director, Astron Hospital & Healthcare Consultants Pvt Ltd and Dr Ravi Gaur, Director & Chairman- Medical Strategy & Advisory Board, Oncquest Laboratories Ltd are the Chair and Co-Chair for the Awards. The awards are supported by Astron Healthcare and global consulting firm Ernst and Young LLB are the official tabulators

FICCI, in partnership with Boston Consulting Group, has also undertaken a study to layout the contours of the Open Digital Health Ecosystem as envisioned in the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) announced by the honorable Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi on 15 August 2020. This Report titled, “Ushering in the Digital Era for Healthcare Delivery in India”, will be released during the Inaugural Session of the Conference.

In addition, FICCI is also organising a Health Tech Innovation Bootcamp on Day 2 of the conference, that intends to bridge the existing gap between Indian Innovators and other key industry stakeholders by facilitating potential partnerships among them. The Bootcamp will be moderated by Mr Sashi Kumar, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee; Managing Director, Phoenix Medical Systems and Mr Shyam Vasudev Rao, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee; Founder & Director, Forus Health &Renalyx health systems

Ms Shobha Mishra Ghosh, Assistant Secretary General, FICCI, further shared,FICCI has been organizing its annual healthcare conference, FICCI HEAL since 2007 supported by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, and recently by NITI Aayog, Government of India. Over the years, this has evolved as a landmark event and a credible platform for health industry stakeholders for sharing knowledge and best practices.

Pharma Biz |

FICCI HEAL 2020 from Sept 29 to Oct 1, to focus on 'Post-COVID Healthcare World'

FICCI has announced its annual healthcare conference, FICCI HEAL 2020 from September 29 to October 1, 2020. The 14th edition of FICCI HEAL on the theme, ‘Post-COVID Healthcare World - The New Beginning” is scheduled on a virtual platform. It will cover the entire spectrum of healthcare delivery, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, medical devices, integration of traditional medicine as well as digital health.

The event will be inaugurated by Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu. Others present would include Union minister for health and family welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan, Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), Niti Aayog, Dr Scot Atlas, Advisor-White House Coronavirus Task Force; Rajesh Bhushan, secretary, ministry of health & family welfare, Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Dr P D Vaghela, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO, National Health Authority, Dr Tedros A Ghebreyesus, director general, WHO, Kerala health minister K K Shailaja, T V Mohandas Pai, Adviser, FICCI Skills Committee, Dr Mahesh Verma, Head- COVID-19 Advisory Body to Delhi Government, Kieran Murphy, Global CEO, GE Healthcare, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, executive director, Biocon, Dr Arvind Lal, Advisor- FICCI Health Services Committee, Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD & CEO, Fortis Healthcare, Narendra Varde, general manager & country head, Abbott Diagnostics, Dr G S K Velu, CMD, Trivitron Healthcare and Vishal Dembla, chief business officer, ConnectedLife Health.

According to Dr Alok Roy, chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, COVID-19 has highlighted the underlying inadequacies in our healthcare systems, specifically concerning an effective response to a pandemic. At the same time, it has opened up a plethora of opportunities for transforming our healthcare ecosystem to be future-ready. This calls for strengthening of stakeholder collaborations, and we believe FICCI HEAL 2020 will provide a perfect platform for that."

The three-day long event will have Business sessions on topics like Digital Revolution: Going Viral!; Changing landscape of Pharma Industry; Realizing Atmanirbhar Bharat through Make in India; Diagnostics- Pandemic & Beyond; Best Practices for Management of COVID-19; Home Healthcare; How the World will prepare for post-COVID etc.

The scientific sessions will bring together top clinical experts from India and around the world to share the latest data, experiences, g developments, and best research findings in the ongoing battle against COVID-19.

The 12th edition of the ‘Healthcare Excellence Awards’ will also be held along with the Health Tech Innovation Bootcamp. FICCI, in partnership with Boston Consulting Group, will bring out a report titled ‘Ushering in the Digital Era for Healthcare Delivery in India’.

Drug Today |

Covid challenges continue to cripple healthcare: FICCI

FICCI President Dr Sangita Reddy has said that the ongoing Covid related challenges, decline in OPD footfalls, and higher cost of consumables continue to cripple the healthcare sector in the country.

Speaking about the healthcare crisis in the country, Dr Reddy explained that many small hospitals and nursing homes in Tier II & III cities have become non-operational due to the challenges of liquidity and cash flow, numerous have been shut down.

The hospitals are now facing acute financial distress given that they need to keep all their services and facilities functioning to be able to provide healthcare services to the citizens, she added.

Adding to the list of existing woes the FICCI President noted that there has been a significant increase in the price of medical oxygen cylinders in the past couple of months.

Even as India gears up for a gradual and a complete Unlock, there is no denying that low financial performance, deferring elective surgeries, and restrictions on international travel will continue to contribute to low footfalls from national and international patients, she further said.

However, a significant part of private hospitals’ bed capacities have been reserved for Covid patients and as per information publicly available, the current occupancy on such beds is in the range of 55-60 per cent. Therefore, the hospitals are facing severe constraints and strain on bed capacity for treating Non- Covid patients, which is presently running near full, she further expressed.

Media Catalyst |

FICCI announces annual Healthcare Conference - FICCI HEAL 2020

FICCI recently announced its annual healthcare conference – FICCI HEAL 2020 from 29th September 2020 to 1st October 2020. The 14th edition of FICCI HEAL on the theme, “Post-COVID Healthcare World – The New Beginning” is scheduled on a virtual platform and will include Keynote Addresses, Panel Discussions as well as Plenary Sessions covering the entire spectrum of healthcare- public health, care delivery, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, medical devices, integration of traditional medicine as well as digital health.

FICCI HEAL 2020 will be inaugurated by Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India, and will be graced by esteemed Government and Industry Stalwarts.

Speaking on the event, Dr. Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “COVID-19 has highlighted the underlying inadequacies in our healthcare systems, specifically concerning an effective response to a pandemic. At the same time, it has opened up a plethora of opportunities for transforming our healthcare ecosystem to be future-ready. This calls for strengthening of stakeholder collaborations, rethinking of processes and policies, and adopting a more patient-centric as well as community-centric approach for healthcare delivery and we believe FICCI HEAL 2020 will provide a perfect platform for that.”

Adding to this, Dr. Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imagingsaid, “FICCI HEAL 2020 is an endeavor to bring together all the relevant stakeholders to share their experiences and deliberate on the solutions and reforms for post-COVID healthcare. The conference would be a conglomeration of CEOs, policymakers, national and international leaders from healthcare and allied industries.”

The three-day long event will have many insightful Business sessions on topics like Digital Revolution: Going Viral!; Changing landscape of Pharma Industry; Realizing Atmanirbhar Bharat through Make in India; Diagnostics- Pandemic & Beyond; Best Practices for Management of COVID-19; Home Healthcare; How the World will prepare for Post-COVID etc. Mr. Gautam Khanna, Co-Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee, and CEO, P D Hinduja Hospital is also supporting the program development, along with Dr. Harsh Mahajan and Dr. Alok Roy.

The Scientific Sessions will bring together top Clinical experts from India and around the world to share the latest data, experiences, exciting developments, and best research findings in the ongoing battle against COVID-19. Some of the sessions are- Private Healthcare at the forefront of a battle with COVID-19: From Strategy to Frontline Trenches; COVID-19: Spectrum of clinical syndromes, complications; Therapies for COVID-19: Current therapies and their effectiveness; and more. Dr. Arati Verma, Sr Vice President – Medical Quality, Max Healthcare, and Dr. N Subramanian, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Director, Medical Services & Sr. Consultant- Urology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals are convening the Scientific Sessions.

Continuing the long legacy of recognizing the best practices in the industry, FICCI is also organizing the 12th edition of its much-awaited ‘Healthcare Excellence Awards’, on September 29, 2020 from 11:30 am to 12:15 pm on the Virtual Platform. The eminent Jury will be Chaired by Mr. C K Mishra, Former Secretary, MoEFCC and MoHFW, GoI and the Awards Ceremony will be moderated by Dr. Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services Committee; Former Chairman- NABH; Advisor-Medical Operations & Chairman- Fortis Medical Council, Fortis Healthcare Ltd.

India Education Diary |

FICCI announces its annual healthcare conference, FICCI HEAL 2020

FICCI recently announced its annual healthcare conference – FICCI HEAL 2020 from 29th September 2020 to 1st October 2020. The 14th edition of FICCI HEAL on the theme, “Post-COVID Healthcare World – The New Beginning” is scheduled on a virtual platform and will include Keynote Addresses, Panel Discussions as well as Plenary Sessions covering the entire spectrum of healthcare- public health, care delivery, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, medical devices, integration of traditional medicine as well as digital health.

FICCI HEAL 2020 will be inaugurated byShri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India, and will be graced by esteemed Government and Industry Stalwarts like-
  • Dr Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Government of India *
  • Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India
  • Dr Scot Atlas, Advisor-White House Coronavirus Task Force; Robert Wesson Senior Fellow in Scientific Philosophy and Public Policy at Stanford University
  • Prof Richard C Horton FRCP FMedSci, Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet
  • Prof Arvind Panagariya, Prof of Economics & Jagdish Bhagwati Prof- Indian Political Economy, Columbia University
  • Prof Ashish Jha, Dean- Global Strategy, K.T. Li Professor of Global Health; Director, Harvard Global Health Institute
  • Mr Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
  • Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade*
  • Dr P D Vaghela, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, GoI*
  • Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO, National Health Authority, Government of India
  • Dr Tedros A Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organisation*
  • Ms K K Shailaja, Minister for Health, Social Justice and Woman and Child Development, State of Kerala*
  • Mr T V Mohandas Pai, Adviser, FICCI Skills Committee & Chairman, Manipal Global Education*
  • Dr Mahesh Verma, Head- COVID-19 Advisory Body to Delhi Government and Vice-Chancellor of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
  • Mr Kieran Murphy, Global CEO, GE Healthcare
  • Mr Jan Herzhoff, President- Global Health Markets, Elsevier
  • Dr Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson & MD, Biocon Limited*
  • Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd
  • (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Advisor- FICCI Health Services Committee and Executive Chairman, Dr Lal PathLabs
  • Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD & CEO, Fortis Healthcare
  • Mr Narendra Varde, General Manager & Country Head, Abbott Diagnostics
  • Dr G S K Velu, Chairman & Managing Director, Trivitron Healthcare
  • Mr Vishal Dembla, Chief Business Officer, ConnectedLife Health
Speaking on the event, Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “COVID-19 has highlighted the underlying inadequacies in our healthcare systems, specifically concerning an effective response to a pandemic. At the same time, it has opened up a plethora of opportunities for transforming our healthcare ecosystem to be future-ready. This calls for strengthening of stakeholder collaborations, rethinking of processes and policies, and adopting a more patient-centric as well as community-centric approach for healthcare delivery and we believe FICCI HEAL 2020 will provide a perfect platform for that.”

Adding to this, Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imagingsaid,“FICCI HEAL 2020 is an endeavor to bring together all the relevant stakeholders to share their experiences and deliberate on the solutions and reforms for post-COVID healthcare. The conference would be a conglomeration of CEOs, policymakers, national and international leaders from healthcare and allied industries.”

The three-day long event will have many insightful Business sessions on topics like Digital Revolution: Going Viral!;Changing landscape of Pharma Industry;Realizing Atmanirbhar Bharat through Make in India;Diagnostics- Pandemic & Beyond;Best Practices for Management of COVID-19; Home Healthcare; How the World will prepare for Post-COVID etc.Mr Gautam Khanna, Co-Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee and CEO, P D Hinduja Hospital is also supporting the program development, along with Dr Harsh Mahajan and Dr Alok Roy.

The Scientific Sessionswill bring together top Clinical experts from India and around the world to share the latest data, experiences, exciting developments, and best research findings in the ongoing battle against COVID-19. Some of the sessions are- Private Healthcare at the forefront of battle with COVID-19:From Strategy to Frontline Trenches; COVID-19: Spectrum of clinical syndromes, complications; Therapies for COVID-19: Current therapies and their effectiveness; and more.Dr Arati Verma, Sr Vice President – Medical Quality, Max Healthcare andDr N Subramanian, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Director, Medical Services & Sr. Consultant- Urology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals are convening the Scientific Sessions.

Continuing the long legacy of recognizing the best practices in the industry, FICCI is also organizing the 12th edition of its much-awaited ‘Healthcare Excellence Awards’, on September 29, 2020 from 11:30 am to 12:15 pm on the Virtual Platform. The eminent Jury will be Chaired by Mr C K Mishra, Former Secretary, MoEFCC and MoHFW, GoI and the Awards Ceremony will be moderated by Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services Committee; Former Chairman- NABH; Advisor-Medical Operations & Chairman- Fortis Medical Council, Fortis Healthcare Ltd.

This year in the backdrop of the COVID pandemic and to recognize the courage of healthcare workers, specific categories have been introduced. These categories are designed to recognize the efforts of the industry in ensuring the delivery of quality healthcare to the patients. Dr Y P Bhatia, Managing Director, Astron Hospital & Healthcare Consultants Pvt Ltd and Dr Ravi Gaur, Director & Chairman- Medical Strategy & Advisory Board, Oncquest Laboratories Ltd are the Chair and Co-Chair for the Awards. The awards are supported by Astron Healthcare and global consulting firm Ernst and Young LLB are the official tabulators

FICCI, in partnership with Boston Consulting Group, has also undertaken a study to layout the contours of the Open Digital Health Ecosystem as envisioned in the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) announced by the honorable Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi on 15 August 2020. This Report titled, “Ushering in the Digital Era for Healthcare Delivery in India”, will be released during the Inaugural Session of the Conference.

In addition, FICCI is also organising a Health Tech Innovation Bootcamp on Day 2 of the conference, that intends to bridge the existing gap between Indian Innovators and other key industry stakeholders by facilitating potential partnerships among them. The Bootcamp will be moderated by Mr Sashi Kumar, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee; Managing Director, Phoenix Medical Systems and Mr Shyam Vasudev Rao, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee; Founder & Director, Forus Health &Renalyx health systems

Ms Shobha Mishra Ghosh, Assistant Secretary General, FICCI, further shared,FICCI has been organizing its annual healthcare conference, FICCI HEAL since 2007 supported by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, and recently by NITI Aayog, Government of India. Over the years, this has evolved as a landmark event and a credible platform for health industry stakeholders for sharing knowledge and best practices.

Medical Dialogues |

Don't deny beds to COVID-19 patients, provide immediate care: Health Ministry directs private hospitals

The Union Health Ministry in collaboration with FICCI and AIIMS, New Delhi, organized a virtual conclave for private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment in the country. This provided a platform for discussion of clinical protocols and best practices in COVID-19 management towards reducing avoidable deaths.

While COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to the country's healthcare systems, there have been proactive responses from the government as well as the private industry. The Conclave was organised to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country. The Ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

Union Health Secretary inaugurated the virtual conference. He reiterated the resolve of the Government to ensure that patient of COVID-19 must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment. The collective goal must be to have a health system that available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the State/ UT governments is to achieve a mortality rate of less than 1%.

The best practices included discussion of the tele-consultation sessions conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi through the e-ICU, Centers of Excellence (CoE) and Clinical Grand Rounds to enhance the clinical management capacities of the ICU doctors in various States/UTs. This, supplemented by various other focussed strategies of containment, prevention, early identification, has resulted in higher recoveries and steadily declining mortality.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated. Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment to COVID-19 patients was also underscored.

Senior doctors from private sector hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19. Several best practices were shared by the private hospitals, including regular monitoring of key metrics at the facility level and leveraging technology to support hospital staff in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Concerns around delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to lack of health insurance were also discussed. The Conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

Prof Balram Bhargava, Director General, ICMR, Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, Shri Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, MoHFW, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and JMD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals were also present.

Tracker News |

Covid-19 patients must not be denied beds, provided prompt treatment: Health Ministry to hospitals

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Saturday affirmed the government’s resolve to ensure that patient of COVID-19 must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment.

He said the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all and the aim of the Centre along with the states was to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent.

Bhushan inaugurated a virtual conclave for private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment in the country organised by the ministry in collaboration with FICCI and AIIMS New Delhi.

“He reiterated the resolve of the Government to ensure that patient of COVID-19 must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment. The collective goal must be to have a health system that available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the state/UT governments is to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent,” the release said.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of co-morbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed.

An official release said hospitals were asked to ensure seamless admission of patients.

They were also encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated.

The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment to COVID-19 patients was also underscored.

Senior doctors from private sector hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19.

Several best practices were shared by private hospitals. Concerns around delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to lack of health insurance were also discussed.

The conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

News7trends |

Covid-19 patients must not be denied beds, provided prompt treatment: Health Ministry to hospitals

Union Well being Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Saturday affirmed the federal government’s resolve to make sure that affected person of Covid-19 should not be denied beds and should be supplied immediate remedy.

He mentioned the collective aim should be to have a well being system that’s obtainable, reasonably priced and accessible to all and the goal of the Centre together with the states was to realize a mortality price of lower than one per cent.

Bhushan inaugurated a digital conclave for personal hospitals offering Covid-19 remedy within the nation organised by the ministry in collaboration with FICCI and AIIMS New Delhi.

“He reiterated the resolve of the Authorities to make sure that affected person of Covid-19 should not be denied beds and should be supplied immediate remedy. The collective aim should be to have a well being system that obtainable, reasonably priced and accessible to all. He highlighted that the goal of the Centre together with the state/UT governments is to realize a mortality price of lower than one per cent,” the discharge mentioned.

Throughout the assembly, the significance of well timed remedy of co-morbid sufferers to cut back fatality was pressured.

An official launch mentioned hospitals have been requested to make sure seamless admission of sufferers.

They have been additionally inspired to guard healthcare staff by adopting all practices on an infection prevention and management and maintain the employees motivated.

The significance of evidence-based remedy protocols and decreasing heterogeneity in remedy to Covid-19 sufferers was additionally underscored.

Senior docs from personal sector hospitals additionally shared their experiences and challenges about their battle in opposition to Covid-19.

A number of greatest practices have been shared by personal hospitals. Considerations round delayed referral of sufferers from smaller amenities and monetary stress owing to lack of medical health insurance have been additionally mentioned.

The conclave was attended by greater than 150 hospital representatives, senior docs and clinicians from throughout the nation.

Medical Dialogues |

Solar Industry can be enablers of Healthcare: Apollo Hospital Joint MD

Solar energy providers can play a crucial role as enablers of healthcare in areas where there is inadequate access to a grid-connected power, Apollo Hospital Enterprise Joint Managing Director Sangita Reddy said on Tuesday.

Stating that India's large number of primary healthcare centers and sub-centres are a huge opportunity for a "grid waiting to happen '''', she asked global majors in the solar technology sector to think about innovative solutions to apply their capability and talent to aid healthcare in the country.

"In the health sector, clinics, maternity wards, surgical blocks, medical warehouses, and laboratories rely on electricity to refrigerate medicines, to power light to sterilise equipment and to operate live saving surgeries and devices," Reddy said while speaking at the First World Solar Technology Summit.

Intermittent or unreliable power puts medical facilities at risk and hence the use of solar to enable the area which is unconnected really opens up tremendous capability, she added.

"So to provide this in communities of rural or solar resource constrained settings, we can play a vital role as enabler of healthcare in areas where there is inadequate access to a grid connected power," Reddy, who is also the president of industry chamber FICCI, added.

Referring to the large numbers of primary healthcare centres and sub-centres, she said, "This is a grid waiting to happen. This is an invitation to global powers across the world focussing on this (solar energy) to think about innovative new solutions to apply their capability and their talent to aid healthcare in India."

Highlighting the impact of climate change on the health of people, she said it is felt acutely in low and middle income countries.

"Whether it is heat related death, respiratory disease, spread of malaria, dengue, cholera or even millions of people displaced by the effects of climate change like storms and flooding because climate change is no longer an ambiguous environmental problem of the distant future. It is here and now and hence action is required here and now," Reddy said while stressing that solar energy can be an important player in the fight against climate change.

NDTV |

COVID-19 Patients must not be denied beds: Health Ministry to Hospitals

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Saturday affirmed the government's resolve to ensure that patient of COVID-19 must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment.

He said the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all and the aim of the Centre along with the states was to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent.

Mr Bhushan inaugurated a virtual conclave for private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment in the country organised by the ministry in collaboration with FICCI and AIIMS New Delhi.

"He reiterated the resolve of the Government to ensure that patient of COVID-19 must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment. The collective goal must be to have a health system that available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the state/UT governments is to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent," the release said.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of co-morbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed.

An official release said hospitals were asked to ensure seamless admission of patients.

They were also encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated.

The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment to COVID-19 patients was also underscored.

Senior doctors from private sector hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19.

Several best practices were shared by private hospitals. Concerns around delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to lack of health insurance were also discussed.

The conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

Kashmir Images |

Health ministry asks pvt hospitals to ensure COVID-19 patients get prompt treatment

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday urged private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment to ensure that patients, afflicted with the viral disease, are not denied beds and they get prompt care.

The ministry, in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and AIIMS, New Delhi, at a virtual conclave with private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment emphasised the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated, the health ministry said.

Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment of COVID-19 patients was also underscored, it said.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan inaugurated the virtual conference.

“He reiterated the government’s resolve to ensure that COVID-19 patients must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment,” the health ministry said.

“The collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the states and Union Territories is to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent,” the ministry said.

The conclave was organised to provide a platform for discussion on clinical protocols and best practices in COVID-19 management towards reducing avoidable deaths.

According to the ministry, while COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to the country’s healthcare systems, there have been proactive responses from the government as well as the private industry.

“The conclave was organised to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country.”

The health ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

The best practices included discussion of the teleconsultation sessions conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi, through the e-ICU, Centers of Excellence (CoE) and clinical grand rounds to enhance the clinical management capacities of the ICU doctors in various states and union territories, the ministry said.

This, supplemented by various other focussed strategies of containment, prevention, early identification, has resulted in higher recoveries and steadily declining mortality.

At the meeting, senior doctors from private hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19.

Concerns about the delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to the lack of health insurance were also discussed. The conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country, the ministry said.

ICMR Director General Prof Balram Bhargava, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal, FICCI President and Apollo Hospitals Enterprises JMD Dr Sangita Reddy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals Dr Alok Roy were also present at the meeting.

Live Mint |

Covid-19 patients must not be denied beds, provided prompt treatment: Health Ministry to hospitals

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Saturday affirmed the government's resolve to ensure that patient of COVID-19 must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment.

He said the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all and the aim of the Centre along with the states was to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent.

Bhushan inaugurated a virtual conclave for private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment in the country organised by the ministry in collaboration with FICCI and AIIMS New Delhi.

"He reiterated the resolve of the Government to ensure that patient of COVID-19 must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment. The collective goal must be to have a health system that available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the state/UT governments is to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent," the release said.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of co-morbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed.

An official release said hospitals were asked to ensure seamless admission of patients.

They were also encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated.

The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment to COVID-19 patients was also underscored.

Senior doctors from private sector hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19.

Several best practices were shared by private hospitals. Concerns around delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to lack of health insurance were also discussed.

The conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

Express Healthcare |

Health ministry, private hospitals share best practices to deal with COVID-19

Health ministry, private hospitals share best practices to deal with COVID-19

The virtual conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country

The Union Health Ministry in collaboration with FICCI and AIIMS, New Delhi, organised a virtual conclave for private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment in the country. This provided a platform for discussion of clinical protocols and best practices in COVID-19 management towards reducing avoidable deaths.

While COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to the country’s healthcare systems, there have been proactive responses from the government as well as the private industry. The conclave was organised to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country. The ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

Union Health Secretary inaugurated the virtual conference. He reiterated the resolve of the Government to ensure that patient of COVID-19 must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment. The collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the State/ UT governments is to achieve a mortality rate of less than 1 per cent.

The best practices included discussion of the tele-consultation sessions conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi through the e-ICU, Centers of Excellence (CoE) and Clinical Grand Rounds to enhance the clinical management capacities of the ICU doctors in various States/UTs. This, supplemented by various other focussed strategies of containment, prevention, early identification, has resulted in higher recoveries and steadily declining mortality.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated. Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment to COVID-19 patients was also underscored.

Senior doctors from private sector hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19. Several best practices were shared by the private hospitals, including regular monitoring of key metrics at the facility level and leveraging technology to support hospital staff in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Concerns around delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to lack of health insurance were also discussed. The Conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

Prof Balram Bhargava, Director General, ICMR, Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, Shri Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, MoHFW, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and JMD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals were also present.

Hindustan Times |

Covid-19 patients must not be denied beds, provided prompt treatment: Health Ministry to hospitals

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Saturday affirmed the government’s resolve to ensure that patient of Covid-19 must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment.

He said the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all and the aim of the Centre along with the states was to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent.

Bhushan inaugurated a virtual conclave for private hospitals providing Covid-19 treatment in the country organised by the ministry in collaboration with FICCI and AIIMS New Delhi.

“He reiterated the resolve of the Government to ensure that patient of Covid-19 must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment. The collective goal must be to have a health system that available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the state/UT governments is to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent,” the release said.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of co-morbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed.

An official release said hospitals were asked to ensure seamless admission of patients.

They were also encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated.

The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment to Covid-19 patients was also underscored.

Senior doctors from private sector hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against Covid-19.

Several best practices were shared by private hospitals. Concerns around delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to lack of health insurance were also discussed.

The conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

The Hindu |

Ensure COVID-19 patients not denied beds, get prompt treatment: Health Ministry to private hospitals

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday urged private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment to ensure that patients, afflicted with the viral disease, are not denied beds and they get prompt care.

The Ministry, in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and AIIMS, New Delhi, at a virtual conclave with private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment emphasised the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated, the health ministry said.

Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment of COVID-19 patients was also underscored, it said.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan inaugurated the virtual conference.

Business World |

COVID-19 Patients must not be denied beds, provided prompt treatment: Health Ministry to Hospitals

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Saturday affirmed the government's resolve to ensure that patient of COVID-19 must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment.

He said the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all and the aim of the Centre along with the states was to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent.

Bhushan inaugurated a virtual conclave for private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment in the country organised by the ministry in collaboration with FICCI and AIIMS New Delhi.

"He reiterated the resolve of the Government to ensure that patient of COVID-19 must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment. The collective goal must be to have a health system that available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the state/UT governments is to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent," the release said.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of co-morbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed.

An official release said hospitals were asked to ensure seamless admission of patients.
They were also encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated.

The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment to COVID-19 patients was also underscored.

Senior doctors from private sector hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19.

Several best practices were shared by private hospitals. Concerns around delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to lack of health insurance were also discussed.

The conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

Live Mint |

Principal Secy to PM reviews Covid-19 response in India, calls for evidence-based preparedness

The total tally of covid-19 cases in India crossed 4.7 million on Saturday with over 96,583 cases recorded in last 24 hours. The country also recorded over 1,255 deaths in a day taking the toll to 78,046.

As India is under Unlock 4 phase, P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired a high level review meeting to comprehensively review the covid-19 preparedness and response.

The meeting focused on evidence based learning on management of cases across the districts and states. The meeting also discussed the stage of vaccine development and vaccine distribution plan. The need for District Health Action Plans for long term management of various aspects of Covid-19 were also discussed at the meeting.

Mishra directed all concerned for an evidence-based preparedness of all aspects of Covid-19 with active participation of districts and states for effectiveness.

A presentation on the Covid-19 status in India, ongoing strategic interventions and future challenges was given by Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary.

The presentation highlighted the status of states in terms of case trajectory, testing conducted, fatality and sample positivity duly also mentioning the districts of concern.

Bhushan also discussed about the eVIN Platform focusing on the vaccine supply chain, beneficiary enrolment system and the delivery system once the vaccine is available.

Dr Vinod Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog made a detailed presentation on projections of cases based on various models. He also explained the ongoing efforts by the National Expert Group on vaccine administration for Covid-19. The overall landscape on vaccine research (both global and in India) was briefed.

Based on the many projections scenarios, the Principal Secretary directed all concerned to build on the knowledge and analysis that has been developed over the last few months to work out the Detailed Action Plan for the coming months.

The need for continuously upgrading and augmenting human resources, getting the right mix of testing for effective case management, contact tracing and isolation, uninterrupted oxygen supply and other medical equipments, were all discussed at length. Integration of AYUSH for prophylaxis and mitigation of syndrome was also discussed. The need for Psycho Social Care Facilities, Effective Behaviour Change communication system, strong district public health teams for surveillance, a data team, effective supply chain, livelihoods and social protection was also discussed.

Mishra emphasized the need for continuous caution and prevention by maintaining two meter distance, use of mask and hand wash. The care of elderly and the need to strictly follow the norms of physical distance and preventive measures was re-emphasized.

The concerted behaviour change campaign will again be taken up to re-emphasize that unlocking does not mean lowering our guard against infection. The need to unlock, work and still follow the non-pharmacological preventive measures was strongly recommended.

Meanwhile, The Union Health Ministry in collaboration with FICCI and AIIMS, New Delhi, organized a virtual conclave for private hospitals providing covid-19 treatment in the country.

The Ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing covid-19 in their facilities.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated. Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment to covid-19 patients was also underscored.

Concerns around delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to lack of health insurance were also discussed. The Conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

Financial Express |

Ensure COVID-19 patients not denied beds, get prompt treatment: Health ministry to pvt hospitals

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday urged private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment to ensure that patients, afflicted with the viral disease, are not denied beds and they get prompt care. The ministry, in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and AIIMS, New Delhi, at a virtual conclave with private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment emphasised the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated, the health ministry said.

Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment of COVID-19 patients was also underscored, it said.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan inaugurated the virtual conference.

“He reiterated the government’s resolve to ensure that COVID-19 patients must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment,” the health ministry said. “The collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the states and Union Territories is to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent,” the ministry said.

The conclave was organised to provide a platform for discussion on clinical protocols and best practices in COVID-19 management towards reducing avoidable deaths.

According to the ministry, while COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to the country’s healthcare systems, there have been proactive responses from the government as well as the private industry.

“The conclave was organised to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country.”

The health ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities. The best practices included discussion of the teleconsultation sessions conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi, through the e-ICU, Centers of Excellence (CoE) and clinical grand rounds to enhance the clinical management capacities of the ICU doctors in various states and union territories, the ministry said.

This, supplemented by various other focussed strategies of containment, prevention, early identification, has resulted in higher recoveries and steadily declining mortality.

At the meeting, senior doctors from private hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19.

Concerns about the delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to the lack of health insurance were also discussed. The conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country, the ministry said.

ICMR Director General Prof Balram Bhargava, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal, FICCI President and Apollo Hospitals Enterprises JMD Dr Sangita Reddy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals Dr Alok Roy were also present at the meeting.

WION |

Ensure COVID-19 patients not denied beds, get prompt treatment: Health ministry to pvt hospitals

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday urged private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment to ensure that patients, afflicted with the viral disease, are not denied beds and they get prompt care.

The ministry, in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and AIIMS, New Delhi, at a virtual conclave with private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment emphasised the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated, the health ministry said.

Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment of COVID-19 patients was also underscored, it said.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan inaugurated the virtual conference.

"He reiterated the government's resolve to ensure that COVID-19 patients must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment," the health ministry said.

"The collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the states and Union Territories is to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent," the ministry said.

The conclave was organised to provide a platform for discussion on clinical protocols and best practices in COVID-19 management towards reducing avoidable deaths.

According to the ministry, while COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to the country's healthcare systems, there have been proactive responses from the government as well as the private industry.

"The conclave was organised to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country."

The health ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

The best practices included discussion of the teleconsultation sessions conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi, through the e-ICU, Centers of Excellence (CoE) and clinical grand rounds to enhance the clinical management capacities of the ICU doctors in various states and union territories, the ministry said.

This, supplemented by various other focussed strategies of containment, prevention, early identification, has resulted in higher recoveries and steadily declining mortality.

At the meeting, senior doctors from private hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19.

Concerns about the delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to the lack of health insurance were also discussed. The conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country, the ministry said.

ICMR Director General Prof Balram Bhargava, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal, FICCI President and Apollo Hospitals Enterprises JMD Dr Sangita Reddy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals Dr Alok Roy were also present at the meeting.

India.com |

Don’t deny beds to COVID patients, provide prompt care, Health Ministry's appeal to Private Hospitals

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday asked private hospitals to not deny beds to patients afflicted with the COVID disease. The Ministry emphasised the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated, the health ministry said.

The ministry, in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and AIIMS, New Delhi, held a virtual conclave with private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment.

Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment of COVID-19 patients was also underscored, it said. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan inaugurated the virtual conference.

“He reiterated the government’s resolve to ensure that COVID-19 patients must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment,” the health ministry said. “The collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the states and Union Territories is to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent,” the ministry said.

The conclave was organised to provide a platform for discussion on clinical protocols and best practices in COVID-19 management towards reducing avoidable deaths.

According to the ministry, while COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to the country’s healthcare systems, there have been proactive responses from the government as well as the private industry. “The conclave was organised to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country.”

The health ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

Yahoo News |

'Ensure Covid-19 Patients are not denied beds and get prompt treatment': Health Ministry to Private Hospitals

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday urged private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment to ensure that patients, afflicted with the viral disease, are not denied beds and they get prompt care. The ministry, in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and AIIMS, New Delhi, at a virtual conclave with private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment emphasised the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated, the health ministry said.

Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment of COVID-19 patients was also underscored, it said. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan inaugurated the virtual conference.

“He reiterated the government’s resolve to ensure that COVID-19 patients must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment,” the health ministry said. “The collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the states and Union Territories is to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent,” the ministry said.

The conclave was organised to provide a platform for discussion on clinical protocols and best practices in COVID-19 management towards reducing avoidable deaths. According to the ministry, while COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to the country’s healthcare systems, there have been proactive responses from the government as well as the private industry. “The conclave was organised to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country.” The health ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

The best practices included discussion of the teleconsultation sessions conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi, through the e-ICU, Centers of Excellence (CoE) and clinical grand rounds to enhance the clinical management capacities of the ICU doctors in various states and union territories, the ministry said. This, supplemented by various other focussed strategies of containment, prevention, early identification, has resulted in higher recoveries and steadily declining mortality. At the meeting, senior doctors from private hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19.

Concerns about the delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to the lack of health insurance were also discussed. The conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country, the ministry said. ICMR Director General Prof Balram Bhargava, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal, FICCI President and Apollo Hospitals Enterprises JMD Dr Sangita Reddy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals Dr Alok Roy were also present at the meeting.

Devdiscourse |

Ensure COVID-19 patients not denied beds, get prompt treatment: Health ministry to pvt hospitals

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday urged private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment to ensure that patients, afflicted with the viral disease, are not denied beds and they get prompt care. The ministry, in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and AIIMS, New Delhi, at a virtual conclave with private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment emphasised the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated, the health ministry said.

Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment of COVID-19 patients was also underscored, it said. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan inaugurated the virtual conference.

"He reiterated the government's resolve to ensure that COVID-19 patients must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment," the health ministry said. "The collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the states and Union Territories is to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent," the ministry said.

The conclave was organised to provide a platform for discussion on clinical protocols and best practices in COVID-19 management towards reducing avoidable deaths. According to the ministry, while COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to the country's healthcare systems, there have been proactive responses from the government as well as the private industry. "The conclave was organised to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country." The health ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

The best practices included discussion of the teleconsultation sessions conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi, through the e-ICU, Centers of Excellence (CoE) and clinical grand rounds to enhance the clinical management capacities of the ICU doctors in various states and union territories, the ministry said. This, supplemented by various other focussed strategies of containment, prevention, early identification, has resulted in higher recoveries and steadily declining mortality. At the meeting, senior doctors from private hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19.

Concerns about the delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to the lack of health insurance were also discussed. The conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country, the ministry said. ICMR Director General Prof Balram Bhargava, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal, FICCI President and Apollo Hospitals Enterprises JMD Dr Sangita Reddy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals Dr Alok Roy were also present at the meeting.

Drug Today |

Healthcare must be affordable for all: Health Secretary

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has said that healthcare should be available, affordable and accessible to all. He also expressed the hope of achieving a corona mortality rate of less than 1% in the country.

Addressing a virtual conclave ‘Clinical Protocol and Case Management in Covid-19’, jointly organized by FICCI and AIIMS, Mr Bhushan said, “We must ensure that no Covid-19 patient is left untreated and our system should be available, affordable and accessible for every Indian.”

Prof Balram Bhargava, Director General, ICMR, informed that every day is a new learning for Covid response. We now have Covid testing capability in each district of the country and the government is trying to further scale it up.

Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, highlighted the importance of following evidence-based treatment protocols given the huge heterogeneity in the current treatment modules, leading to increased mortality.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, clarified, “This is the time when we need to exchange best practices and evolve most effective care guidelines using collective knowledge and experience. This will go a long-way in augmenting the Public-Private Partnerships in healthcare for the country.”

Dr Reddy also acknowledged the unconditional commitment and immense efforts being made by all the healthcare workers across the country.

The event was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

One India |

Ensure coronavirus patients not denied beds, get prompt treatment: Health ministry to pvt hospitals

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday urged private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment to ensure that patients, afflicted with the viral disease, are not denied beds and they get prompt care.

The ministry, in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and AIIMS, New Delhi, at a virtual conclave with private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment emphasised the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated, the health ministry said.

Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment of COVID-19 patients was also underscored, it said.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan inaugurated the virtual conference.

"He reiterated the government''s resolve to ensure that COVID-19 patients must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment," the health ministry said.

"The collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the states and Union Territories is to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent," the ministry said.

The conclave was organised to provide a platform for discussion on clinical protocols and best practices in COVID-19 management towards reducing avoidable deaths.

According to the ministry, while COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to the country''s healthcare systems, there have been proactive responses from the government as well as the private industry.

"The conclave was organised to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country."

The health ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

The best practices included discussion of the teleconsultation sessions conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi, through the e-ICU, Centers of Excellence (CoE) and clinical grand rounds to enhance the clinical management capacities of the ICU doctors in various states and union territories, the ministry said.

This, supplemented by various other focussed strategies of containment, prevention, early identification, has resulted in higher recoveries and steadily declining mortality.

At the meeting, senior doctors from private hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19.

Concerns about the delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to the lack of health insurance were also discussed. The conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country, the ministry said.

ICMR Director General Prof Balram Bhargava, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal, FICCI President and Apollo Hospitals Enterprises JMD Dr Sangita Reddy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals Dr Alok Roy were also present at the meeting.

The News Made |

Principal Secy to PM reviews Covid-19 response in India, calls for evidence-based preparedness

The total tally of covid-19 cases in India crossed 4.7 million on Saturday with over 96,583 cases recorded in last 24 hours. The country also recorded over 1,255 deaths in a day taking the toll to 78,046.

As India is under Unlock 4 phase, P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired a high level review meeting to comprehensively review the covid-19 preparedness and response.

The meeting focused on evidence based learning on management of cases across the districts and states. The meeting also discussed the stage of vaccine development and vaccine distribution plan. The need for District Health Action Plans for long term management of various aspects of Covid-19 were also discussed at the meeting.

Mishra directed all concerned for an evidence-based preparedness of all aspects of Covid-19 with active participation of districts and states for effectiveness.

A presentation on the Covid-19 status in India, ongoing strategic interventions and future challenges was given by Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary.

The presentation highlighted the status of states in terms of case trajectory, testing conducted, fatality and sample positivity duly also mentioning the districts of concern.

Bhushan also discussed about the eVIN Platform focusing on the vaccine supply chain, beneficiary enrolment system and the delivery system once the vaccine is available.

Dr Vinod Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog made a detailed presentation on projections of cases based on various models. He also explained the ongoing efforts by the National Expert Group on vaccine administration for Covid-19. The overall landscape on vaccine research (both global and in India) was briefed.

Based on the many projections scenarios, the Principal Secretary directed all concerned to build on the knowledge and analysis that has been developed over the last few months to work out the Detailed Action Plan for the coming months.

The need for continuously upgrading and augmenting human resources, getting the right mix of testing for effective case management, contact tracing and isolation, uninterrupted oxygen supply and other medical equipments, were all discussed at length. Integration of AYUSH for prophylaxis and mitigation of syndrome was also discussed. The need for Psycho Social Care Facilities, Effective Behaviour Change communication system, strong district public health teams for surveillance, a data team, effective supply chain, livelihoods and social protection was also discussed.

Mishra emphasized the need for continuous caution and prevention by maintaining two meter distance, use of mask and hand wash. The care of elderly and the need to strictly follow the norms of physical distance and preventive measures was re-emphasized.

The concerted behaviour change campaign will again be taken up to re-emphasize that unlocking does not mean lowering our guard against infection. The need to unlock, work and still follow the non-pharmacological preventive measures was strongly recommended.

Meanwhile, The Union Health Ministry in collaboration with FICCI and AIIMS, New Delhi, organized a virtual conclave for private hospitals providing covid-19 treatment in the country.

The Ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing covid-19 in their facilities.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated. Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment to covid-19 patients was also underscored.

Concerns around delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to lack of health insurance were also discussed. The Conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

Media Circle |

Hospitals, ready to ensure seamless admission of COVID-19 patients

The Union Health Ministry in collaboration with FICCI and AIIMS, New Delhi, organized a virtual conclave for private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment in the country. This provided a platform for discussion of clinical protocols and best practices in COVID-19 management towards reducing avoidable deaths.

While COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to the country’s healthcare systems, there have been proactive responses from the government as well as the private industry. The Conclave was organised to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country. The Ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

The best practices included discussion of the tele-consultation sessions conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi through the e-ICU, Centers of Excellence (CoE) and Clinical Grand Rounds to enhance the clinical management capacities of the ICU doctors in various States/UTs. This, supplemented by various other focussed strategies of containment, prevention, early identification, has resulted in higher recoveries and steadily declining mortality.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated. Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment to COVID-19 patients was also underscored.

Senior doctors from private sector hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19. Several best practices were shared by the private hospitals, including regular monitoring of key metrics at the facility level and leveraging technology to support hospital staff in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Concerns around delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to lack of health insurance were also discussed. The Conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

Prof BalramBhargava, Director General, ICMR, Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, Shri Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, MoHFW, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and JMD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises,Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals were also present.

Daily Hunt |

Healthcare should be available, affordable & accessible to all: Secretary, MoHFW

Mr Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of India, yesterday said, that as a country we must try to achieve a mortality rate of less than 1%.

Addressing a virtual conclave 'Clinical Protocol and Case Management in COVID-19', organized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, jointly with FICCI and AIIMS , Mr Bhushan said, 'We must ensure that no patient (of COVID-19) is left untreated and our system should be available, affordable and accessible to all.'

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, 'While both the private and public sector healthcare providers are facing their own challenges, this crisis has given them opportunity to come together and work for the society. This is the time when we need to exchange best practices and evolve most effective care guidelines using collective knowledge and experience. This will go a long-way in augmenting the Public-Private Partnerships in healthcare for the country.'

Dr Reddy also acknowledged the unconditional commitment and immense efforts being made by all the healthcare workers across the country.

Prof Balram Bhargava, Secretary, DHR & Director General, ICMR, said that every day is a new learning for COVID response, and we need to continue to work on war footing through early diagnosis, testing, tracking and treatment until the pandemic is over. He also informed that we now have COVID testing capability in each district of the country and the government is trying to further scale it up.

Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, highlighted the importance of following evidence-based treatment protocols given the huge heterogeneity in the current treatment modules, leading to increased mortality.

Dr Manish Soneja from AIIMS made a presentation on clinical protocols and best practices in case management for COVID-19 and shared the various treatment options available in the country, their implementation as well as effectiveness.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, also shared the concerns of the industry regarding the need for re-thinking of referral framework for COVID-19 and the rising challenge of inadequate infrastructure in non-metro cities and rural areas.

While COVID-19 has brought unprecedented challenges to our healthcare systems, there have been proactive response from the government as well as industry to help mitigate the impact of this crisis. The Conclave was organized to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country. The Ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

Senior doctors from reputed private sector hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges in their fight against COVID-19, specifically the financial stress on hospitals and shortage and safety concerns of healthcare workers. The event was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

News98 |

'Ensure that Kovid-19 patients do not have dened beds and get treatment soon': Health Ministry in private hospitals

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday urged private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment to ensure that patients suffering from viral disease are not denied beds and receive immediate care. In a virtual conclave with private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment, in collaboration with the Ministry, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and AIIMS, New Delhi, the collective goal should be focused on what is available for health Be affordable and accessible to all. During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorid patients was emphasized to reduce fatal disease. The Ministry of Health said that hospitals were encouraged to adopt all practices on infection prevention and control and to rescue health workers to motivate staff.

Hospitals were also asked to ensure uninterrupted admission of patients. The importance of reducing evidence-based treatment protocols and heterogeneity in the treatment of COVID-19 patients was also underlined, it said. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan inaugurated the virtual conference.

The Health Ministry said, “They reiterated the government’s resolve to ensure that COVID-19 patients should not be denied beds and should be provided early treatment.” “The collective goal should be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. He said that with the states and union territories, the Center aims to achieve less than one percent mortality.

The Conclave was organized to provide a forum for discussion of clinical protocols and discuss best practices in COVID-19 management towards reducing avoidable deaths. According to the ministry, while COVID-19 has presented unprecedented challenges for the country’s health systems, there have been active responses from the government as well as private industry. “The conclave was organized to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by public and private sector hospitals in the country.” The Ministry of Health encouraged hospital representatives to face their significant concerns and challenges while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

Best in discussing teleconference sessions organized by AIIMS, New Delhi through e-ICU, Center of Excellence (COE) and clinical grand tours to enhance the clinical management capabilities of ICU doctors in various states and union territories. Practices include, the ministry said, this is supplemented by various other focused strategies of prevention, prevention, early detection, resulting in higher recoveries and persistent mortality. At the meeting, senior doctors from private hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges regarding their fight against COVID-19.

Delayed referral of patients from small facilities and financial stress due to lack of health facilities were also discussed. The ministry said that the conference was attended by representatives of more than 150 hospitals, senior doctors and physicians from across the country. Balaram Bhargava, Director General of ICMR, Director of AIIMS, Dr. Randeep Guleria, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Health Luv Agarwal, President of FICCI and Apollo Hospitals Enterprises JMD Dr. Sangeeta Reddy, Chairman of FICCI Services Committee and Dr. of Medica Group of Hospitals Alok Roy was also present. I am in the meeting.

eHealth |

Healthcare should be available, affordable & accessible to all says Secretary, MoHFW

As a country we must try to achieve a mortality rate of less than one percent and healthcare should be available, affordable, and accessible to all, informed Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Participating in a virtual conclave ‘Clinical Protocol and Case Management in COVID-19’, organized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), jointly with FICCI and AIIMS, Bhushan said, “We must ensure that no patient (of COVID-19) is left untreated and our system should be available, affordable and accessible to all.”

Adding to it, Dr. Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group urged that public-private collaboration is imperative for Clinical Management of COVID-19.

“While both the private and public sector healthcare providers are facing their own challenges, this crisis has given the opportunity to come together and work for the society. This is the time when we need to exchange best practices and evolve the most effective care guidelines using collective knowledge and experience. This will go a long way in augmenting the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in healthcare for the country,” she said.

Informing that COVID testing capability is available in each district of the country and the government is trying to further scale it up, Prof Balram Bhargava, Secretary, DHR & Director General, ICMR, said, “Every day is new learning for COVID response, and we need to continue to work on war footing through early diagnosis, testing, tracking, and treatment until the pandemic is over.”

Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, highlighted the importance of following evidence-based treatment protocols given the huge heterogeneity in the current treatment modules, leading to increased mortality.

A presentation on clinical protocols and best practices in case of management for COVID-19 and various treatment options available in the country, their implementation as well as effectiveness was done by Dr. Manish Soneja from AIIMS.

Dr. Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, shared the industry concerns and the need for re-thinking of referral framework for COVID-19 and the rising challenge of inadequate infrastructure in non-metro cities and rural areas.

The conclave was organized to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country. The Ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities. Senior doctors from reputed private sector hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges in their fight against COVID-19, specifically the financial stress on hospitals and shortage and safety concerns of healthcare workers. The event was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors, and clinicians from across the country.

News18 |

'Ensure Covid-19 Patients are not denied beds and get prompt treatment': Health Ministry to Private Hospitals

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday urged private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment to ensure that patients, afflicted with the viral disease, are not denied beds and they get prompt care. The ministry, in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and AIIMS, New Delhi, at a virtual conclave with private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment emphasised the collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated, the health ministry said.

Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment of COVID-19 patients was also underscored, it said. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan inaugurated the virtual conference.

“He reiterated the government’s resolve to ensure that COVID-19 patients must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment,” the health ministry said. “The collective goal must be to have a health system that is available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the states and Union Territories is to achieve a mortality rate of less than one per cent,” the ministry said.

The conclave was organised to provide a platform for discussion on clinical protocols and best practices in COVID-19 management towards reducing avoidable deaths. According to the ministry, while COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to the country’s healthcare systems, there have been proactive responses from the government as well as the private industry. “The conclave was organised to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country.” The health ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

The best practices included discussion of the teleconsultation sessions conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi, through the e-ICU, Centers of Excellence (CoE) and clinical grand rounds to enhance the clinical management capacities of the ICU doctors in various states and union territories, the ministry said. This, supplemented by various other focussed strategies of containment, prevention, early identification, has resulted in higher recoveries and steadily declining mortality. At the meeting, senior doctors from private hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19.

Concerns about the delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to the lack of health insurance were also discussed. The conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country, the ministry said. ICMR Director General Prof Balram Bhargava, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal, FICCI President and Apollo Hospitals Enterprises JMD Dr Sangita Reddy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals Dr Alok Roy were also present at the meeting.

India Education Diary |

Public-Private collaboration imperative for Clinical Management of COVID-19: President, FICCI

Mr Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of India, yesterday said, that as a country we must try to achieve a mortality rate of less than 1%.

Addressing a virtual conclave ‘Clinical Protocol and Case Management in COVID-19’, organized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, jointly with FICCI and AIIMS, Mr Bhushan said, “We must ensure that no patient (of COVID-19) is left untreated and our system should be available, affordable and accessible to all.”

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “While both the private and public sector healthcare providers are facing their own challenges, this crisis has given them opportunity to come together and work for the society. This is the time when we need to exchange best practices and evolve most effective care guidelines using collective knowledge and experience. This will go a long-way in augmenting the Public-Private Partnerships in healthcare for the country.”

Dr Reddy also acknowledged the unconditional commitment and immense efforts being made by all the healthcare workers across the country.

Prof Balram Bhargava, Secretary, DHR & Director General, ICMR, said that every day is a new learning for COVID response, and we need to continue to work on war footing through early diagnosis, testing, tracking and treatment until the pandemic is over. He also informed that we now have COVID testing capability in each district of the country and the government is trying to further scale it up.

Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, highlighted the importance of following evidence-based treatment protocols given the huge heterogeneity in the current treatment modules, leading to increased mortality.

Dr Manish Soneja from AIIMS made a presentation on clinical protocols and best practices in case management for COVID-19 and shared the various treatment options available in the country, their implementation as well as effectiveness.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, also shared the concerns of the industry regarding the need for re-thinking of referral framework for COVID-19 and the rising challenge of inadequate infrastructure in non-metro cities and rural areas.

While COVID-19 has brought unprecedented challenges to our healthcare systems, there have been proactive response from the government as well as industry to help mitigate the impact of this crisis. The Conclave was organized to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country. The Ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

Senior doctors from reputed private sector hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges in their fight against COVID-19, specifically the financial stress on hospitals and shortage and safety concerns of healthcare workers. The event was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

India News Diary |

Hospitals exhorted to ensure seamless admission of COVID-19 Patients

The Union Health Ministry in collaboration with FICCI and AIIMS, New Delhi, organized a virtual conclave for private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment in the country. This provided a platform for discussion of clinical protocols and best practices in COVID-19 management towards reducing avoidable deaths.

While COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to the country’s healthcare systems, there have been proactive responses from the government as well as the private industry. The Conclave was organised to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country. The Ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

Union Health Secretary inaugurated the virtual conference. He reiterated the resolve of the Government to ensure that patient of COVID-19 must not be denied beds and must be provided prompt treatment. The collective goal must be to have a health system that available, affordable and accessible to all. He highlighted that the aim of the Centre along with the State/ UT governments is to achieve a mortality rate of less than 1%.

The best practices included discussion of the tele-consultation sessions conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi through the e-ICU, Centers of Excellence (CoE) and Clinical Grand Rounds to enhance the clinical management capacities of the ICU doctors in various States/UTs. This, supplemented by various other focussed strategies of containment, prevention, early identification, has resulted in higher recoveries and steadily declining mortality.

During the meeting, the importance of timely treatment of comorbid patients to reduce fatality was stressed upon. Hospitals were encouraged to protect healthcare workers by adopting all practices on infection prevention and control and keep the staff motivated. Hospitals were also asked to ensure seamless admission of patients. The importance of evidence-based treatment protocols and reducing heterogeneity in treatment to COVID-19 patients was also underscored.

Senior doctors from private sector hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges about their battle against COVID-19. Several best practices were shared by the private hospitals, including regular monitoring of key metrics at the facility level and leveraging technology to support hospital staff in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Concerns around delayed referral of patients from smaller facilities and financial stress owing to lack of health insurance were also discussed. The Conclave was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

Prof Balram Bhargava, Director General, ICMR, Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, MoHFW, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and JMD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals were also present.

International News and Views |

Healthcare should be available, affordable & accessible to all

Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of India, yesterday said, that as a country we must try to achieve a mortality rate of less than 1%. Addressing a virtual conclave ‘Clinical Protocol and Case Management in COVID-19’, organized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, jointly with FICCI and AIIMS, Mr Bhushan said, “We must ensure that no patient (of COVID-19) is left untreated and our system should be available, affordable and accessible to all.”
Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “While both the private and public sector healthcare providers are facing their own challenges, this crisis has given them opportunity to come together and work for the society. This is the time when we need to exchange best practices and evolve most effective care guidelines using collective knowledge and experience. This will go a long-way in augmenting the Public-Private Partnerships in healthcare for the country.”

Dr Reddy also acknowledged the unconditional commitment and immense efforts being made by all the healthcare workers across the country.

Prof Balram Bhargava, Secretary, DHR & Director General, ICMR, said that every day is a new learning for COVID response, and we need to continue to work on war footing through early diagnosis, testing, tracking and treatment until the pandemic is over. He also informed that we now have COVID testing capability in each district of the country and the government is trying to further scale it up.

Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, highlighted the importance of following evidence-based treatment protocols given the huge heterogeneity in the current treatment modules, leading to increased mortality.

Dr Manish Soneja from AIIMS made a presentation on clinical protocols and best practices in case management for COVID-19 and shared the various treatment options available in the country, their implementation as well as effectiveness.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, also shared the concerns of the industry regarding the need for re-thinking of referral framework for COVID-19 and the rising challenge of inadequate infrastructure in non-metro cities and rural areas.

While COVID-19 has brought unprecedented challenges to our healthcare systems, there have been proactive response from the government as well as industry to help mitigate the impact of this crisis. The Conclave was organized to share the best practices and effective treatment modules being implemented by the public and private sector hospitals in the country. The Ministry also encouraged the hospital representatives to share their key concerns and challenges being faced while managing COVID-19 in their facilities.

Senior doctors from reputed private sector hospitals also shared their experiences and challenges in their fight against COVID-19, specifically the financial stress on hospitals and shortage and safety concerns of healthcare workers. The event was attended by more than 150 hospital representatives, senior doctors and clinicians from across the country.

live24x7 |

Solar energy players can be enablers of healthcare: Apollo Hospital Joint MD

Solar energy players can be enablers of healthcare: Apollo Hospital Joint MDSolar energy providers can play a crucial role as enablers of healthcare in areas where there is inadequate access to a grid-connected power, Apollo Hospital Enterprise Joint Managing Director Sangita Reddy said on Tuesday. Stating that India’s large number of primary healthcare centres and sub-centres are a huge opportunity for a “grid waiting to happen ”, she asked global majors in the solar technology sector to think about innovative solutions to apply their capability and talent to aid healthcare in the country.

“In the health sector, clinics, maternity wards, surgical blocks, medical warehouses and laboratories rely on electricity to refrigerate medicines, to power light to sterilise equipment and to operate live saving surgeries and devices,” Reddy said while speaking at the First World Solar Technology Summit. Intermittent or unreliable power puts medical facilities at risk and hence the use of solar to enable the area which is unconnected really opens up tremendous capability, she added.

“So to provide this in communities of rural or solar resource constrained settings, we can play a vital role as enabler of healthcare in areas where there is inadequate access to a grid connected power,” Reddy, who is also the president of industry chamber FICCI, added. Referring to the large numbers of primary healthcare centres and sub-centres, she said, “This is a grid waiting to happen. This is an invitation to global powers across the world focussing on this (solar energy) to think about innovative new solutions to apply their capability and their talent to aid healthcare in India.” Highlighting the impact of climate change on the health of people, she said it is felt acutely in low and middle income countries. “Whether it is heat related death, respiratory disease, spread of malaria, dengue, cholera or even millions of people displaced by the effects of climate change like storms and flooding because climate change is no longer an ambiguous environmental problem of the distant future. It is here and now and hence action is required here and now,” Reddy said while stressing that solar energy can be an important player in the fight against climate change.

Outlook |

Treatment outside hospitals is going to be future of healthcare: Prathap C Reddy

Apart from major emergencies and serious medical conditions, the way forward for healthcare will be treatment outside the hospitals using technology as a key enabler, Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Prathap C Reddy said on Tuesday.

The whole vector of healthcare delivery needs to change and it will change, Reddy said in a virtual discussion with FICCI Former President Naina Lal Kidwai.

The hospitals are needed for bigger emergencies, to treat heart attacks, to do major surgeries. But, everything else should move to the clinics and homes -- that is the future of healthcare, he added.

"We are ourselves moving on to see not on how we keep on increasing hospital beds, but to increase more healthcare facilities using technology," Reddy said.

Artificial Intelligence, automation, and robotics are making a significant impact "in helping us in very smoothly transforming the healthcare system in our country", he added.

Reddy also emphasised on the use and adaptation of digitalisation in the healthcare sector going forward and also called for a greater role for insurance in healthcare.

Yahoo News |

Treatment outside hospitals is going to be future of healthcare: Prathap C Reddy

Apart from major emergencies and serious medical conditions, the way forward for healthcare will be treatment outside the hospitals using technology as a key enabler, Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Prathap C Reddy said on Tuesday.

The whole vector of healthcare delivery needs to change and it will change, Reddy said in a virtual discussion with FICCI Former President Naina Lal Kidwai.

The hospitals are needed for bigger emergencies, to treat heart attacks, to do major surgeries. But, everything else should move to the clinics and homes -- that is the future of healthcare, he added.

'We are ourselves moving on to see not on how we keep on increasing hospital beds, but to increase more healthcare facilities using technology,' Reddy said.

Artificial Intelligence, automation, and robotics are making a significant impact 'in helping us in very smoothly transforming the healthcare system in our country', he added. Reddy also emphasised on the use and adaptation of digitalisation in the healthcare sector going forward and also called for a greater role for insurance in healthcare.

Devdiscourse |

Treatment outside hospitals is going to be future of healthcare: Prathap C Reddy

Apart from major emergencies and serious medical conditions, the way forward for healthcare will be treatment outside the hospitals using technology as a key enabler, Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Prathap C Reddy said on Tuesday. The whole vector of healthcare delivery needs to change and it will change, Reddy said in a virtual discussion with FICCI Former President Naina Lal Kidwai.

The hospitals are needed for bigger emergencies, to treat heart attacks, to do major surgeries. But, everything else should move to the clinics and homes -- that is the future of healthcare, he added. "We are ourselves moving on to see not on how we keep on increasing hospital beds, but to increase more healthcare facilities using technology," Reddy said.

Artificial Intelligence, automation, and robotics are making a significant impact "in helping us in very smoothly transforming the healthcare system in our country", he added. Reddy also emphasised on the use and adaptation of digitalisation in the healthcare sector going forward and also called for a greater role for insurance in healthcare.

Business Upturn |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive rapid healthcare transformation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform of the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.

Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

This is the first time that the healthcare industry has come together for a not-for-profit initiative of this extent, with representation from almost all the major stakeholders, and an intention of making quality healthcare available to all.

As our healthcare systems brace for appropriately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, need for transformation of healthcare delivery by unleashing the power of digital technologies has been felt more than ever. While we adapt to this new world, the age-old ways of delivering care through doctor-visits and paper-prescriptions would gradually become outdated. Telemedicine- including teleradiology, telepathology and remote monitoring- is the solution for not just the current pandemic situation but also for the future of healthcare delivery in India, especially for enhancing access in remote and rural regions.

The services are accessible through www.swasth.app and the IVR number 08061933193.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist Mahajan Imaging Centre said, “FICCI is supporting Swasth- which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare. There was a huge need for a Telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far-flung areas in the country and COVID has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started. Swasth is an unprecedented alliance for creating a public good by all major health players and we are very proud to be partnering with them.”

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, a key member of the Project Teamsaid, “We are proud to partner with FICCI and work towards building a healthcare solution for the country. We are looking forward to this collaboration so that we can increase our national and global reach. FICCI has worked as a change agent and revolutionized various initiatives for our country. We are positive that together we can create solution for the wellbeing of the larger public.”

Health Fortnight |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive rapid healthcare transformation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, a not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform of the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.

Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

This is the first time that the healthcare industry has come together for a not-for-profit initiative of this extent, with representation from almost all the major stakeholders, and an intention of making quality healthcare available to all.

As our healthcare systems brace for appropriately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for transformation of healthcare delivery by unleashing the power of digital technologies has been felt more than ever. While we adapt to this new world, the age-old ways of delivering care through doctor-visits and paper-prescriptions would gradually become outdated. Telemedicine- including tele-radiology, tele-pathology and remote monitoring- is the solution for not just the current pandemic situation but also for the future of healthcare delivery in India, especially for enhancing access in remote and rural regions.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist Mahajan Imaging Centre said, “FICCI is supporting Swasth- which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare. There was a huge need for a Telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far flung areas in the country and COVID has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started. Swasth is an unprecedented alliance for creating a public good by all major health players and we are very proud to be partnering with them.”

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, a key member of the Project Team said, “We are proud to partner with FICCI and work towards building a healthcare solution for the country. We are looking forward to this collaboration so that we can increase our national and global reach. FICCI has worked as a change agent and revolutionized various initiatives for our country. We are positive that together we can create solution for the wellbeing of the larger public.”

Bio Voice News |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive rapid healthcare transformation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, a not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform of the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.

Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

This is the first time that the healthcare industry has come together for a not-for-profit initiative of this extent, with representation from almost all the major stakeholders, and an intention of making quality healthcare available to all.

As our healthcare systems brace for appropriately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for transformation of healthcare delivery by unleashing the power of digital technologies has been felt more than ever. While we adapt to this new world, the age-old ways of delivering care through doctor-visits and paper-prescriptions would gradually become outdated. Telemedicine- including tele-radiology, tele-pathology and remote monitoring- is the solution for not just the current pandemic situation but also for the future of healthcare delivery in India, especially for enhancing access in remote and rural regions.

The services are accessible through www.swasth.app and the IVR number 08061933193.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist Mahajan Imaging Centre said, “FICCI is supporting Swasth- which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare. There was a huge need for a Telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far flung areas in the country andCOVID has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started. Swasth is an unprecedented alliance for creating a public good by all major health players and we are very proud to be partnering with them.”

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, a key member of the Project Team said, “We are proud to partner with FICCI and work towards building a healthcare solution for the country. We are looking forward to this collaboration so that we can increase our national and global reach. FICCI has worked as a change agent and revolutionized various initiatives for our country. We are positive that together we can create solution for the wellbeing of the larger public.”

CNBC TV18 |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive rapid healthcare transformation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, a not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform of the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.

Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

This is the first time that the healthcare industry has come together for a not-for-profit initiative to this extent, with representation from almost all the major stakeholders, and the intention of making quality healthcare available to all.

As our healthcare systems brace for appropriately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for transformation of healthcare delivery by unleashing the power of digital technologies has been felt more than ever. While we adapt to this new world, the age-old ways of delivering care through doctor-visits and paper-prescriptions would gradually become outdated. Telemedicine- including tele-radiology, tele-pathology and remote monitoring- is the solution for not just the current pandemic situation but also for the future of healthcare delivery in India, especially for enhancing access in remote and rural regions.

The services are accessible through www.swasth.app and the IVR number 08061933193.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist Mahajan Imaging Centre said, “FICCI is supporting Swasth- which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare. There was a huge need for a Telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far-flung areas in the country andCOVID has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started. Swasth is an unprecedented alliance for creating a public good by all major health players and we are very proud to be partnering with them.”

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, a key member of the Project Team said, “We are proud to partner with FICCI and work towards building a healthcare solution for the country. We are looking forward to this collaboration so that we can increase our national and global reach. FICCI has worked as a change agent and revolutionized various initiatives for our country. We are positive that together we can create a solution for the wellbeing of the larger public.”

The Hindu Business Line |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive healthcare transformation

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Tuesday said it has partnered with Swasth, a not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players, to drive healthcare transformation.

The partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in telemedicine and digital health, FICCI said in a statement. The industry body added that it will also focus on promoting public-private collaborations.

“FICCI is supporting Swasth, which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare,” FICCI Healthservices Committee Co-Chair Harsh Mahajan said.

There was a need for a telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far-flung areas in the country and Covid-19 has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started, he added.

Express Healthcare |

FICCI partners with Swasth to promote access to healthcare

The partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in field of telemedicine, digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform of the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.

Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

This is the first time that the healthcare industry has come together for a not-for-profit initiative of this extent, with representation from almost all the major stakeholders, and an intention of making quality healthcare available to all.

As our healthcare systems brace for appropriately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, need for transformation of healthcare delivery by unleashing the power of digital technologies has been felt more than ever. While we adapt to this new world, the age-old ways of delivering care through doctor-visits and paper-prescriptions would gradually become outdated. Telemedicine- including tele-radiology, tele-pathology and remote monitoring- is the solution for not just the current pandemic situation but also for the future of healthcare delivery in India, especially for enhancing access in remote and rural regions.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist Mahajan Imaging Centre said, “FICCI is supporting Swasth- which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare. There was a huge need for a Telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far flung areas in the country and COVID has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started. Swasth is an unprecedented alliance for creating a public good by all major health players and we are very proud to be partnering with them.”

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, a key member of the Project Team said, “We are proud to partner with FICCI and work towards building a healthcare solution for the country. We are looking forward to this collaboration so that we can increase our national and global reach. FICCI has worked as a change agent and revolutionised various initiatives for our country. We are positive that together we can create solution for the well-being of the larger public.”

The services are accessible through www.swasth.app and the IVR number 08061933193.

Healthcare Radius |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive rapid healthcare transformation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform of the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.

Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee, said, “FICCI is supporting Swasth- which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare. There was a huge need for telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far flung areas in the country and COVID has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started. Swasth is an unprecedented alliance for creating a public good by all major health players and we are very proud to be partnering with them.”

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, a key member of the project team, said, “We are proud to partner with FICCI and work towards building a healthcare solution for the country. We are looking forward to this collaboration so that we can increase our national and global reach. FICCI has worked as a change agent and revolutionized various initiatives for our country. We are positive that together we can create solution for the wellbeing of the larger public.”

India Education Diary |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive rapid healthcare transformation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform of the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.

Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

This is the first time that the healthcare industry has come together for a not-for-profit initiative of this extent, with representation from almost all the major stakeholders, and an intention of making quality healthcare available to all.

As our healthcare systems brace for appropriately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, need for transformation of healthcare delivery by unleashing the power of digital technologies has been felt more than ever. While we adapt to this new world, the age-old ways of delivering care through doctor-visits and paper-prescriptions would gradually become outdated. Telemedicine- including tele-radiology, tele-pathology and remote monitoring- is the solution for not just the current pandemic situation but also for the future of healthcare delivery in India, especially for enhancing access in remote and rural regions.

The services are accessible through www.swasth.app and the IVR number 08061933193.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist Mahajan Imaging Centre said, “FICCI is supporting Swasth- which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare. There was a huge need for a Telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far flung areas in the country and COVID has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started. Swasth is an unprecedented alliance for creating a public good by all major health players and we are very proud to be partnering with them.”

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, a key member of the Project Team said, “We are proud to partner with FICCI and work towards building a healthcare solution for the country. We are looking forward to this collaboration so that we can increase our national and global reach. FICCI has worked as a change agent and revolutionized various initiatives for our country. We are positive that together we can create solution for the wellbeing of the larger public.”

Outlook |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive healthcare transformation

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Tuesday said it has partnered with Swasth, a not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players, to drive healthcare transformation.

The partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in telemedicine and digital health, FICCI said in a statement. The industry body added that it will also focus on promoting public-private collaborations.

"FICCI is supporting Swasth, which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare," FICCI Health Services Committee Co-Chair Harsh Mahajan said.

There was a need for a telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far-flung areas in the country and COVID-19 has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started, he added.

Orissa Diary |

FICCI-Swasth partnership to drive rapid healthcare transformation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, a not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform with the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.
Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

This is the first time that the healthcare industry has come together for a not-for-profit initiative of this extent, with representation from almost all the major stakeholders, and an intention of making quality healthcare available to all.

As our healthcare systems brace for appropriately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, need for the transformation of healthcare delivery by unleashing the power of digital technologies has been felt more than ever. While we adapt to this new world, the age-old ways of delivering care through doctor-visits and paper-prescriptions would gradually become outdated. Telemedicine- including tele-radiology, tele-pathology and remote monitoring- is the solution for not just the current pandemic situation, but also for the future of healthcare delivery in India, especially for enhancing access in remote and rural regions.

The services are accessible through www.swasth.app and the IVR number 08061933193.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist Mahajan Imaging Centre said, “FICCI is supporting Swasth- which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare. There was a huge need for a Telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far flung areas in the country and COVID has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started. Swasth is an unprecedented alliance for creating a public good by all major health players and we are very proud to be partnering with them.”

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, a key member of the Project Team said, “We are proud to partner with FICCI and work towards building a healthcare solution for the country. We are looking forward to this collaboration so that we can increase our national and global reach. FICCI has worked as a change agent and revolutionized various initiatives for our country. We are positive that together we can create a solution for the wellbeing of the larger public.”

The SME Times |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive rapid healthcare transformation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform of the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.

Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

This is the first time that the healthcare industry has come together for a not-for-profit initiative of this extent, with representation from almost all the major stakeholders, and an intention of making quality healthcare available to all.

As our healthcare systems brace for appropriately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, need for transformation of healthcare delivery by unleashing the power of digital technologies has been felt more than ever. While we adapt to this new world, the age-old ways of delivering care through doctor-visits and paper-prescriptions would gradually become outdated. Telemedicine- including tele-radiology, tele-pathology and remote monitoring- is the solution for not just the current pandemic situation but also for the future of healthcare delivery in India, especially for enhancing access in remote and rural regions.

The services are accessible through www.swasth.app and the IVR number 08061933193.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist Mahajan Imaging Centre said, “FICCI is supporting Swasth- which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare. There was a huge need for a Telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far-flung areas in the country and COVID has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started. Swasth is an unprecedented alliance for creating a public good by all major health players and we are very proud to be partnering with them.”

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, a key member of the Project Team said, “We are proud to partner with FICCI and work towards building a healthcare solution for the country. We are looking forward to this collaboration so that we can increase our national and global reach. FICCI has worked as a change agent and revolutionized various initiatives for our country. We are positive that together we can create a solution for the wellbeing of the larger public.”

Impact Health |

FICCI-Swasth partnership to drive rapid healthcare transformation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, a not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform with the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.

Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

This is the first time that the healthcare industry has come together for a not-for-profit initiative of this extent, with representation from almost all the major stakeholders, and an intention of making quality healthcare available to all.

As our healthcare systems brace for appropriately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, need for the transformation of healthcare delivery by unleashing the power of digital technologies has been felt more than ever. While we adapt to this new world, the age-old ways of delivering care through doctor-visits and paper-prescriptions would gradually become outdated. Telemedicine- including tele-radiology, tele-pathology and remote monitoring- is the solution for not just the current pandemic situation, but also for the future of healthcare delivery in India, especially for enhancing access in remote and rural regions.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist Mahajan Imaging Centre said, “FICCI is supporting Swasth- which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare. There was a huge need for a Telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far flung areas in the country and COVID has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started. Swasth is an unprecedented alliance for creating a public good by all major health players and we are very proud to be partnering with them.”

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, a key member of the Project Team said, “We are proud to partner with FICCI and work towards building a healthcare solution for the country. We are looking forward to this collaboration so that we can increase our national and global reach. FICCI has worked as a change agent and revolutionized various initiatives for our country. We are positive that together we can create a solution for the wellbeing of the larger public.

Devdiscourse |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive healthcare transformation

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Tuesday said it has partnered with Swasth, a not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players, to drive healthcare transformation. The partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in telemedicine and digital health, FICCI said in a statement. The industry body added that it will also focus on promoting public-private collaborations.

"FICCI is supporting Swasth, which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare," FICCI Healthservices Committee Co-Chair Harsh Mahajan said. There was a need for a telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far-flung areas in the country and COVID-19 has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started, he added.

MSN News |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive rapid healthcare transformation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, a not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform of the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.

Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

This is the first time that the healthcare industry has come together for a not-for-profit initiative to this extent, with representation from almost all the major stakeholders, and the intention of making quality healthcare available to all.

As our healthcare systems brace for appropriately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for transformation of healthcare delivery by unleashing the power of digital technologies has been felt more than ever. While we adapt to this new world, the age-old ways of delivering care through doctor-visits and paper-prescriptions would gradually become outdated. Telemedicine- including tele-radiology, tele-pathology and remote monitoring- is the solution for not just the current pandemic situation but also for the future of healthcare delivery in India, especially for enhancing access in remote and rural regions.

The services are accessible through www.swasth.app and the IVR number 08061933193.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist Mahajan Imaging Centre said, “FICCI is supporting Swasth- which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare. There was a huge need for a Telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far-flung areas in the country andCOVID has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started. Swasth is an unprecedented alliance for creating a public good by all major health players and we are very proud to be partnering with them.”

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, a key member of the Project Team said, “We are proud to partner with FICCI and work towards building a healthcare solution for the country. We are looking forward to this collaboration so that we can increase our national and global reach. FICCI has worked as a change agent and revolutionized various initiatives for our country. We are positive that together we can create a solution for the wellbeing of the larger public.”

4Ps News |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive rapid healthcare transformation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform of the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.

Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

This is the first time that the healthcare industry has come together for a not-for-profit initiative of this extent, with representation from almost all the major stakeholders, and an intention of making quality healthcare available to all.

As our healthcare systems brace for appropriately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, need for transformation of healthcare delivery by unleashing the power of digital technologies has been felt more than ever. While we adapt to this new world, the age-old ways of delivering care through doctor-visits and paper-prescriptions would gradually become outdated. Telemedicine- including tele-radiology, tele-pathology and remote monitoring- is the solution for not just the current pandemic situation but also for the future of healthcare delivery in India, especially for enhancing access in remote and rural regions.

The services are accessible through www.swasth.app and the IVR number 08061933193.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist Mahajan Imaging Centre said, “FICCI is supporting Swasth- which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare. There was a huge need for a Telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far-flung areas in the country and COVID has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started. Swasth is an unprecedented alliance for creating a public good by all major health players and we are very proud to be partnering with them.”

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, a key member of the Project Team said, “We are proud to partner with FICCI and work towards building a healthcare solution for the country. We are looking forward to this collaboration so that we can increase our national and global reach. FICCI has worked as a change agent and revolutionized various initiatives for our country. We are positive that together we can create a solution for the wellbeing of the larger public.”

India Info Line |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive rapid healthcare transformation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform of the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.

Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

This is the first time that the healthcare industry has come together for a not-for-profit initiative of this extent, with representation from almost all the major stakeholders, and an intention of making quality healthcare available to all.

As our healthcare systems brace for appropriately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, need for transformation of healthcare delivery by unleashing the power of digital technologies has been felt more than ever. While we adapt to this new world, the age-old ways of delivering care through doctor-visits and paper-prescriptions would gradually become outdated. Telemedicine- including tele-radiology, tele-pathology and remote monitoring- is the solution for not just the current pandemic situation but also for the future of healthcare delivery in India, especially for enhancing access in remote and rural regions.

International News and Views |

FICCI partners with Swasth to drive rapid healthcare transformation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has partnered exclusively with Swasth, not-for-profit consortium of healthcare players aimed at promoting access to healthcare through the recently launched platform of the same name. The FICCI-Swasth partnership aims to promote knowledge sharing in the field of telemedicine and digital health. It will also focus on promoting public-private as well as private sector collaborations.

Swasth is working towards building a comprehensive healthcare solution for the masses by collaborating with relevant State and Central Government bodies as well as nodal agencies. This FICCI-Swasth partnership will enable such collaborations in a more meaningful way. Swasth App is already live with multiple offerings for COVID care which provide 360-degree health services from the safety of one’s home.

This is the first time that the healthcare industry has come together for a not-for-profit initiative of this extent, with representation from almost all the major stakeholders, and an intention of making quality healthcare available to all.

As our healthcare systems brace for appropriately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, need for transformation of healthcare delivery by unleashing the power of digital technologies has been felt more than ever. While we adapt to this new world, the age-old ways of delivering care through doctor-visits and paper-prescriptions would gradually become outdated. Telemedicine- including tele-radiology, tele-pathology and remote monitoring- is the solution for not just the current pandemic situation but also for the future of healthcare delivery in India, especially for enhancing access in remote and rural regions.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist Mahajan Imaging Centre said, “FICCI is supporting Swasth- which we believe will drive healthcare inclusion for the country leveraging the best of technology and healthcare. There was a huge need for a Telemedicine hub to deliver healthcare to far-flung areas in the country and COVID has acted as a catalyst to get this partnership started. Swasth is an unprecedented alliance for creating a public good by all major health players and we are very proud to be partnering with them.”

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, a key member of the Project Team said, “We are proud to partner with FICCI and work towards building a healthcare solution for the country. We are looking forward to this collaboration so that we can increase our national and global reach. FICCI has worked as a change agent and revolutionized various initiatives for our country. We are positive that together we can create a solution for the wellbeing of the larger public.”

Telangana Today |

Cannot take shortcuts for clinical trials of vaccine: Experts

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has decided to fast-track clinical trials of the indigenous Covid-19 vaccine, which it is producing with Bharat Biotech, with an aim to launch the vaccine for public health use by August 15.

However, lifesciences and healthcare industry leaders say safety should be the priority, not fast-tracking trials with a set timeline.

“While everyone is keen to get a vaccine fast, we cannot take shortcuts. To develop a vaccine, we have to go through safety, efficacy, data and trials, which cannot be done fast. Just to do a safety trial in Phase-I itself takes a month. We have to see what the immune response is and what the adverse events are. The trials cannot be done in a month. Dates should never be chosen. It should be driven by safety and efficacy,” Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, executive chairperson of Biocon Limited, said while speaking at a webinar conducted by Ficci FLO Hyderabad chapter on Friday.

Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals and President of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industries, said, “In addition to ethics, transparency and data, known scientific process is what we rely on in clinical trials. We need to accelerate or fast-track the process because of the Covid-19 crisis, but we should never shortcut it.”

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said, “For India, clinical trials present a great opportunity. But it requires meticulous attention to detail. Today, we are talking about developing new vaccines, new therapies, plasma therapy, and we need to do all of that, in a very stringent research mode. It’s about understanding the science and the regulatory science aspect of how we are doing clinical research.”

Shaw added, clinical trials activity is an important area of innovation. For Covid-19 alone, there are over 200 clinical trials that are in progress worldwide, looking for a large patient pool.

Deepanwita Chattopadhyay, chairman & CEO, IKP Knowledge Park, noted, “Whatever has to be done in a clinical trial has to be done. There cannot be any compromise with the process. Science is not driven by dates.”

The Shepherd Of The Hills Gazette |

PV Sindhu says sport can help win the battle against the covid-19 pandemic

PV Sindhu is waiting for Talengana's government to lift the closure for training.

He stressed that sport can help win the battle against a coronavirus pandemic in the absence of a vaccine, urging the silver medal winner, PV Silver Sindhu, Monday to make physical activity an integral part of their lives. The virus has infected more than 8.5 million people worldwide with more than 450,000 people who have lost their lives. "Sport and other physical activities are very important to maintaining a strong immune system, and since there is still no vaccine or treatment, sport can help win this fight," said Sindhu during the opening of "Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020". Exhibition and conference organized by FICCI from 22-26 June.

In India, the number of injured exceeded 4.25 lakh and nearly 13,700 people died. It is important to follow the recommendations of the now deferred Tokyo Olympics, it is important to follow WHO recommendations and spend some time on physical activity, Sendo said.

She said: "The World Health Organization recommends that adults conduct moderate aerobic activities for at least 300 minutes each week to combat the risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer and depression, which is most relevant during this epidemic."

"It's the perfect time to try a new activity. I recommend everyone to do some kind of exercise. Being a sports person, I can say that only 45 minutes of exercise is important to everyone."

Top Indian Shuttles, including Sindhu, have been locked in their homes for more than three months because of the closure to contain the spread of the disease. While a few athletes have resumed training in some parts of the country, owners of the transportation service in Hyderabad are waiting for Talengana's government to lift the closure in the state.

Medical Dialogues |

Effective public health approach to be implemented for COVID management: Dr VK Paul

Niti Aayog member V K Paul on Tuesday said the public health approach should be implemented effectively on the ground by the government, communities, and all concerned stakeholders to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Addressing a webinar centered on the theme ''Public Health For Healthy Life'' organized by industry body FICCI, Paul further said that surveillance, containment and disease control should be the priority.

Preparedness on the part of hospitals for assured access to ambulance and care is also required, he said, adding that home care should be reinforced and made more efficient by following prescribed protocols, along with safety of elderly and other people at home.

"We must look at the positive stories of COVID control. The public health approach to contain the disease through trace, test, isolate, quarantine and timely referral must be implemented on the ground effectively by the government, civil agencies, communities and all concerned stakeholders," he said.

Paul, who is heading an Empowered Group on medical equipment and management plan to tackle coronavirus outbreak, emphasised on the need to protect the vulnerable population like people with co-morbidities and improve immunity through India's time-tested traditional system of medicine.

Referring to the role of community participation, he said young people must be involved in community participation for the containment of the disease.

Paul further said this is a historical time for telemedicine, and India must promote it to keep the doctor-patient relationship and trust intact.

Telemedicine will also help India in addressing the non-COVID patients, given the high burden of non-communicable diseases and other infectious diseases in the country, the Niti Aayog member pointed out. Also participating at the event, FICCI President Sangita Reddy said India's death rates due to COVID-19 are lower, and the lockdown gave the country time to prepare to ramp up its health infrastructure.

Express Healthcare |

FICCI releases seroprevalence studies with diagnostic testing for COVID 19

FICCI Whitepaper gives some keen insights into seroprevalence studies with diagnostic testing, and how they impact COVID-19 management investments and plans

During the FICCI webinar on ‘Role of Testing in Unlocking India’, organised on the fourth day of FICCI’s Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020, industry applauded the efforts of ICMR in ramping up COVID-19 testing facilities across the country and adopting new strategies to curb the spread of virus.

Dr Nivedita Gupta, Senior Scientist, Department of Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases, ICMR, shared the entire journey of ICMR, the apex medical research body, that has been at the forefront of the COVID-19 response. Although the Department of Health Research, had prepared a network of 106 labs for viral research following the SARS of 2009, the only lab that was capable of doing the viral diagnosis at the time of COVID outbreak was in Pune. Today, the country has over 1000 facilities equipped to do specialised molecular diagnostic testing. This has been done through strategic and appropriate steps and extensive training and capacity building of human resources across the labs and medical colleges.

Highlighting the strategy of ICMR in increasing the scope of testing, Dr Gupta mentioned that in the recent testing guidelines issued by the nodal body, three testing technologies are being used including the gold standard RT-PCR tests, the newly inducted antigen test and the IgG antibody test. She clarified that whereas the RT-PCR and antigen tests should be used for diagnosis of the disease, IgG antibody should be used for sero-surveillance.

Answering the question from the virtual audience, Dr Gupta said, “There is no direct relation between the severity of the illness in the disease and the viral load in the patient’s body. There are cases where it has been found that even the asymptomatic patients have high viral load than a severely ill patient of COVID-19.”

FICCI Whitepaper on ‘Economical, Accurate and Scalable COVID-19 Testing Solutions’ was also released during the webinar. The paper gives some keen insights into seroprevalence studies with diagnostic testing, and how they impact COVID-19 management investments and plans. It will help to base our pandemic management strategies and future initiatives as the country unlocks.

Dr Shravan Subramanyam, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee & Managing Director, Roche Diagnostics India who moderated the FICCI session said, “India needs to focus on technology-agnostic solutions that offer the best clinical outcomes (e.g. sensitivity and specificity) to measure exposure and potential immune response with SARS CoV-2 antibody tests.”

Mr Suresh Vazirani, Chairman & Managing Director, Transasia Bio-Medicals, said, “We are living through historical times, after a decade from now, these days will seem very significant. There has been a tremendous response from the government, private sector as well as entrepreneurs.” He also appreciated the newly launched I-mobile lab, which has been developed indigenously in just one month’s time. The aim of the lab is to cover all 5650 Talukas (each taluka has 200 villages), by launching around 500 mobile labs.

Dr Ravi Gaur, COO, Oncquest Laboratories stated that it is important to understand which test- PCR, Lab-based Serology or Antigen tests, is relevant at what time since all tests have a different purpose. It is even more important to understand the specificity and sensitivity of the tests. He highlighted that Lab-based Serology can readily help in expanding the scale of testing immediately, as most of the players in the country have solutions available with them, which need to be utilised.

Narendra Varde, General Manager and Country Head, Abbott Diagnostics India said, “The quality and accuracy of a test is very important along with the specificity and sensitivity of the test”. He also highlighted the need for a collective effort of industry, government, and the society in the fight against this pandemic. Mentioning the importance of IgG antibody tests, he stated that it can be used in minimizing the anxiety of the individuals in containment or hot spot zones.

Vivek Kant Tripathi, Head- Market Access & Institution Business, Biologics, Zydus Group shared his experience of being a pharma company entering into the diagnostic business to help the nation step towards the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ in the fight against the disease. He also talked about the test developed with NIV Pune and how it will also help in understanding the disease pattern and in the development of the vaccine.

Nguyen Manh Minh, Covid19 Project Director of VietA Corp; International Business Director, GS Investment joined the webinar from Vietnam and shared the experience of the South Asian country in containing the spread of the disease using a well-planned strategy of testing.

Express Pharma |

Govt to announce regulatory guidelines for OTC drugs: Dy Drug Controller, MoH&FW

R Chandrashekar, Deputy Drug Controller (India), MoH&FW, Govt of India, said that the government will soon announce regulatory guidelines in order to control the over-the-counter (OTC) drugs market.

“The consultative committee will give its recommendations to the Drugs Technical Advisory Board, which will be submitted to the government to amend the rules of OTC regulations. The entire process can take 1-2 years to finalise,” said Chandrashekhar. He was speaking at a FICCI webinar on ‘Growing Importance and Relevance of Selfcare in New Normal’, organised during the ongoing ‘Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020’.

Chandrashekar added that it is important to educate the consumers before promoting OTC drugs. “Globally, there is information available for each OTC drug, but in India, we don’t have any law which mandates some sort of patient information with every OTC drug,” he said.

He said that it is imperative to first create awareness amongst the consumers to empower them to take an informed decision. “Once the OTC regulations come into place, then the information will be available for OTC drugs for the patients,” Chandrashekar added.

He further said that the recommendations also highlight the need for creating a platform to spread information about OTC drugs by setting up a dedicated helpline number and QR code scan.

Rahul Chauhan, Chair, FICCI OTC Taskforce and Director, Regulatory & Medical Affairs, Reckitt Benckiser said, “From the consumers’ point of view, health and hygiene have emerged as an important area to focus and has taken a centre stage in one’s life. People are eager to get more and more credible information about self-care.”

Dr KK Aggarwal, President, CMAAO said that mortality in COVID is not a rule but an exception. A proper home and community care can reduce the pressure on existing medical infrastructure including hospitals.

Highlighting the role of e-pharmacy, Vikas Chauhan, Co-Founder, 1mg said that digital space has played a very important role for the consumers to access essential services like medicines during these times.

Nitin G, Product Specialist, Agilent Technologies India said that artificial intelligence is facilitating consumers to gather knowledge as people today want to learn, understand, and discuss what they are consuming.

Dr Avula Laxmaiah, Scientist G & Head, DPHN, ICMR- National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad and Rajat Banerji, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Amway India, also shared their perspective on the role of nutrition and supplements in controlling the virus.

Express Healthcare |

Govt to come up with regulatory guidelines for OTC drugs:Dy Drug Controller, MoH&FW

Chandrashekar added that it is important to educate the consumers before promoting OTC drugs

R Chandrashekar, Deputy Drug Controller (India), MoH&FW, Govt of India, yesterday said that the government will soon announce regulatory guidelines in order to control the Over The Counter (OTC) drugs market.

Addressing FICCI webinar ‘Growing Importance and Relevance of Selfcare in New Normal’, organised during the ongoing ‘Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020’, Chandrashekhar said, “The consultative committee will give its recommendations to the Drugs Technical Advisory Board, which will be submitted to the government to amend the rules of OTC regulations. The entire process can take 1-2 years to finalise.”

Chandrashekar added that it is important to educate the consumers before promoting OTC drugs. “Globally, there is information available for each OTC drug, but in India, we don’t have any law which mandates some sort of patient information with every OTC drug,” he said.

He said that it is imperative to first create awareness amongst the consumers to empower them to make an informed decision. “Once the OTC regulations come into place, then the information will be available for OTC drugs for the patients,” Chandrashekar added.

He further said that the recommendations also highlight the need for creating a platform to spread information about OTC drugs by setting up a dedicated helpline number and QR code scan.

Rahul Chauhan, Chair, FICCI OTC Taskforce and Director, Regulatory & Medical Affairs, Reckitt Benckiser said, “From the consumers’ point of view, health and hygiene have emerged as an important area to focus and has taken a centre stage in one’s life. People are eager to get more and more credible information about self-care.”

Dr K K Aggarwal, President, CMAAO said that mortality in COVID is not a rule but an exception. Proper home and community care can reduce the pressure on existing medical infrastructure including hospitals.

Highlighting the role of e-pharmacy, Vikas Chauhan, Co-Founder, 1mg said that digital space has played a very important role for the consumers to access essential services like medicines during these times.

Mr Nitin G, Product Specialist, Agilent Technologies India said that Artificial Intelligence is facilitating consumers to gather knowledge as people today want to learn, understand, and discuss what they are consuming.

Dr Avula Laxmaiah, Scientist G & Head, DPHN, ICMR- National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad and Mr Rajat Banerji, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Amway India, also shared their perspective on the role of nutrition and supplements in controlling the virus.

The Health Master |

Govt to announce regulatory guidelines for OTC drugs

R Chandrashekar, Deputy Drug Controller (India), MoH&FW, Govt of India, said that the government will soon announce regulatory guidelines in order to control the over-the-counter (OTC) drugs market.

“The consultative committee will give its recommendations to the Drugs Technical Advisory Board, which will be submitted to the government to amend the rules of OTC regulations. The entire process can take 1-2 years to finalise,” said Chandrashekhar. He was speaking at a FICCI webinar on ‘Growing Importance and Relevance of Selfcare in New Normal’, organised during the ongoing ‘Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020’.

Chandrashekar added that it is important to educate the consumers before promoting OTC drugs. “Globally, there is information available for each OTC drug, but in India, we don’t have any law which mandates some sort of patient information with every OTC drug,” he said.

He said that it is imperative to first create awareness amongst the consumers to empower them to take an informed decision. “Once the OTC regulations come into place, then the information will be available for OTC drugs for the patients,” Chandrashekar added.

He further said that the recommendations also highlight the need for creating a platform to spread information about OTC drugs by setting up a dedicated helpline number and QR code scan.

Rahul Chauhan, Chair, FICCI OTC Taskforce and Director, Regulatory & Medical Affairs, Reckitt Benckiser said, “From the consumers’ point of view, health and hygiene have emerged as an important area to focus and has taken a centre stage in one’s life. People are eager to get more and more credible information about self-care.”

Dr KK Aggarwal, President, CMAAO said that mortality in COVID is not a rule but an exception. A proper home and community care can reduce the pressure on existing medical infrastructure including hospitals.

Highlighting the role of e-pharmacy, Vikas Chauhan, Co-Founder, 1mg said that digital space has played a very important role for the consumers to access essential services like medicines during these times.
Nitin G, Product Specialist, Agilent Technologies India said that artificial intelligence is facilitating consumers to gather knowledge as people today want to learn, understand, and discuss what they are consuming.

Dr Avula Laxmaiah, Scientist G & Head, DPHN, ICMR- National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad and Rajat Banerji, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Amway India, also shared their perspective on the role of nutrition and supplements in controlling the virus.

Express Healthcare |

Healthcare industry to focus on critical areas so that sector becomes vibrant: Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce

Urges industry to come forward, prioritise countries in short term to allow international patients to come to India

Darpan Jain, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt of India said that it is imperative for the healthcare industry to focus on critical areas like quality, trust and transparency so that the sector becomes more vibrant.

Addressing a webinar ‘Medical Value Travel – Strategies for Road Ahead’, organised by FICCI during the on-going ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020’, Jain said, “The government is very keen to work with the industry on these parameters.” He further added that the quality of services is paramount in the healthcare industry.

In a bid to promote the Medical Value Travel (MVT), Jain said that we need a lot of proactive information sharing and establish ourselves as a global leader. “Resumption of operations is very critical, and we would require SOPs prepared by FICCI once we open up. We need to determine if all components are in place in addition to hospital infrastructure,” he added.

Jain urged the industry to come forward and prioritise the countries in the short term to allow international patients to come to India. He also suggested to prioritise medical facilities across India in the short term to cater to the patients who need critical care.

“There are facilities located in areas which are not much impacted by the pandemic and lying idle. We should use those facilities for priority cases along with the SOPs to treat patients with an integrated plan in the short term. The government will look into this and provide all necessary support,” he said.

Emphasising on the importance of telemedicine to boost MVT sector, Jain said that the government recently announced the guidelines on the use of telemedicine in India. “There are existing models which we have started in telemedicine facilities and teleconsultation procedures. Now, we need to go beyond our boundaries and use it for other countries and ensure our expertise and skills can be used through this medium. The government is ready to facilitate this,” he added.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, urged the government to create a dedicated fund to promote the Medical Value Travel and utilise this fund to create brand awareness which is important to help the sector. “It is important for us to project the capabilities of our country and especially of our doctors. Our intent is to offer high quality care at affordable cost with the best outcomes as well as an environment of hospitality while treating the international patients,” added Dr Reddy.

Dr Narottam Puri, Adviser-FICCI MVT Committee, Adviser-Medical Operations and Chairman, Fortis Medical Council Emeritus Consultant said that these are difficult times for the world which is engulfed in the pandemic. “India has always fallen back on the age-old learnings of our sages to provide help at the time of need. Medical Value Travel requires people to travel which is restricted now, but there is light at the end of the tunnel,” he added.

Dr Harish Pillai, Chair, FICCI MVT Committee and CEO, Aster India, Aster DM Healthcare India said that FICCI has developed SOPs for restarting the Medical Value Travel. “The Taskforce constituted is a true representation of the Indian healthcare and the SOP highlights the end to end protection for international patients. This starts from the identification of the international patient till the time he reaches back home post treatment with all documents submitted to the Government of India.

The webinar was also addressed by Dr Devlina Chakravarty, MD and CEO, Artemis Hospitals; Deepak Venugopalan, Regional COO – Bengaluru and TN, Manipal Health Enterprise; Anil Vinayak, Group COO, Fortis Healthcare and Abhik Moitra, President-HBG, Medical Assistance, General Secretary, FHWP.

The webinar was attended by 265 foreign delegates from 43 countries apart from Indian delegates from the sector.

India Education Diary |

FICCI applauds ICMR strategy for calibrated ramping up of the covid-19 testing

During the FICCI webinar on ‘Role of Testing in Unlocking India’, organized on the fourth day of FICCI’s Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020, industry applauded the efforts of ICMR in ramping up COVID-19 testing facilities across the country and adopting new strategies to curb the spread of virus.

Dr Nivedita Gupta, Senior Scientist, Department of Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases, ICMR, shared the entire journey of ICMR, the apex medical research body, that has been at the forefront of the COVID-19 response. Although, the Department of Health Research, had prepared a network of 106 labs for viral research following the SARS of 2009, the only lab that was capable of doing the viral diagnosis at the time of COVID outbreak was in Pune. Today, the country has over 1000 facilities equipped to do the specialised molecular diagnostic testing. This has been done through strategic and appropriate steps and extensive training and capacity building of human resources across the labs and medical colleges.

Highlighting the strategy of ICMR in increasing the scope of testing, Dr Gupta mentioned that in the recent testing guidelines issued by the nodal body, three testing technologies are being used including the gold standard RT-PCR tests, the newly inducted antigen test and the IgG antibody test. She clarified that whereas the RT-PCR and antigen tests should be used for diagnosis of the disease, IgG antibody should be used for sero-surveillance.

Answering the question from the virtual audience, Dr Gupta said, “There is no direct relation between the severity of the illness in the disease and the viral load in the patient’s body. There are cases where it has been found that even the asymptomatic patient’s have high viral load than a severely ill patient of COVID-19.”
FICCI Whitepaper on ‘Economical, Accurate and Scalable COVID-19 Testing Solutions’ was also released during the webinar. The paper gives some keen insights into seroprevalence studies with diagnostic testing, and how they impact COVID-19 management investments and plans. It will help to base our pandemic management strategies and future initiatives as the country unlocks.

Dr Shravan Subramanyam, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee & Managing Director, Roche Diagnostics India who moderated the FICCI session said, “India needs to focus on technology agnostic solutions that offer the best clinical outcomes (e.g. sensitivity and specificity) to measure exposure and potential immune response with SARS CoV-2 antibody tests.”
Mr Suresh Vazirani, Chairman & Managing Director, Transasia Bio-Medicals Ltd, said, “We are living through historical times, after a decade from now, these days will seem very significant. There has been a tremendous response from government, private sector as well as entrepreneurs.” He also appreciated the newly launched I-mobile lab, which has been developed indigenously in just one month’s time. The aim of the lab is to cover all 5650 Talukas (each taluka has 200 villages), by launching around 500 mobile labs.

Dr Ravi Gaur, COO, Oncquest Laboratories Ltd. stated that it is important to understand which test- PCR, Lab based Serology or Antigen tests, is relevant at what time, since all tests have a different purpose. It is even more important to understand the specificity and sensitivity of the tests. He highlighted that Lab based Serology, can readily help in expanding the scale of testing immediately, as most of the players in the country have solutions available with them, which need to be utilised.
Mr Narendra Varde, General Manager and Country Head, Abbott Diagnostics India said, “The quality and accuracy of a test is very important along with the specificity and sensitivity of the test”. He also highlighted the need of a collective efforts of industry, government, and the society in the fight against this pandemic. Mentioning the importance of IgG antibody tests, he stated that it can be used in minimizing the anxiety of the individuals in a containment or hot spot zones.

Mr Vivek Kant Tripathi, Head- Market Access & Institution Business, Biologics, Zydus Group shared his experience of being a pharma company entering into the diagnostic business to help the nation step towards the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ in the fight against the disease. He also talked about the test developed with NIV Pune and how it will also help in understanding the disease pattern and in the development of the vaccine.

Mr Nguyen Manh Minh, Covid19 Project Director of VietA Corp; International Business Director, GS Investment joined the webinar from Vietnam and shared the experience of the south Asian country in containing the spread of the disease using a well-planned strategy of testing.

Express Healthcare |

Public health approach to contain COVID-19 must be implemented by government, civil agencies, communities, concerned stakeholders: Dr VK Paul

Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog recently emphasised that in order to control COVID-19, it is imperative that the public health approach should be implemented effectively on the ground.

Addressing a webinar ‘Public Health For Healthy Life’, organised on the second day of FICCI’s Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020, Dr Paul said, “We must look at the positive stories of COVID control. The public health approach to contain the disease through trace, test, isolate, quarantine and timely referral must be implemented on the ground effectively by the government, civil agencies, communities and all concerned stakeholders.”

Highlighting the role of community participation, Dr Paul said that it can play a major role if we work in an organised way by supporting those who have tested positive and staying isolated. “Young people must be involved in community participation for the containment of COVID-19. The heart of prevention is individual behaviour. We have to look at how we ensure positive behaviour that contains the spread of the virus,” he added.

Emphasising on five pillars for pandemic response, Dr Paul said, “Surveillance, containment and disease control should be the priority. Preparedness on part of hospitals for assured access to ambulance and care is also required. Home care should be reinforced and made more efficient by following prescribed protocols, along with safety of elderly and other people at home. We also need to protect the vulnerable population, people with co-morbidities and improve immunity through our time-tested traditional system of medicine.”

Highlighting the importance of technology and telemedicine, Dr Paul said, “This is a historical time for telemedicine, and we must promote it to keep the doctor-patient relationship and trust intact.” He added that telemedicine will also help us in addressing the non-COVID patients, given the high burden of NCDs and other infectious diseases in the country. He urged FICCI to take the lead in developing a multi-pronged approach to telemedicine, through non-profit partnerships; and to come up with a public campaign to remove any stigma related to COVID-19 and promote mental well-being.

Dr Paul also released the FICCI Recommendations on further Strategy for COVID Containment. These recommendations have emanated from the FICCI Roundtable with leading epidemiologists, public health experts and members from healthcare industry that was organised virtually to deliberate on the future strategy for COVID containment earlier this month.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said that India is in the middle of fighting this battle, but we should also congratulate ourselves, government, public health response system, and all other agencies for the tremendous efforts and positive response in managing the crisis. “Our death rates are lower, and the lockdown bought us time for preparing to ramp up our capacities. We stayed connected with the medicine and the world to fight this crisis,” added Dr Reddy.

Ashok Kakkar, Chair, FICCI Swasth Bharat Task Force & Sr MD, Varian Medical Systems International India said, “Role and responsibility of individuals and community cannot be undermined in the current COVID scenario. We all need to realise that the responsibility of our health lies in our hands, and should work towards the key behavioural changes for maintaining hygiene, health and fitness to tackle the virus.”

Dr Amarjeet Singh, Professor & Head- Dept of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh; Dr Samir Parikh, Consultant Psychiatrist, Director-Dept of Mental Health & Behavioural Sciences, Fortis National Mental Health Programme, Fortis Healthcare; Dr Suneela Garg, National President Elect – IAPSM, Director Professor HAG, Ex Head (CM) Sub Dean, MAMC & Head Community Medicine, FMS; Dr Subodh Gupta, Professor & HOD- Community Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sewagram India also shared their perspectives on various aspects like health promotion, mental well-being, issues of stigma, gender and differently-abled, during the panel discussion. A COVID self-assessment and action tool, for community preparedness and empowerment, that has been approved by NITI Aayog for six lakh panchayats was also shared in the panel discussion.

Pharma Biz |

Need for effective public health approach on the ground to control COVID-19: Dr V K Paul

Addressing a webinar ‘Public Health For Healthy Life’, organised on the second day of FICCI’s Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020, Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog emphasized that in order to control COVID-19, it is imperative that the public health approach should be implemented effectively on the ground.

Dr Paul said, “We must look at the positive stories of COVID- 19 control. The public health approach to contain the disease through trace, test, isolate, quarantine and timely referral must be implemented on the ground effectively by the government, civil agencies, communities and all concerned stakeholders.”

Highlighting the role of community participation, Dr Paul said that it can play a major role if we work in an organized way by supporting those who have tested positive and staying isolated. “Young people must be involved in community participation for the containment of COVID-19. The heart of prevention is individual behaviour. We have to look at how we ensure positive behaviour that contains the spread of the virus,” he added.

Emphasising on five pillars for pandemic response, Dr Paul said, “Surveillance, containment and disease control should be the priority. Preparedness on part of hospitals for assured access to ambulance and care is also required. Home care should be reinforced and made more efficient by following prescribed protocols, along with safety of elderly and other people at home. We also need to protect the vulnerable population, people with co-morbidities and improve immunity through our time-tested traditional system of medicine.”

Highlighting the importance of technology and Telemedicine, Dr Paul said “This is a historical time for telemedicine, and we must promote it to keep the doctor-patient relationship and trust intact,” he added, telemedicine will also help us in addressing the non-COVID patients, given the high burden of NCDs and other infectious diseases in the country.

He urged FICCI to take the lead in developing a multipronged approach to telemedicine, through non-profit partnerships; and to come up with a public campaign to remove any stigma related to COVID-19 and promote mental well-being.

Dr Paul also released the FICCI Recommendations on further Strategy for COVID Containment. These recommendations have emanated from the FICCI Roundtable with leading epidemiologists, public health experts and members from healthcare industry that was organised virtually to deliberate on the future strategy for COVID containment earlier this month.

Dr Sangita Reddy, president, FICCI said that India is in the middle of fighting this battle, but we should also congratulate ourselves, government, public health response system, and all other agencies for the tremendous efforts and positive response in managing the crisis.

“Our death rates are lower and the lockdown bought us time for preparing to ramp up our capacities. We stayed connected with the medicine and the world to fight this crisis.”

Ashok Kakkar, Chair, FICCI Swasth Bharat Task Force & Senior MD, Varian Medical Systems International India Pvt. Ltd said, “Role and responsibility of individuals and community cannot be undermined in the current COVID scenario. We all need to realize that the responsibility of our health lies in our hands, and should work towards the key behavioral changes for maintaining hygiene, health and fitness to tackle the virus.”

Dr Amarjeet Singh, Professor and Head- Dept. of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh; Dr Samir Parikh, Consultant Psychiatrist, Director-Dept. of Mental Health & Behavioral Sciences, Fortis National Mental Health Program, Fortis Healthcare; Dr Suneela Garg, National President Elect – IAPSM, Director Professor HAG, Ex Head (CM) Sub Dean, MAMC & Head Community Medicine, FMS; Dr Subodh Gupta, Professor & HOD- Community Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sewagram India also shared their perspectives on various aspects like health promotion, mental well-being, issues of stigma, gender and differently-abled, during the panel discussion. A COVID self-assessment and action tool, for community preparedness and empowerment, that has been approved by NITI Aayog for 6 lakh panchayats was also shared in the panel discussion.

North East Today |

Declare Covid-19 notifiable disease, demands FICCI

Industry body FICCI has suggested that Covid-19 should be declared a notifiable disease and the focus should now be shifted to ‘controlled transmission’ with the objective to flatten the curve.

In a report titled Strategy for Covid Containment, FICCI said that there is need to reimagine the public health preparedness to appropriately address the infectious disease outbreaks.

A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities.

The report pointed out that there is an urgent need to build capacities of healthcare workers at all levels to combat the pandemic in an appropriate way.

“Covid-19 should be declared a notifiable disease … the focus should now be shifted to ‘controlled transmission’ with the objective to flatten the curve,” the report suggested.
It also said there is a need to decentralize the healthcare system with focus on primary healthcare.

According to the report, public health experts need to be an integral part of planning and a dedicated cadre of public health specialist should be created immediately.

Frontline workers should be adequately trained on the use of appropriate PPE according to the job- whether it is surveillance or caring of the Covid patients in healthcare facilities, the report said adding that testing needs to be ramped up, especially in most affected states.

The report also pointed out that sufficient number of oxygen concentrators need to be made available across the country to reduce the number of needless deaths.

Till date, 14,011 people have died in India due to the viral infection with the total case load rising to 4,40,215. India is in the eighth position in the global death count of 472,541. The US accounts for the highest number of deaths totalling 120,402.

Selfie Reporter |

Declare Covid-19 notifiable disease, demands FICCI

Industry body FICCI has suggested that Covid-19 should be declared a notifiable disease and the focus should now be shifted to ‘controlled transmission’ with the objective to flatten the curve.

In a report titled Strategy for Covid Containment, FICCI said that there is need to reimagine the public health preparedness to appropriately address the infectious disease outbreaks.

A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities.

The report pointed out that there is an urgent need to build capacities of healthcare workers at all levels to combat the pandemic in an appropriate way.

“Covid-19 should be declared a notifiable disease … the focus should now be shifted to ‘controlled transmission’ with the objective to flatten the curve,” the report suggested.
It also said there is a need to decentralize the healthcare system with focus on primary healthcare.

According to the report, public health experts need to be an integral part of planning and a dedicated cadre of public health specialist should be created immediately.

Frontline workers should be adequately trained on the use of appropriate PPE according to the job- whether it is surveillance or caring of the Covid patients in healthcare facilities, the report said adding that testing needs to be ramped up, especially in most affected states.

The report also pointed out that sufficient number of oxygen concentrators need to be made available across the country to reduce the number of needless deaths.

Till date, 14,011 people have died in India due to the viral infection with the total case load rising to 4,40,215. India is in the eighth position in the global death count of 472,541. The US accounts for the highest number of deaths totalling 120,402.

4Ps News |

Need for effective public health approach on the ground to control COVID-19, says Dr V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog

Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog today emphasized that in order to control COVID-19, it is imperative that the public health approach should be implemented effectively on the ground.

Addressing a webinar ‘Public Health For Healthy Life’, organised on the second day of FICCI’s Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020, Dr Paul said, “We must look at the positive stories of COVID control. The public health approach to contain the disease through trace, test, isolate, quarantine and timely referral must be implemented on the ground effectively by the government, civil agencies, communities and all concerned stakeholders.”

Highlighting the role of community participation, Dr Paul said that it can play a major role if we work in an organized way by supporting those who have tested positive and staying isolated. “Young people must be involved in community participation for the containment of COVID-19. The heart of prevention is individual behaviour. We have to look at how we ensure positive behaviour that contains the spread of the virus,” he added.

Emphasising on five pillars for pandemic response, Dr Paul said, “Surveillance, containment and disease control should be the priority. Preparedness on part of hospitals for assured access to ambulance and care is also required. Home care should be reinforced and made more efficient by following prescribed protocols, along with the safety of the elderly and other people at home. We also need to protect the vulnerable population, people with co-morbidities and improve immunity through our time-tested traditional system of medicine.”

Highlighting the importance of technology and Telemedicine, Dr Paul said “This is a historical time for telemedicine and we must promote it to keep the doctor-patient relationship and trust intact,” He added, telemedicine will also help us in addressing the non-COVID patients, given the high burden of NCDs and other infectious diseases in the country. He urged FICCI to take the lead in developing a multipronged approach to telemedicine, through non-profit partnerships; and to come up with a public campaign to remove any stigma related to COVID-19 and promote mental well-being.

Dr Paul also released the FICCI Recommendations on further Strategy for COVID Containment. These recommendations have emanated from the FICCI Roundtable with leading epidemiologists, public health experts and members from the healthcare industry that was organised virtually to deliberate on the future strategy for COVID containment earlier this month.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said that India is in the middle of fighting this battle, but we should also congratulate ourselves, government, public health response system, and all other agencies for the tremendous efforts and positive response in managing the crisis. “Our death rates are lower, and the lockdown bought us time for preparing to ramp up our capacities. We stayed connected with medicine and the world to fight this crisis.”

Mr Ashok Kakkar, Chair, FICCI Swasth Bharat Task Force & Sr. MD, Varian Medical Systems International India Pvt. Ltd said, “Role and responsibility of individuals and community cannot be undermined in the current COVID scenario. We all need to realize that the responsibility of our health lies in our hands, and should work towards the key behavioral changes for maintaining hygiene, health and fitness to tackle the virus.”

Dr Amarjeet Singh, Professor & Head- Dept. of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh; Dr Samir Parikh, Consultant Psychiatrist, Director-Dept. of Mental Health & Behavioral Sciences, Fortis National Mental Health Program, Fortis Healthcare; Dr Suneela Garg, National President-Elect – IAPSM, Director Professor HAG, Ex-Head (CM) Sub Dean, MAMC & Head Community Medicine, FMS; Dr Subodh Gupta, Professor & HOD- Community Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sewagram India also shared their perspectives on various aspects like health promotion, mental well-being, issues of stigma, gender and differently-abled, during the panel discussion. A COVID self-assessment and action tool, for community preparedness and empowerment, that has been approved by NITI Aayog for 6 lakh panchayats was also shared in the panel discussion.

Key recommendations FICCI Recommendations on ‘Strategy for COVID Containment’ released during the webinar include:
  • Preparedness of the Healthcare System
  • Strategy for controlled transmission and extensive data interpretation
  • Capacity Building
  • Community empowerment
  • Increased Testing
  • Quality Quarantine
  • Treatment

Bio Voice News |

Need for effective public health approach to control COVID-19: Dr V K Paul

Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog has emphasized that in order to control COVID-19, it is imperative that the public health approach should be implemented effectively on the ground.

Addressing a webinar ‘Public Health For Healthy Life’, organized on the second day of FICCI’s Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020, Dr Paul said, “We must look at the positive stories of COVID control. The public health approach to contain the disease through trace, test, isolate, quarantine and timely referral must be implemented on the ground effectively by the government, civil agencies, communities and all concerned stakeholders.”

Highlighting the role of community participation, Dr Paul said that it can play a major role if we work in an organized way by supporting those who have tested positive and staying isolated. “Young people must be involved in community participation for the containment of COVID-19. The heart of prevention is individual behavior. We have to look at how we ensure positive behavior that contains the spread of the virus,” he added.

Emphasizing on five pillars for pandemic response, Dr Paul said, “Surveillance, containment and disease control should be the priority. Preparedness on part of hospitals for assured access to ambulance and care is also required. Home care should be reinforced and made more efficient by following prescribed protocols, along with safety of elderly and other people at home. We also need to protect the vulnerable population, people with co-morbidities and improve immunity through our time-tested traditional system of medicine.”

Highlighting the importance of technology and Telemedicine, Dr Paul said “This is a historical time for telemedicine, and we must promote it to keep the doctor-patient relationship and trust intact,” He added, telemedicine will also help us in addressing the non-COVID patients, given the high burden of NCDs and other infectious diseases in the country. He urged FICCI to take the lead in developing a multipronged approach to telemedicine, through non-profit partnerships; and to come up with a public campaign to remove any stigma related to COVID-19 and promote mental well-being.

Dr Paul also released the FICCI Recommendations on further Strategy for COVID Containment. These recommendations have emanated from the FICCI Roundtable with leading epidemiologists, public health experts and members from healthcare industry that was organized virtually to deliberate on the future strategy for COVID containment earlier this month.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said that India is in the middle of fighting this battle, but we should also congratulate ourselves, government, public health response system, and all other agencies for the tremendous efforts and positive response in managing the crisis. “Our death rates are lower, and the lockdown bought us time for preparing to ramp up our capacities. We stayed connected with the medicine and the world to fight this crisis.”

Mr Ashok Kakkar, Chair, FICCI Swasth Bharat Task Force & Sr. MD, Varian Medical Systems International India Pvt. Ltd said, “Role and responsibility of individuals and community cannot be undermined in the current COVID scenario. We all need to realize that the responsibility of our health lies in our hands, and should work towards the key behavioral changes for maintaining hygiene, health and fitness to tackle the virus.”

Dr Amarjeet Singh, Professor & Head- Dept. of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh; Dr Samir Parikh, Consultant Psychiatrist, Director-Dept. of Mental Health & Behavioral Sciences, Fortis National Mental Health Program, Fortis Healthcare; Dr Suneela Garg, National President Elect – IAPSM,
Director Professor HAG, Ex Head (CM) Sub Dean, MAMC & Head Community Medicine, FMS; Dr Subodh Gupta, Professor & HOD- Community Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sewagram India also shared their perspectives on various aspects like health promotion, mental well-being, issues of stigma, gender and differently-abled, during the panel discussion. A COVID self-assessment and action tool, for community preparedness and empowerment, that has been approved by NITI Aayog for 6 lakh panchayats was also shared in the panel discussion.

Daily Hunt |

FICCI suggests covid-19 to be notified disease

Industry organization FICCI has suggested that Kovid-19 should be declared a notified disease and now the focus should be on controlling infections and reducing these cases. Notified disease is a disease about which information is mandatory under the law.

FICCI said in a report called 'Covid Containment' that public health preparedness should be reshaped to combat the outbreak of this infectious disease. The report noted that there is an urgent need to enable health workers at all levels to counter the epidemic in a fair manner. The industry body has emphasized decentralization of healthcare facilities and special focus on primary health services.

Olympic Channel |

PV Sindhu's clear message: Play sports and stay fit to fight Covid

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu encouraged people to use their time in lockdown wisely and take up some form of physical activity or play some sport to combat the threat of diseases.

“Being physically active helps us stay fit and healthy. Regular exercise can help you reduce serious health issues and also helps with weight management,” PV Sindhu stated at the ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020’ organized by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).

“A healthy lifestyle should be the dream of each individual as it could be a great source of peace and happiness. For me, health is the complete state of physical, mental and social well-being.”

‘Sports can beat the pandemic’

The Indian badminton star also felt the role of physical activity and sports was heightened during these testing times of the coronavirus pandemic.

“COVID-19 is the greatest challenge in front of us as it has robbed us of social, physical, educational and health benefits. It is important to understand the role of sports in the midst of a global crisis,” opined PV Sindhu.

And with no vaccine developed as yet to combat the pandemic, the Indian badminton star advised people to do the next best thing and follow the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines.

“The WHO recommends adults should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week... it is more relevant during this pandemic,” the 24-year-old stated.

“It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sportsperson, I can say just 45 mins of exercise is important for everyone.”

The Rio 2016 silver medallist had taken part in a live workout session on the Olympics’ Instagram channel on the occasion of Olympic Day on Tuesday

PV Sindhu had talked about the importance of keeping the mind occupied by taking up new things during the lockdown and also encouraged people to take up meditation as a way of keeping the mind calm.

The Arunachal Times |

Sports can help win battle against COVID-19 pandemic: Sindhu

Asserting that sports can help win the battle against coronavirus pandemic in the absence of a vaccine, Olympic and World Championships silver medallist shuttler P V Sindhu on Monday urged everyone to make physical activity an integral part of their lives.

The virus has infected over 8.5 million people globally with more than 450,000 people losing their lives.

“Sports and other physical activities are very important to maintain a strong immune system and since there are yet no vaccine or treatment, sports can help win this battle,” Sindhu said during the inauguration of ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020’, a virtual exhibition and conference organised by FICCI from June 22-26.

In India, the count of infected has crossed 4.25 lakh and nearly 13,700 people have died.
Sindhu, a front-runner to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics, said it is important to follow the recommendations of the World health Organisation (WHO) and spend some time for physical activity.

“The WHO recommends adult should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to combat threat of heart disease, diabetics, high blood pressure, cancer and depression and it is more relevant during this pandemic,” she said.

“It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sports person, I can say just 45 mins of exercise is important for everyone.”

Top Indian shuttlers, including Sindhu, have been confined to their homes for more than three months due to the lockdown, enforced to contain the spread of the disease.

While a few sports persons have resumed training in some parts of the country, Hyderabad-based shuttlers are waiting for the Talengana government to lift the lockdown in the state.

Eduindex News |

Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurates India's one of India's largest & first Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020

Union State Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya today inaugurated one of India’s largest and first Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene EXPO 2020.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that an ecosystem is being built for a self-reliant India, which will help in ramping up domestic production in Pharmaceutical, Health and Hygiene Sector.

Health, Hygiene and Sanitation, Medical textiles and Devices, AYUSH and Wellness sectors have assumed greater significance in the nation’s fight against the COVID 19 pandemic.

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted various initiatives announced for boosting the health and hygiene sector in the country by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since last 6 years. He underlined schemes such as providing toilets for every household, Ayushman Bharat , to cover 10 crore family for healthcare, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and Suvidha Sanitary Napkin under which a sanitary napkin is provided for just 1 rupees each.

The minister also mentioned the remarkable contribution of the Jan Aushadhi stores which are providing quality medicines at affordable price for everyone.

The unique exhibition which aims to give a boost to such health and hygiene endeavours has been organised by FICCI and will culminate after five days on Friday.

Mr. Mandaviya also spoke about the recent policy announcement of government giving incentives for setting up of Bulk Drug Parks and Medical Device Parks in the country which will act as a cog in the wheel of Atmanirbharat Abhiyan.

Daily Excelsior |

Sports can help win battle against COVID-19 pandemic: Sindhu

Asserting that sports can help win the battle against coronavirus pandemic in the absence of a vaccine, Olympic and World Championships silver medallist shuttler P V Sindhu on Monday urged everyone to make physical activity an integral part of their lives.

The virus has infected over 8.5 million people globally with more than 450,000 people losing their lives.

“Sports and other physical activities are very important to maintain a strong immune system and since there are yet no vaccine or treatment, sports can help win this battle,” Sindhu said during the inauguration of ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020’, a virtual exhibition and conference organised by FICCI from June 22-26.

In India, the count of infected has crossed 4.25 lakh and nearly 13,700 people have died.

Sindhu, a front-runner to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics, said it is important to follow the recommendations of the World health Organisation (WHO) and spend some time for physical activity.

“The WHO recommends adult should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to combat threat of heart disease, diabetics, high blood pressure, cancer and depression and it is more relevant during this pandemic,” she said.

“It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sports person, I can say just 45 mins of exercise is important for everyone.”

Top Indian shuttlers, including Sindhu, have been confined to their homes for more than three months due to the lockdown, enforced to contain the spread of the disease.

While a few sports persons have resumed training in some parts of the country, Hyderabad-based shuttlers are waiting for the Talengana government to lift the lockdown in the state.

Bio Voice News |

India’s 1st 5 day long 'Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020' begins online

The Minister of State for Shipping (Independent charge) and Chemicals and Fertilizers, Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated India’s one the largest 1st Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020. The Expo has been organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

The event was inaugurated virtually which will be live daily from 22nd to 26th June, 2020. Mr Anurag Sharma, M.P., Jhansi and Chairman, FICCI, AYUSH Committee, Dr. Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, Ms. P.V. Sindhu, eminent sports personality, Mr Badhri Iyengar, Chairman, FICCI Medical Devices Forum and other representatives from the industries attended the Virtual EXPO.

This is the first-ever largest virtual exhibition in India marks a new beginning, paving the way for a new norm, wherein a business will happen virtually as Digital India is now making a way forward.

Speaking at the Inauguration, Minister said that an ecosystem is being built for a self-reliant India, which will help in ramping up domestic production in Pharmaceutical Sector and Health & Hygiene Sector. Health, Hygiene & Sanitation, Medical Textiles & Devices, AYUSH and Wellness sector assume greater significance in our resolute fight against the COVID 19 pandemic. He highlighted various initiatives announced in this direction by the Honourable PM since 2014 such as providing toilets for every household, “Ayushman Bharat” to cover 10 crore family for healthcare, “Swatch Bharat Abhiyan”, “Suvidha Sanitary” Napkin etc.. He also spoke about Jan Aushadhi stores which are providing quality medicines at affordable price for everyone. Mandaviya elaborated how all these initiatives became possible due to firm vision of Narendra Modi Government.

The Minister emphasized the importance of better Women Health which he said is an area where we all should focus and work upon. He gave the example of “Suvidha Sanitary” Napkin sold in Jan Aushadhi Stores at Rs.1/- per pad. Such initiatives are unique way of ensuring health hygiene of womenfolk of the country. He agreed with Ms P V Sindhu that Fitness and Hygiene are integral part of Healthcare sector. “One has to be physically fit and manage exercise routine to keep one healthy,” he added.

Mr Mandaviya also spoke about the recent policy announcement of Government giving incentives for setting up of Bulk Drug Park and Medical Device Park in India. He said that Government is ready to help the Private Sector if they want to set up such parks in India by equity participation. He explained how such announcements will act as a cog in the wheel of #Atmanirbharat Abhiyan announced by the Prime Minister.

Minister acknowledged the efforts by all citizens and especially praised the frontline workers, the doctors, nurses, police etc. He appreciated and made special acknowledgement to the manufacturing community who rose to the occasion converting challenges into opportunity. From ramping up the health infra, creating beds to manufacturing PPE Kits, Masks, Ventilators and devices. He stated that India Inc. has supported the government shoulder to shoulder.

Mr Mandaviya also spoke about the benefits of AYUSH and how the preparations of AYUSH are immunity booster. “Traditional medicines are playing an important role in supporting the Government’s efforts to tackle the Corona crisis,” he said.

By Scoop |

Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurates First-ever Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020 organised by FICCI

  • The Minister of State for Shipping (Independent charge) and Chemicals & Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the country’s largest and first Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020 on 22nd June 2020.

  • The Expo has been organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), and supported by Ministry of AYUSH, GoI.

  • This is the first of its kind event and largest virtual exhibition in India.

  • The event was inaugurated virtually and will be live daily from 22nd to 26th June, 2020.

  • The expo will witness participation of over 1,000 international buyers from 120 countries with 147 exhibitors.

  • The focus sectors of the exhibition are:

    • AYUSH & Wellness
    • Pharmaceuticals
    • Medical Devices
    • Medical Textile & Consumables
    • Hygiene & Sanitisation

The Hans India |

Sports can help win battle against Covid-19 pandemic: Sindhu

Asserting that sports can help win the battle against coronavirus pandemic in the absence of a vaccine, Olympic and World Championships silver medallist shuttler PV Sindhu on Monday urged everyone to make physical activity an integral part of their lives.

The virus has infected over 8.5 million people globally with more than 450,000 people losing their lives. "Sports and other physical activities are very important to maintain a strong immune system and since there are yet no vaccine or treatment, sports can help win this battle," Sindhu said during the inauguration of 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020', a virtual exhibition and conference organised by FICCI from June 22-26. In India, the count of infected has crossed 4.25 lakh and nearly 13,700 people have died.

Sindhu, a front-runner to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics, said it is important to follow the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and spend some time for physical activity.

"The WHO recommends adult should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to combat threat of heart disease, diabetics, high blood pressure, cancer and depression and it is more relevant during this pandemic," she said.

"It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sports person, I can say just 45 mins of exercise is important for everyone."

Top Indian shuttlers, including Sindhu, have been confined to their homes for more than three months due to the lockdown, enforced to contain the spread of the disease. While a few sportspersons have resumed training in some parts of the country, Hyderabad-based shuttlers are waiting for the Talengana government to lift the lockdown in the state.

The Hindu |

AIIMS set to restart OPD tomorrow

Priority to follow-up patients; limited admissions for new patients

The All India Institute of Medical Science in Delhi is all set to start its outpatient department (OPD) services, which have been shut for three months, from June 25 with priority to follow-up patients.

“AIIMS has approved the resumption of physical appointment for old/follow-up patients. It will be enhanced in a few days. In addition, requisite appointments for a limited number of new patients will also be given. However, no appointments will be given for evening speciality clinics in the first phase of reopening. The order is valid for 15 days after which it will be reviewed,” read a release issued by AIIMS.

The administration added that it will be the prerogative of departments to call patients directly or screen them through teleconsultation before giving a physical appointment. Patients can be given appointments for OPD consultation directly by the department or through computer facility as decided by the department concerned. “However, if appointment is given from the department, the appointment list will have to be intimated to the computer facility and other related departments and personnel at least four hours in advance,” the administration said.

Telemedicine consultation

Between March 25 and June 10, the hospital provided 61,000 telemedicine consultations with almost 50,000 patients falling under emergency/casualty, non-COVID admissions, or for surgeries and special procedures done It added that nearly 1,800 dialysis were done during this period for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.

Meanwhile, V.K. Paul, member (Health), NITI Aayog emphasised that in order to control the pandemic, it is imperative that the public health approach should be implemented effectively on the ground.

He was addressing a webinar ‘Public Health for Healthy Life’, organised on the second day of FICCI’s Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020. He added that public health approach to contain the disease through trace, test, isolate, quarantine and timely referral must be implemented on the ground effectively by the government, civil agencies, communities and stakeholders.

“Surveillance, containment and disease control should be the priority. Preparedness on the part of hospitals for assured access to ambulance and care is also required. Home care should be reinforced and made more efficient by following prescribed protocols, along with the safety of elderly and other people at home. We also need to protect the vulnerable population, people with co-morbidities and improve immunity through our time-tested traditional system of medicine,” said Dr. Paul.

Deccan Herald |

Declare Covid-19 notifiable disease, demands FICCI

Industry body FICCI has suggested that Covid-19 should be declared a notifiable disease and the focus should now be shifted to 'controlled transmission' with the objective to flatten the curve. In a report titled Strategy for Covid Containment, FICCI said that there is need to reimagine the public health preparedness to appropriately address the infectious disease outbreaks.

A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities. The report pointed out that there is an urgent need to build capacities of healthcare workers at all levels to combat the pandemic in an appropriate way. "Covid-19 should be declared a notifiable disease ... the focus should now be shifted to 'controlled transmission' with the objective to flatten the curve," the report suggested. It also said there is a need to decentralize the healthcare system with focus on primary healthcare.

According to the report, public health experts need to be an integral part of planning and a dedicated cadre of public health specialist should be created immediately. Frontline workers should be adequately trained on the use of appropriate PPE according to the job- whether it is surveillance or caring of the Covid patients in healthcare facilities, the report said adding that testing needs to be ramped up, especially in most affected states.

The report also pointed out that the sufficient number of oxygen concentrators need to be made available across the country to reduce the number of needless deaths. Till date, 14,011 people have died in India due to the viral infection with the total case load rising to 4,40,215. India is in the eighth position in the global death count of 472,541. The US accounts for the highest number of deaths totalling 120,402.

Outlook |

Declare COVID-19 notifiable disease, demands FICCI

Industry body FICCI has suggested that COVID-19 should be declared a notifiable disease and the focus should now be shifted to ''controlled transmission'' with the objective to flatten the curve. In a report titled Strategy for COVID Containment, FICCI said that there is need to reimagine the public health preparedness to appropriately address the infectious disease outbreaks. A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities. The report pointed out that there is an urgent need to build capacities of healthcare workers at all levels to combat the pandemic in an appropriate way. "COVID-19 should be declared a notifiable disease ... the focus should now be shifted to ''controlled transmission'' with the objective to flatten the curve," the report suggested. It also said there is a need to decentralize the healthcare system with focus on primary healthcare. According to the report, public health experts need to be an integral part of planning and a dedicated cadre of public health specialist should be created immediately. Frontline workers should be adequately trained on the use of appropriate PPE according to the job- whether it is surveillance or caring of the COVID patients in healthcare facilities, the report said adding that testing needs to be ramped up, especially in most affected states. The report also pointed out that sufficient number of oxygen concentrators need to be made available across the country to reduce the number of needless deaths. Till date, 14,011 people have died in India due to the viral infection with the total case load rising to 4,40,215. India is in the eighth position in the global death count of 472,541. The US accounts for the highest number of deaths totalling 120,402.

India Education Diary |

Need for effective public health approach on the ground to control COVID-19, says Dr V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog

Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog today emphasized that in order to control COVID-19, it is imperative that the public health approach should be implemented effectively on the ground.

Addressing a webinar ‘Public Health For Healthy Life’, organised on the second day of FICCI’s Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020, Dr Paul said, “We must look at the positive stories of COVID control. The public health approach to contain the disease through trace, test, isolate, quarantine and timely referral must be implemented on the ground effectively by the government, civil agencies, communities and all concerned stakeholders.”

Highlighting the role of community participation, Dr Paul said that it can play a major role if we work in an organized way by supporting those who have tested positive and staying isolated. “Young people must be involved in community participation for the containment of COVID-19. The heart of prevention is individual behaviour. We have to look at how we ensure positive behaviour that contains the spread of the virus,” he added.

Emphasising on five pillars for pandemic response, Dr Paul said, “Surveillance, containment and disease control should be the priority. Preparedness on part of hospitals for assured access to ambulance and care is also required. Home care should be reinforced and made more efficient by following prescribed protocols, along with safety of elderly and other people at home. We also need to protect the vulnerable population, people with co-morbidities and improve immunity through our time-tested traditional system of medicine.”
Highlighting the importance of technology and Telemedicine, Dr Paul said “This is a historical time for telemedicine, and we must promote it to keep the doctor-patient relationship and trust intact,” He added, telemedicine will also help us in addressing the non-COVID patients, given the high burden of NCDs and other infectious diseases in the country. He urged FICCI to take the lead in developing a multipronged approach to telemedicine, through non-profit partnerships; and to come up with a public campaign to remove any stigma related to COVID-19 and promote mental well-being.

Dr Paul also released the FICCI Recommendations on further Strategy for COVID Containment. These recommendations have emanated from the FICCI Roundtable with leading epidemiologists, public health experts and members from healthcare industry that was organised virtually to deliberate on the future strategy for COVID containment earlier this month.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said that India is in the middle of fighting this battle, but we should also congratulate ourselves, government, public health response system, and all other agencies for the tremendous efforts and positive response in managing the crisis. “Our death rates are lower, and the lockdown bought us time for preparing to ramp up our capacities. We stayed connected with the medicine and the world to fight this crisis.”

Mr Ashok Kakkar, Chair, FICCI Swasth Bharat Task Force & Sr. MD, Varian Medical Systems International India Pvt. Ltd said, “Role and responsibility of individuals and community cannot be undermined in the current COVID scenario. We all need to realize that the responsibility of our health lies in our hands, and should work towards the key behavioral changes for maintaining hygiene, health and fitness to tackle the virus.”

Dr Amarjeet Singh, Professor & Head- Dept. of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh; Dr Samir Parikh, Consultant Psychiatrist, Director-Dept. of Mental Health & Behavioral Sciences, Fortis National Mental Health Program, Fortis Healthcare; Dr Suneela Garg, National President Elect – IAPSM, Director Professor HAG, Ex Head (CM) Sub Dean, MAMC & Head Community Medicine, FMS; Dr Subodh Gupta, Professor & HOD- Community Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sewagram India also shared their perspectives on various aspects like health promotion, mental well-being, issues of stigma, gender and differently-abled, during the panel discussion. A COVID self-assessment and action tool, for community preparedness and empowerment, that has been approved by NITI Aayog for 6 lakh panchayats was also shared in the panel discussion.

Key recommendations FICCI Recommendations on ‘Strategy for COVID Containment’ released during the webinar include:
  • Preparedness of the Healthcare System
  • Strategy for controlled transmission and extensive data interpretation
  • Capacity Building
  • Community empowerment
  • Increased Testing
  • Quality Quarantine
  • Treatment

Medical Buyer |

Need for effective public health approach, says NITI Aayog

Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog has emphasized that in order to control COVID-19, it is imperative that the public health approach should be implemented effectively on the ground.

Addressing a webinar ‘Public Health For Healthy Life’, organized on the second day of FICCI’s Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020, Dr Paul said, “We must look at the positive stories of COVID control. The public health approach to contain the disease through trace, test, isolate, quarantine and timely referral must be implemented on the ground effectively by the government, civil agencies, communities and all concerned stakeholders.”

Highlighting the role of community participation, Dr Paul said that it can play a major role if we work in an organized way by supporting those who have tested positive and staying isolated. “Young people must be involved in community participation for the containment of COVID-19. The heart of prevention is individual behaviour. We have to look at how we ensure positive behaviour that contains the spread of the virus,” he added.

Emphasising on five pillars for pandemic response, Dr Paul said, “Surveillance, containment and disease control should be the priority. Preparedness on part of hospitals for assured access to ambulance and care is also required. Home care should be reinforced and made more efficient by following prescribed protocols, along with safety of elderly and other people at home. We also need to protect the vulnerable population, people with co-morbidities and improve immunity through our time-tested traditional system of medicine.”

Highlighting the importance of technology and Telemedicine, Dr Paul said “This is a historical time for telemedicine, and we must promote it to keep the doctor-patient relationship and trust intact,” He added, telemedicine will also help us in addressing the non-COVID patients, given the high burden of NCDs and other infectious diseases in the country. He urged FICCI to take the lead in developing a multipronged approach to telemedicine, through non-profit partnerships; and to come up with a public campaign to remove any stigma related to COVID-19 and promote mental well-being.

Dr Paul also released the FICCI Recommendations on further Strategy for COVID Containment. These recommendations have emanated from the FICCI Roundtable with leading epidemiologists, public health experts and members from healthcare industry that was organised virtually to deliberate on the future strategy for COVID containment earlier this month.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said that India is in the middle of fighting this battle, but we should also congratulate ourselves, government, public health response system, and all other agencies for the tremendous efforts and positive response in managing the crisis. “Our death rates are lower, and the lockdown bought us time for preparing to ramp up our capacities. We stayed connected with the medicine and the world to fight this crisis.”

Ashok Kakkar, Chair, FICCI Swasth Bharat Task Force & Sr. MD, Varian Medical Systems International India Pvt. Ltd said, “Role and responsibility of individuals and community cannot be undermined in the current COVID scenario. We all need to realize that the responsibility of our health lies in our hands, and should work towards the key behavioral changes for maintaining hygiene, health and fitness to tackle the virus.”

Dr Amarjeet Singh, Professor & Head- Dept. of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh; Dr Samir Parikh, Consultant Psychiatrist, Director-Dept. of Mental Health & Behavioral Sciences, Fortis National Mental Health Program, Fortis Healthcare; Dr Suneela Garg, National President Elect – IAPSM, Director Professor HAG, Ex Head (CM) Sub Dean, MAMC & Head Community Medicine, FMS; Dr Subodh Gupta, Professor & HOD- Community Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sewagram India also shared their perspectives on various aspects like health promotion, mental well-being, issues of stigma, gender and differently-abled, during the panel discussion. A COVID self-assessment and action tool, for community preparedness and empowerment, that has been approved by NITI Aayog for 6 lakh panchayats was also shared in the panel discussion.

FICCI Recommendations on ‘Strategy for COVID Containment’ released during the webinar.

The Truth One |

Need for effective public health approach on the ground to control COVID-19, says Dr V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog

Member (Health), NITI Aayog today emphasized that in order to control COVID-19, it is imperative that the public health approach should be implemented effectively on the ground.

Addressing a webinar ‘Public Health For Healthy Life’, organized on the second day of FICCI’s Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020, Dr. Paul said, “We must look at the positive stories of COVID control. The public health approach to contain the disease through trace, test, isolate, quarantine and timely referral must be implemented on the ground effectively by the government, civil agencies, communities, and all concerned stakeholders.”

Highlighting the role of community participation, Dr. Paul said that it can play a major role if we work in an organized way by supporting those who have tested positive and staying isolated. “Young people must be involved in community participation for the containment of COVID-19. The heart of prevention is individual behavior. We have to look at how we ensure positive behavior that contains the spread of the virus,” he added.

Emphasizing on five pillars for pandemic response, Dr. Paul said, “Surveillance, containment and disease control should be the priority. Preparedness on part of hospitals for assured access to ambulance and care is also required. Home care should be reinforced and made more efficient by following prescribed protocols, along with the safety of the elderly and other people at home. We also need to protect the vulnerable population, people with co-morbidities, and improve immunity through our time-tested traditional system of medicine.”

Highlighting the importance of technology and Telemedicine, Dr. Paul said “This is a historical time for telemedicine, and we must promote it to keep the doctor-patient relationship and trust intact,” He added, telemedicine will also help us in addressing the non-COVID patients, given the high burden of NCDs and other infectious diseases in the country. He urged FICCI to take the lead in developing a multipronged approach to telemedicine, through non-profit partnerships; and to come up with a public campaign to remove any stigma related to COVID-19 and promote mental well-being.

Dr. Paul also released the FICCI Recommendations on further Strategy for COVID Containment. These recommendations have emanated from the FICCI Roundtable with leading epidemiologists, public health experts, and members from the healthcare industry that was organized virtually to deliberate on the future strategy for COVID containment earlier this month.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said that India is in the middle of fighting this battle, but we should also congratulate ourselves, government, public health response system, and all other agencies for the tremendous efforts and positive response in managing the crisis. “Our death rates are lower, and the lockdown bought us time for preparing to ramp up our capacities. We stayed connected with medicine and the world to fight this crisis.”

Mr. Ashok Kakkar, Chair, FICCI Swasth Bharat Task Force & Sr. MD, Varian Medical Systems International India Pvt. Ltd said, “Role and responsibility of individuals and community cannot be undermined in the current COVID scenario. We all need to realize that the responsibility of our health lies in our hands, and should work towards the key behavioral changes for maintaining hygiene, health, and fitness to tackle the virus.”

Dr. Amarjeet Singh, Professor & Head- Dept. of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh; Dr. Samir Parikh, Consultant Psychiatrist, Director-Dept. of Mental Health &Behavioral Sciences, Fortis National Mental Health Program, Fortis Healthcare; Dr. Suneela Garg, National President-Elect – IAPSM, Director Professor HAG, Ex-Head (CM) Sub Dean, MAMC & Head Community Medicine, FMS; Dr. Subodh Gupta, Professor & HOD- Community Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sewagram India also shared their perspectives on various aspects like health promotion, mental well-being, issues of stigma, gender and differently-abled, during the panel discussion. A COVID self-assessment and action tool, for community preparedness and empowerment, that has been approved by NITI Aayog for 6 lakh panchayats was also shared in the panel discussion.

Key recommendations FICCI Recommendations on ‘Strategy for COVID Containment’ released during the webinar include:
  • Preparedness of the Healthcare System
  • Strategy for controlled transmission and extensive data interpretation
  • Capacity Building
  • Community empowerment
  • Increased Testing
  • Quality Quarantine
  • Treatment

Devdiscourse |

Declare COVID-19 notifiable disease, demands FICCI

Industry body FICCI has suggested that COVID-19 should be declared a notifiable disease and the focus should now be shifted to 'controlled transmission' with the objective to flatten the curve. the focus should now be shifted to 'controlled transmission' with the objective to flatten the curve," the report suggested. It also said there is a need to decentralize the healthcare system with focus on primary healthcare.

Industry body FICCI has suggested that COVID-19 should be declared a notifiable disease and the focus should now be shifted to 'controlled transmission' with the objective to flatten the curve. In a report titled Strategy for COVID Containment, FICCI said that there is need to reimagine the public health preparedness to appropriately address the infectious disease outbreaks. A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities.

The report pointed out that there is an urgent need to build capacities of healthcare workers at all levels to combat the pandemic in an appropriate way. "COVID-19 should be declared a notifiable disease ... the focus should now be shifted to 'controlled transmission' with the objective to flatten the curve," the report suggested.

It also said there is a need to decentralize the healthcare system with focus on primary healthcare. According to the report, public health experts need to be an integral part of planning and a dedicated cadre of public health specialist should be created immediately.

Frontline workers should be adequately trained on the use of appropriate PPE according to the job- whether it is surveillance or caring of the COVID patients in healthcare facilities, the report said adding that testing needs to be ramped up, especially in most affected states. The report also pointed out that sufficient number of oxygen concentrators need to be made available across the country to reduce the number of needless deaths. Till date, 14,011 people have died in India due to the viral infection with the total case load rising to 4,40,215. India is in the eighth position in the global death count of 472,541. The US accounts for the highest number of deaths totalling 120,402.

Daily Hunt |

Need for effective public health approach on the ground to control COVID-19, says Dr V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog

Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog today emphasized that in order to control COVID-19, it is imperative that the public health approach should be implemented effectively on the ground.

Addressing a webinar 'Public Health For Healthy Life', organised on the second day of FICCI's Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020, Dr Paul said, 'We must look at the positive stories of COVID control. The public health approach to contain the disease through trace, test, isolate, quarantine and timely referral must be implemented on the ground effectively by the government, civil agencies, communities and all concerned stakeholders.'

Highlighting the role of community participation, Dr Paul said that it can play a major role if we work in an organized way by supporting those who have tested positive and staying isolated. 'Young people must be involved in community participation for the containment of COVID-19. The heart of prevention is individual behaviour. We have to look at how we ensure positive behaviour that contains the spread of the virus,' he added.

Emphasising on five pillars for pandemic response, Dr Paul said, 'Surveillance, containment and disease control should be the priority. Preparedness on part of hospitals for assured access to ambulance and care is also required. Home care should be reinforced and made more efficient by following prescribed protocols, along with safety of elderly and other people at home. We also need to protect the vulnerable population, people with co-morbidities and improve immunity through our time-tested traditional system of medicine.'

Highlighting the importance of technology and Telemedicine, Dr Paul said 'This is a historical time for telemedicine, and we must promote it to keep the doctor-patient relationship and trust intact,' He added, telemedicine will also help us in addressing the non-COVID patients, given the high burden of NCDs and other infectious diseases in the country. He urged FICCI to take the lead in developing a multipronged approach to telemedicine, through non-profit partnerships; and to come up with a public campaign to remove any stigma related to COVID-19 and promote mental well-being.

Dr Paul also released the FICCI Recommendations on further Strategy for COVID Containment. These recommendations have emanated from the FICCI Roundtable with leading epidemiologists, public health experts and members from healthcare industry that was organised virtually to deliberate on the future strategy for COVID containment earlier this month.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said that India is in the middle of fighting this battle, but we should also congratulate ourselves, government, public health response system, and all other agencies for the tremendous efforts and positive response in managing the crisis. 'Our death rates are lower, and the lockdown bought us time for preparing to ramp up our capacities. We stayed connected with the medicine and the world to fight this crisis.'

Mr Ashok Kakkar, Chair, FICCI Swasth Bharat Task Force & Sr. MD, Varian Medical Systems International India Pvt. Ltd said, 'Role and responsibility of individuals and community cannot be undermined in the current COVID scenario. We all need to realize that the responsibility of our health lies in our hands, and should work towards the key behavioral changes for maintaining hygiene, health and fitness to tackle the virus.'

Dr Amarjeet Singh, Professor & Head- Dept. of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh; Dr Samir Parikh, Consultant Psychiatrist, Director-Dept. of Mental Health &Behavioral Sciences, Fortis National Mental Health Program, Fortis Healthcare; Dr Suneela Garg, National President Elect - IAPSM, Director Professor HAG, Ex Head (CM) Sub Dean, MAMC & Head Community Medicine, FMS; Dr Subodh Gupta, Professor & HOD- Community Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sewagram India also shared their perspectives on various aspects like health promotion, mental well-being, issues of stigma, gender and differently-abled, during the panel discussion. A COVID self-assessment and action tool, for community preparedness and empowerment, that has been approved by NITI Aayog for 6 lakh panchayats was also shared in the panel discussion.

Key recommendations FICCI Recommendations on 'Strategy for COVID Containment' released during the webinar include:
  • Preparedness of the Healthcare System
  • Strategy for controlled transmission and extensive data interpretation
  • Capacity Building
  • Community empowerment
  • Increased Testing
  • Quality Quarantine
  • Treatment

News Patrolling |

Need for effective public health approach on the ground to control COVID-19, says Dr V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog

Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog today emphasized that in order to control COVID-19, it is imperative that the public health approach should be implemented effectively on the ground.

Addressing a webinar ‘Public Health For Healthy Life’, organised on the second day of FICCI’s Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo (VHHE) 2020, Dr Paul said, “We must look at the positive stories of COVID control. The public health approach to contain the disease through trace, test, isolate, quarantine and timely referral must be implemented on the ground effectively by the government, civil agencies, communities and all concerned stakeholders.”

Highlighting the role of community participation, Dr Paul said that it can play a major role if we work in an organized way by supporting those who have tested positive and staying isolated. “Young people must be involved in community participation for the containment of COVID-19. The heart of prevention is individual behaviour. We have to look at how we ensure positive behaviour that contains the spread of the virus,” he added.

Emphasising on five pillars for pandemic response, Dr Paul said, “Surveillance, containment and disease control should be the priority. Preparedness on part of hospitals for assured access to ambulance and care is also required. Home care should be reinforced and made more efficient by following prescribed protocols, along with safety of elderly and other people at home. We also need to protect the vulnerable population, people with co-morbidities and improve immunity through our time-tested traditional system of medicine.”

Highlighting the importance of technology and Telemedicine, Dr Paul said “This is a historical time for telemedicine, and we must promote it to keep the doctor-patient relationship and trust intact,” He added, telemedicine will also help us in addressing the non-COVID patients, given the high burden of NCDs and other infectious diseases in the country. He urged FICCI to take the lead in developing a multipronged approach to telemedicine, through non-profit partnerships; and to come up with a public campaign to remove any stigma related to COVID-19 and promote mental well-being.

Dr Paul also released the FICCI Recommendations on further Strategy for COVID Containment. These recommendations have emanated from the FICCI Roundtable with leading epidemiologists, public health experts and members from healthcare industry that was organised virtually to deliberate on the future strategy for COVID containment earlier this month.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said that India is in the middle of fighting this battle, but we should also congratulate ourselves, government, public health response system, and all other agencies for thetremendous efforts and positive response in managing the crisis. “Our death rates are lower, and the lockdown bought us time for preparing to ramp up our capacities. We stayed connected with the medicine and the world to fight this crisis.”

Mr Ashok Kakkar, Chair, FICCI Swasth Bharat Task Force & Sr. MD, Varian Medical Systems International India Pvt. Ltd said, “Role and responsibility of individuals and community cannot be undermined in the current COVID scenario. We all need to realize that the responsibility of our health lies in our hands, and should work towards the key behavioral changes for maintaining hygiene, health and fitness to tackle the virus.”

Dr Amarjeet Singh, Professor & Head- Dept. of Community Medicine & School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh; Dr Samir Parikh, Consultant Psychiatrist, Director-Dept. of Mental Health &Behavioral Sciences, Fortis National Mental Health Program, Fortis Healthcare; Dr Suneela Garg, National President Elect – IAPSM, Director Professor HAG, Ex Head (CM) Sub Dean, MAMC & Head Community Medicine, FMS; Dr Subodh Gupta, Professor & HOD- Community Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sewagram India also shared their perspectiveson various aspects like health promotion, mental well-being, issues ofstigma, gender and differently-abled, during the panel discussion. A COVID self-assessment and action tool, for community preparedness and empowerment, that has been approved by NITI Aayog for 6 lakh panchayats was also shared in the panel discussion.

Key recommendations FICCI Recommendations on ‘Strategy for COVID Containment’ released during the webinarinclude:
  • Preparedness of the Healthcare System
  • Strategy for controlled transmission and extensive data interpretation
  • Capacity Building
  • Community empowerment
  • Increased Testing
  • Quality Quarantine
  • Treatment

ET Government |

eGov push: India’s 1st Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020 launched

In a digital e-governance drive the minister of state for shipping (independent charge) and chemicals and fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday inaugurated India’s 1st Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020.

The Expo organised by FICCI was inaugurated virtually and was attended by Anurag Sharma, MP, Jhansi and chairman, FICCI, AYUSH Committee, Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, ace badminton player PV Sindhu and Badhri Iyengar, chairman, FICCI Medical Devices forum.

This is the first of its kind virtual exhibition in India that puts forth the new norm, wherein business will happen virtually as Digital India is now making a way forward.

Speaking during the launch, the MoS said that an ecosystem is being built for a self-reliant India, which will help in ramping up domestic production in the Pharmaceutical Sector and Health and Hygiene Sector. “Health, hygiene and sanitation, medical textiles and devices, AYUSH and wellness sector assume greater significance in our resolute fight against the Covid-19 pandemic,” Mandaviya said.

According to Mandaviya, various initiatives announced in this direction by the prime minister Narendra Modi since 2014 is in line with the Centre’s long term objective.

“Ayushman Bharat scheme to cover 10 crore family for healthcare, Swatch Bharat Abhiyan, Suvidha Sanitary Napkin are all government’s wellness efforts for a the larger inclusion of the country,” Mandaviya added.

Mandaviya also spoke about Jan Aushadhi stores which were providing quality medicines at affordable prices for everyone while reiterating about the government policy for setting up of Bulk Drug Park and Medical Device Park in India.

Express Pharma |

Industry should come forward to develop Pharma and Medical Devices parks: Mansukh Mandaviya

Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Shipping (IC), Govt of India said that the government is taking measures to ensure that the Indian healthcare sector becomes self-sustained.

Addressing the launch webinar of India’s first virtual exhibition and conference, ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020’ (VHHE), organised by FICCI and supported by Ministry of AYUSH, Govt of India, Mandaviya said, “We are drafting rules to encourage private players to come forward to make pharma and medical devices parks in the country.”

Emphasizing on the need to promote Make in India, Mandaviya said that both Centre and State governments can become partners with initial equity, which they can exit at a later stage, once the project is operational. “Government can facilitate the process as the role of the government is not to run the business,” he said.

Mandaviya further added that Health, Hygiene & Sanitation, Medical Textiles & Devices, AYUSH and Wellness sector have assumed greater significance in our resolute fight against the pandemic. He said, “These segments have become a necessity for our self-protection.”

The Minister also said that India can progress if health and hygiene are also included in the overall economic development plan. “We have to link health, exercise and hygiene as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Health must be linked to the nation’s economic development,” he added.

“The government is aggressively working in the healthcare sector and results have also started coming,” Mandaviya said.

Complimenting FICCI on the 1st of its kind initiative of launching a virtual exhibition and conference, Mandaviya said, “VHHE has shown a new way to not only India but also the world. Using these platforms and technologies will help promote the entire health sector.”

P V Sindhu, India’s frontline Badminton player and eminent sports personality said, “This is an ideal time to try out a new set of activities which can lead to a better lifestyle — regular physical activity works wonders for the immunity. Govt of India is taking all necessary measures to deal with the Corona challenge. Sports helps in creating a strong immune system and it can help combat COVID-19.”

Dr Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “In India today, we can easily perform treatments which can be done in any part of the world. We have a large number of people employed in healthcare. We can double and triple it. India can become a global healthcare destination.”

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “Let us create a self-sufficient India to serve the country, and let us also strengthen our sector so that India can serve the world in healthcare.”

“Virtual Expo is not just transformational, but is also going to become a new norm in the business connectivity,” she added.

Anurag Sharma, Member of Parliament, Chair, FICCI AYUSH Committee and Director, Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan Pvt Ltd said, “We want Ayurveda to get the recognition it deserves and come to the same platform as Allopathic medicines.”

Badhri Iyengar, Chairman, FICCI Medical Devices Committee and Cluster Managing Director (SAARC & ASEAN), Smith & Nephew said that COVID-19 has given us the opportunity to be more creative and innovative. “The sector can also learn from the Indian pharma sector where it has established a name in the world. India’s economic recovery through the medical devices sector will offer high quality and affordable healthcare to all,” he added.

The Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020 (VHHE) from 22-26 June 2020 is expected to witness participation of over 1,000 international buyers from 120 countries with 147 exhibitors. Over 10,000 business visitors are also expected to be part of the five-day exhibition.

The focus sectors of the exhibition are:
  • AYUSH & Wellness
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Medical Devices
  • Medical Textile & Consumables
  • Hygiene & Sanitization
The key components of VHHE include:
  • Dedicated Exhibition display for each of the focus sectors
  • Sector specific webinars
  • Pre-Fixed B2B Meetings
  • Free to attend exhibition for the Visitors,
  • Innovative product display options
  • Participants can interact with buyers from the comfort of their home/office.

Express Healthcare |

Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020 organised by FICCI, supported by Ministry of AYUSH

The expo is expected to witness participation of over 1,000 international buyers from 120 countries with 147 exhibitors

Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilisers and Shipping (IC), Govt of India today said that the government is taking measures to ensure that the Indian healthcare sector becomes self-sustained.

Addressing the launch webinar of India’s first virtual exhibition and conference, ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020’ (VHHE), organised by FICCI and supported by Ministry of AYUSH, Govt of India, Mandaviya said, “We are drafting rules to encourage private players to come forward to make pharma and medical devices parks in the country.”

Emphasising on the need to promote Make in India, Mandaviya said that both Centre and State governments can become partners with initial equity, which they can exit at a later stage, once the project is operational. “Government can facilitate the process as the role of the government is not to run the business,” he said.

Mandaviya further added that Health, Hygiene & Sanitation, Medical Textiles & Devices, AYUSH and Wellness sector have assumed greater significance in our resolute fight against the pandemic. He said, “These segments have become a necessity for our self-protection.”

The Minister also said that India can progress if health and hygiene are also included in the overall economic development plan. “We have to link health, exercise and hygiene as envisaged by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Health must be linked to the nation’s economic development,” he added.

“The government is aggressively working in the healthcare sector and results have also started coming,” Mandaviya said.

Complimenting FICCI on the first of its kind initiative of launching a virtual exhibition and conference, Mandaviya said, “VHHE has shown a new way to not only India but also the world. Using these platforms and technologies will help promote the entire health sector.”

PV Sindhu, Professional Badminton Player, India said, “This is an ideal time to try out a new set of activities which can lead to a better lifestyle — regular physical activity works wonders for the immunity. Govt of India is taking all necessary measures to deal with the Corona challenge. Sports helps in creating a strong immune system and it can help combat COVID-19.”

Dr Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “In India today, we can easily perform treatments which can be done in any part of the world. We have a large number of people employed in healthcare. We can double and triple it. India can become a global healthcare destination.”

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “Let us create a self-sufficient India to serve the country, and let us also strengthen our sector so that India can serve the world in healthcare.”

“Virtual Expo is not just transformational, but is also going to become a new norm in the business connectivity,” she added.

Anurag Sharma, Member of Parliament, Chair, FICCI AYUSH Committee and Director, Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan said, “We want Ayurveda to get the recognition it deserves and come to the same platform as allopathic medicines.”

Badhri Iyengar, Chairman, FICCI Medical Devices Committee and Cluster Managing Director (SAARC & ASEAN), Smith & Nephew said that COVID-19 has given us the opportunity to be more creative and innovative. “The sector can also learn from the Indian pharma sector where it has established a name in the world. India’s economic recovery through the medical devices sector will offer high quality and affordable healthcare to all.”

The Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020 (VHHE) from June 22-26 2020 is expected to witness participation of over 1,000 international buyers from 120 countries with 147 exhibitors. Over 10,000 business visitors are also expected to be part of the five-day exhibition.

The focus sectors of the exhibition are:
  • AYUSH & Wellness
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Medical Devices
  • Medical Textile & Consumables
  • Hygiene & Sanitisation
The key components of VHHE include:
  • Dedicated exhibition display for each of the focus sectors
  • Sector specific webinars
  • Pre-fixed B2B meetings
  • Free to attend exhibition for the visitors,
  • Innovative product display options
  • Participants can interact with buyers from the comfort of their home / office.

Vietnam Plus |

Vietnamese firms, hospitals joins India's first virtual healthcare fair

About 15 Vietnamese firms are joining the Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020, which is being held from June 22 to 26 by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau said that the event will mark the start of a new trend on trade promotion in the coming time. Virtual fairs offer the best way for Vietnamese businesses to approach global partners at a low cost amid the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

On showcase are products, services, technologies and equipment in traditional medicine, functional foods, healthcare products, cosmetics and pharmacy, among others.

Vietnamese doctors of Military Hospitals 175 and 108 are also participating in the event to study new technologies and treatment methods.

According to organisers, this is the first virtual fair that has been organised in India. It draws the participation of 150 firms, hospitals and healthcare centres of host India and other countries.

Thousands of visitors from India and 120 countries and territories have registered to join and seek customers through the event, which is open round the clock and can be accessed anywhere in the world.

Webinars and business to business (B2B) meetings will also be held between Indian experts, researchers, firms and international partners to share information, experience and look for new cooperation chances.

The Times of India |

Sindhu stresses on importance of maintaining healthy lifestyle

PV Sindhu on Monday stressed on the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

While she felt that sports can help combat the virus infection, the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist also highlighted the general benefits of exercising daily as it helps reduce the chances of health issues like type-2 diabetes and heart disease.

"A healthy lifestyle should be the dream of each individual as it could be a great source of peace and happiness. For me, health is the complete state of physical, mental and social well-being. Being physically active helps us to stay fit and healthy. Even as we try to exercise while maintaining social distancing during the pandemic, staying fit is of utmost importance. Regular exercise can help you reduce serious health issues like type-2 diabetes, heart diseases and stroke. It also helps with weight management," Sindhu said during the inauguration of 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020', a virtual exhibition and conference organised by FICCI from June 22-26.

Sindhu feels that physical activity helps in building a strong immune system.

"The Covid-19 is the greatest challenge in front of us right now as it has robbed us of social, physical, educational and health benefits. It is important to understand the role of sports in the midst of a global crisis. There is an overwhelming evidence of positive effects of sports and physical activity. There is a clear consensus that regular physical activity is recommended for a healthy lifestyle. Sports helps in maintaining a strong immune system and doctors say that people with strong natural defence system have better chance of developing only mild symptoms if they contract the virus," the 24-year-old said.

Hindustan Times |

Sports can help win battle against Covid-19 pandemic: Sindhu

Asserting that sports can help win the battle against coronavirus pandemic in the absence of a vaccine, Olympic and World Championships silver medallist shuttler P V Sindhu on Monday urged everyone to make physical activity an integral part of their lives.

The virus has infected over 8.5 million people globally with more than 450,000 people losing their lives. “Sports and other physical activities are very important to maintain a strong immune system and since there are yet no vaccine or treatment, sports can help win this battle,” Sindhu said during the inauguration of ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020’, a virtual exhibition and conference organised by FICCI from June 22-26.

In India, the count of infected has crossed 4.25 lakh and nearly 13,700 people have died.

Sindhu, a front-runner to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics, said it is important to follow the recommendations of the World health Organisation (WHO) and spend some time for physical activity.

“The WHO recommends adult should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to combat threat of heart disease, diabetics, high blood pressure, cancer and depression and it is more relevant during this pandemic,” she said.

“It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sports person, I can say just 45 mins of exercise is important for everyone.” Top Indian shuttlers, including Sindhu, have been confined to their homes for more than three months due to the lockdown, enforced to contain the spread of the disease.

While a few sports persons have resumed training in some parts of the country, Hyderabad-based shuttlers are waiting for the Talengana government to lift the lockdown in the state.

The Indian Express |

Sports can help win battle against COVID-19 pandemic: PV Sindhu

Asserting that sports can help win the battle against coronavirus pandemic in the absence of a vaccine, Olympic and World Championships silver medallist shuttler PV Sindhu on Monday urged everyone to make physical activity an integral part of their lives.

The virus has infected over 8.5 million people globally with more than 450,000 people losing their lives.

“Sports and other physical activities are very important to maintain a strong immune system and since there are yet no vaccine or treatment, sports can help win this battle,” Sindhu said during the inauguration of ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020’, a virtual exhibition and conference organised by FICCI from June 22-26.

In India, the count of infected has crossed 4.25 lakh and nearly 13,700 people have died.

Sindhu, a front-runner to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics, said it is important to follow the recommendations of the World health Organisation (WHO) and spend some time for physical activity.

“The WHO recommends adult should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to combat threat of heart disease, diabetics, high blood pressure, cancer and depression and it is more relevant during this pandemic,” she said.

“It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sports person, I can say just 45 mins of exercise is important for everyone.”

Top Indian shuttlers, including Sindhu, have been confined to their homes for more than three months due to the lockdown, enforced to contain the spread of the disease.

While a few sports persons have resumed training in some parts of the country, Hyderabad-based shuttlers are waiting for the Talengana government to lift the lockdown in the state.

The Indian Express |

Sports can help win battle against COVID-19 pandemic: PV Sindhu

Asserting that sports can help win the battle against coronavirus pandemic in the absence of a vaccine, Olympic and World Championships silver medallist shuttler PV Sindhu on Monday urged everyone to make physical activity an integral part of their lives.

The virus has infected over 8.5 million people globally with more than 450,000 people losing their lives.

“Sports and other physical activities are very important to maintain a strong immune system and since there are yet no vaccine or treatment, sports can help win this battle,” Sindhu said during the inauguration of ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020’, a virtual exhibition and conference organised by FICCI from June 22-26.

In India, the count of infected has crossed 4.25 lakh and nearly 13,700 people have died.

Sindhu, a front-runner to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics, said it is important to follow the recommendations of the World health Organisation (WHO) and spend some time for physical activity.

“The WHO recommends adult should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to combat threat of heart disease, diabetics, high blood pressure, cancer and depression and it is more relevant during this pandemic,” she said.

“It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sports person, I can say just 45 mins of exercise is important for everyone.”

Top Indian shuttlers, including Sindhu, have been confined to their homes for more than three months due to the lockdown, enforced to contain the spread of the disease.

While a few sports persons have resumed training in some parts of the country, Hyderabad-based shuttlers are waiting for the Talengana government to lift the lockdown in the state.

The New Indian Express |

Sports can help win battle against COVID-19 pandemic: PV Sindhu

Asserting that sports can help win the battle against coronavirus pandemic in the absence of a vaccine, Olympic and World Championships silver medallist shuttler PV Sindhu on Monday urged everyone to make physical activity an integral part of their lives.

The virus has infected over 8.5 million people globally with more than 450,000 people losing their lives.

"Sports and other physical activities are very important to maintain a strong immune system and since there are yet no vaccine or treatment, sports can help win this battle," Sindhu said during the inauguration of 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020', a virtual exhibition and conference organised by FICCI from June 22-26.

In India, the count of infected has crossed 4. 25 lakh and nearly 13,700 people have died.

Sindhu, a front-runner to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics, said it is important to follow the recommendations of the World health Organisation (WHO) and spend some time for physical activity.

"The WHO recommends adult should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to combat threat of heart disease, diabetics, high blood pressure, cancer and depression and it is more relevant during this pandemic," she said.

"It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sports person, I can say just 45 mins of exercise is important for everyone."

Top Indian shuttlers, including Sindhu, have been confined to their homes for more than three months due to the lockdown, enforced to contain the spread of the disease.

While a few sports persons have resumed training in some parts of the country, Hyderabad-based shuttlers are waiting for the Talengana government to lift the lockdown in the state.

India Today |

Sports important to maintain strong immune system: PV Sindhu on fight against Covid-19

Asserting that sports can help win the battle against coronavirus pandemic in the absence of a vaccine, Olympic and World Championships silver medallist shuttler P V Sindhu on Monday urged everyone to make physical activity an integral part of their lives.

The virus has infected over 8.5 million people globally with more than 450,000 people losing their lives.

"Sports and other physical activities are very important to maintain a strong immune system and since there are yet no vaccine or treatment, sports can help win this battle," Sindhu said during the inauguration of 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020', a virtual exhibition and conference organised by FICCI from June 22-26.

In India, the count of infected has crossed 4.25 lakh and nearly 13,700 people have died. Sindhu, a front-runner to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics, said it is important to follow the recommendations of the World health Organisation (WHO) and spend some time for physical activity.

"The WHO recommends adult should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to combat threat of heart disease, diabetics, high blood pressure, cancer and depression and it is more relevant during this pandemic," she said.

"It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sports person, I can say just 45 mins of exercise is important for everyone."

Top Indian shuttlers, including Sindhu, have been confined to their homes for more than three months due to the lockdown, enforced to contain the spread of the disease.

While a few sportspersons have resumed training in some parts of the country, Hyderabad-based shuttlers are waiting for the Telangana government to lift the lockdown in the state.

Outlook |

Private players should come forward to set up bulk drug, med devices parks: Mandaviya

Private sector should come forward to develop bulk drug and medical devices parks in the country and the government could support them in this, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday.

The government is taking measures to ensure that the Indian healthcare sector becomes self-reliant, he said in his inaugural address at the ''Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020'' organised by industry body FICCI.

"Private sector should come forward to make such parks, and the government can support them. This would provide impetus for the growth of the healthcare sector," Mandaviya said.

Both the central and state governments can become partners with equity, and they can exit at a later stage, once the project is operational, as the role of the government is not to run the business, he added.

"The COVID-19 crisis has taught us many things, it has also given us an opportunity to develop and to decide on the future direction for India's pharma and medical sector," Mandaviya said.

The minister also said India can progress, if health and hygiene are also included in the overall economic development plan. The country has to link health, sanitation and hygiene, as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Health must be linked to the nation's economic development, he added.

"The government is aggressively working in the healthcare sector and results have also started coming," Mandaviya said.

Highlighting the strength of the healthcare sector, Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Prathap C Reddy said, "In India, today, we can easily perform treatments which can be done in any part of the world. We have a large number of people employed in healthcare. We can double and triple it. India can become a global healthcare destination".

In similar vein, FICCI President Sangita Reddy said, "Let us create a self-sufficient India to serve the country, and let us also strengthen our sector so that India can serve the world in healthcare."

The Week |

Sports can help win battle against COVID-19 pandemic Sindhu

Asserting that sports can help win the battle against coronavirus pandemic in the absence of a vaccine, Olympic and World Championships silver medallist shuttler P V Sindhu on Monday urged everyone to make physical activity an integral part of their lives.
The virus has infected over 8.5 million people globally with more than 450,000 people losing their lives.
"Sports and other physical activities are very important to maintain a strong immune system and since there are yet no vaccine or treatment, sports can help win this battle," Sindhu said during the inauguration of 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020', a virtual exhibition and conference organised by FICCI from June 22-26.
In India, the count of infected has crossed 4.25 lakh and nearly 13,700 people have died.
Sindhu, a front-runner to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics, said it is important to follow the recommendations of the World health Organisation (WHO) and spend some time for physical activity.
"The WHO recommends adult should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to combat threat of heart disease, diabetics, high blood pressure, cancer and depression and it is more relevant during this pandemic," she said.
"It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sports person, I can say just 45 mins of exercise is important for everyone."
Top Indian shuttlers, including Sindhu, have been confined to their homes for more than three months due to the lockdown, enforced to contain the spread of the disease.
While a few sports persons have resumed training in some parts of the country, Hyderabad-based shuttlers are waiting for the Talengana government to lift the lockdown in the state.

DD News |

India's one of the largest 1st Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020 inaugurated

Minister of State for Shipping (Independent charge) and Chemicals & Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday inaugurated India's one the largest 1st Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020 . The Expo has been organised by FICCI.

The event was inaugurated virtually which will be live daily from 22nd to 26th June, 2020. Anurag Sharma, M.P., Jhansi and Chairman, FICCI, AYUSH Committee, Dr. Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, P.V. Sindhu, eminent sports personality, Badhri Iyengar, Chairman, FICCI Medical Devices Fourm and other representatives from the industries attended the Virtual EXPO.

This is the first ever largest virtual exhibition in India making a new beginning. This is the new norm, wherein business will happen virtually as Digital India is now making a way forward.

Speaking at the Inauguration, Minister said that an ecosystem is being built for a self-reliant India, which will help in ramping up domestic production in Pharmaceutical Sector and Health & Hygiene Sector. Health, Hygiene & Sanitation, Medical Textiles & Devices, AYUSH and Wellness sector assume greater significance in our resolute fight against the COVID 19 pandemic. He highlighted various initiatives announced in this direction by the Honourable PM since 2014 such as providing toilets for every household, “Ayushman Bharat” to cover 10 crore family for healthcare, “Swatch Bharat Abhiyan”, “Suvidha Sanitary” Napkin etc.. He also spoke about Jan Aushadhi stores which are providing quality medicines at affordable price for everyone. Shri Mandaviya elaborated how all these initiatives became possible due to firm vision of Narendra Modi Government.

The Minister emphasised the importance of better Women Health which he said is an area where we all should focus and work upon. He gave the example of “Suvidha Sanitary” Napkin sold in Jan Aushadhi Stores at Rs.1/- per pad. Such initiatives are unique way of ensuring health hygiene of womenfolk of the country. He agreed with Ms P V Sindhu that Fitness and Hygiene are integral part of Healthcare sector. "One has to be physically fit and manage exercise routine to keep one healthy," he added.

Mandaviya also spoke about the recent policy announcement of Government giving incentives for setting up of Bulk Drug Park and Medical Device Park in India. He said that Government is ready to help the Private Sector if they want to set up such parks in India by equity participation. He explained how such announcements will act as a cog in the wheel of #Atmanirbharat Abhiyan announced by the Prime Minister.

Minister acknowledged the efforts by all citizens and especially praised the frontline workers, the doctors, nurses, police etc. He appreciated and made special acknowledgement to the manufacturing community who rose to the occasion converting challenges into opportunity. From ramping up the health infra, creating beds to manufacturing PPE Kits, Masks, Ventilators and devices. He stated that India Inc. has supported the government shoulder to shoulder.

Mandaviya also spoke about the benefits of AYUSH and how the preparations of AYUSH are immunity booster. "Traditional medicines are playing an important role in supporting the Government’s efforts to tackle the Corona crisis," he said.

News18 |

Private players should come forward to set up bulk drug, medical devices parks: Mandaviya

Private sector should come forward to develop bulk drug and medical devices parks in the country and the government could support them in this, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday.

The government is taking measures to ensure that the Indian healthcare sector becomes self-reliant, he said in his inaugural address at the 'Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020' organised by industry body FICCI.

"Private sector should come forward to make such parks, and the government can support them. This would provide impetus for the growth of the healthcare sector," Mandaviya said.

Both the central and state governments can become partners with equity, and they can exit at a later stage, once the project is operational, as the role of the government is not to run the business, he added.

"The COVID-19 crisis has taught us many things, it has also given us an opportunity to develop and to decide on the future direction for India's pharma and medical sector," Mandaviya said.

The minister also said India can progress, if health and hygiene are also included in the overall economic development plan. The country has to link health, sanitation and hygiene, as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Health must be linked to the nation's economic development, he added.

"The government is aggressively working in the healthcare sector and results have also started coming," Mandaviya said.

Highlighting the strength of the healthcare sector, Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Prathap C Reddy said, "In India, today, we can easily perform treatments which can be done in any part of the world. We have a large number of people employed in healthcare. We can double and triple it. India can become a global healthcare destination".

In similar vein, FICCI President Sangita Reddy said, "Let us create a self-sufficient India to serve the country, and let us also strengthen our sector so that India can serve the world in healthcare."

News18 |

PV Sindhu says sports and physical activity can help combat coronavirus pandemic

Asserting that sports can help win the battle against coronavirus pandemic in the absence of a vaccine, Olympic and World Championships silver medallist shuttler P V Sindhu on Monday urged everyone to make physical activity an integral part of their lives.

The virus has infected over 8.5 million people globally with more than 450,000 people losing their lives.

"Sports and other physical activities are very important to maintain a strong immune system and since there are yet no vaccine or treatment, sports can help win this battle," Sindhu said during the inauguration of 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020', a virtual exhibition and conference organised by FICCI from June 22-26.

In India, the count of infected has crossed 4.25 lakh and nearly 13,700 people have died.

Sindhu, a front-runner to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics, said it is important to follow the recommendations of the World health Organisation (WHO) and spend some time for physical activity.

"The WHO recommends adult should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to combat threat of heart disease, diabetics, high blood pressure, cancer and depression and it is more relevant during this pandemic," she said.

"It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sports person, I can say just 45 mins of exercise is important for everyone."

Top Indian shuttlers, including Sindhu, have been confined to their homes for more than three months due to the lockdown, enforced to contain the spread of the disease.

While a few sports persons have resumed training in some parts of the country, Hyderabad-based shuttlers are waiting for the Talengana government to lift the lockdown in the state.

Yahoo Finance |

Private players should come forward to set up bulk drug, med devices parks: Mandaviya

Private sector should come forward to develop bulk drug and medical devices parks in the country and the government could support them in this, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday.

The government is taking measures to ensure that the Indian healthcare sector becomes self-reliant, he said in his inaugural address at the 'Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020' organised by industry body FICCI.

'Private sector should come forward to make such parks, and the government can support them. This would provide impetus for the growth of the healthcare sector,' Mandaviya said.

Both the central and state governments can become partners with equity, and they can exit at a later stage, once the project is operational, as the role of the government is not to run the business, he added.

'The COVID-19 crisis has taught us many things, it has also given us an opportunity to develop and to decide on the future direction for India's pharma and medical sector,' Mandaviya said.

The minister also said India can progress, if health and hygiene are also included in the overall economic development plan. The country has to link health, sanitation and hygiene, as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Health must be linked to the nation's economic development, he added.

'The government is aggressively working in the healthcare sector and results have also started coming,' Mandaviya said.

Highlighting the strength of the healthcare sector, Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Prathap C Reddy said, 'In India, today, we can easily perform treatments which can be done in any part of the world. We have a large number of people employed in healthcare. We can double and triple it. India can become a global healthcare destination'.

In similar vein, FICCI President Sangita Reddy said, 'Let us create a self-sufficient India to serve the country, and let us also strengthen our sector so that India can serve the world in healthcare.'

India Education Diary |

Union Minister Mandaviya inaugurates India's one of the largest 1st Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020

The Minister of State for Shipping (Independent charge) and Chemicals & Fertilisers Shri Mansukh Mandaviya today inaugurated India’s one the largest 1st Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020 . The Expo has been organised by FICCI.

The event was inaugurated virtually which will be live daily from 22nd to 26th June, 2020. Shri Anurag Sharma, M.P., Jhansi and Chairman, FICCI, AYUSH Committee, Dr. Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, Ms. P.V. Sindhu, eminent sports personality, Shri Badhri Iyengar, Chairman, FICCI Medical Devices Fourm and other representatives from the industries attended the Virtual EXPO.

This is the first ever largest virtual exhibition in India making a new beginning. This is the new norm, wherein business will happen virtually as Digital India is now making a way forward.

Speaking at the Inauguration, Minister said that an ecosystem is being built for a self-reliant India, which will help in ramping up domestic production in Pharmaceutical Sector and Health & Hygiene Sector. Health, Hygiene & Sanitation, Medical Textiles & Devices, AYUSH and Wellness sector assume greater significance in our resolute fight against the COVID 19 pandemic. He highlighted various initiatives announced in this direction by the Honourable PM since 2014 such as providing toilets for every household, “Ayushman Bharat” to cover 10 crore family for healthcare, “Swatch Bharat Abhiyan”, “Suvidha Sanitary” Napkin etc.. He also spoke about Jan Aushadhi stores which are providing quality medicines at affordable price for everyone. Shri Mandaviya elaborated how all these initiatives became possible due to firm vision of Narendra Modi Government.

The Minister emphasised the importance of better Women Health which he said is an area where we all should focus and work upon. He gave the example of “Suvidha Sanitary” Napkin sold in Jan Aushadhi Stores at Rs.1/- per pad. Such initiatives are unique way of ensuring health hygiene of womenfolk of the country. He agreed with Ms P V Sindhu that Fitness and Hygiene are integral part of Healthcare sector. “One has to be physically fit and manage exercise routine to keep one healthy,” he added.

Shri Mandaviya also spoke about the recent policy announcement of Government giving incentives for setting up of Bulk Drug Park and Medical Device Park in India. He said that Government is ready to help the Private Sector if they want to set up such parks in India by equity participation. He explained how such announcements will act as a cog in the wheel of #Atmanirbharat Abhiyan announced by the Prime Minister.

Minister acknowledged the efforts by all citizens and especially praised the frontline workers, the doctors, nurses, police etc. He appreciated and made special acknowledgement to the manufacturing community who rose to the occasion converting challenges into opportunity. From ramping up the health infra, creating beds to manufacturing PPE Kits, Masks, Ventilators and devices. He stated that India Inc. has supported the government shoulder to shoulder.

Shri Mandaviya also spoke about the benefits of AYUSH and how the preparations of AYUSH are immunity booster. “Traditional medicines are playing an important role in supporting the Government’s efforts to tackle the Corona crisis,” he said.

Devdiscourse |

Private players should come forward to set up bulk drug, med devices parks: Mandaviya

Private sector should come forward to develop bulk drug and medical devices parks in the country and the government could support them in this, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday. The government is taking measures to ensure that the Indian healthcare sector becomes self-reliant, he said in his inaugural address at the 'Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020' organised by industry body FICCI.

"Private sector should come forward to make such parks, and the government can support them. This would provide impetus for the growth of the healthcare sector," Mandaviya said. Both the central and state governments can become partners with equity, and they can exit at a later stage, once the project is operational, as the role of the government is not to run the business, he added.

"The COVID-19 crisis has taught us many things, it has also given us an opportunity to develop and to decide on the future direction for India's pharma and medical sector," Mandaviya said. The minister also said India can progress, if health and hygiene are also included in the overall economic development plan. The country has to link health, sanitation and hygiene, as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Health must be linked to the nation's economic development, he added.

"The government is aggressively working in the healthcare sector and results have also started coming," Mandaviya said. Highlighting the strength of the healthcare sector, Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Prathap C Reddy said, "In India, today, we can easily perform treatments which can be done in any part of the world. We have a large number of people employed in healthcare. We can double and triple it. India can become a global healthcare destination".

In similar vein, FICCI President Sangita Reddy said, "Let us create a self-sufficient India to serve the country, and let us also strengthen our sector so that India can serve the world in healthcare."

Financial Express |

Private players should come forward to set up bulk drug, med devices parks: Mandaviya

Private sector should come forward to develop bulk drug and medical devices parks in the country and the government could support them in this, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday.

The government is taking measures to ensure that the Indian healthcare sector becomes self-reliant, he said in his inaugural address at the ‘Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020’ organised by industry body FICCI.

“Private sector should come forward to make such parks, and the government can support them. This would provide impetus for the growth of the healthcare sector,” Mandaviya said.

Both the central and state governments can become partners with equity, and they can exit at a later stage, once the project is operational, as the role of the government is not to run the business, he added.

“The COVID-19 crisis has taught us many things, it has also given us an opportunity to develop and to decide on the future direction for India’s pharma and medical sector,” Mandaviya said.

The minister also said India can progress, if health and hygiene are also included in the overall economic development plan. The country has to link health, sanitation and hygiene, as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Health must be linked to the nation’s economic development, he added.

“The government is aggressively working in the healthcare sector and results have also started coming,” Mandaviya said.

Highlighting the strength of the healthcare?sector, Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Prathap C Reddy said, “In India, today, we can easily perform treatments which can be done in any part of the world. We have a large number of people employed in healthcare. We can double and triple it. India can become a global healthcare destination”.

In similar vein, FICCI President Sangita Reddy said, “Let us create a self-sufficient India to serve the country, and let us also strengthen our sector so that India can serve the world in healthcare.”

Business Standard |

Pvt players must help set up bulk drug, med devices pak: Mandaviya

Private sector should come forward to develop bulk drug and medical devices parks in the country and the government could support them in this, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday.

The government is taking measures to ensure that the Indian healthcare sector becomes self-reliant, he said in his inaugural address at the 'Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020' organised by industry body FICCI.

"Private sector should come forward to make such parks, and the government can support them. This would provide impetus for the growth of the healthcare sector," Mandaviya said.

Both the central and state governments can become partners with equity, and they can exit at a later stage, once the project is operational, as the role of the government is not to run the business, he added.

"The Covid-19 crisis has taught us many things, it has also given us an opportunity to develop and to decide on the future direction for India's pharma and medical sector," Mandaviya said.

The minister also said India can progress, if health and hygiene are also included in the overall economic development plan. The country has to link health, sanitation and hygiene, as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Health must be linked to the nation's economic development, he added.

"The government is aggressively working in the healthcare sector and results have also started coming," Mandaviya said.

Highlighting the strength of the healthcaresector, Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Prathap C Reddy said, "In India, today, we can easily perform treatments which can be done in any part of the world. We have a large number of people employed in healthcare. We can double and triple it. India can become a global healthcare destination".

In similar vein, FICCI President Sangita Reddy said, "Let us create a self-sufficient India to serve the country, and let us also strengthen our sector so that India can serve the world in healthcare.

INVC News |

Government is ready to help the Private Sector

The Minister of State for Shipping (Independent charge) and Chemicals & Fertilisers Shri Mansukh Mandaviya today inaugurated India's one the largest 1st Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020 . The Expo has been organised by FICCI.

The event was inaugurated virtually which will be live daily from 22nd to 26th June, 2020. Shri Anurag Sharma, M.P., Jhansi and Chairman, FICCI, AYUSH Committee, Dr. Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, Ms. P.V. Sindhu, eminent sports personality, Shri Badhri Iyengar, Chairman, FICCI Medical Devices Fourm and other representatives from the industries attended the Virtual EXPO.
This is the first ever largest virtual exhibition in India making a new beginning. This is the new norm, wherein business will happen virtually as Digital India is now making a way forward.
Speaking at the Inauguration, Minister said that an ecosystem is being built for a self-reliant India, which will help in ramping up domestic production in Pharmaceutical Sector and Health & Hygiene Sector. Health, Hygiene & Sanitation, Medical Textiles & Devices, AYUSH and Wellness sector assume greater significance in our resolute fight against the COVID 19 pandemic. He highlighted various initiatives announced in this direction by the Honourable PM since 2014 such as providing toilets for every household, “Ayushman Bharat” to cover 10 crore family for healthcare, “Swatch Bharat Abhiyan”, “Suvidha Sanitary” Napkin etc.. He also spoke about Jan Aushadhi stores which are providing quality medicines at affordable price for everyone. Shri Mandaviya elaborated how all these initiatives became possible due to firm vision of Narendra Modi Government.
The Minister emphasised the importance of better Women Health which he said is an area where we all should focus and work upon. He gave the example of “Suvidha Sanitary” Napkin sold in Jan Aushadhi Stores at Rs.1/- per pad. Such initiatives are unique way of ensuring health hygiene of womenfolk of the country. He agreed with Ms P V Sindhu that Fitness and Hygiene are integral part of Healthcare sector. "One has to be physically fit and manage exercise routine to keep one healthy," he added.
Shri Mandaviya also spoke about the recent policy announcement of Government giving incentives for setting up of Bulk Drug Park and Medical Device Park in India. He said that Government is ready to help the Private Sector if they want to set up such parks in India by equity participation. He explained how such announcements will act as a cog in the wheel of #Atmanirbharat Abhiyan announced by the Prime Minister.
Minister acknowledged the efforts by all citizens and especially praised the frontline workers, the doctors, nurses, police etc. He appreciated and made special acknowledgement to the manufacturing community who rose to the occasion converting challenges into opportunity. From ramping up the health infra, creating beds to manufacturing PPE Kits, Masks, Ventilators and devices. He stated that India Inc. has supported the government shoulder to shoulder.
Shri Mandaviya also spoke about the benefits of AYUSH and how the preparations of AYUSH are immunity booster. "Traditional medicines are playing an important role in supporting the Government’s efforts to tackle the Corona crisis," he said.

Odisha Bytes |

Sindhu Mantra: Sports can help win COVID-19 battle, physical activity a must

Accomplished shuttler P.V. Sindhu believes that in the absence of a proper vaccine, sports can help the world win the battle against coronavirus pandemic.

Urging everyone to make physical activity an integral part of their lives, the Olympic and World Championships silver-medallist said: “Sports and other physical activities are very important to maintain a strong immune system and since there is no vaccine or treatment yet, sports can help win this battle,” Sindhu said on Monday during the inauguration of ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020’, organised by FICCI.

Stressing on the importance of following recommendations of World Health Organisation (WHO), Sindhu advised the people to devote some time for physical activity.

“The WHO recommends an adult should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to combat threat of heart disease, diabetics, high blood pressure, cancer and depression and it is more relevant during this pandemic,” she said.

“It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sportsperson, I can say just 45 minutes of exercise is important for everyone,” she added.

Over 8.5 million people have been infected by the deadly coronavirus globally, with more than 450,000 people losing their lives. In India, the number of positive coronavirus cases has been jumping rapidly and has crossed 4.25 lakh, of whom 13,700 people have died.

My Khel |

PV Sindhu says resumption of sports can help in fighting Coronavirus

Asserting that sports can help win the battle against coronavirus pandemic in the absence of a vaccine, Olympic and World Championships silver medallist shuttler P V Sindhu on Monday (June 22) urged everyone to make physical activity an integral part of their lives.

The virus has infected over 8.5 million people globally with more than 450,000 people losing their lives.

"Sports and other physical activities are very important to maintain a strong immune system and since there are yet no vaccine or treatment, sports can help win this battle," Sindhu said during the inauguration of 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020', a virtual exhibition and conference organised by FICCI from June 22-26.

In India, the count of infected has crossed 4.25 lakh and nearly 13,700 people have died. Sindhu, a front-runner to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics, said it is important to follow the recommendations of the World health Organisation (WHO) and spend some time for physical activity.

"The WHO recommends adult should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to combat threat of heart disease, diabetics, high blood pressure, cancer and depression and it is more relevant during this pandemic," she said.

"It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sports person, I can say just 45 mins of exercise is important for everyone."

Top Indian shuttlers, including Sindhu, have been confined to their homes for more than three months due to the lockdown, enforced to contain the spread of the disease. While a few sports persons have resumed training in some parts of the country, Hyderabad-based shuttlers are waiting for the Talengana government to lift the lockdown in the state.

Vietnam Biz |

15 Vietnamese businesses participated in the first online fair in India

Online Health and Medical Fair (Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020) in virtual / cloud computing environment organized by Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) under the auspices of the Ministry Traditional Indian traditional medicine will take place from June 22-26, 2020.

Vietnam Trade Office in India, citing information from the Organizing Committee, said this is the first virtual / online fair to be held in India and is also one of the first online trade fairs in the world. , in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fair will focus on displaying and introducing products, services, technology, machinery and equipment in the fields of traditional medicine; functional foods, health care and beauty; medicine and pharmaceuticals; Medical equipment; normal and medical masks, medical protective gear; hand sanitizer and hygienic cosmetics and other health care products.

Trade - Embassy of Vietnam in India organized a booth and support for over 15 Vietnam enterprises engaged promoting commercial products and services at the fair, such as Joint Technology Vietnam Asia, JSC stars Thai Duong, Danameco Company, Memco Company, Giang San Investment Pte Company and Hospitals of Vietnam.

This is a good opportunity for Vietnamese businesses to promote their products and services to not only Indian customers but also to many other countries in the world.

About 150 Indian and international businesses are expected to display and introduce products at the fair and attract thousands of Indian visitors and 120 countries and territories to register and participate in customer search. , visit and follow-up this fair online.

Fair time with online seminars (webinars), online trade meetings (B2B meetings) among managers, experts, researchers, Indian businesses and partners. internationally, to exchange information, share experiences and seek business cooperation opportunities.

The online exhibition will be based on virtual environment technology operating on the model of cloud computing. Just like a real exhibition, the virtual environment has an exhibition room, a stall, a goods display area, a corridor, a library, a hall, etc. with a virtual showcase.

The large virtual space, which allows many visitors to visit, is open 24 hours and customers can access the exhibition at any place in the world.

Customers can move through the rooms or find the desired counter in a heartbeat. The exhibition may have subtitles for many different languages, customers can chat via messaging applications such as Skype / Messenger / WhatsApp.

Vietnamese businesses interested in attending, looking for partners, customers please register (free) at https://vhhe.in/forms/visitor.php to get access instructions.

The News Strike |

Shri Mandaviya inaugurates India's one of the largest 1st virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020

The Minister of State for Shipping (Independent charge) and Chemicals & Fertilisers Shri Mansukh Mandaviya today inaugurated India’s one the largest 1st Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020 . The Expo has been organised by FICCI.

The event was inaugurated virtually which will be live daily from 22nd to 26th June, 2020. Shri Anurag Sharma, M.P., Jhansi and Chairman, FICCI, AYUSH Committee, Dr. Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, Ms. P.V. Sindhu, eminent sports personality, Shri Badhri Iyengar, Chairman, FICCI Medical Devices Fourm and other representatives from the industries attended the Virtual EXPO. This is the first ever largest virtual exhibition in India making a new beginning. This is the new norm, wherein business will happen virtually as Digital India is now making a way forward. Speaking at the Inauguration, Minister said that an ecosystem is being built for a self-reliant India, which will help in ramping up domestic production in Pharmaceutical Sector and Health & Hygiene Sector. Health, Hygiene & Sanitation, Medical Textiles & Devices, AYUSH and Wellness sector assume greater significance in our resolute fight against the COVID 19 pandemic. He highlighted various initiatives announced in this direction by the Honourable PM since 2014 such as providing toilets for every household, “Ayushman Bharat” to cover 10 crore family for healthcare, “Swatch Bharat Abhiyan”, “Suvidha Sanitary” Napkin etc.. He also spoke about Jan Aushadhi stores which are providing quality medicines at affordable price for everyone. Shri Mandaviya elaborated how all these initiatives became possible due to firm vision of Narendra Modi Government. The Minister emphasised the importance of better Women Health which he said is an area where we all should focus and work upon. He gave the example of “Suvidha Sanitary” Napkin sold in Jan Aushadhi Stores at Rs.1/- per pad. Such initiatives are unique way of ensuring health hygiene of womenfolk of the country. He agreed with Ms P V Sindhu that Fitness and Hygiene are integral part of Healthcare sector. “One has to be physically fit and manage exercise routine to keep one healthy,” he added. Shri Mandaviya also spoke about the recent policy announcement of Government giving incentives for setting up of Bulk Drug Park and Medical Device Park in India. He said that Government is ready to help the Private Sector if they want to set up such parks in India by equity participation. He explained how such announcements will act as a cog in the wheel of #Atmanirbharat Abhiyan announced by the Prime Minister. Minister acknowledged the efforts by all citizens and especially praised the frontline workers, the doctors, nurses, police etc. He appreciated and made special acknowledgement to the manufacturing community who rose to the occasion converting challenges into opportunity. From ramping up the health infra, creating beds to manufacturing PPE Kits, Masks, Ventilators and devices. He stated that India Inc. has supported the government shoulder to shoulder. Shri Mandaviya also spoke about the benefits of AYUSH and how the preparations of AYUSH are immunity booster. “Traditional medicines are playing an important role in supporting the Government’s efforts to tackle the Corona crisis,” he said.

5Dariya News |

Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurates India's one of the largest 1st Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020

The Minister of State for Shipping (Independent charge) and Chemicals & Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya today inaugurated India's one the largest 1st Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020 . The Expo has been organised by FICCI. The event was inaugurated virtually which will be live daily from 22nd to 26th June, 2020. Shri Anurag Sharma, M.P., Jhansi and Chairman, FICCI, AYUSH Committee, Dr. Sangita Reddy, President FICCI, Ms. P.V. Sindhu, eminent sports personality, Shri Badhri Iyengar, Chairman, FICCI Medical Devices Fourm and other representatives from the industries attended the Virtual EXPO.This is the first ever largest virtual exhibition in India making a new beginning. This is the new norm, wherein business will happen virtually as Digital India is now making a way forward.Speaking at the Inauguration, Minister said that an ecosystem is being built for a self-reliant India, which will help in ramping up domestic production in Pharmaceutical Sector and Health & Hygiene Sector. Health, Hygiene & Sanitation, Medical Textiles & Devices, AYUSH and Wellness sector assume greater significance in our resolute fight against the COVID 19 pandemic. He highlighted various initiatives announced in this direction by the Honourable PM since 2014 such as providing toilets for every household, “Ayushman Bharat” to cover 10 crore family for healthcare, “Swatch Bharat Abhiyan”, “Suvidha Sanitary” Napkin etc.. He also spoke about Jan Aushadhi stores which are providing quality medicines at affordable price for everyone. Shri Mandaviya elaborated how all these initiatives became possible due to firm vision of Narendra Modi Government.

The Minister emphasised the importance of better Women Health which he said is an area where we all should focus and work upon. He gave the example of “Suvidha Sanitary” Napkin sold in Jan Aushadhi Stores at Rs.1/- per pad. Such initiatives are unique way of ensuring health hygiene of womenfolk of the country. He agreed with Ms P V Sindhu that Fitness and Hygiene are integral part of Healthcare sector. "One has to be physically fit and manage exercise routine to keep one healthy," he added.Shri Mandaviya also spoke about the recent policy announcement of Government giving incentives for setting up of Bulk Drug Park and Medical Device Park in India. He said that Government is ready to help the Private Sector if they want to set up such parks in India by equity participation. He explained how such announcements will act as a cog in the wheel of #Atmanirbharat Abhiyan announced by the Prime Minister.Minister acknowledged the efforts by all citizens and especially praised the frontline workers, the doctors, nurses, police etc. He appreciated and made special acknowledgement to the manufacturing community who rose to the occasion converting challenges into opportunity. From ramping up the health infra, creating beds to manufacturing PPE Kits, Masks, Ventilators and devices. He stated that India Inc. has supported the government shoulder to shoulder.Shri Mandaviya also spoke about the benefits of AYUSH and how the preparations of AYUSH are immunity booster. "Traditional medicines are playing an important role in supporting the Government’s efforts to tackle the Corona crisis," he said.

VOV.VN |

Vietnam participated in the first online fair in India

Online Health and Health Fair (Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020) in virtual / cloud computing environment organized by Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) under the auspices of the Ministry Traditional Indian traditional medicine opened today (June 22), attended by Mr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Food, Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Fertilizers and Waterways, with Mr. Pham Sanh Chau, Vietnamese Ambassador to India, Trade Office - Embassy of Vietnam in India and numerous Vietnamese businesses.

This is the first virtual / online fair to be held in India and is also one of the first online trade fairs in the world, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic that is a major obstacle for activities. As a result of global production, business and trade, countries that blockade, restrict travel and trade fairs are often postponed, canceled or delayed.

The fair focused on displaying and introducing products, services, technology, machinery and equipment in the fields of traditional medicine; functional foods, health care and beauty; medicine and pharmaceuticals; Medical equipment; normal and medical masks, medical protective gear; hand sanitizer and hygienic cosmetics and other health care products.

Trade - Vietnam Embassy in India organized a booth and supported more than 15 Vietnamese businesses to participate in promoting products and services at the Fair.

It is expected that about 150 Indian and international businesses will exhibit and introduce their products at the fair and attract thousands of Indian visitors and 120 countries and territories to register and participate in finding customers. Shop, visit, track online this fair. This is a good opportunity for Vietnamese businesses to promote their products and services to not only Indian customers but also to many other countries in the world.

During the fair, webinars, online trade meetings (B2B meetings) also took place among Indian managers, experts, researchers, and businesses. international partners, to exchange information, share experiences and seek business cooperation opportunities. The online exhibition will be based on virtual environment technology operating on the model of cloud computing. Just like a real exhibition, the virtual environment has an exhibition room, a stall, a goods display area, a corridor, a library, a hall, etc. with a virtual showcase.

With a very large virtual space, allowing many visitors, the virtual exhibition can be opened 24 hours and customers can access the exhibition at any place in the world. Moving on the virtual wall is very simple, customers can move through the room or find the desired counter in a heartbeat. This exhibition may have subtitles for many different languages, customers can chat via messaging applications such as Skype / Messenger / WhatsApp.

Vietnamese businesses interested in attending, looking for partners, customers can register (free) at https://vhhe.in/forms/visitor.php for instructions on accessing. The fair takes place until the end of June 26.

Devdiscourse |

Sports can help win battle against COVID-19 pandemic: Sindhu

Asserting that sports can help win the battle against coronavirus pandemic in the absence of a vaccine, Olympic and World Championships silver medallist shuttler P V Sindhu on Monday urged everyone to make physical activity an integral part of their lives. The virus has infected over 8.5 million people globally with more than 450,000 people losing their lives. "Sports and other physical activities are very important to maintain a strong immune system and since there are yet no vaccine or treatment, sports can help win this battle," Sindhu said during the inauguration of 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020', a virtual exhibition and conference organized by FICCI from June 22-26.

In India, the count of infected has crossed 4.25 lakh and nearly 13,700 people have died. Sindhu, a front-runner to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics, said it is important to follow the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and spend some time for physical activity.

"The WHO recommends adult should do at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week to combat the threat of heart disease, diabetics, high blood pressure, cancer, and depression and it is more relevant during this pandemic," she said. "It is the ideal time to try a new activity. I would recommend everybody to do some sort of exercise. Being a sports person, I can say just 45 mins of exercise is important for everyone." Top Indian shuttlers, including Sindhu, have been confined to their homes for more than three months due to the lockdown, enforced to contain the spread of the disease.

While a few sportspersons have resumed training in some parts of the country, Hyderabad-based shuttlers are waiting for the Talengana government to lift the lockdown in the state.

Business Standard |

Covid-19 recoveries exceed active cases in India for the first time

India’s Covid-19 data offers a glimmer of hope, with the number of recovered patients exceeding the total active cases for the first time since the country came in the grip of novel coronavirus.

The total number of Covid-19 patients recovered stood at 135,205, against 133,632 active cases as of Wednesday morning, revealed the health ministry data.

“More patients getting discharged is a good sign. It will free up more beds for patients in need of admission,” said E Sreekumar, chief scientific officer, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology.

Epidemiologists, however, are not celebrating just yet. The number of cases is expected to increase in the coming days. This might tip the scales unfavourably.

“We need to monitor these numbers. These may be transient. With lockdown easing and internal travel picking up, the number (of active cases) could go up,” cautioned Sreekumar. India had added 9,985 cases in a single day, according to the health ministry data released on Wednesday morning. The increase in the daily number of cases has hovered close to 10,000 for over a week, even as the total Covid count continued its upward trajectory. In terms of percentage increase, there has been a slight decline in per day rise in the number of cases, from more than 4 per cent in the beginning of June to around 3.7 per cent on June 10. In Maharashtra, however, the new cases added by Wednesday were 2,259 - the lowest in nearly two weeks, slowing their doubling rate to around 20 days. The state with the maximum number of cases at 90,787 has seen recovery of 42,638 so far. Delhi accounts for more than 11,000 recovered cases (of its total tally of 31,309).

Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana are among states where the number of active cases is less than the recovered ones. “While this is good news, we need to observe the numbers for the next three days. One swallow does not a summer make,” said Alok Roy, chair-FICCI Health Services Committee and chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals. In the past one day, 5,892 were cured or discharged, while 3,819 new active cases were added. As the recoveries rose, so did the total fatalities, taking the total death count to 7,745. “The government needs to focus on preventing deaths. If the fatality is 5 per cent, then 95 per cent should recover. This distinction between active and recovered cases is baffling,” said Jacob John, virologist and former chairman of Indian Council of Medical Research.

India’s fatality rate is around 2.8 per cent, which would indicate a much higher recovery rate. Currently, nearly 49 per cent of total patients have been cured and over 48 per cent are among those in the active category.

Spirit of Mumbai |

FICCI moots need for Economical, Accurate & Scalable COVID-19 Testing Solutions for seroprevalence studies

Whitepaper discusses pandemic management testing strategy during post lockdown days

ICCI today released a Whitepaper on ‘Economical, Accurate and Scalable COVID-19 Testing Solutions’ as the need for India’s seroprevalence studies, to base its pandemic management strategies and future initiatives as lockdown is getting lifted across the country. It is significant to note that recently ICMR released a communication on the list of antibody tests that are available for such studies, especially with high-risk groups like healthcare workers.

FICCI has been at the forefront of government-industry collaboration in managing the COVID-19 situation in India. FICCI IVD members, constituting Indian healthcare and regulatory system came together to build an ecosystem of safety measures, diagnostic testing, and medical intervention to contain and control mortality relating to COVID-19 infections in India.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI & Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Enterprises said, “It is a moment of great action and contemplation as we balance meeting immediate healthcare needs of India with planning for the future to manage the negative impact of COVID-19. I am glad that FICCI is able to truly value-add to this journey. The COVID-19 experience is new to all of us, but I am confident that we shall have a lot to take back from this experience as learnings, to build an Indian healthcare system that is resilient to any future situation. The Whitepaper is an effort in this direction, giving us some keen insights into seroprevalence studies with diagnostic testing, and how they impact COVID-19 management investments and plans of the future.”

From the onset of the pandemic to date, diagnostics have been at the heart of the discussion. RT-PCR based molecular testing has been enabling detection of the novel Corona Virus, while antibody testing is aimed at assessing the spread of infection to plan mitigation measures and assess the safety of returning to work.

Dr Shravan Subramanyam, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee & Managing Director, Roche Diagnostics India said, “India needs to focus on technology agnostic solutions that offer the best clinical outcomes (e.g. sensitivity and specificity) to measure exposure and potential immune response with SARS CoV-2 antibody tests. Fully automated lab-based Serology antibody tests are being widely adopted by several countries, including Singapore, which is leveraging CLIA to screen 300K migrant workers, UK, which announced that it is employing similar tests as a mass screening tool, especially for its healthcare workers and the US which is planning to launch a 25-city COVID-19 antibody study in June/July. India has such capabilities today and needs to leverage it to build data and plans its future healthcare strategy.”

Mr Ravi Sinha, Country Director India & SAARC, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics said, “Across India, people from all strata of life are being impacted by COVID-19 pandemic. Antibody testing using tests with excellent specificity is an optimal answer for large-scale testing, as it helps to ensure more people receive accurate results they can trust. Sero-surveillance will help monitor and manage those patients fighting active infection, and those who have developed antibodies may be able to return to work, destressing individual communities and re-boosting our economy. We must leverage the strong healthcare infrastructure built over decades, across the nation, towards improving and saving lives with diagnostics. Performing antibody testing on fully automated using U.S. FDA (EUA) & DCGI approved assays will help provide faster, reliable, and accurate patient results.”

Mr Narendra Varde, General Manager and Country Head at Abbott’s diagnostics business in India said, “Abbott recognizes that large scale antibody testing is critical to understanding and addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Lab-based serology test’s high performance and relevant data can help uncover new insights, including prevalence at local, state or countrywide levels. We welcome ICMR’s recommendation of IgG testing to measure COVID exposure in the population including asymptomatic individuals. Our recently launched Abbott SARS-CoV-2 test has demonstrated specificity and sensitivity to detect IgG antibodies of greater than 99 percent, and we want to do our part in providing hospitals and reference labs around the country with access to reliable testing.”

Mr Arpan Malhotra, India Business Head – Diagnostics, Siemens Healthcare Private Limited said, “Country is now moving towards a need for mass screening and community surveillance for COVID-19. Laboratory based antibody tests (CLIA) are not just higher in sensitivity, but are also scalable to very high throughputs. This can enable an increased expanse of COVID-19 testing to larger population via already available network of thousands of government and private facilities, that are equipped for this testing.”

A high-specificity test will identify people who have been truly exposed to SARS CoV-2 and will not generate many false-positive results.

At this point, we would encourage the ICMR & MoHFW to expand the COVID-19 Testing Strategy and release a protocol that covers both PCR and Lab-based Serology tests, while leveraging on infrastructure and spread of private hospitals and labs across India to build access to antibody testing.

Pharma Biz |

FICCI whitepaper discusses pandemic management testing strategy during post lockdown days

FICCI released a whitepaper on 'Economical, Accurate and Scalable COVID-19 Testing Solutions' as the need for India's seroprevalence studies, to base its pandemic management strategies and future initiatives, as lockdown is getting lifted across the country.

It is significant to note that recently ICMR released a communication on the list of antibody tests that are available for such studies, especially with high-risk groups like healthcare workers.

Dr Sangita Reddy, president, FICCI and joint managing director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises said, "The COVID-19 experience is new to all of us, but I am confident that we shall have a lot to take back from this experience as learnings, to build an Indian healthcare system that is resilient to any future situation. The Whitepaper is an effort in this direction, giving us some keen insights into seroprevalence studies with diagnostic testing, and how they impact COVID-19 management investments and plans of the future."

From the onset of the pandemic to date, diagnostics have been at the heart of the discussion. RT-PCR based molecular testing has been enabling detection of the novel coronavirus, while antibody testing is aimed at assessing the spread of infection to plan mitigation measures and assess the safety of returning to work.

Dr Shravan Subramanyam, co-chair, FICCI medical devices committee and managing director, Roche Diagnostics India said, "India needs to focus on technology agnostic solutions that offer the best clinical outcomes to measure exposure and potential immune response with SARS CoV-2 antibody tests. Fully automated lab-based serology antibody tests are being widely adopted by several countries, including Singapore, which is leveraging CLIA to screen 300K migrant workers, UK, which announced that it is employing similar tests as a mass screening tool, especially for its healthcare workers and the US which is planning to launch a 25-city COVID-19 antibody study in June/July."

Narendra Varde, general manager and country Head at Abbott's diagnostics business in India said, "Abbott recognizes that large scale antibody testing is critical to understanding and addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. We welcome ICMR's recommendation of IgG testing to measure COVID exposure in the population including asymptomatic individuals."

Arpan Malhotra, India business head - Diagnostics, Siemens Healthcare Private Limited said, "Country is moving towards a need for mass screening and community surveillance for COVID-19. Laboratory based antibody tests (CLIA) are not just higher in sensitivity, but are also scalable to very high throughputs. This can enable an increased expanse of COVID-19 testing to larger population via already available network of thousands of government and private facilities, that are equipped for this testing."

India Education Diary |

FICCI moots need for Economical, Accurate & Scalable COVID-19 Testing Solutions for sero prevalence studies

FICCI today released a Whitepaper on ‘Economical, Accurate and Scalable COVID-19 Testing Solutions’ as the need for India’s seroprevalence studies, to base its pandemic management strategies and future initiatives as lockdown is getting lifted across the country. It is significant to note that recently ICMR released a communication on the list of antibody tests that are available for such studies, especially with high-risk groups like healthcare workers.

FICCI has been at the forefront of government-industry collaboration in managing the COVID-19 situation in India. FICCI IVD members, constituting Indian healthcare and regulatory system came together to build an ecosystem of safety measures, diagnostic testing, and medical intervention to contain and control mortality relating to COVID-19 infections in India.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI & Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Enterprises said, “It is a moment of great action and contemplation as we balance meeting immediate healthcare needs of India with planning for the future to manage the negative impact of COVID-19. I am glad that FICCI is able to truly value-add to this journey. The COVID-19 experience is new to all of us, but I am confident that we shall have a lot to take back from this experience as learnings, to build an Indian healthcare system that is resilient to any future situation. The Whitepaper is an effort in this direction, giving us some keen insights into seroprevalence studies with diagnostic testing, and how they impact COVID-19 management investments and plans of the future.”

From the onset of the pandemic to date, diagnostics have been at the heart of the discussion. RT-PCR based molecular testing has been enabling detection of the novel Corona Virus, while antibody testing is aimed at assessing the spread of infection to plan mitigation measures and assess the safety of returning to work.

Dr Shravan Subramanyam, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee & Managing Director, Roche Diagnostics India said, “India needs to focus on technology agnostic solutions that offer the best clinical outcomes (e.g. sensitivity and specificity) to measure exposure and potential immune response with SARS CoV-2 antibody tests. Fully automated lab-based Serology antibody tests are being widely adopted by several countries, including Singapore, which is leveraging CLIA to screen 300K migrant workers, UK, which announced that it is employing similar tests as a mass screening tool, especially for its healthcare workers and the US which is planning to launch a 25-city COVID-19 antibody study in June/July. India has such capabilities today and needs to leverage it to build data and plans its future healthcare strategy.”

Mr Ravi Sinha, Country Director India & SAARC, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics said, “Across India, people from all strata of life are being impacted by COVID-19 pandemic. Antibody testing using tests with excellent specificity is an optimal answer for large-scale testing, as it helps to ensure more people receive accurate results they can trust. Sero-surveillance will help monitor and manage those patients fighting active infection, and those who have developed antibodies may be able to return to work, destressing individual communities and re-boosting our economy. We must leverage the strong healthcare infrastructure built over decades, across the nation, towards improving and saving lives with diagnostics. Performing antibody testing on fully automated using U.S. FDA (EUA) & DCGI approved assays will help provide faster, reliable, and accurate patient results.”

Mr Narendra Varde, General Manager and Country Head at Abbott’s diagnostics business in India said, “Abbott recognizes that large scale antibody testing is critical to understanding and addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Lab-based serology test’s high performance and relevant data can help uncover new insights, including prevalence at local, state or countrywide levels. We welcome ICMR’s recommendation of IgG testing to measure COVID exposure in the population including asymptomatic individuals. Our recently launched Abbott SARS-CoV-2 test has demonstrated specificity and sensitivity to detect IgG antibodies of greater than 99 percent, and we want to do our part in providing hospitals and reference labs around the country with access to reliable testing.”

Mr Arpan Malhotra, India Business Head – Diagnostics, Siemens Healthcare Private Limited said, “Country is now moving towards a need for mass screening and community surveillance for COVID-19. Laboratory based antibody tests (CLIA) are not just higher in sensitivity, but are also scalable to very high throughputs. This can enable an increased expanse of COVID-19 testing to larger population via already available network of thousands of government and private facilities, that are equipped for this testing.”

A high-specificity test will identify people who have been truly exposed to SARS CoV-2 and will not generate many false-positive results.

At this point, we would encourage the ICMR & MoHFW to expand the COVID-19 Testing Strategy and release a protocol that covers both PCR and Lab-based Serology tests, while leveraging on infrastructure and spread of private hospitals and labs across India to build access to antibody testing.

Express Healthcare |

FICCI organises roundtable to deliberate on future containment strategy for COVID-19

Experts shared their experiences, successful strategies for COVID containment as well as challenges from States of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi

With the current trends it is evident that a further rise in COVID-19 infection is expected as the country proceeds further into Unlock 1 mode. While the four lockdowns have helped us slow down the virus spread and also helped us prepare our healthcare infrastructure to tackle the outbreak, it is now time to gradually open up the decelerated economy. However, this would require a greater effort from the Central and State governments as well as the community to contain the virus to the maximum extent possible.

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) organised a Roundtable to deliberate on the future containment strategy for COVID-19 recently. The Roundtable was attended by leading epidemiologists, public health experts and members from healthcare industry.

The experts shared their experiences and successful strategies for COVID containment as well as challenges from States of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Delhi. While ample investments in public health systems over past few years, including primary care, have helped States like Kerala and Karnataka to keep their number on infections low; proactive government, testing of all symptomatic individuals have helped in controlled transmission.

It is essential that all other states focus on primary and preventive care, robust messaging and advisories at local level as well as increased testing. RT-PCR should be performed for all symptomatic patients to control the spread. We also need to ensure and advocate for reverse quarantine as well as protect our elderly who are the most vulnerable. It is also important that we guard our population from any stigma or discrimination.

The experts also suggested that the society will now need to learn to live with Corona as a ‘New Normal’, just like we have been doing for measles or TB. Herd immunity will automatically come into the system in a natural way, as it does for any disease, but it should not be our target. This virus is highly immunogenic and a vaccine will indeed benefit the society, but till then individuals need to protect themselves through SMS (S=sanitise, M=mask & S=social distancing), to tackle the spread.

It was also suggested that all localities (RWAs, high rise societies, sectors and colonies) should create their own isolation areas / rooms with good ventilation, and make available a few beds with SpO2 monitors. Healthcare workers can monitor patients in these ‘community COVID facilities’ and protocols can be developed regarding treatment and transfer to higher care centre.

The experts felt that this pandemic has given us the opportunity to reinvent our public health system and going further our leadership should work through- ‘Anticipate, Coordinate and Act’ approach.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, while appreciating the views and contributions of all the experts said, “Going forward we need extensive testing including antibody testing for workplaces, containment of the virus at primary level and increased focus on public health”. She also shared that, “This is a time when each one of us- government, private industry as well as every individual- should work towards creating synergies and jointly fight this war against COVID-19.”

Healthcare Radius |

FICCI suggests RT-PCR testing and 'Sanitise-Mask-Social' distancing

RT-PCR should be performed for all symptomatic patients to control the spread, pointed out The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) during its roundtable to deliberate on the future containment strategy for COVID-19. The roundtable was attended by leading epidemiologists, public health experts and members from the healthcare industry.

It was also suggested that all localities (RWAs, high rise societies, sectors and colonies) should create their own isolation areas/ rooms with good ventilation, and make available a few beds with SpO2 monitors. Healthcare workers can monitor patients in these ‘community COVID facilities’ and protocols can be developed regarding treatment and transfer to the higher care center.

The experts opined that the society will now need to learn to live with Corona as a ‘New Normal’, just like we have been doing for Measles or TB. Herd immunity will automatically come into the system in a natural way, as it does for any disease, but it should not be the target. This virus is highly immunogenic and a vaccine will indeed benefit the society, but till then individuals need to protect themselves through SMS (S=sanitise, M=mask & S=social distancing), to tackle the spread, the roundtable emphasised.

The experts shared their experiences and successful strategies for COVID containment as well as challenges from the States of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Delhi. While ample investments in public health systems over the past few years, including primary care, have helped States like Kerala and Karnataka to keep their number on infections low; proactive government, testing of all symptomatic individuals have helped in controlled transmission.

“We also need to ensure and advocate for reverse quarantine as well as protect our elderly who are the most vulnerable. It is also important that we guard our population from any stigma or discrimination. The experts felt that this pandemic has given us the opportunity to reinvent our public health system and going further our leadership should work through- ‘Anticipate, Coordinate and Act’ approach,” it states.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, while appreciating the views and contributions of all the experts said, “Going forward, we need extensive testing including antibody testing for workplaces, containment of the virus at primary level and increased focus on public health.”

She also shared, “This is a time when each one of us- government, private industry as well as every individual- should work towards creating synergies and jointly fight this war against COVID-19’.

Business World |

RT-PCR testing and SMS (Sanitise-Mask-Social distancing) must to deal with Corona situation

With the current trends it is evident that a further rise in COVID-19 infection is expected as the country proceeds further into Unlock 1 mode. While the four lockdowns have helped us to slow down the virus spread and also helped us prepare our healthcare infrastructure to tackle the outbreak, it is now time to gradually open up the decelerated economy. However, this would require a greater effort from the Central and State governments as well as the community to contain the virus to the maximum extent possible.

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) organised a Roundtable to deliberate on the future containment strategy for COVID-19 on Saturday. The Roundtable was attended by leading epidemiologists, public health experts and members from healthcare industry.

The experts shared their experiences and successful strategies for COVID containment as well as challenges from States of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Delhi. While ample investments in public health systems over past few years, including primary care, have helped States like Kerala and Karnataka to keep their number on infections low; proactive government, testing of all symptomatic individuals have helped in controlled transmission.

It is essential that all other states focus on primary and preventive care, robust messaging and advisories at local level as well as increased testing. RT-PCR should be performed for all symptomatic patients to control the spread. We also need to ensure and advocate for reverse quarantine as well as protect our elderly who are the most vulnerable. It is also important that we guard our population from any stigma or discrimination.

The experts also suggested that the society will now need to learn to live with Corona as a ‘New Normal’, just like we have been doing for Measles or TB. Herd immunity will automatically come into the system in a natural way, as it does for any disease, but it should not be our target. This virus is highly immunogenic and a vaccine will indeed benefit the society, but till then individuals need to protect themselves through SMS (S=sanitise, M=mask & S=social distancing), to tackle the spread.

It was also suggested that all localities (RWAs, high rise societies, sectors and colonies) should create their own isolation areas/ rooms with good ventilation, and make available a few beds with SpO2 monitors. Healthcare workers can monitor patients in these ‘community COVID facilities’ and protocols can be developed regarding treatment and transfer to higher care center.

The experts felt that this pandemic has given us the opportunity to reinvent our public health system and going further our leadership should work through- ‘Anticipate, Coordinate and Act’ approach.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, while appreciating the views and contributions of all the experts said, “going forward we need extensive testing including antibody testing for workplaces, containment of the virus at primary level and increased focus on public health”. She also shared that, “this is a time when each one of us- government, private industry as well as every individual- should work towards creating synergies and jointly fight this war against COVID-19’.

Pharma Biz |

FICCI roundtable with epidemiologists sees RT-PCR testing and use of masks to deal with COVID-19

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) roundtable on COVID-19 attended by leading epidemiologists and public health experts noted that only RT-PCR testing, sanitizing and use of masks could prevent the virus spread.

The experts shared their experiences and successful strategies for COVID containment as well as challenges from States of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Delhi. While ample investments in public health systems over past few years, including primary care, have helped states like Kerala and Karnataka to keep their number on infections low; proactive government, testing of all symptomatic individuals have helped in controlled transmission.

It is essential that all other states focus on primary and preventive care, robust messaging and advisories at local level as well as increased testing. RT-PCR should be performed for all symptomatic patients to control the spread. We also need to ensure and advocate for reverse quarantine as well as protect our elderly who are the most vulnerable. It is also important that we guard our population from any stigma or discrimination, said the experts.

They also suggested that the society will now need to learn to live with corona as a ‘New Normal’, just like we have been doing for measles or TB. Herd immunity will automatically come into the system in a natural way, as it does for any disease, but it should not be our target. "This virus is highly immunogenic and a vaccine will indeed benefit the society, but till then individuals need to protect themselves through SMS (S=sanitise, M=mask & S=social distancing), to tackle the spread," they said.

It was also suggested that all localities should create their own isolation areas/rooms with good ventilation, and make available a few beds with SpO2 monitors. Healthcare workers can monitor patients in these ‘community COVID facilities’ and protocols can be developed regarding treatment and transfer to higher care center.

The experts felt that this pandemic has given an opportunity to reinvent the public health system.

Dr Sangita Reddy, president, FICCI, while appreciating the views and contributions of all the experts said, “Going forward we need extensive testing including antibody testing for workplaces, containment of the virus at primary level and increased focus on public health”.

"This is a time when each one of us- government, private industry as well as every individual- should work towards creating synergies and jointly fight this war against COVID-19’, she added.

Swachh India NDTV |

Sanitise-Mask-Social Distancing along with RT-PCR testing must to combat corona: Experts at FICCI Roundtable

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Saturday organised a roundtable to deliberate on the future containment strategy for COVID-19. The roundtable was attended by leading epidemiologists, public health experts and members from the healthcare industry. The experts suggested that the society will now need to learn to live with corona as a ‘New Normal’, just like we have been doing for Measles or TB.

The experts shared their experiences and successful strategies for COVID containment as well as challenges from states like Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Delhi.

Experts reckoned that while ample investments in public health systems over the past few years, including primary care, have helped states like Kerala and Karnataka to keep their number of infections low; proactive government, testing of all symptomatic individuals have helped in controlled transmission.

It was also suggested that all localities (RWAs, high rise societies, sectors and colonies) should create their own isolation areas/ rooms with good ventilation and make available a few beds with SpO2 monitors. Healthcare workers can monitor patients in these ‘community COVID facilities’ and protocols can be developed regarding treatment and transfer to higher care centres.

The experts felt that this pandemic has given us the opportunity to reinvent our public health system and going further our leadership should work through- ‘Anticipate, Coordinate and Act’ approach.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, while appreciating the views and contributions of all the experts said,

New Kerala |

Sanitise-Mask-Social distancing alongwith RT-PCR testing must to combat corona: Experts at FICCI roundtable

The experts suggested that the society will now need to learn to live with corona as a 'New Normal', just like we have been doing for Measles or TB. "Herd immunity will automatically come into the system in a natural way, as it does for any disease, but it should not be our target. This virus is highly immunogenic, and a vaccine will indeed benefit the society, but till then individuals need to protect themselves through SMS (S=Sanitise, M=Mask and S=Social distancing), to tackle the spread," the experts conveyed.

The experts shared their experiences and successful strategies for COVID containment as well as challenges from states like Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Delhi.

"While ample investments in public health systems over the past few years, including primary care, have helped states like Kerala and Karnataka to keep their number of infections low; proactive government, testing of all symptomatic individuals have helped in controlled transmission," the experts reckoned.

"It is essential that all other states focus on primary and preventive care, robust messaging, and advisories at the local level as well as increased testing. RT-PCR should be performed for all symptomatic patients to control the spread. We also need to ensure and advocate for reverse quarantine as well as protect our elderly who are the most vulnerable. It is also important that we guard our population against any stigma or discrimination," the experts said.

It was also suggested that all localities (RWAs, high rise societies, sectors and colonies) should create their own isolation areas/ rooms with good ventilation and make available a few beds with SpO2 monitors. Healthcare workers can monitor patients in these 'community COVID facilities' and protocols can be developed regarding treatment and transfer to higher care centres.

The experts felt that this pandemic has given us the opportunity to reinvent our public health system and going further our leadership should work through- 'Anticipate, Coordinate and Act' approach.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, while appreciating the views and contributions of all the experts said, "Going forward we need extensive testing including antibody testing for workplaces, containment of the virus at primary level and increased focus on public health."

She added, "This is a time when each one of us - government, private industry as well as every individual should work towards creating synergies and jointly fight this war against COVID-19."

News Today |

FICCI proposes rational costing solution for Covid-19 treatment

In an effort to serve with transparency, ethics and compassion, despite the strain that the healthcare sector is under, FICCI Covid-19 Response Task Force under the FICCI Health Services Committee, in a series of meetings, have worked on creating a rational costing framework which will allay any fears of the patients and the community about Covid treatment.

FICCI Covid-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, have brainstormed and developed an accounting methodology to help bring in a standardisation of cost of Covid treatment in the national interest.

This has been categorised according to government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs and further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case.

Dr Alok Roy, chair- FICCI Health Services Committee, said that there is an imperative need to acknowledge that Covid treatment costs is difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various comorbidities associated with it.

Additionally, segregating the Covid and non-Covid patients is essential which needs huge investments in infrastructure.

Telangana Today |

FICCI evolves costing framework for private hospitals

FICCI COVID-19 Response Task Force under the FICCI Health Services Committee worked on a costing framework. According to this recommendation, a patient paying from out-of-pocket should pay Rs 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward and Rs 45,000 per day for ICU (with ventilator).

These rates include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics but exclude PPE costs, highend drugs and any co-morbidities. Also, they are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10%, FICCI said.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “The private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion.”

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman- Medica Group of Hospitals, said that COVID treatment cost is difficult to rationalise due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various comorbidities associated with it.

Additionally, segregating the COVID and non-COVID patients is essential which needs huge investments in infrastructure.

“We have recommended these costs which may not be viable for the private sector as we are in a national crisis and believe that it is our responsibility to serve patients with the best treatment possible at reasonable costs,” added Roy.

FICCI is working with the government to resolve this evolving issue and has submitted the costing framework to the Union and State Health Ministries.

In April, FICCI had submitted the first cut of the costing strategy which was based on hypothesis. This revised version is worked out based on analysis of actual data of 150 cases of COVID treatment in major private hospitals. It is also working with other associations who have also developed the COVID costing framework

Business Today |

Coronavirus: FICCI fixes price of treatment in associated private hospitals

The COVID-19 response taskforce of FICCI and leading private hospitals associated with the industry body have developed an accounting methodology to bring in standardisation of cost of coronavirus treatment in the national interest. Given the rising cases of COVID-19 infection, the need for more hospitalisation and owing to the overloading of public health system, increasing number of private healthcare providers have been admitting and treating COVID-19 positive cases, a statement said.

The COVID-19 treatment cost has been categorised with respect to government-referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and those who are covered by third party administrators (TPAs). It has further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case such as patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation ward, patients requiring ICU without ventilator and those requiring ICU with ventilator.

Beds reserved for government-referred patients in isolation wards will be charged Rs 13,600, in ICU without ventilator Rs 27,088 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 36,853 per patient, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said. For COVID-19 cases treated by private hospitals, rates in isolation wards will be Rs 17,000, in ICU without ventilator Rs 34,000 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 45,000 per patient, it said.

The industry body said for patients covered by TPAs, rates in isolation wards will be Rs 20,000, in ICU without ventilator Rs 55,000 and in ICU with ventilators will be charged Rs 68,000 per patient, it said. These are FICCI recommended rates for per patient - average revenue per occupied bed in the private hospitals associated with it.

According to FICCI, hospitals' standard rates will be applicable for expensive/high-end medicines, and the estimated personal protective equipment (PPE) count is applicable only when the patients are cohorted in an area. It said that these are only an illustration on the basis of basic tests that may be needed for the treatment of COVID-19 patients during their stay in wards and coronary care unit, with or without ventilator support.

The actual average length of stay and tests may vary on the basis of condition of the patients. It said that these rates are indicative and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10 per cent. The clinical teams of large hospitals consisting of intensivists, pulmonologists, critical care specialists as well as infectious disease specialists have given their inputs in developing the above models, it said.

These models include the costs of materials such as consumables, medicines and basic diagnostics; but exclude the cost of PPEs, high end drugs and any comorbidities, it said. FICCI said all the hospitals are struggling with declining revenues on account of decreased outpatients and falling in-patient occupancy levels which have resulted in significant cash flow challenges, including managing payroll, material and finance costs.

"We, therefore, request the government to create individual escrow accounts for each hospital and pay the treatment amounts in advance to ease the liquidity challenges during this difficult period," the body added.

News Orbiter |

FICCI provides a Rational Costing Solution for COVID treatment at private hospitals

In an effort to serve with transparency, ethics and compassion, despite the strain that the healthcare sector is under, FICCI COVID-19 Response Task Force under the FICCI Health Services Committee, in a series of meetings, have worked on creating a rational costing framework which will allay any fears of the patients and the community about COVID-19 treatment.

As India’s COVID infection count surges, there has been an increase in the trust deficit between the providers and the government, providers and insurers as well as with the public at large on the issue of cost of COVID treatment. The clinicians from India and across the globe are still grappling with defining treatment protocols for COVID-19, making it extremely difficult to recommend a treatment especially for patients with co-morbidities.

In these times of national emergency, private healthcare providers have been at the forefront of COVID crisis, supporting the government by suggesting strategy for COVID-19 management in the country, providing dedicated infrastructure and manpower support for COVID 19 treatment. It is prudent to highlight that like all other sectors, private healthcare too has been impacted by the lockdown facing acute financial crisis, restricted mobility of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers, absence of frontline healthcare workers and doctors owing to contacting infection on duty, unavailability of drugs and PPEs at affordable rates and a viable costing framework.

FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, have brainstormed and developed an accounting methodology to help bring in a standardisation of cost of COVID treatment in the national interest. This has been categorised according to government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs and further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case:
  • Patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation (Isolation ward)
  • Patients requiring intensive care but are not ventilated (ICU without ventilator)
  • Patients requiring intensive care and ventilator support (ICU with ventilator)
According to this recommendation, a patient who is paying from out of pocket should pay Rs 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward and Rs 45,000 per day for ICU (with ventilator). These rates include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high end drugs and any co-morbidities. Also, they are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10%.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “In these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion.”

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman- Medica Group of Hospitals, said that that there is an imperative need to acknowledge that COVID treatment costs is difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various comorbidities associated with it. Additionally, segregating the COVID and non-COVID patients is essential which needs huge investments in infrastructure. “We have recommended these costs which may not be viable for the private sector, as we are in a national crisis and believe that it is our ethical responsibility to serve our patients with the best treatment possible at reasonable costs,” added Dr Roy.

FICCI is working with the government to resolve this evolving and dynamic issue and has submitted the costing framework to the Union and State Health Ministries. In the month of April, FICCI had submitted the first cut of the costing strategy which was based on hypothesis. This revised version is worked out based on analysis of actual data of 150 cases of COVID treatment in major private hospitals. FICCI is also working with other Healthcare Associations who have also developed the COVID costing framework that is aligned to the FICCI recommended costs. FICCI member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations and display it transparently on their hospital website in their endeavour to fight this war against COVID-19.

At the same time, FICCI also urged that it is important that the government considers and adopts a scientific, plausible and coherent reimbursement criterion for any treatment, that is viable for the providers. FICCI has been advocating for adoption of a scientific costing framework to derive rational reimbursement rates. To present evidence, in 2018, FICCI conducted a sample costing study based on Time Driven Activity Based Costing (TDABC), an internationally recognized bottoms-up costing approach for estimating costs of processes used in patient care, which was submitted to the government.

The Indian Wire |

FICCI fixes rates for COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals

The COVID-19 retaliation labour force of The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and prime privatised hospitals associated with the industry body have developed an feasible approach to bring in uniformity of cost of Covid-19 treatment in the national context.

Considering the alarming cases of coronavirus infection, the need for more resources in respect to hospitalisation, owing to the cluttering of public health system and increasing number of private healthcare providers have been admitting and treating patients with positive symptoms of COVID-19, a statement revealed.

The treatment cost has been segregated with respect to government-referred patients, patients paying from their own pockets and those who are covered by third party administrators (TPAs). Also FICCI, revealed the commercials wherein the charges would be levied on the patient’s treatments as per their segregated groups.

Beds reserved for government-referred patients in isolation wards will be charged Rs 13,600, in ICU without ventilator Rs 27,088 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 36,853 per patient, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said.

Also, to add further, sub-divisions have also been maintained wherein it has got three levels depending on the cruciality of the case. For instance, if there are patients who do not require intensive examining but must be kept in isolation ward, patients requiring ICU without ventilator and those requiring ICU with ventilator.

For COVID-19 cases treated by private hospitals, rates in isolation wards will be Rs 17,000, in ICU without ventilator Rs 34,000 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 45,000 per patient, it said.

FICCI further informed, all the hospitals are currently facing a crisis with dropping revenues on account of decreased outpatients and falling in-patient occupancy levels which have resulted in considerable cash flow challenges, including managing payroll, material and finance costs.

Business Standard |

FICCI fixes rates for Covid-19 treatment in associated private hospitals

The Covid-19 response taskforce of the FICCI and leading private hospitals associated with it have developed an accounting methodology to bring in standardisation of cost of Covid-19 treatment.

Beds reserved for government-referred patients in isolation wards will be charged Rs 13,600, in ICU without ventilator Rs 27,088 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 36,853 per patient, FICCI said.

For treatment by private hospitals, rates in isolation wards will be Rs 17,000, in ICU without ventilator Rs 34,000 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 45,000 per patient, it said.

The industry body said for patients covered by third-party administrators, rates in isolation wards will be Rs 20,000, in ICU without ventilator Rs 55,000 and in ICU with ventilators will be charged Rs 68,000 per patient.

The Indian Express |

Private hospitals' body, FICCI propose caps on COVID-19 treatment cost

A Week after the Supreme Court called out private hospitals on the Covid-19 treatment cost, two major associations representing such facilities have suggested a cap of Rs 35,000-68,000 per day. However, this does not include the additional cost of 'high-end' tests and medicines, as well as treatment for those with comorbidities.

While these rates are not binding, the Association of Healthcare Providers of India (AHPI) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) are submitting their suggestions to the central and state governments.

Major private hospitals, including Apollo Hospitals, Fortis Healthcare, Dr LH Hiranandani, PD Hinduja and Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, are likely to implement the rates suggested by at least one of these associations, The Indian Express has learnt.

The AHPI, which represents around 10,000 private hospitals, has suggested various ceiling rates, depending on the type of treatment: from Rs 15,000 per day for general ward to Rs 35,000 per day if the patient is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and on ventilator support.

The suggested rates include the cost of basic medicines, testing, personal protective equipment (PPE) and all other required elements in the treatment of a patient without comorbidities or complications unrelated to Covid-19, said AHPI Director General Dr Girdhar Gyani. However, it will not include the cost of 'high-end' investigations, medicines and treatment required for patients with underlying conditions.

The FICCI has listed proposed rates according to the category of patient: whether he is government-referred, paying out of his pocket, or with insurance. Depending on these categories, and whether the patient is admitted in an isolation ward or ICU (with or without a ventilator), it has suggested a cap of Rs 13,600 to Rs 68,000 per day. The rates, based on an analysis of 150 actual COVID treatment cases in major private hospitals, are indicative and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10 percent.

The rates suggested by FICCI include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics, but don’t include treatment for patients with comorbidities and the cost of high end drugs. PPEs, which it had earlier calculated to cost around Rs 10,000 per day, are also excluded.

“In these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion,” said Dr Sangita Reddy, FICCI President and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group.

FICCI’s member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations.

Dr Sujit Chatterjee, CEO of AHPI member Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital in Mumbai, said the proportion of patients with comorbidities, or requiring high-end treatment, was not as high as those who need basic treatment. “For instance, in a 24-bed ICU, about 10 patients would require high-end intervention,” he said.

According to him, the cost of a 10-day treatment using AHPI’s rates would not exceed Rs 3.5 lakh for patients without comorbidities and would be around Rs 9 lakh for those with comorbidities.

“It does manage to bring down the cost…it’s fair,” he said. “At the end of the day, if any business or facility is not self sustaining, you can’t borrow and live,” he added.

On May 28, The Indian Express reported that private hospital bills ranged from Rs 2.6 lakh for a six-day stay to around Rs 16.14 lakh for almost a month, and for those who had insurance, the out-of-pocket expenses ranged from Rs 60,000 to Rs 1.38 lakh.

Last week, the Supreme Court asked “why can’t private hospitals, given land free of cost, treat Covid-19 patients for free.”

“We are hoping to put pressure on hospitals that may not be inclined to follow these rates. Some of our members have said that they can provide this treatment for even less than the rates that have been suggested. We are suggesting that hospitals can charge less than, or as much as these rates, but not more,” said AHPI’s Gyani.

“Patients who feel they are being charged more than the rates we’ve suggested can reach out to us and we can connect them with other accredited hospitals that are our members who will charge within these limits,” he said.

Meanwhile, Inayat Kakar, a public health activist and lawyer, said: “Self regulation by private players defeats the purpose of public interest and accountability. As we can see, the rates being demanded by FICCI and other private bodies are still unaffordable for most people and only serve to enable private hospitals from continuing to profit. In the event of violations, patients would still be left on their own.”

According to Brinelle D’Souza of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan-Mumbai, AHPI’s ‘suggested indicative pricing’ for treating COVID-19 patients in a general ward is “arbitrary and unjustified and way above the prices set by the Government of Maharashtra.”

“During the pandemic, corporate hospitals have been indulging in profiteering with impunity,” said Malini Aisola of the All India Drug Action Network, a patient activist group. “The rates being proposed are excessive and misleading, because they exclude high-end medicines, PPEs, etc, which contribute hugely to bills. The rates also do not cover comorbidities which is the case for most severe patients. The rates are meaningless because they cannot be enforced,” she said.

Maharashtra is among the few states that has capped the rates for COVID and non-COVID treatment in the state to redress grievances regarding exorbitant amounts charged by healthcare providers to patients not covered under any health insurance.

Express Healthcare |

FICCI provides rational costing solution for COVID treatment at private hospitals

FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from private hospitals in India, have brainstormed, developed an accounting methodology to help bring in standardisation of cost of COVID treatment in national interest

In an effort to serve with transparency, ethics and compassion, despite the strain that the healthcare sector is under, FICCI COVID-19 Response Task Force under the FICCI Health Services Committee, in a series of meetings, have worked on creating a rational costing framework which will allay any fears of the patients and the community about COVID treatment.

As India’s COVID infection count surges, there has been an increase in the trust deficit between the providers and the government, providers and insurers as well as with the public at large on the issue of cost of COVID treatment. The clinicians from India and across the globe are still grappling with defining treatment protocols for COVID-19, making it extremely difficult to recommend a treatment especially for patients with co-morbidities.

In these times of national emergency, private healthcare providers have been at the forefront of COVID crisis, supporting the government by suggesting strategy for COVID-19 management in the country, providing dedicated infrastructure and manpower support for COVID-19 treatment. It is prudent to point out that like all other sectors, private healthcare too has been impacted by the lockdown facing acute financial crisis, restricted mobility of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers, absence of frontline healthcare workers and doctors owing to contacting infection on duty, unavailability of drugs and PPEs at affordable rates and a viable costing framework.

FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, have brainstormed and developed an accounting methodology to help bring in a standardisation of cost of COVID treatment in the national interest. This has been categorised according to government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs and further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case:
  • Patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation (Isolation ward)
  • Patients requiring intensive care but are not ventilated (ICU without ventilator)
  • Patients requiring intensive care and ventilator support (ICU with ventilator)
According to this recommendation, a patient who is paying from out of pocket should pay Rs 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward and Rs 45,000 per day for ICU (with ventilator). These rates include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high end drugs and any co-morbidities. Also, they are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10 per cent.

Sharing the above details, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “In these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion”.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, further shared that there is an imperative need to acknowledge that COVID treatment costs is difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various co-morbidities associated with it. Additionally, segregating the COVID and non-COVID patients is essential which needs huge investments in infrastructure. We have recommended these costs which may not be viable for the private sector, as we are in a national crisis and believe that it is our ethical responsibility to serve our patients with the best treatment possible at reasonable costs.

FICCI is working with the government to resolve this evolving and dynamic issue and has submitted the costing framework to the Union and State Health Ministries. In the month of April, FICCI had submitted the first cut of the costing strategy which was based on hypothesis. This revised version is worked out based on analysis of actual data of 150 cases of COVID treatment in major private hospitals. FICCI is also working with other Healthcare Associations who have also developed the COVID costing framework that is aligned to the FICCI recommended costs. FICCI member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations and display it transparently on their hospital website in their endeavour to fight this war against COVID-19.

At the same time, FICCI also urged that it is important that the government considers and adopts a scientific, plausible and coherent reimbursement criterion for any treatment, that is viable for the providers. FICCI has been advocating for adoption of a scientific costing framework to derive rational reimbursement rates. To present evidence, in 2018, FICCI conducted a sample costing study based on Time Driven Activity Based Costing (TDABC), an internationally recognised bottoms-up costing approach for estimating costs of processes used in patient care, which was submitted to the government.

Zee Business |

How much is cost of coronavirus treatment? Check prices here

The COVID-19 response taskforce of FICCI and leading private hospitals associated with the industry body have developed an accounting methodology to bring in standardisation of cost of coronavirus treatment in the national interest.

Given the rising cases of COVID-19 infection, the need for more hospitalisation and owing to the overloading of public health system, increasing number of private healthcare providers have been admitting and treating COVID-19 positive cases, a statement said.

The COVID-19 treatment cost has been categorised with respect to government-referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and those who are covered by third party administrators (TPAs).

It has further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case such as patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation ward, patients requiring ICU without ventilator and those requiring ICU with ventilator.

Beds reserved for government-referred patients in isolation wards will be charged Rs 13,600, in ICU without ventilator Rs 27,088 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 36,853 per patient, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said.

For COVID-19 cases treated by private hospitals, rates in isolation wards will be Rs 17,000, in ICU without ventilator Rs 34,000 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 45,000 per patient, it said.

The industry body said for patients covered by TPAs, rates in isolation wards will be Rs 20,000, in ICU without ventilator Rs 55,000 and in ICU with ventilators will be charged Rs 68,000 per patient, it said.

These are FICCI recommended rates for per patient - average revenue per occupied bed in the private hospitals associated with it.

According to FICCI, hospitals' standard rates will be applicable for expensive/high-end medicines, and the estimated personal protective equipment (PPE) count is applicable only when the patients are cohorted in an area.

It said that these are only an illustration on the basis of basic tests that may be needed for the treatment of COVID-19 patients during their stay in wards and coronary care unit, with or without ventilator support.

The actual average length of stay and tests may vary on the basis of condition of the patients.

It said that these rates are indicative and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10 per cent.

The clinical teams of large hospitals consisting of intensivists, pulmonologists, critical care specialists as well as infectious disease specialists have given their inputs in developing the above models, it said.

These models include the costs of materials such as consumables, medicines and basic diagnostics; but exclude the cost of PPEs, high end drugs and any comorbidities, it said.

FICCI said all the hospitals are struggling with declining revenues on account of decreased outpatients and falling in-patient occupancy levels which have resulted in significant cash flow challenges, including managing payroll, material and finance costs.

"We, therefore, request the government to create individual escrow accounts for each hospital and pay the treatment amounts in advance to ease the liquidity challenges during this difficult period," the body added.

The New Indian Express |

'Rs 15,000 to Rs 35,000 per day': Private hospitals fix rates for treatment of Covid-19 patients

Amid growing concerns that some private hospitals are billing Covid-19 patients and their families exorbitantly, an association of private hospitals across India and FICCI member hospitals have come up with two independent set of rates for treatment of infected patients admitted in private hospitals.

The Association of Healthcare Providers, which claims to represent vast majority of private hospitals, has suggested that for patients in general wards the fee per day should be fixed at Rs 15,000 per day, in wards with oxygen it should be Rs 20,000 per day and isoltation ICUs can cost Rs 25,000 every day.

The AHPI has also proposed that rate per day for isolation ICUs with ventilator support can be fixed at Rs 35,000.

It made it clear thought the pricing does not include high end drugs like immunoglobulin, tocilizumab and plasma therapy which, if used, will be charged separately. Also, management management of co-morbid complication will be charged as per actuals.

FICCI task force on Covid 19 on the other hand in its proposal sent to the Union government has suggested fixing these rates from Rs 17,000 - Rs 45,000 per day.

The suggested prices come even as kin of some Covid 19 patients in some cities, including Delhi have complained of hefty bills being charged by several private hospitals in the treatment of the infectious disease that has taken the world by storm. In the wake of these charges, some state governments such as Maharashtra and Rajasthan have made moves to fix price limit on treatment cost for the disease in private hospitals.

The costing suggested is based on the assessment carried out in hospitals, which are treating Covid-19 patients and have the experience of actual costing relating to use of PPEs, infection control measures, HR aspect of Healthcare workers, who are deployed in shifts and need to be quarantined, said the two industry bodies.

“With the increase in the number of Covid-19 patients in the country, many hospitals in the private sector have undergone infrastructural changes to set up separate isolation wards and othe r necessary changes have been initiated to put in place a guideline compliant structure totreat COVID 19 patients and to ensure best clinical outcome,” said the AHPI. “However here has been a lack of clarity about costing which has now been addressed by the costing criterion.”

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said that in these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion.

Some patient groups, meanwhile, lambasted the proposals saying that announcements of self regulation by various hospital association are simply attempts to subvert efforts of the various governments to expand affordable access to COVID-19 treatment.

“During the pandemic, corporate hospitals have been indulging in profiteering with impunity. Increasingly, and as infection spreads, states are trying to making regulate treatment charges,” said Malini Aisola of the All India Drug Action Network.

“The rates being proposed anyway excessive but also misleading because they exclude high-end medicines, PPEs etc. which contribute hugely to bills. The rates also do not cover co-morbidities which is the case for most severe patients.”

“Leaving that aside, the rates are meaningless simply because they cannot be enforced,” she also said adding that hospitals are doing PR stunts to manage their negative image for fleecing patients during the crisis.

Deccan Herald |

FICCI suggests rational costing framework for COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals

Industry body FICCI on Thursday said it has suggested a rational costing framework for COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals to allay fears of the patients and the community as a whole.

FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, has recommended that patients who are paying out of their own pocket should pay Rs 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward, the industry chamber said in a statement.

The task force has recommended that the patient should pay Rs 45,000 per day for ICU with ventilator, it said.

These rates include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high-end drugs and any co-morbidities, the industry body said in the statement, adding these are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10 per cent.

The taskforce has categorised the cost of treatment according to "government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs".

It has further been sub-categorised into three levels depending on the severity of the case -- patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation ward, patients requiring intensive care but are not ventilated and patients requiring intensive care and ventilator support, FICCI said.

"In these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion," FICCI President Sangita Reddy said.

FICCI Health Services Committee Chair Alok Roy said there is an imperative need to acknowledge that COVID-19 treatment cost is difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various co-morbidities associated with it.

The chamber is working with the government to resolve this evolving and dynamic issue and has submitted the costing framework to the Union Health Ministry and state health departments, it said.

"FICCI member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations and display it transparently on their hospital website in their endeavour to fight this war against COVID-19," it added.

"At the same time, FICCI also urged it is important that the government considers and adopts a scientific, plausible and coherent reimbursement criterion for any treatment, that is viable for the providers," the statement said.

Live Mint |

Healthcare industry proposes rational costing for covid-19 treatment in private hospitals

With the increase in the number of Covid-19 patients in the country, many hospitals in the private sector have undergone infrastructural changes to set up separate isolation wards and other necessary changes have been initiated to put in place a guideline compliant structure to treat covid-19 patients and to ensure best clinical outcomes. However there has been a lack of clarity about cost of treatment.

Developing an accounting methodology to help bring in a standardisation of cost of covid-19 treatment in private sector, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) covid-19 Response Taskforce, categorised the covid-19 treatment according to government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs. The federation further sub-categorised them to three levels depending on the severity of the case.

According to the FICCI recommendation, a patient who is paying from out of pocket should pay ₹17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward and ₹45,000 per day for ICU (with ventilator). These rates include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high end drugs and any co-morbidities. Also, they are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10%, FICCI said in a statement.

FICCI said it is working with the government to resolve the treatment expenditure issues in private sector and has submitted the costing framework to the Union and State Health Ministries. “Covid-19 treatment cost is difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various comorbidities associated with it," Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Health Services Committee said.

“Additionally, segregating the covid and non-covid patients is essential which needs huge investments in infrastructure. We have recommended these costs which may not be viable for the private sector, as we are in a national crisis and believe that it is our ethical responsibility to serve our patients with the best treatment possible at reasonable costs," he said.

FICCI in April also had submitted the first cut of the costing strategy which was based on hypothesis. This revised version is worked out based on analysis of actual data of 150 cases of covid treatment in major private hospitals, it said.

Similarly, Association of Healthcare Providers (India), representing majority of private hospitals in the country, also came out with a suggestive cost for treatment of covid-19 patients in private hospitals, which are not covered under agreement with Governmental run scheme; central or state. “As more and more patients are opting for treatment at private hospitals, standardization of cost becomes necessary," said Dr Girdhar Gyani, director general AHPI. The AHPI has submitted its recommendation to the government suggesting per day charges of ₹15000 for General Ward, ₹20000 for Ward with oxygen, ₹25000 for Isolation ICU, and ₹35000 for Isolation ICU with Ventilator.

“There are reports that there was no transparency in treatment cost at private hospitals and therefore need for voluntarily fixing the price for treatment of covid-19 patients was felt," Dr Alexander Thomas, President, AHPI said.

The AHPI costing suggested is based on the assessment carried out in hospitals, which are treating covid-19 patients and have the experience of actual costing relating to use of PPEs, Infection Control measures, Human Resource aspect of Healthcare workers, who are deployed in shifts and need to be quarantined etc.

The Economic Times |

FICCI fixes rates for COVID-19 treatment in associated private hospitals

The COVID-19 response taskforce of FICCI and leading private hospitals associated with the industry body have developed an accounting methodology to bring in standardisation of cost of coronavirus treatment in the national interest.

Given the rising cases of COVID-19 infection, the need for more hospitalisation and owing to the overloading of public health system, increasing number of private healthcare providers have been admitting and treating COVID-19 positive cases, a statement said.

The COVID-19 treatment cost has been categorised with respect to government-referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and those who are covered by third party administrators (TPAs).

It has further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case such as patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation ward, patients requiring ICU without ventilator and those requiring ICU with ventilator.

Beds reserved for government-referred patients in isolation wards will be charged Rs 13,600, in ICU without ventilator Rs 27,088 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 36,853 per patient, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said.

For COVID-19 cases treated by private hospitals, rates in isolation wards will be Rs 17,000, in ICU without ventilator Rs 34,000 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 45,000 per patient, it said.

The industry body said for patients covered by TPAs, rates in isolation wards will be Rs 20,000, in ICU without ventilator Rs 55,000 and in ICU with ventilators will be charged Rs 68,000 per patient, it said.

These are FICCI recommended rates for per patient - average revenue per occupied bed in the private hospitals associated with it.

According to FICCI, hospitals' standard rates will be applicable for expensive/high-end medicines, and the estimated personal protective equipment (PPE) count is applicable only when the patients are cohorted in an area.

It said that these are only an illustration on the basis of basic tests that may be needed for the treatment of COVID-19 patients during their stay in wards and coronary care unit, with or without ventilator support.

The actual average length of stay and tests may vary on the basis of condition of the patients.

It said that these rates are indicative and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10 per cent.

The clinical teams of large hospitals consisting of intensivists, pulmonologists, critical care specialists as well as infectious disease specialists have given their inputs in developing the above models, it said.

These models include the costs of materials such as consumables, medicines and basic diagnostics; but exclude the cost of PPEs, high end drugs and any comorbidities, it said.

FICCI said all the hospitals are struggling with declining revenues on account of decreased outpatients and falling in-patient occupancy levels which have resulted in significant cash flow challenges, including managing payroll, material and finance costs.

"We, therefore, request the government to create individual escrow accounts for each hospital and pay the treatment amounts in advance to ease the liquidity challenges during this difficult period," the body added.

Health Wire |

FICCI develops methodology to bring standardisation of cost of COVID-19 treatment

Industry body FICCI has devised a rational costing framework which will allay any fears of the patients and the community about COVID-19 treatment.

FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce under the FICCI Health Services Committee, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, has brainstormed and developed an accounting methodology to help bring in a standardisation of cost of COVID treatment in the national interest.

According to the recommendation by the industry chamber, a patient who is paying from out of pocket should pay Rs. 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward and Rs. 45,000 per day for ICU with a ventilator. These rates include medicines, consumables, and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high-end drugs, and any co-morbidities. Also, they are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10 per cent.

Sharing the above details, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “In these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency, and compassion”.

Dr Alok Roy, chair- FICCI Health Services Committee and chairman- Medica Group of Hospitals, said that these treatment costs are difficult to rationalise due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various comorbidities associated with it. Additionally, segregating the COVID and non-COVID patients is essential which needs huge infrastructure investments.

The revised version is worked out based on analysis of actual data of 150 cases of COVID-19 treatment in major private hospitals. FICCI is also working with other Healthcare Associations which have developed the costing framework that is aligned to the FICCI recommended costs. FICCI member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations and display it transparently on their hospital website in their endeavour to fight this war against COVID-19.

At the same time, FICCI also urged that it is important that the government considers and adopts a scientific, plausible, and coherent reimbursement criterion for any treatment that is viable for the providers. It has been advocating for the adoption of a scientific costing framework to derive rational reimbursement rates. To present evidence, in 2018, FICCI conducted a sample costing study based on Time-Driven Activity Based Costing (TDABC), an internationally recognized bottoms-up costing approach for estimating costs of processes used in patient care, which was submitted to the government.

India Education Diary |

FICCI provides a Rational Costing Solution for COVID Treatment at Private Hospitals

In an effort to serve with transparency, ethics and compassion, despite the strain that the healthcare sector is under, FICCI COVID-19 Response Task Force under the FICCI Health Services Committee, in a series of meetings, have worked on creating a rational costing framework which will allay any fears of the patients and the community about COVID treatment.

As India’s COVID infection count surges, there has been an increase in the trust deficit between the providers and the government, providers and insurers as well as with the public at large on the issue of cost of COVID treatment. The clinicians from India and across the globe are still grappling with defining treatment protocols for COVID-19, making it extremely difficult to recommend a treatment especially for patients with co-morbidities.

In these times of national emergency, private healthcare providers have been at the forefront of COVID crisis, supporting the government by suggesting strategy for COVID-19 management in the country, providing dedicated infrastructure and manpower support for COVID 19 treatment. It is prudent to point out that like all other sectors, private healthcare too has been impacted by the lockdown facing acute financial crisis, restricted mobility of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers, absence of frontline healthcare workers and doctors owing to contacting infection on duty, unavailability of drugs and PPEs at affordable rates and a viable costing framework.
FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, have brainstormed and developed an accounting methodology to help bring in a standardisation of cost of COVID treatment in the national interest. This has been categorised according to government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs and further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case:
  • Patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation (Isolation ward)
  • Patients requiring intensive care but are not ventilated (ICU without ventilator)
  • Patients requiring intensive care and ventilator support (ICU with ventilator)
According to this recommendation, a patient who is paying from out of pocket should pay INR 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward and INR 45,000 per day for ICU (with ventilator). These rates include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high end drugs and any co-morbidities. Also, they are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10%.

Sharing the above details, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “in these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion”.
Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman- Medica Group of Hospitals, further shared that there is an imperative need to acknowledge that COVID treatment costs is difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various comorbidities associated with it. Additionally, segregating the COVID and non-COVID patients is essential which needs huge investments in infrastructure. We have recommended these costs which may not be viable for the private sector, as we are in a national crisis and believe that it is our ethical responsibility to serve our patients with the best treatment possible at reasonable costs.

FICCI is working with the government to resolve this evolving and dynamic issue and has submitted the costing framework to the Union and State Health Ministries. In the month of April, FICCI had submitted the first cut of the costing strategy which was based on hypothesis. This revised version is worked out based on analysis of actual data of 150 cases of COVID treatment in major private hospitals. FICCI is also working with other Healthcare Associations who have also developed the COVID costing framework that is aligned to the FICCI recommended costs. FICCI member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations and display it transparently on their hospital website in their endeavour to fight this war against COVID-19.

At the same time, FICCI also urged that it is important that the government considers and adopts a scientific, plausible and coherent reimbursement criterion for any treatment, that is viable for the providers. FICCI has been advocating for adoption of a scientific costing framework to derive rational reimbursement rates. To present evidence, in 2018, FICCI conducted a sample costing study based on Time Driven Activity Based Costing (TDABC), an internationally recognized bottoms-up costing approach for estimating costs of processes used in patient care, which was submitted to the government.

Outlook |

FICCI fixes rates for COVID-19 treatment in associated private hospitals

The COVID-19 response taskforce of FICCI and leading private hospitals associated with the industry body have developed an accounting methodology to bring in standardisation of cost of coronavirus treatment in the national interest.

Given the rising cases of COVID-19 infection, the need for more hospitalisation and owing to the overloading of public health system, increasing number of private healthcare providers have been admitting and treating COVID-19 positive cases, a statement said.

The COVID-19 treatment cost has been categorised with respect to government-referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and those who are covered by third party administrators (TPAs).

It has further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case such as patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation ward, patients requiring ICU without ventilator and those requiring ICU with ventilator.

Beds reserved for government-referred patients in isolation wards will be charged Rs 13,600, in ICU without ventilator Rs 27,088 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 36,853 per patient, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said.

For COVID-19 cases treated by private hospitals, rates in isolation wards will be Rs 17,000, in ICU without ventilator Rs 34,000 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 45,000 per patient, it said.

The industry body said for patients covered by TPAs, rates in isolation wards will be Rs 20,000, in ICU without ventilator Rs 55,000 and in ICU with ventilators will be charged Rs 68,000 per patient, it said.

These are FICCI recommended rates for per patient - average revenue per occupied bed in the private hospitals associated with it.

According to FICCI, hospitals’ standard rates will be applicable for expensive/high-end medicines, and the estimated personal protective equipment (PPE) count is applicable only when the patients are cohorted in an area.

It said that these are only an illustration on the basis of basic tests that may be needed for the treatment of COVID-19 patients during their stay in wards and coronary care unit, with or without ventilator support.

The actual average length of stay and tests may vary on the basis of condition of the patients.

It said that these rates are indicative and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10 per cent.

The clinical teams of large hospitals consisting of intensivists, pulmonologists, critical care specialists as well as infectious disease specialists have given their inputs in developing the above models, it said.

These models include the costs of materials such as consumables, medicines and basic diagnostics; but exclude the cost of PPEs, high end drugs and any comorbidities, it said.

FICCI said all the hospitals are struggling with declining revenues on account of decreased outpatients and falling in-patient occupancy levels which have resulted in significant cash flow challenges, including managing payroll, material and finance costs.

"We, therefore, request the government to create individual escrow accounts for each hospital and pay the treatment amounts in advance to ease the liquidity challenges during this difficult period," the body added.

Outlook |

FICCI suggests rational costing framework for COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals

Industry body FICCI on Thursday said it has suggested a rational costing framework for COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals to allay fears of the patients and the community as a whole.

FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, has recommended that patients who are paying out of their own pocket should pay Rs 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward, the industry chamber said in a statement.

The task force has recommended that the patient should pay Rs 45,000 per day for ICU with ventilator, it said.

These rates include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high-end drugs and any co-morbidities, the industry body said in the statement, adding these are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10 per cent.

The taskforce has categorised the cost of treatment according to "government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs".

It has further been sub-categorised into three levels depending on the severity of the case -- patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation ward, patients requiring intensive care but are not ventilated and patients requiring intensive care and ventilator support, FICCI said.

"In these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion," FICCI President Sangita Reddy said.

FICCI Health Services Committee Chair Alok Roy said there is an imperative need to acknowledge that COVID treatment cost is difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various co-morbidities associated with it.

The chamber is working with the government to resolve this evolving and dynamic issue and has submitted the costing framework to the Union Health Ministry and state health departments, it said.

"FICCI member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations and display it transparently on their hospital website in their endeavour to fight this war against COVID-19," it added.

"At the same time, FICCI also urged it is important that the government considers and adopts a scientific, plausible and coherent reimbursement criterion for any treatment, that is viable for the providers," the statement said.

Healthcare Radius |

FICCI suggests costing solutions for COVID treatment at private hospitals

In an effort to serve with transparency, ethics and compassion, despite the strain that the healthcare sector is under, FICCI COVID-19 Response Task Force under the FICCI Health Services Committee, in a series of meetings have worked on creating a rational costing framework which will allay any fears of the patients and the community about COVID treatment.

FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, has brainstormed and developed an accounting methodology to help bring in a standardisation of cost of COVID treatment. This has been categorised according to government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs and further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case:
  • Patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation (Isolation ward)
  • Patients requiring intensive care but are not ventilated (ICU without ventilator)
  • Patients requiring intensive care and ventilator support (ICU with ventilator)
According to this recommendation, a patient who is paying from out of pocket should pay Rs 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward and Rs 45,000 per day for ICU (with ventilator). These rates include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high end drugs and any co-morbidities. Also, they are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10%.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “In these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion."

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman- Medica Group of Hospitals, shared that there is an imperative need to acknowledge that COVID treatment costs is difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various co-morbidities associated with it. "Additionally, segregating the COVID and non-COVID patients is essential which needs huge investments in infrastructure. We have recommended these costs which may not be viable for the private sector, as we are in a national crisis and believe that it is our ethical responsibility to serve our patients with the best treatment possible at reasonable costs." said he.

FICCI has submitted the costing framework to the Union and State Health Ministries. In the month of April, FICCI had submitted the first cut of the costing strategy which was based on hypothesis. This revised version is worked out based on analysis of actual data of 150 cases of COVID treatment in major private hospitals. FICCI is also working with other healthcare associations who have also developed the COVID costing framework that is aligned to the FICCI recommended costs. FICCI member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations and display it transparently on their hospital website in their endeavour to fight this war against COVID-19.

At the same time, FICCI also urged that it is important that the government considers and adopts a scientific, plausible and coherent reimbursement criterion for any treatment that is viable for the providers. FICCI has been advocating for adoption of a scientific costing framework to derive rational reimbursement rates. To present evidence, in 2018, FICCI conducted a sample costing study based on Time Driven Activity Based Costing (TDABC), an internationally recognized bottoms-up costing approach for estimating costs of processes used in patient care, which was submitted to the government.

Pharma Biz |

FICCI provides rational costing solution for COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals to enable transparency and credibility

In an effort to serve with transparency, ethics and compassion, despite the strain that the healthcare sector is under, FICCI COVID-19 Response Task Force under the FICCI Health Services Committee, has now devised a rational costing framework which will allay any fears of the patients and the community about COVID treatment.

As India’s COVID infection count surges, there has been an increase in the trust deficit between the providers and the government, providers and insurers as well as with the public at large on the issue of cost of COVID treatment. The clinicians from India and across the globe are still grappling with defining treatment protocols for COVID-19, making it extremely difficult to recommend a treatment especially for patients with co-morbidities.

The FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, have brainstormed and developed an accounting methodology to help bring in a standardisation of cost of COVID treatment in the national interest. This has been categorised according to government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs and further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case: Patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation, those requiring intensive care but without ventilator and those needed ICU and ventilator support.

According to the recommendation, a patient who is paying from out of pocket should pay Rs. 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward and Rs. 45,000 per day for ICU with ventilator. These rates include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high end drugs and any co-morbidities. Also, they are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10%.

Sharing the above details, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “In these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion”.

Dr Alok Roy, chair- FICCI Health Services Committee and chairman- Medica Group of Hospitals, that these treatment costs are difficult to rationalise due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various comorbidities associated with it. Additionally, segregating the COVID and non-COVID patients is essential which needs huge infrastructure investments.

The revised version is worked out based on analysis of actual data of 150 cases of COVID-19 treatment in major private hospitals. FICCI is also working with other Healthcare Associations which have developed the costing framework that is aligned to the FICCI recommended costs. FICCI member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations and display it transparently on their hospital website in their endeavour to fight this war against COVID-19.

At the same time, FICCI also urged that it is important that the government considers and adopts a scientific, plausible and coherent reimbursement criterion for any treatment that is viable for the providers. It has been advocating for adoption of a scientific costing framework to derive rational reimbursement rates. To present evidence, in 2018, FICCI conducted a sample costing study based on Time Driven Activity Based Costing (TDABC), an internationally recognized bottoms-up costing approach for estimating costs of processes used in patient care, which was submitted to the government.

India Med Today |

FICCI suggests Rational COVID Costing framework for treatment at private hospitals

FICCI COVID-19 Response Task Force under the FICCI Health Services Committee, in a series of meetings, have worked on creating a rational costing framework which will allay any fears of the patients and the community about COVID treatment. The NGO said in a statement sharing the COVID costing framework.

COVID Costing framework

FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, have brainstormed and developed an accounting methodology to help bring in a standardisation of cost of COVID treatment in the national interest. This has been categorised into three brackets according to government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs and further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case. These are patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation (Isolation ward); patients requiring intensive care but are not ventilated (ICU without ventilator) and patients requiring intensive care and ventilator support (ICU with ventilator).

This comes on the heals of public complaints regarding high COVID treatment costs. As India’s COVID infection count surges, there has been an increase in the trust deficit between the providers and the government, providers and insurers as well as with the public at large on the issue of COVID costing. The clinicians from India and across the globe are still grappling with defining treatment protocols for COVID-19, making it extremely difficult to recommend a treatment especially for patients with co-morbidities.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “In these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion.” Private healthcare providers have been at the forefront of COVID crisis, supporting the government by suggesting strategy for COVID-19 management in the country, providing dedicated infrastructure and manpower support for COVID 19 treatment. “It is prudent to point out that like all other sectors, private healthcare too has been impacted by the lockdown facing acute financial crisis, restricted mobility of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers, absence of frontline healthcare workers and doctors owing to contacting infection on duty, unavailability of drugs and PPEs at affordable rates and a viable costing framework,” the NGO said.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman- Medica Group of Hospitals, further shared that there is an imperative need to acknowledge that COVID treatment costs is difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various comorbidities associated with it. Additionally, segregating the COVID and non-COVID patients is essential which needs huge investments in infrastructure. We have recommended these costs which may not be viable for the private sector, as we are in a national crisis and believe that it is our ethical responsibility to serve our patients with the best treatment possible at reasonable costs.

Devdiscourse |

FICCI creating rational costing framework to allay fears about COVID treatment

In an effort to serve with transparency, ethics and compassion, despite the strain that the healthcare sector is under, FICCI COVID-19 Response Task Force under the FICCI Health Services Committee, in a series of meetings, have worked on creating a rational costing framework which will allay any fears of the patients and the community about COVID-19 treatment.

As India's COVID infection count surges, there has been an increase in the trust deficit between the providers and the government, providers and insurers as well as with the public at large on the issue of the cost of COVID treatment. The clinicians from India and across the globe are still grappling with defining treatment protocols for COVID-19, making it extremely difficult to recommend a treatment especially for patients with co-morbidities.

In these times of national emergency, private healthcare providers have been at the forefront of COVID crisis, supporting the government by suggesting a strategy for COVID-19 management in the country, providing dedicated infrastructure and manpower support for COVID 19 treatment. It is prudent to highlight that like all other sectors, private healthcare too has been impacted by the lockdown facing an acute financial crisis, restricted mobility of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers, absence of frontline healthcare workers and doctors owing to contacting infection on duty, unavailability of drugs and PPEs at affordable rates and a viable costing framework.

FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, have brainstormed and developed an accounting methodology to help bring in the standardisation of cost of COVID treatment in the national interest. This has been categorised according to government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs and further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case:
  • Patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation (Isolation ward)
  • Patients requiring intensive care but are not ventilated (ICU without ventilator)
  • Patients requiring intensive care and ventilator support (ICU with ventilator)
According to this recommendation, a patient who is paying from out of pocket should pay Rs 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward and Rs 45,000 per day for ICU (with ventilator). These rates include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high-end drugs and any co-morbidities. Also, they are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10%.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, "In these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion."

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman- Medica Group of Hospitals, said that that there is an imperative need to acknowledge that COVID treatment costs are difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various comorbidities associated with it. Additionally, segregating the COVID and non-COVID patients is essential which needs huge investments in infrastructure. "We have recommended these costs which may not be viable for the private sector, as we are in a national crisis and believe that it is our ethical responsibility to serve our patients with the best treatment possible at reasonable costs," added Dr Roy.

FICCI is working with the government to resolve this evolving and dynamic issue and has submitted the costing framework to the Union and State Health Ministries. In the month of April, FICCI had submitted the first cut of the costing strategy which was based on hypothesis. This revised version is worked out based on the analysis of actual data of 150 cases of COVID treatment in major private hospitals. FICCI is also working with other Healthcare Associations who have also developed the COVID costing framework that is aligned to the FICCI recommended costs. FICCI member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations and display it transparently on their hospital website in their endeavour to fight this war against COVID-19.

At the same time, FICCI also urged that it is important that the government considers and adopts a scientific, plausible and coherent reimbursement criterion for any treatment, that is viable for the providers. FICCI has been advocating for the adoption of a scientific costing framework to derive rational reimbursement rates. To present evidence, in 2018, FICCI conducted a sample costing study based on Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing (TDABC), an internationally recognized bottoms-up costing approach for estimating costs of processes used in patient care, which was submitted to the government.

Indian Flash |

FICCI comes up with rational costing for Covid Treatment in Private hospital

With Coronavirus spreading across the country, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry has come up with a rational costing framework for treatment of Covid 19 in private hospitals.

The FICCI COVID-19 Response Task Force under the FICCI Health Services Committee has brought out the rational costing framework, an officials release said. FICC has brought out the frame work even as clinicians from across the globe and India are still grappling with defining treatment protocols for COVID-19. FICCI said that it was difficult to recommend a treatment especially for patients with co-morbidities.

They said that private healthcare providers are in the forefront of COVID crisis and supported the government in all its efforts. They also said that private health care sector was also badly affected because of the lockdown. Several of the private health care institutions had to face acute financial crisis, restricted mobility of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers, absence of frontline healthcare workers and doctors owing to contacting infection on duty, unavailability of drugs and PPEs at affordable rates and a viable costing framework.

The industrial body said that they have developed an accounting methodology for bringing in standardisation of cost of COVID treatment in the national interest. This has been categorised according to government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs and further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case, the release said.

A patient who is paying from out of pocket should pay Rs 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward and Rs 45,000 per day for ICU (with ventilator), the release said. The rates include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high end drugs and any co-morbidity. Also, they are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of five to ten per cent, the release said.

Sharing the details, FICCI President and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group Dr Sangita Reddy said “in these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion”.

Chair- FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman- Medica Group of Hospitals Dr Alok Roy said that there was an imperative need to acknowledge that COVID treatment costs is difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various comorbidities associated with it.

FICCI said that they have submitted the costing framework to the Union and State Health Ministries. In the month of April, FICCI had submitted the first cut of the costing strategy which was based on hypothesis, the release said. The revised version was worked out based on analysis of actual data of 150 cases of COVID treatment in major private hospital, they said. .

It said that FICCI member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations and display it transparently on their hospital website in their endeavour to fight this war against COVID-19.

At the same time, FICCI also urged that it is important that the government considers and adopts a scientific, plausible and coherent reimbursement criterion for any treatment that is viable for the providers.

Yahoo News |

FICCI suggests rational costing framework for COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals

Industry body FICCI on Thursday said it has suggested a rational costing framework for COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals to allay fears of the patients and the community as a whole.

FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, has recommended that patients who are paying out of their own pocket should pay Rs 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward, the industry chamber said in a statement.

The task force has recommended that the patient should pay Rs 45,000 per day for ICU with ventilator, it said.

These rates include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high-end drugs and any co-morbidities, the industry body said in the statement, adding these are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10 per cent.

The taskforce has categorised the cost of treatment according to 'government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs'.

It has further been sub-categorised into three levels depending on the severity of the case -- patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation ward, patients requiring intensive care but are not ventilated and patients requiring intensive care and ventilator support, FICCI said.

'In these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion,' FICCI President Sangita Reddy said.

FICCI Health Services Committee Chair Alok Roy said there is an imperative need to acknowledge that COVID treatment cost is difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various co-morbidities associated with it.

The chamber is working with the government to resolve this evolving and dynamic issue and has submitted the costing framework to the Union Health Ministry and state health departments, it said.

'FICCI member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations and display it transparently on their hospital website in their endeavour to fight this war against COVID-19,' it added.

'At the same time, FICCI also urged it is important that the government considers and adopts a scientific, plausible and coherent reimbursement criterion for any treatment, that is viable for the providers,' the statement said.

The Sunday Street |

FICCI fixes charges for COVID-19 therapy in related personal hospitals

The COVID-19 response taskforce of FICCI and main personal hospitals related to the business physique have developed an accounting methodology to usher in standardisation of value of coronavirus therapy within the nationwide curiosity.

Given the rising instances of COVID-19 an infection, the necessity for extra hospitalisation and owing to the overloading of public well being system, growing variety of personal healthcare suppliers have been admitting and treating COVID-19 optimistic instances, a assertion stated.

The COVID-19 therapy value has been categorised with respect to government-referred sufferers, sufferers paying from out of pocket and those that are coated by third celebration directors (TPAs).

It has additional been sub-categorised to 3 ranges relying on the severity of the case comparable to sufferers who don’t require intensive care however should be stored in isolation ward, sufferers requiring ICU with out ventilator and people requiring ICU with ventilator.

Beds reserved for government-referred sufferers in isolation wards will probably be charged Rs 13,600, in ICU with out ventilator Rs 27,088 and in ICU with ventilator will probably be charged Rs 36,853 per affected person, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) stated.

For COVID-19 instances handled by personal hospitals, charges in isolation wards will probably be Rs 17,000, in ICU with out ventilator Rs 34,000 and in ICU with ventilator will probably be charged Rs 45,000 per affected person, it stated.

The business physique stated for sufferers coated by TPAs, charges in isolation wards will probably be Rs 20,000, in ICU with out ventilator Rs 55,000 and in ICU with ventilators will probably be charged Rs 68,000 per affected person, it stated.

These are FICCI advisable charges for per affected person – common income per occupied mattress within the personal hospitals related to it.

According to FICCI, hospitals’ normal charges will probably be relevant for costly/high-end medicines, and the estimated private protecting tools (PPE) depend is relevant solely when the sufferers are cohorted in an space.

It stated that these are solely an illustration on the premise of fundamental exams which may be wanted for the therapy of COVID-19 sufferers throughout their keep in wards and coronary care unit, with or with out ventilator assist.

The precise common size of keep and exams might fluctuate on the premise of situation of the sufferers.

It stated that these charges are indicative and there could also be particular person variations to the extent of 5-10 per cent.

The scientific groups of enormous hospitals consisting of intensivists, pulmonologists, essential care specialists in addition to infectious illness specialists have given their inputs in creating the above fashions, it stated.

These fashions embrace the prices of supplies comparable to consumables, medicines and fundamental diagnostics; however exclude the price of PPEs, excessive finish medication and any comorbidities, it stated.

FICCI stated all of the hospitals are combating declining revenues on account of decreased outpatients and falling in-patient occupancy ranges which have resulted in vital money movement challenges, together with managing payroll, materials and finance prices.

“We, therefore, request the government to create individual escrow accounts for each hospital and pay the treatment amounts in advance to ease the liquidity challenges during this difficult period,” the physique added.

Devdiscourse |

FICCI suggests rational costing framework for COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals

Industry body FICCI on Thursday said it has suggested a rational costing framework for COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals to allay fears of the patients and the community as a whole. FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, has recommended that patients who are paying out of their own pocket should pay Rs 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward, the industry chamber said in a statement.

The task force has recommended that the patient should pay Rs 45,000 per day for ICU with ventilator, it said. These rates include medicines, consumables and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high-end drugs and any co-morbidities, the industry body said in the statement, adding these are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10 per cent.

The taskforce has categorised the cost of treatment according to "government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs". It has further been sub-categorised into three levels depending on the severity of the case -- patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation ward, patients requiring intensive care but are not ventilated and patients requiring intensive care and ventilator support, FICCI said.

"In these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency and compassion," FICCI President Sangita Reddy said. FICCI Health Services Committee Chair Alok Roy said there is an imperative need to acknowledge that COVID treatment cost is difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various co-morbidities associated with it.

The chamber is working with the government to resolve this evolving and dynamic issue and has submitted the costing framework to the Union Health Ministry and state health departments, it said. "FICCI member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations and display it transparently on their hospital website in their endeavour to fight this war against COVID-19," it added.

"At the same time, FICCI also urged it is important that the government considers and adopts a scientific, plausible and coherent reimbursement criterion for any treatment, that is viable for the providers," the statement said.

Daily Hunt |

FICCI fixes rates for COVID-19 treatment in associated private hospitals

The COVID-19 response taskforce of FICCI and leading private hospitals associated with the industry body have developed an accounting methodology to bring in standardisation of cost of coronavirus treatment in the national interest.

Given the rising cases of COVID-19 infection, the need for more hospitalisation and owing to the overloading of public health system, increasing number of private healthcare providers have been admitting and treating COVID-19 positive cases, a statement said.

The COVID-19 treatment cost has been categorised with respect to government-referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and those who are covered by third party administrators (TPAs).

It has further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case such as patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation ward, patients requiring ICU without ventilator and those requiring ICU with ventilator.

Beds reserved for government-referred patients in isolation wards will be charged Rs 13,600, in ICU without ventilator Rs 27,088 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 36,853 per patient, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said.

For COVID-19 cases treated by private hospitals, rates in isolation wards will be Rs 17,000, in ICU without ventilator Rs 34,000 and in ICU with ventilator will be charged Rs 45,000 per patient, it said.

The industry body said for patients covered by TPAs, rates in isolation wards will be Rs 20,000, in ICU without ventilator Rs 55,000 and in ICU with ventilators will be charged Rs 68,000 per patient, it said.

These are FICCI recommended rates for per patient - average revenue per occupied bed in the private hospitals associated with it.

According to FICCI, hospitals' standard rates will be applicable for expensive/high-end medicines, and the estimated personal protective equipment (PPE) count is applicable only when the patients are cohorted in an area.

It said that these are only an illustration on the basis of basic tests that may be needed for the treatment of COVID-19 patients during their stay in wards and coronary care unit, with or without ventilator support.

The actual average length of stay and tests may vary on the basis of condition of the patients.

It said that these rates are indicative and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10 per cent.

The clinical teams of large hospitals consisting of intensivists, pulmonologists, critical care specialists as well as infectious disease specialists have given their inputs in developing the above models, it said.

These models include the costs of materials such as consumables, medicines and basic diagnostics; but exclude the cost of PPEs, high end drugs and any comorbidities, it said.

FICCI said all the hospitals are struggling with declining revenues on account of decreased outpatients and falling in-patient occupancy levels which have resulted in significant cash flow challenges, including managing payroll, material and finance costs.

"We, therefore, request the government to create individual escrow accounts for each hospital and pay the treatment amounts in advance to ease the liquidity challenges during this difficult period," the body added.

Research Newspaper |

FICCI fixes charges for COVID-19 remedy in related non-public hospitals

The COVID-19 reaction taskforce of FICCI and main non-public hospitals related to the business frame have evolved an accounting technique to herald standardisation of value of coronavirus remedy within the nationwide pastime.

Given the emerging circumstances of COVID-19 an infection, the desire for extra hospitalisation and owing to the overloading of public well being machine, expanding choice of non-public healthcare suppliers had been admitting and treating COVID-19 sure circumstances, a commentary stated.

The COVID-19 remedy value has been categorized with admire to government-referred sufferers, sufferers paying from out of pocket and people who are coated via 3rd birthday party directors (TPAs).

Coronavirus India Information LIVE Updates

It has additional been sub-categorised to 3 ranges relying at the severity of the case equivalent to sufferers who don’t require extensive care however should be stored in isolation ward, sufferers requiring ICU with out ventilator and the ones requiring ICU with ventilator.

Beds reserved for government-referred sufferers in isolation wards will likely be charged Rs 13,600, in ICU with out ventilator Rs 27,088 and in ICU with ventilator will likely be charged Rs 36,853 in step with affected person, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Trade and Trade (FICCI) stated.

For COVID-19 circumstances handled via non-public hospitals, charges in isolation wards will likely be Rs 17,000, in ICU with out ventilator Rs 34,000 and in ICU with ventilator will likely be charged Rs 45,000 in step with affected person, it stated.

The business frame stated for sufferers coated via TPAs, charges in isolation wards will likely be Rs 20,000, in ICU with out ventilator Rs 55,000 and in ICU with ventilators will likely be charged Rs 68,000 in step with affected person, it stated.

Those are FICCI beneficial charges for in step with affected person – reasonable income in step with occupied mattress within the non-public hospitals related to it.

Consistent with FICCI, hospitals’ same old charges will likely be appropriate for dear/high-end drugs, and the estimated non-public protecting apparatus (PPE) rely is appropriate simplest when the sufferers are cohorted in a space.

It stated that those are simplest an indication at the foundation of elementary assessments that can be wanted for the remedy of COVID-19 sufferers throughout their keep in wards and coronary care unit, without or with ventilator beef up.

The real reasonable period of keep and assessments might range at the foundation of situation of the sufferers.

It stated that those charges are indicative and there could also be person permutations to the level of 5-10 p.c.

The scientific groups of enormous hospitals consisting of intensivists, pulmonologists, vital care experts in addition to infectious illness experts have given their inputs in creating the above fashions, it stated.

Those fashions come with the prices of fabrics equivalent to consumables, drugs and elementary diagnostics; however exclude the price of PPEs, excessive finish medicine and any comorbidities, it stated.

FICCI stated all of the hospitals are suffering with declining revenues because of reduced outpatients and falling in-patient occupancy ranges that have led to vital money waft demanding situations, together with managing payroll, subject material and finance prices.

“We, subsequently, request the federal government to create person escrow accounts for every clinic and pay the remedy quantities upfront to ease the liquidity demanding situations throughout this hard duration,” the frame added.

Apeksha News |

FICCI provides a Rational Costing Solution for COVID Treatment at Private Hospitals

In an effort to serve with transparency, ethics, and compassion, despite the strain that the healthcare sector is under, FICCI COVID-19 Response Task Force under the FICCI Health Services Committee, in a series of meetings, have worked on creating a rational costing framework which will allay any fears of the patients and the community about COVID-19 treatment.

As India’s COVID infection count surges, there has been an increase in the trust deficit between the providers and the government, providers, and insurers as well as with the public at large on the issue of the cost of COVID treatment. The clinicians from India and across the globe are still grappling with defining treatment protocols for COVID-19, making it extremely difficult to recommend a treatment especially for patients with co-morbidities.

In these times of national emergency, private healthcare providers have been at the forefront of the COVID crisis, supporting the government by suggesting a strategy for COVID-19 management in the country, providing dedicated infrastructure and manpower support for COVID 19 treatment. It is prudent to highlight that like all other sectors, private healthcare too has been impacted by the lockdown facing an acute financial crisis, restricted mobility of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers, absence of frontline healthcare workers and doctors owing to contacting infection on duty, unavailability of drugs and PPEs at affordable rates and a viable costing framework.

FICCI COVID-19 Response Taskforce, with representatives from leading private hospitals in India, has brainstormed and developed an accounting methodology to help bring in standardisation of cost of COVID treatment in the national interest. This has been categorised according to government referred patients, patients paying from out of pocket and for patients who are covered by TPAs and further been sub-categorised to three levels depending on the severity of the case:
  • Patients who do not require intensive care but must be kept in isolation (Isolation ward)
  • Patients requiring intensive care but are not ventilated (ICU without ventilator)
  • Patients requiring intensive care and ventilator support (ICU with ventilator)
According to this recommendation, a patient who is paying from out of pocket should pay Rs 17,000 per day for treatment in an isolation ward and Rs 45,000 per day for ICU (with ventilator). These rates include medicines, consumables, and basic diagnostics, but exclude PPE costs, high-end drugs, and any co-morbidities. Also, they are indicative rates and there may be individual variations to the extent of 5-10%.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “In these difficult times, the private healthcare sector is doing its best to serve with high standards of ethics, transparency, professional competency, and compassion.”

Dr. Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman- Medica Group of Hospitals, said that that there is an imperative need to acknowledge that COVID treatment costs are difficult to rationalise essentially due to the unknown nature of treatment required and various comorbidities associated with it. Additionally, segregating the COVID and non-COVID patients is essential which needs huge investments in infrastructure. “We have recommended these costs which may not be viable for the private sector, as we are in a national crisis and believe that it is our ethical responsibility to serve our patients with the best treatment possible at reasonable costs,” added Dr. Roy.

FICCI is working with the government to resolve this evolving and dynamic issue and has submitted the costing framework to the Union and State Health Ministries. In the month of April, FICCI had submitted the first cut of the costing strategy which was based on hypothesis. This revised version is worked out based on the analysis of actual data of 150 cases of COVID treatment in major private hospitals. FICCI is also working with other Healthcare Associations who have also developed the COVID costing framework that is aligned to the FICCI recommended costs. FICCI member hospitals have pledged to adopt these cost recommendations and display it transparently on their hospital website in their endeavour to fight this war against COVID-19.

At the same time, FICCI also urged that it is important that the government considers and adopts a scientific, plausible, and coherent reimbursement criterion for any treatment, that is viable for the providers. FICCI has been advocating for the adoption of a scientific costing framework to derive rational reimbursement rates. To present evidence, in 2018, FICCI conducted a sample costing study based on Time-Driven Activity Based Costing (TDABC), an internationally recognized bottoms-up costing approach for estimating costs of processes used in patient care, which was submitted to the government.

India Blooms |

Apollo Hospitals, ISCCM and Medvarsity collaborate to train over 100,000 doctors on Ventilator Management

The training will empower doctors and healthcare professionals to handle, manage and operate the ventilator along with an understanding of techniques to optimize mechanical ventilation and minimize complications in invasive ventilation (intubation) and management of COVID-19 patients.

The training will be delivered through a series of online webinars with live sessions. The webinars will be organized on Medvarsity`s platform and will be free of charge and open to all healthcare professionals in India.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group and President FICCI said, “As India gears up to battle COVID-19, it is imperative that our healthcare workers are better prepared and equipped to meet this challenge.

"As the government and hospitals come together to strengthen the response through procurement of life-saving ventilators and other medical equipment, it is critical that all our doctors are skilled on the use and management of ventilators.

"Through this partnership, we aim to train over a lakh doctors over the next 30 days. This will ensure that the doctors are ready and can face the challenge of managing a critical COVID-19 patient on a ventilator with knowledge and confidence.”

As India prepares to manage and treat patients in respiratory distress from COVID-19, doctors and healthcare professionals managing ventilators are as critical as the machines.

Poor ventilator management can result in damage to the lung tissue that may not be immediately apparent. The Ventilator Management training will train doctors on the correct ventilation strategies that will protect the lung tissue while allowing adequate oxygenation of the blood.

This will help in promoting successful recovery from the acute respiratory distress syndrome that is a common complication in many patients with COVID-19.

Dr. Dhruva Chaudhry, President, Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine said, “SCCM has joined hands with Medvarsity on an ambitious project of training 1 lakh people in mechanical ventilation, keeping in sight the epidemic of COVID19. It's the most disruptive phenomenon in the world, which people are witnessing. It has redefined the priorities across board & social sector including health & education will never be the same.

"One of the biggest transformations I envisage in Medicine is-training in virtual world & expansion in deep machine learning. Challenge will be how well we adapt. Therefore this association between two forward looking organisations should not only be of mutual benefit but will make impact only if these benefits are reflected on the ground for the good of both medical professionals & public in large”.

Gerald Jaideep, CEO, Medvarsity Online Ltd. spoke on the partnership, “Medvarsity’s vision has always been to impact healthcare through education. We are very fortunate that Apollo Hospitals and the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine have partnered with us to reach out and train a potential 1 lac doctors on Ventilator Management. We hope that this initiative is able to improve the clinical outcomes of patients across the country when they need it the most.”

The webinars began on 20 April 2020 and currently being streamed on Dosily.

Interviewer PR |

India Inc finds IT sector-like advantages for health care market

India Inc stalwarts – Apollo Hospitals Managing Director Suneeta Reddy as well as Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw – think it is actually opportunity health care market in India obtains managed like the IT market remained in its own very early times, which ultimately resulted in its own departure.

"I genuinely think that the method inspiration was actually provided to the IT market in relations to simplicity of property supply (at a subsidised fees) as well as tax obligation advantages (tax obligation holiday seasons for as several as 10 years) are actually a few of the important things that require to become provided to the health care market in India to ensure that our team can easily generate extra framework as well as acquire skilling to ensure that our team perform certainly not simply generate even more work however likewise the abilities to manage the intricacies of the conditions as they develop," states Reddy of Apollo Hospitals.

Agreeing, Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, experiences this is essential that health care is actually dealing with like the IT market and also it was actually opportunity to acquire health care. "It is actually a funding intense, ability intense as well as a work producing market," she states.

Both Reddy as well as Shaw were actually communicating at an on the web door dialogue labelled "Pharma as well as Healthcare’s New Normal: Engaging along with Customers in Uncertain Times; Business design post-COVID-19", arranged through CorpGini in affiliation along with FICCI as well as Pharmexcil on Saturday. Beauty’s Suneeta Reddy, really feels "accurately this pandemic has actually presented our company the requirement to boost the health care framework. There needs to have to become assets in health care certainly not simply in constructing the framework however likewise right into skilling".

Speaking along with BusinessToday.In eventually, she nonetheless fasted to restate that this is actually certainly not to mention that nothing at all has actually been actually performed due to the federal government. States, "a whole lot has actually been actually performed through the federal government in assisting to generate brand new health care universities, have actually health care universities affixed to area healthcare facilities as well as also giving for stability space backing (revealed in the final Union Budget) for establishing up healthcare facilities in under provided however a lot a lot more needs to have to be actually performed." Aspect of this, she really feels, is actually likewise regarding just how perform our team draw in backing right into the health care market as well as likewise examine everyone personal relationship (PPP) styles.

She likewise incorporates: "While initiatives get on at the area amount, far more likewise needs to have to become performed, also in metropolitan centers as well as rate II urban areas. Our team really hope the federal government will certainly consider our company the following IT market as well as provide our company the inspiration to generate both the framework as well as offer for skilling as well as be actually in a placement to draw in international assets right into the nation. The health care market is actually an essential task developer given that for every single a single person in health care, there are actually 4 various other secondary work that acquire made."

Market Research Activity |

India Inc finds IT sector-like perks for health care business

India Inc stalwarts – Apollo Hospitals Managing Director Suneeta Reddy and also Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw – think it is actually opportunity health care market in India obtains handled like the IT market remained in its own very early times, which ultimately caused its own launch.

” I genuinely feel that the method inspiration was actually offered to the IT market in relations to convenience of property schedule (at a subsidised prices) and also income tax perks (income tax holiday seasons for as a lot of as 10 years) are actually a number of the important things that need to have to become offered to the health care market in India in order that our company can easily produce extra commercial infrastructure and also purchase skilling in order that our company carry out certainly not simply produce even more tasks yet additionally the capacities to manage the complications of the ailments as they surface,” mentions Reddy of Apollo Hospitals.

Agreeing, Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, experiences this is vital that health care is actually handling like the IT market which it was actually opportunity to purchase health care. “It is actually a funds demanding, capability demanding and also a job creating market,” she mentions.

Both Reddy and also Shaw were actually talking at an on the web door conversation labelled “Pharma and also Healthcare’s New Normal: Engaging along with Customers in Uncertain Times; Business style post-COVID-19”, arranged through CorpGini in affiliation along with FICCI and also Pharmexcil on Saturday. Beauty’s Suneeta Reddy, really feels “plainly this pandemic has actually revealed our team the requirement to reinforce the clinical commercial infrastructure. There requires to become financial investment in health care certainly not simply in creating the commercial infrastructure yet additionally in to skilling”.

Speaking along with BusinessToday.In eventually, she nevertheless fasted to restate that this is actually certainly not to state that nothing at all has actually been actually carried out due to the federal government. Mentions, “a whole lot has actually been actually carried out through the federal government in aiding to produce brand new clinical universities, have actually clinical universities connected to area healthcare facilities and also also giving for feasibility void backing (introduced in the final Union Budget) for preparing up healthcare facilities in under provided yet a lot even more requires to be actually carried out.” Aspect of this, she really feels, is actually additionally regarding just how perform our company bring in backing in to the health care market as well as additionally consider everyone exclusive relationship (PPP) designs.

She additionally incorporates: “While initiatives perform at the area degree, a lot more additionally requires to become carried out, also in metropolitan facilities and also rate II urban areas. Our team wish the federal government will definitely consider our team the upcoming IT market and also offer our team the inspiration to produce both the commercial infrastructure and also give for skilling and also be actually in a posture to bring in international financial investment in to the nation. The health care market is actually a necessary work inventor given that for each a single person in health care, there are actually 4 various other secondary tasks that receive generated.”

Devdiscourse |

Medica Medica Group of Hospitals lays the foundation for a healthy future during COVID-19

Medica Group of Hospitals, the largest private hospital chain in Eastern India, hosted its first COVID-19 virtual discourse, highlighting the subject - "Adopt the new normal - Let's work together and build a safe and healthy future". Dr Alok Roy, Chairman of Medica Group of Hospitals and Chair -FICCI Health Services Committee enlightened viewers on how private hospitals should prepare to treat both COVID as well as non-COVID patients.

Sharing their experiences, the COVID Warriors, doctors, who have been front liners, were other panelists, Dr Tanmay Banerjee, who spoke about 'Defining COVID, Challenges, and Outcome', Dr Amitabha Saha, made a 'Clinical presentation on Triaging and Imaging', Dr Aviral Roy, highlighted the 'Management and Myths surrounding COVID-19' on behalf of the Medica Kolkata Critical Care team and Dr Prashanta Behera, Head of Critical Care medicine from Tata Steel Medica Hospital at Kalinganagar, Odisha, shared his experience of handling positive patients successfully. The hour-long session took the viewers through clinically oriented topics ranging from defining the disease to the technicalities of managing COVID positive patients. In this virtual session, Dr Alok Roy shared Medica's overall journey in dealing with the current pandemic crisis.

"We are treating COVID patients in six of our hospitals. Over 630 COVID positive patients have passed through our three hospitals in Kolkata, Kalinganagar, and Gopalpur. We would sincerely like to offer our gratitude to the West Bengal Government for allowing Medica to test and treat COVID 19," he stated. "While Medica Group of Hospitals is treating COVID positive patients we are also curing non-COVID critical patients equally. On average our occupancy goes up to 47 beds for COVID patients. We are also offering tele-referral system to reduce consultant entry into COVID wards and teleconsultation service to reduce volume of physical OPDs," commented Dr Roy on the infrastructural & operational changes.

The classical CT (Computed Tomography) findings and the importance of CT imaging in the cohort of COVID patients were explained by the doctors. The intricacies of various drug combinations along with their efficacies and limitations were also highlighted during the webinar. "Coronavirus is the successor of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) which evolved in 2003 from China. This virus spreads primarily via respiratory droplets over 1.8m (6 feet). In early stage as the virus is of high compliance, we are using FiO2 (Inspired Oxygen Fraction) over PEEP (Positive end-expiratory pressure) during mechanical ventilation for better treatment. In Medica we are providing ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) dose steroids and Hemofiltration system for providing better immunity to the COVID patients," conveyed Dr Aviral Roy, Consultant, Critical Care, Medica Superspecialty Hospital, about the salient features of the COVID -19 virus.

"The last two and a half months have been challenging for all of us. We have learnt and grown together in our endeavour to better serve our patients while keeping our healthcare workers safe. The constantly changing guidelines and new studies have kept us on our toes. We are getting 60:40 male and female ratio COVID patients at our hospital. We have already discharged 64 COVID patients," added Dr Tanmoy Banerjee. The clinical session was followed by a segment on the experience of Tata Steel Medica Hospital, Kalinganagar in Odisha.

"Tata Steel Medica Hospital has been designated by the Odisha government as a COVID hospital and is the only one in the Jajpur district. 170 COVID positive patients have been treated till date with 87 having been discharged so far. We applaud the hard work of the team at Kalinganagar that is bravely taking the COVID-19 crisis head on," added Dr Prashanta Behera, Head of Critical Care medicine from Tata Steel Medica Hospital at Kalinganagar. The virtual session was ended by Dr Alok Roy who shared important foresights not to underestimate the disease. "Medica has been successful in transforming major infrastructural changes that made to keep the hospital safe for both COVID and non-COVID patients. No frontline warriors have been affected by COVID-19 at Medica. Additional sinks for handwashing, a fever clinic, and thermal scanning facilities were set up as early as February. COVID beds were created and increased to meet the demand, with entire wards being put under negative pressure," said Dr Alok Roy.

Dr Roy acknowledged the COVID Warriors who worked tirelessly to stay abreast with the everchanging norms, making the hospital safe for all kinds of patients. He concluded the session by delivering the message that being prepared is the only way to survive this crisis. "This is the new way of life and together, we will strive to make the world safe again," he added.

New Kerala |

Medica Group of Hospitals lays the foundation for a healthy future during COVID-19

Medica Group of Hospitals, the largest private hospital chain in Eastern India, hosted its first COVID-19 virtual discourse, highlighting the subject - Adopt the new normal - Let's work together and build a safe and healthy future.
Dr Alok Roy, Chairman of Medica Group of Hospitals and Chair -FICCI Health Services Committee enlightened viewers on how private hospitals should prepare to treat both COVID as well as non-COVID patients.

Sharing their experiences, the COVID Warriors, doctors, who have been front liners, were other panelists, Dr Tanmay Banerjee, who spoke about 'Defining COVID, Challenges, and Outcome', Dr Amitabha Saha, made a 'Clinical presentation on Triaging and Imaging', Dr Aviral Roy, highlighted the 'Management and Myths surrounding COVID-19' on behalf of the Medica Kolkata Critical Care team and Dr Prashanta Behera, Head of Critical Care medicine from Tata Steel Medica Hospital at Kalinganagar, Odisha, shared his experience of handling positive patients successfully.

The hour-long session took the viewers through clinically oriented topics ranging from defining the disease to the technicalities of managing COVID positive patients. In this virtual session, Dr Alok Roy shared Medica's overall journey in dealing with the current pandemic crisis.

"We are treating COVID patients in six of our hospitals. Over 630 COVID positive patients have passed through our three hospitals in Kolkata, Kalinganagar, and Gopalpur. We would sincerely like to offer our gratitude to the West Bengal Government for allowing Medica to test and treat COVID 19," he stated.

"While Medica Group of Hospitals is treating COVID positive patients we are also curing non-COVID critical patients equally. On average our occupancy goes up to 47 beds for COVID patients. We are also offering tele-referral system to reduce consultant entry into COVID wards and teleconsultation service to reduce volume of physical OPDs," commented Dr Roy on the infrastructural and operational changes.

The classical CT (Computed Tomography) findings and the importance of CT imaging in the cohort of COVID patients were explained by the doctors. The intricacies of various drug combinations along with their efficacies and limitations were also highlighted during the webinar.

"Coronavirus is the successor of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) which evolved in 2003 from China. This virus spreads primarily via respiratory droplets over 1.8m (6 feet). In early stage as the virus is of high compliance, we are using FiO2 (Inspired Oxygen Fraction) over PEEP (Positive end-expiratory pressure) during mechanical ventilation for better treatment. In Medica we are providing ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) dose steroids and Hemofiltration system for providing better immunity to the COVID patients," conveyed Dr Aviral Roy, Consultant, Critical Care, Medica Superspecialty Hospital, about the salient features of the COVID -19 virus.

"The last two and a half months have been challenging for all of us. We have learnt and grown together in our endeavour to better serve our patients while keeping our healthcare workers safe. The constantly changing guidelines and new studies have kept us on our toes. We are getting 6040 male and female ratio COVID patients at our hospital. We have already discharged 64 COVID patients," added Dr Tanmoy Banerjee.

The clinical session was followed by a segment on the experience of Tata Steel Medica Hospital, Kalinganagar in Odisha.

"Tata Steel Medica Hospital has been designated by the Odisha government as a COVID hospital and is the only one in the Jajpur district. 170 COVID positive patients have been treated till date with 87 having been discharged so far. We applaud the hard work of the team at Kalinganagar that is bravely taking the COVID-19 crisis head on," added Dr Prashanta Behera, Head of Critical Care medicine from Tata Steel Medica Hospital at Kalinganagar.

The virtual session was ended by Dr Alok Roy who shared important foresights not to underestimate the disease. "Medica has been successful in transforming major infrastructural changes that made to keep the hospital safe for both COVID and non-COVID patients. No frontline warriors have been affected by COVID-19 at Medica. Additional sinks for handwashing, a fever clinic, and thermal scanning facilities were set up as early as February. COVID beds were created and increased to meet the demand, with entire wards being put under negative pressure," said Dr Alok Roy.

Dr Roy acknowledged the COVID Warriors who worked tirelessly to stay abreast with the everchanging norms, making the hospital safe for all kinds of patients.

He concluded the session by delivering the message that being prepared is the only way to survive this crisis. "This is the new way of life and together, we will strive to make the world safe again," he added.

Outlook |

Maharishi Ayurveda Organised Symposium on 'Role of Ayurveda in the Current Pandemic - AYUSH Protocol & Scientific Perspective in Combatting COVID-19'

Maharishi Ayurveda organised online International Ayurveda Symposium in Association with AYUSH Ministry, GoI, FICCI and the All India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi on Saturday, 23rd May 2020 between 04:00 PM and 06:30 PM, IST. Speakers from across the world participated and deliberated on the role of Ayurveda, especially in times of pandemic. Addressing the symposium, Mr Shripad Yesso Naik, MoS, AYUSH Ministry said, “Ministry of AYUSH has come up with the guidelines to strengthen the immunity, which would help combat the pandemic like COVID-19. And the role of Ayurveda has been significant in times of COVID-19 as the Ayurvedic measures are being tested across the world. Ministry of AYUSH and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare have come up with the guidelines and given green signal for the clinical trial of the Ayurvedic Rasayanas.” Adding further, he said, “What Maharishi Charak — the father of Ayurveda system of medicine mentioned 2000 years ago in ‘Charak Samhita’, “Rasayana treatment is also an answer to epidemics”, has now been turning out to be a reality. The role of Maharishi Ayurveda in organizing such international symposium to make the people aware of the role of Ayurveda is praise worthy.” The aim of the symposium was to inculcate awareness around COVID-19 and the role of Ayurveda in combating this pandemic and to propagate the vision of our Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi regarding the efficacious role of Ayurveda and to regain its glory that will benefit humanity at large. Addressing the symposium, Mr. Anand Prakash Srivastava, Chairman, Maharishi Ayurveda said, “The COVID-19 pandemic is the warning from nature to everyone to strengthen one’s immune system as nobody with the comorbid condition can survive. There are fear and panic everywhere. In this testing time, how Ayurveda — a 5000 old medical science originated in India, has helped the world in combating this pandemic. Ayurveda focuses on the person and not on the disease. It’s a science of life. Immunity boosting diet, routine life and Rasayana will help combat any pandemic. Adding further, he said, “Almost 83% of the closed cases have been survived. However, some people suffering from other comorbidities could not. If infected people would have given proper Ayurvedic Rasayana, the rate of survival might be more. Ministry of AYUSH has gone the extra mile in issuing immunity-boosting guidelines in the pandemic scenario. Thousands of Ayurveda doctors trained by Maharishi Ayurveda have delivered exemplary services to the COVID-19 infected people.” This International Symposium also provided viewers with an in-depth glimpse into all that the Indian Government, especially the AYUSH Ministry, has achieved by far in their battle against COVID-19. Deliberating on the session, Mr Anurag Sharma, MP & Chairman, FICCI AYUSH Committee, said, “There is a need for all countries and governments to come together to fight against COVID-19. A special initiative on behalf of FICCI and AYUSH has also been taken to provide frontline healthcare workers with immunity-boosting Ayurvedic packages to help them combat the virus while working in susceptible conditions. As for the Indian approach to reducing the outbreak, a wonderful thing to be noted for all healthcare companies and product manufacturers is that they are all prepared to provide their products free of cost as long as the virus is eventually removed. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sudhanshu Trivedi, MP, Rajya Sabha said, “The COVID-19 pandemic is more devastating than the 2nd world war. It has brought unprecedented havoc at every sphere of life — whether it is health or economy. Ayurveda is one of the oldest documented medical sciences, whose elements have been tested the first time in such an organized manner in collaboration with the IITs and ICMR. Earlier, there was no structured medicine system to be tested. This effort is all set to bring a paradigm shift in the landscape of medicine and cure for any sort of disease.” Presenting the international perspective, Dr Tony Nader, World Leader of Maharishi’s Movement, said, “Instead of grappling with negativity, fear, anxiety and stress, we must emphasis on wholesomeness, happiness and gratitude as it plays a major role in protecting oneself from such an unusual situation. Bharat is the Veda Bhumi. It is consciousness that creates knowledge.” Dr. Ulrich Bauhofer, President of the German Ayurveda Society, said, “The six ‘Ayurvedic tools, which can support us in self-protection and make us mentally resilient are — Nidra – (Proper sleep); Yoga — (Aasanas, Pranayama and Dhyaan); Aahar — (70% of our immune system resides within the digestive tract); Surya — (Exposure to sunlight to enhance Vitamin-D levels); Medhya Rasayanas — (Plants, like Ashvagandha, play an essential role in improving one’s mental health); Sankalpa — (optimism, positivity and confidence will prevent the suppression of the immune system).” The COVID-19 epidemic has affected human life in the most adverse manner possible. With the virus killing people on a large scale and taking a massive hit on human life, there is a desperate need for individuals to strengthen themselves such that they do not get affected by COVID-19. In this process of boosting the immune system, Ayurveda is at-hand to provide help. Building a connecting right from ancient medicine to modern sciences, Ayurvedic treatment has been proved successful in strengthening the innate ability of people to fight off diseases, especially in the case of COVID-19 patients. With the help of this International Symposium, viewers not only got to understand the benefits of Ayurveda from the Indian perspective, but also witnessed how essential it is for treatment on a global level.

Express Healthcare |

Maharishi Ayurveda to organise symposium on 'Role of Ayurveda in the Current Pandemic - AYUSH Protocol and Scientific Perspective in Combatting COVID-19'

Considering the essence of Ayurveda with its natural healing qualities, which seems to be instrumental in combating the scourge of COVID-19 pandemic and treating to those feeling inert disturbance, Maharishi Ayurveda is all set to organise online International Ayurveda Symposium on the ‘Role of Ayurveda in the Current Pandemic - AYUSH Protocol and Scientific Perspective in Combatting COVID-19’ in association with AYUSH Ministry, GoI, All India Institute of Ayurveda and FICCI, New Delhi on Saturday, May 23, 2020 between 04:00-06:30 pm, IST.

The symposium will see several national and international speaker / panellists. Shripad Yesso Naik, MoS, AYUSH Ministry, will address the inaugural session followed by Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi, MP, Anurag Sharma MP and Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, AYUSH Ministry. Vaidya Devendra Triguna, Co-Founder, Maharishi Ayurveda will also deliberate on the significance of Ayurveda in rescuing the people testing time of COVID-19 pandemic.

“Such a situation of uncertainty has never been experienced by us before, so it is bound to make people feel intimidated, scared and restless. In these pressing times, Ayurveda is being used by doctors all over the world to carry out treatments as well as to bring peace of mind to the individuals feeling disturbed. Thus, we have planned to organise this international symposium, which not will not only feature keynote and guest speakers from India but also from several other countries,” said Anand Shrivastava, Chairman, Maharishi Ayurveda.

This symposium will also be honoured by the presence of Dr Ulrich Bauhofer, a leading expert in the field of energy, stress and health management. Dr Bauhofer is considered to be one of the most renowned Maharishi Ayurveda experts outside India. The symposium will focus on mental aspects of Ayurveda, effects of specific herbs, nutrition and impact of Ayurveda concepts in scientific research.

The Times of India |

Health, travel, apparel sectors disappointed

The Telegraph |

PSU domain shrinks; raw deal for migrants

The stimulus gun merely popped on Sunday with finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing a Rs 40,000-crore increase in the rural employment guarantee scheme, scuppering hopes that the Narendra Modi government would provide salve to the destitute travellers streaming out of cities and industrial towns to face an uncertain post-Covid future at their homes in the hinterland.

But Sitharaman caused more political tremors with her angry sideswipe against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his roadside conversation on Saturday with tired migrant workers even as she set the stage for a bitter war of words with the states over a conditional increase in their borrowing requirements.

The finance minister triggered a small earthquake in the corporate world by announcing plans to shrink the landscape of India’s public sector companies through privatisation and mergers while permitting private players to break into the forbidden realms of space, atomic energy and most railway operations - the three areas normally flagged as strategic sectors.

“Atmanirbhar Bharat needs a coherent industrial policy,” she said while announcing that the Modi government had decided to throw open all the sectors to private enterprise.

The government will soon notify a policy for the strategic sectors. “To minimise wasteful administrative costs, the number of enterprises in the strategic sectors will ordinarily be only one to four. There will be at least one public sector enterprise in the strategic sectors,” she added.

“The others will be privatised, merged or brought under holding companies.”

In all other sectors, the government plans to privatise the public sector enterprises but this will be subject to feasibility and timing. There will be no more than four PSUs in a notified sector, she said.

The announcement sparked fears that this would lead to a consolidation of public-sector banks, especially after Sitharaman refused to categorically rule out the banking sector from the ambit of the rejig exercise.

The finance minister refused to spell out what impact the Rs 20-lakh-crore stimulus package would have on the Centre’s fiscal deficit, which has been capped at 3.5 per cent of the GDP - or Rs 7.96 lakh crore - in this year’s budget.

The government has already announced a Rs 4-lakh-crore increase in its gross borrowings but it isn’t clear how much of this will go towards papering over the deficit.

“Obviously we are borrowing; we have given a new borrowing programme,” she told reporters after her final presentation. “So, you know where the money is coming from. Focus on where the money is going; we are not splurging.”

And the cat was finally out of the bag: the Centre will be counting the effects of the Reserve Bank of India’s monetary measures to beef up its stimulus package.

The Centre estimated the actual contribution from the liquidity-enhancing measures of the RBI at Rs 8.01 lakh crore. Sitharaman said the RBI had estimated it much higher -- at over Rs 9 lakh crore --- but there has never been any official word from Mint Street on this.

A quick EY analysis said the cost of the Rs 20.97-lakh-crore stimulus package would increase the Centre’s budget commitments by Rs 2.02 lakh crore. A sum of Rs 17.89 lakh crore would come from outside financing sources.

Others assessed it somewhat lower. “We estimate that the actual fiscal impact on the budget will be only Rs 1.5 lakh crore (0.75 per cent of the GDP), based on our calculations and assumptions made during the series of announcements,” said Barclays’ chief India economist Rahul Bajoria.

Raw deal for states

The borrowing limits for the states will be raised to 5 per cent of their gross state domestic product (GSDP) from 3 per cent at present but it will come with the tough conditionality of pushing reforms in four areas: implementation of the one-nation, one-ration-card plan; ease of doing business, power distribution and transparency in the revenues of urban local bodies.

The states are likely to balk at some of these demands. Sitharaman did not spell out what she meant by ease of doing business except to briefly mention the need to amend the states’ Agriculture Produce Market Committee Acts. The Centre is trying to break the hegemony of the country’s 2,400 primary mandis to try and create a national common market for agricultural commodities.

Trinamul Congress leader Partha Chatterjee said in Calcutta: “We sought a moratorium from debt-servicing, because we are a debt-stressed state for no fault of our own. Instead, the Centre is showing states the way to more debt. That is very sad for the state.”

He added: “The announcements (of Sitharaman) clearly show that the BJP-led Centre wants to make the most of the calamity and fulfil its pending political agenda. The people of this nation could not imagine such indifferent cruelty even at this hour.”

Two other “reform areas” that could turn into points of friction in federal-state relations include an attempt to force the states to provide guarantees for Rs 90,000 crore worth of fresh loans to power distribution companies in order to bail them out of a financial mess. The other is a plan to force rich municipal corporations to divulge their sources of revenues, which too could turn into a casus belli.

The increase in the borrowing limit to 5 per cent of the GSDP will give the states extra resources worth Rs 4.28 lakh crore. At present, their collective borrowings are capped at Rs 6.4 lakh crore.

The government has decided to give the states an automatic increase of 0.5 per cent of the GSDP without tagging any conditions. The next 1 percentage point increase will be linked to the four areas of reform, Sitharaman said. The final 0.5 per cent will be given as an incentive if the states meet measurable milestones in at least three of the four areas of reform, she added.

Sitharaman claimed the states had been pressing the Centre to raise their borrowing limit but had not raised more than 14 per cent of their current limits.

She said the states had been allowed in March to raise 75 per cent of their current borrowing limits. “Let me put it on record that 86 per cent of the authorised limit remains unused,” she said.

Brickbats fly

A torrent of criticism flowed against the government’s stimulus package from industry and economists.

“Like all serials, the Nirmala serial is also finally over. It has done what the GoI (Government of India) had not done so far, namely rubbing salt in the wounds of the poor,” tweeted former finance minister Yashwant Sinha and one-time fellow traveller of the BJP.

“One could call it a reform policy package as it did not have significant fiscal stimulus measures,” said N.R. Bhanumurthy of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.

“The liquidity-enhancing steps certainly indicate the warning expressed by global rating agencies that the (fact that the) sovereign rating is under close watch has been playing on the minds of the policy makers,” he added.

Economist Pronab Sen said: “Most of the package consists of supply-side measures and will not stoke demand. These are not fiscal stimulus measures as most of it is providing liquidity. The policy measures should have addressed both the supply and the demand side. But that has not been achieved.”

Industrialists were equally scathing and said the stimulus package did not address the real problems in the economy.

“Most disappointed at lack of bold measures in stimulus packages -- don’t think demand will be created n consequently economic activity will be stifled… Rs 20 lakh crore was a huge amount n it was meant to stimulate economic revival n growth…. Healthcare sector has been short-changed. No stimulus for hospitals which have to bear increased operating costs due to Covid-related protocols. Their non-Covid patient footfalls have dropped 80 per cent. So much for our heroes of COVID-19… Patients will have to pay more,’’ said Biocon executive chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.

Sangita Reddy, joint managing director of the Apollo Hospitals Group and President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said the private healthcare sector had suffered a loss of around Rs 12,000 crore.

“Many private players r working tirelessly with govt 2 serve public. I hope the govt recognizes this & extends some stimulus 4 the health of the nation… it’s critical 2 support healthcare,” she tweeted.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which represents the large community of retail traders and has been a strong supporter of the BJP in the past, expressed “deep disappointment and resentment” against the government on behalf of the seven crore traders in the country. It claimed that the stimulus package had completely ignored their interests.

CAIT national president B.C. Bhartia and secretary-general Praveen Khandelwal said the entire trading community was extremely upset with the government for its step-motherly treatment.

The Retailers’ Association of India (RAI) too expressed disappointment with the Atmanirbhar Bharat economic stimulus, saying the emergent issues facing retailers had not been addressed.

Other measures

The Centre also announced plans to decriminalise most of the sections of the Companies Act and raise the number of compoundable offences that can be tried under an internal adjudication process to 58 from 18 in order to “decongest” courts.

The government said it would stop fresh insolvency proceedings under the bankruptcy resolution process for one year. Small and medium businesses will be largely able to escape bankruptcy proceedings as the threshold for default that triggers an IBC referral has been raised to Rs 1 crore from Rs 1 lakh.

Companies have been permitted to directly list their securities in overseas jurisdictions.

The finance minister announced that companies listing their non-convertible debentures on stock exchanges would not be regarded as “listed companies” – raising the possibility that they may be able to duck the tough disclosure requirements of the bourses. Several companies have defaulted on their NCD repayments, raising concerns about another looming area of financial crisis.

News Rush |

FICCI hails final tranche of Centre's Atmanirbhar Bharat economic package

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Sunday expressed appreciation for the fifth and the final tranche of the Atmanirbhar Bharat economic package.

It mentioned that the brand new spate of bulletins provides ‘further room’ for state governments for ‘market borrowings’ and assist them conduct their duties within the upcoming ‘tough part’. It additionally acknowledged that an ‘further increase of Rs 40000 crore in direction of MGNREGS above Budgetary estimate’ will assist to offer work to the migrant staff who’ve returned to their properties.

“The announcement by FM on ensuring that management of companies do not have to unduly stress about the company being dragged into insolvency and liquidity proceedings for non-payment of debt owing to economic losses incurred during the lockdown is a welcome move and will help assure business continuity. Focus can now be on getting back on track. This meets industry request for a breather for a year. A Special dispensation under IBC for MSMEs will protect such companies from being liquidated due to the pandemic,” it additional acknowledged within the press launch.

It additionally hailed the Finance Minister’s choice to amend the Companies Act. Sitharaman, right now, mentioned that the federal government has determined to altogether drop seven compoundable offences, and different defaults underneath the Companies Act.

“FICCI also welcomes government’s decision to amend the Companies Act, 2013 to decriminalise bona fide defaults under the Act through the Ordinance route, which would help companies to take benefit of this provision immediately. The move to decriminalise non-compliances of minor, technical or procedural nature will further the objective of Government to facilitate and promote ease of doing business in India and increase India’s attractiveness as an investment destination and also provide relief to foreign investors from protracted litigation in cases of technical and procedural defaults,” the press launch additional added.

The organisation additional noticed that the direct itemizing of international inventory exchanges will profit corporations in new enterprise areas and start-ups elevate cash from advanced monetary markets.

He additional praised the reforms in private and non-private sectors taken by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, including that it’s going to have a positive affect on the financial system.

However, the group highlighted that authorities ought to introduce sturdy measures to avoid wasting battered sections of the financial system devastated as a result of disaster like tourism, hospitality, aviation, and healthcare, and requested a minimal quantity of Rs 20,000 crore to be allotted to those sectors as they proceed to witness ‘huge dip in demand’.

It additionally identified that the personal healthcare sector wants help from the federal government to combat the COVID-19 pandemic successfully.

However, it acknowledged in its press launch that the federal government must do way more for migrant staff and extra susceptible sections of society.

Business Standard |

Social infra: Viability gap funding boost may help create 45k hospital beds

In the fourth tranche of her stimulus announcements, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced an increase in viability gap funding (VGF) for development of social infrastructure to 30 per cent.

For the creation of social infrastructure projects supported by the central government, states or statutory bodies, the government made a provision of Rs 8,100 crore, which will be in the form of VGF.

For other sectors, existing support in terms of VGF of 20 per cent each from the government, state or statutory bodies shall continue, Sitharaman said.

Hospitals are a key part of social infrastructure now with the coronavirus pandemic raging across the country.

Kapil Banga, ICRA analyst said that back-of-the-envelope calculations show that at 30 per cent rate, Rs 8,100 crore corpus can fund investments worth Rs 27,000 crore. If we assume that the entire tranche goes towards creating hospital infrastructure and considering the cost per bed at Rs 85 lakh or so, this can potentially create 32,000 beds across the country.

If it is targeted at smaller centres, then assuming a cost of Rs 60 lakh per bed, this could create 45,000 beds. In metros, the cost per bed is higher at Rs 1 crore. The government is trying to create primary care centers, and the move may boost this.

Banga added that while this is a step in the right direction, it would take at least two to five years for this to fructify.

Industry insiders felt that while bigger hospitals can also use VGF to expand into the hinterland, the small clinics manned by doctors could make use of these funds to set up smaller primary health centers with 15-20 beds.

“Smaller nursing homes can expand through this or a group of doctors can set up small primary and secondary care hospitals. Together with Ayushman Bharat, they can also ensure a base occupancy for their set-ups,” said one industry insider. As such the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) has on-boarded about 1,000 new hospitals in the last one month or so.

Banga said that once the eligibility criteria to qualify for VGF come out, things would be clear. The government said that projects for VGF to be proposed by central ministries/ state government or statutory entities. Care Ratings has said the initiative is good, but will work over a period of time.

Analysts felt there was no reason why corporate hospitals cannot take part in such projects, and all social infrastructure projects need not be public-private partnerships. The finer details, however, are not clear at the moment.

Even medical education as a social infrastructure project could find a push, feel experts. According to Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Assistant Secretary General and education consultant Shobha Ghosh, with PPP projects being talked about for setting up more medical colleges, which would require conversion of district hospitals, the hike in VGF could attract more private participation.

“We had asked for 20-40 per cent for building social infrastructure projects so a 30 per cent VGF is a welcome step. It will ease up the capex pressure for the private sector and bring in more hospital beds in tier-2 and tier-3 cities by way of medical education,” said Ghosh.

Experts are, however, wary of any benefit accruing to social infrastructure projects in secondary, higher or technical education. “As a country, we are yet to mature in the area of PPP mode in social infrastructure projects like higher or technical education such as ITIs. There have not been many successful cases in these areas. Hence, it is hard to say whether the announcement will benefit immediately,” said Narayanan Ramaswamy, partner and leader for education and skill development sector, KPMG India.

India Spend |

Getting India back to work: The Healthcare Agenda

Companies should stagger employee arrivals and attendance, and increase sanitation measures for months to come as COVID-19-related lockdown restrictions are eased, Sangita Reddy, president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FICCI), an industry body, says. FICCI has compiled detailed guidelines for individuals, owners and the management to follow in the months to come.

It is important to ensure people have money in their pockets--for immediate needs as well as to revive consumption demand--even as supply chains for non-essential items are reactivated, for the economy to recover, Reddy says.

Hospitals have had a “triple whammy”--loss of revenue in the early days as patients could not come to hospitals, continued operational costs (unlike other sectors which have downsized/implement pay-cuts), and an increase in costs due to the elaborate sanitation and precautionary measures, says Reddy, joint managing director of Apollo Hospitals.

Edited excerpts:

About a week ahead of further easing of lockdown restrictions, what does going back to work mean, or what should it mean?

I think it is not a single line. Everybody does not go back to work--let us be very clear about that. This is a calibrated, well-planned lifting of the lockdown. First is, as everybody has heard, the traffic light strategy: If you are in a red zone, you are not going to go back to work. Everyone who can effectively work from home is going to be requested to continue to work from home. The amber and the green zones are opening; public transport is opening, but with social distancing. Airlines will take a bit more time, but I expect in the next 10 days to two weeks, limited airline opening will also happen. FICCI has worked extensively with the industry; and Apollo Hospitals has also worked to bring out what we are calling, ‘Life after Lockdown’, a detailed guide to look at it from the point of view of an individual, an operator or owner, the CEO, and the responsibility, as well as the HR. This includes strategies like grouping people.

For example, last week when a factory in Muzaffarnagar opened up, one person tested positive three days later, and the collector said [they should] shut down the whole thing. That means 400 people [are] back without work again. Our recommendation is you do clusters of 20 people in a group. They sit together, they eat together, so that your potential containment zone or tracking zone is only 20 people.

Secondly, before people come back to work, let them know if their desk space has changed. Do [schedule people coming to work] on alternate days, so that you are reducing the number of people. Extend the working hours and definitely schedule the lunchroom. Create core cleaning facility, whether it is the tunnel or the handwash, and definitely the temperature control. Have a sick bay in each office. There are detailed guidelines, and these have to be followed--not just on day one, but consistently, rigorously, meticulously for the next many months to come.

The link between the economy and public health has never been so strong. How does that work and how do you view this?

Earlier, a red zone was a district, but now the zones are actually shrinking, in that the size of the zone is not related to the whole district but a 3-sq-km radius around the difficult spot. But there is still approximately 40-55% of economic activity in areas which are currently designated red zones. Over the next two weeks, those areas coming out clean and careful is a very important aspect of the whole strategy we need to look at.

The second aspect is the supply chain. There is an inter-dependency of commercial activity in the country. [For example], we grow cotton in the West, we make the yarn in the South, and the stitching happens in clusters all over the country. The transport was very effectively opened up for essential goods, and food; most of our supermarkets were able to get all kinds of supplies, and agricultural produce and vegetables moved. There is a lot of proactive work from the government, the transport, the police as well as business and the farmer who reached out. The big thing is, why will a manufacturing person open up his store if he does not have a retail outlet to display his product?

And the other aspect, like Sulaja [Firodia Motwani] who is on our FICCI committee, said is, “Who wakes up in the morning and decides to buy a vehicle?” How are we going to re-stimulate demand? And from that comes the base question, of how much can we ensure that people have jobs, people have money in their pockets--first to buy essential produce, and then to come back and stimulate demand--so that the demand and the supply engine of the economy, both of which have had a considerable shock, are both reactivated at the same time or as quickly as possible.

The healthcare sector has almost been as badly affected by COVID-19 as have patients or those on the frontlines of medicine, because economically this has been a very tough period for you. So how do you see yourself coming out of that--whether it is your chain or your peers in the industry?

Clearly, the sector has been significantly affected, and we are calling it a triple whammy: Number 1, in the early days, patients could not come. Therefore, there was no revenue, and healthcare is a daily operation. The second aspect is, like other sectors or industries did, we could not cut wages or salaries or tell people not to come to work, because we need those people--doctors, and nurses, etc. None of them were ever taken off the rolls. And the third thing is, in preparation, some of us who were treating COVID had to prepare and buy kits, buy PPEs [personal protective equipment], upgrade the number of ventilators, and all this is very expensive.

Now, as we begin to open--actually, at Apollo, we are pretty much open, and a lot is happening--we have to do it. The new normal in healthcare environment is not just everyone wearing masks, but the whole cleaning protocols have grown by a factor of 10x; any time you do a procedure or a protocol, everybody has to wear a PPE, and that adds a cost to the whole thing. You know, [for a] Rs 500 consultation, the doctor is wearing a Rs 1,000 PPE. This is the new dynamic and yet again, we cannot refuse people because. So, what we said is that in all our emergency rooms, any patient can come in and we will proactively treat [them] as if they are positive. Then, we will parallelly do the testing and make the next level of plan for the individual. And this is taking a cost for the hospital and the patient.

As the lockdown lifts in phases, the other crush you are going to see is of people who have been waiting for treatment, which perhaps they could not come earlier but desperately need to now. Are you going to see a surge of patient inflow, may not be COVID but even otherwise?

The underlying disease will remain and, naturally, people have to come. But I think the rate of individuals coming back to the hospitals is directly proportional to the mechanism of the fear lifting. It is not that the lockdown opens up and the next day you are going to see huge lines, because the public are still scared and there are a lot of misconceptions.

The only thing we can say is that, even while you are staying at home, please use tele-consulting. Use the delivery mechanism and make sure you are taking your medicines. If you need to have testing, we will send you people home to draw the blood, who are safe and screened people. Do not neglect your underlying disorders, not just from the long-term of your disorder but even now for COVID because the numbers and the statistics are showing that comorbidities increase mortality. So, it is very important to keep your diabetes under control, have your heart in good condition, keep your immunology and your entire fitness level to the highest possible, so that you can fight COVID well. For all these reasons, using whatever mechanisms possible, we request everyone to stay fit and to stay in touch with their healthcare and their doctor.

I know you started teleconsulting almost 20 years ago. Have you seen a dramatic increase in that number, and do you see that number rising further?

[There is an] unbelievable, fantastic adoption in tele-consults--both on the doctor’s side and the patient's side. Realistically, a doctor who is super busy in his consulting room is not going to take the trouble to do tele-consulting, unless he is specially motivated, or we have requested. So, everybody did. And you are right, we started 20 years ago. But today, we have millions of people on the app and are doing thousands of tele-consults every day.

The biggest satisfaction is our NPS levels on tele-consults are very high, and this is where our experience is showing. We are not just opening up WhatsApp windows and saying talk to your doctor. This is a platform that we built over the years. It has an appropriate capture of medical data, a proper scheduler, a payment gateway and then at the backend, when we are doing the GP [general practitioner] consults, we have a “clinical decision support engine”, which is proactively prompting to make sure that the doctor’s interaction is of the highest quality and capability. I actually feel one of the good things that have come out of COVID is really the digital.

And this is not just our app. [In] the areas where we support the government in our primary healthcare, we are using tele-consults. In a project that we created, called Stay I, where we partnered with hotel chains to create isolation rooms, we have put our tele-medicine on top of it, so that this minimises the number of times a medical person needs to go into the room. We are using digital and technology across the board. Our eICU, which is again a programme we have had for a very long time, we are now supporting nursing homes and some government hospitals in ICU.

And then there is the whole aspect of tele-learning. On our e-learning platform, the first course we created on update on COVID had 170,000 users globally. The next thing that we created in partnership with the Critical Care Society of India is a ventilator training project. We did the content, we did a fantastic simulator in partnership with an international group, and then we did a one-on-one connect using the Critical Care Society and the new learner. Today, you can buy ventilators, how do you buy expertise overnight? We are now using technology to train people on how to get up to speed on ventilator use, and how to do mentorship--because if the doctor is over 60 years old, he is probably staying at home and not coming in. But he can stay at home and mentor a young person, on using the ventilator and getting up to speed on this. So, these kinds of partnerships are also happening.

The people at the frontlines--doctors, ventilator care experts or nurses--need to stay motivated at this time, more so than anyone else. How are you, as a large chain of hospitals, ensuring that, and do you see any challenges there?

I think in the early days there was this initial fear; and people had seen these scary images from Italy and heard the numbers of the medical workers [affected]. Firstly, we said it is voluntary, [and asked] those who want to come [to] please come forward. Secondly, we assured them that we would do whatever we could in our capability to keep them safe. We invested in proper separate rooms. We never put a number of patients in a big general ward. We created the rooms, we created the negative pressure, we bought the right PPEs, gave them the training on how to wear them, and then we never over-worked them. We did staffing, we cut the shifts and we quarantined them separately, so that they were not mixing with other staff. So, if a nurse working in a COVID ward, she will not meet a nurse who is in a non-COVID hospital of ours, till the period she is working or the 14 days of quarantine. I wore the mask and everything, and went into the COVID ward to greet our teams and tell them that we are with them and we appreciate the kind of risk they are taking. And by God’s grace, so far, the staff has been very proactive; they are safe, and we have been able to really care for a lot of people.

Boom |

Demand and supply need to be reactivated to revive economy: Sangita Reddy

As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, never has the link between public health and the economy been any more critical. As the global economy grinds to a halt, governments and the healthcare industry is faced with a monumental task of combatting the novel coronavirus while juggling the financial costs incurred in the battle.

Sangita Reddy, Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals and FICCI President believes that the immediate task at hand for governments and businesses is to allay fears of the public and ensure the economy is revived quickly.

Speaking exclusively to Boom's Govindraj Ethiraj, Reddy said, "We (need) to ensure that people have jobs, people have money in their pockets - first to buy essential products, and then to come back and stimulate demand. So that the demand and the supply engine of the economy, both of which have had a considerable shock, are both reactivated at the same time or as quickly as possible."

Below are the excerpts from the interview. The interview has been edited for clarity.

COVID 19 - Getting Back to Work: India's Healthcare Agenda

Govindraj Eithiraj: In a broad sense, as we are today, a week ahead of the lockdown lifting or likely to lift, what will going back to work mean or what should it mean?

Sangita Reddy: So, I think it is not a single line. The first aspect is everybody does not go back to work. Let us be very clear about that. But this is a calibrated well-planned lifting of the lockdown. First is, as everybody has heard, the traffic light strategy. If you are in a red zone, you are not going to go back to work. Everyone who can effectively work from home is going to be requested to continue to work from home. The amber (orange) and the green zones are opening; public transport is opening but with social distancing. Airlines will take a bit more time, but I expect in the next 10 days to two weeks, airlines will operate with limits. But once you are in a factory or in an office, I think, the precautions - one is FICCI has worked extensively with the industry and Apollo Hospitals has also worked to bring out what we are calling, 'Life after Lockdown'.

So, in our detailed guide on Life after Lockdown, we look at it from an individual's point of view, from an operator or an owner's point of view, the CEO's responsibility, as well as the HR's. So, this includes strategies like grouping people. For example, last week when a factory in Muzaffarnagar opened up, one person tested positive three days later and the Collector shut the whole thing down. That means 400 people are back without work again. So, now our recommendation is to make clusters of 20 people in a group. So, they sit together, they eat together so that your potential containment zone or tracking zone is only 20 people. That is number 1.

Number 2, before people come back to work, let them know if their desk space has changed. Do alternate days so that you are reducing the number of people. Extend the working hours and definitely schedule the lunchroom. Create core cleaning facility whether it is the tunnel or the handwash, definitely the temperature control. Have a sickbay in each office. I am not going to go through every parameter but there are detailed guidelines, and these have to be followed. Not just on day one, but consistently, rigorously, meticulously for the next many months to come.

Govindraj Eithiraj: I am sure people will download those guidelines. A slightly larger question: The link between the economy and public health has never been so strong, has never required to be so strong. How does that work and how are you viewing this? It is also perhaps in some way a philosophical question?

Sangita Reddy: So, leaving the philosophy that we will get to because all of us have had the time think so many things about life, but just in terms of pure numbers. I think the number of areas that are in the red zone and before it was district but now the zones are actually shrinking, in that the size of the zone is not related to the whole district but a three-kilometre square radius around the difficult spot. But there is still approximately 40-55% of economic activity in areas which are currently designated red zone. So, over the next two weeks, those areas coming out clean and careful is a very important aspect of the whole strategy we need to look at.

The second aspect is that the entire supply chain. Because if you look at things, we grow cotton in the West, we make the yarn in the South, and the stitching happens in clusters all over the country. So, there is an inter-dependency of commercial activity that goes actually around the whole country. So while transport was very effectively kind of opened up for essential goods, and food...and luckily most of our supermarkets were able to get all kinds of supplies and agricultural produce moved, and vegetables moved -there is a lot of proactive work from the government, the transport, the police as well as business and the farmer who reached out.

The big thing is why will a manufacturing person open up his store if he does not have a retail outlet to display his product. And the other aspect which is very important is, like Sulaja who is on our FICCI committee, she said, "Who wakes up in the morning and decide to buy a vehicle? How are we going to re-stimulate demand?" And from that comes the base question, of how much can we ensure that people have jobs, people have money in their pockets - first to buy essential products, and then to come back and stimulate demand. So that the demand and the supply engine of the economy, both of which have had a considerable shock, are both reactivated at the same time or as quickly as possible.

Govindraj Eithiraj: Let me ask you a couple of questions about the healthcare sector. The healthcare sector, I mean the sector here, has almost been affected as badly affected by COVID as have, let us says, patients or those who are on the frontlines of medicine because economically this has been a very tough period for you. So how are you seeing yourself coming out of that? Whether it is your chain or your peers in the industry?

Sangita Reddy: Clearly, the sector has been affected and we are calling it a triple whammy. Number 1 in the early days, patients could not come. Therefore, there was no revenue, and healthcare is a daily operation. The second aspect is like other sectors or industries did, we could not cut wages or salaries or tell people not to come to work because we need those people. Doctors, and nurses, etc - none of them were ever taken off the rolls. And the third thing is in preparation, some of us who were treating COVID, had to prepare and buy kits, buy PPEs, upgrade the number of ventilators and all this is very expensive.

Now, as we begin to open - actually at Apollo we are pretty much open, and a lot is happening - we have to do the new normal in a healthcare environment. It is not just everyone wearing masks but the whole cleaning protocols have grown by a factor of 10x. See every time you do a procedure or a protocol, everybody has to wear a PPE and that adds a cost to the whole thing.

You know for a Rs 500 consultation, the doctor is wearing a Rs 1000 PPE. This is the new dynamic and yet, we cannot refuse people. I got a message from someone saying, that their father has acute asthma and the hospital in Mumbai is telling him to have a test and prove that they are COVID negative and then bring his father to the hospital.

We cannot do this. What we said that is in all our emergency rooms any patient can come in and we will proactively treat as if they are positive. Then we will, in parallel, do the testing and make the next level of plans for the individual. And this is taking a cost for the hospital and the patient.

Govindraj Eithiraj: As the lockdown lifts in phases as you pointed out, the other crush you are going to see is of people who have been waiting for treatment, which perhaps they could not come earlier but desperately need to now. Are you seeing a surge of patient inflow, may not be COVID but even otherwise?

Sangita Reddy: See, the underlying disease will remain and naturally people have to come. But I think the rate of individuals coming back to the hospitals is directly proportional to the mechanism of the fear lifting. So, it is not that the lockdown opens up and the next day you are going to see huge lines because the public is still scared and there are a lot of misconceptions. The only thing we can say is that even while you are staying at home, please should use tele-consulting. Use the delivery mechanism and make sure that you are taking the medicine. If you need testing, we will send you people home to draw the blood, who are safe and screened people. Do not neglect your underlying disorder, not just from the long-term of your disorder but even now for COVID because the numbers and the statistics are showing that co-morbidities increase the mortality. So, it is very important to keep diabetes under control, have your heart in good condition. Keep your immunology and fitness level to the highest possible, so that you can fight COVID well. So, for all these reasons, using whatever mechanisms possible, we request everyone to stay fit and stay in touch with their doctor.

Govindraj Eithiraj: On tele-consulting, I know you started it 20 years ago, I am guessing that you must be doing 1000 of tele-consults every day now. So, have you seen a dramatic, increase in that number, do you see that number rising further?

Sangita Reddy: (We have seen) Unbelievable, fantastic adoption in tele-consults. You know this is a good thing, and this is adoption on the doctor's side and the patient's side. Very realistically, for the doctor who is super busy, sitting in his consulting room, he is not going to take the trouble to do the tele-consulting unless he is especially motivated, or we have requested. So, everybody did. And you are right, we started it 20 years ago.

But today we have millions of people on the app and are doing 1000s of tele-consults every day. The biggest satisfaction is our NPS levels on tele-consulting are very high and this is where our experience is showing. We are not just opening up WhatsApp windows and saying talk to your doctor. This is a platform that we built over the years, it has an appropriate capture of medical data, it has a proper scheduler, a payment gateway and then at the backend of it, when we are doing the GP consults, we have what is called as clinical decision support engine. So that is proactively prompting to make sure that the doctor's interaction is of the highest quality and capability. So, you know, I am actually feeling like one of the good things that have come out of COVID is really the digital (aspect).

They say, you know, when the winds of change are blowing, some people build walls and other people build windmills. So, what India is doing is building digital and Apollo is definitely building digital because this is our way of staying in touch and this is not just, you know...our app is doing it 24x7. The areas where we support the government in our primary healthcare using tele-consult, is a project that we created "Stay I", where we partnered with hospitals to create isolation rooms. We have put our tele-medicine on top of it so that this minimizes the number of times a medical person needs to go into the room. So once a day the medical personnel goes, but three times a day we are using the tele medicine consult on the phone for this individual to stay in touch and feel safe. So, we are using digital and technology across the board and eICU, which is again a programme we have had for a very long time, we are now supporting nursing homes and some government hospitals in ICU.

And then there is a whole aspect of tele-learning. On our e-learning platform, the first course we created an update on COVID had 1.7 lakh users globally. The next thing that we created in partnership with the Critical Care Society of India is a ventilator training project. This was what one of the secretaries in the Central Government had asked me to put together. So, we did the content, we did a fantastic simulator in partnership with an international group who had a simulator, then we did a one-on-one connect using the Critical Care Society and the new learner. We are now using technology to train people on how to get up to speed on ventilator use and how to mentor others. Because if the doctor is over 60 years old, he is probably staying at home and not coming in. But he can stay at home and mentor a young person, on using the ventilator and getting up to speed on this. So, these kinds of partnerships are also happening.

Govindraj Eithiraj: I am going to come to a question on infodemics, that is something that we fight a lot. You know another question on people at the frontlines - doctors, ventilator care, experts or nurses, all of them need to stay motivated at this time, more so than anyone else perhaps in the country at this time. How are you as a large chain of hospitals ensuring that and do you see any challenges there too?

Sangita Reddy: I think in the early days there was this initial fear about how and where, and people had seen these scary images from Italy and heard the numbers of the medical workers. I think we went about it is asking those who want to come forward to please come forward voluntarily. Second is, we assured that we would do whatever we could in our capability to keep them safe. So, we invested in proper separate rooms. We never put a large number of patients in a big general ward. We created the rooms, we created the negative pressure, we bought the right PPEs, gave them (the staff) training on how to wear them and then we never overworked them.

So, we did proper staffing, we cut the shift and we quarantined them separately so that they were not mixing with other staff. So, if a nurse is working in a COVID ward, she will not meet a nurse working in a non-COVID hospital of ours, till the period she is working or the 14 days of quarantine. We put down all these protocols. I personally went. I wore the mask and everything, went into the COVID ward, to greet our teams and tell them that we are with you and we appreciate the kind of risk they are taking and by God's grace so far the number of staff has been very proactive, they are safe, and we have been able to care for a lot of people.

Govindraj Eithiraj: The infodemic—the misinformation, the false news around COVID 19, which causes cascading problems for everyone including the medical community, any thoughts on how we can fight this battle better?

Sangita Reddy: This is multi-dimensional. My first request to society or individuals is to find a credible source of information whether it is doctor or hospital, medical group and use that as your source and then there are so many doctors now doing free consults, so verify your knowledge before you pass it on. And if you have verified your knowledge and passed on the good stuff, you are doing a public service. But if you are creating an atmosphere of fear, it is actually a disservice.

I must also say that our own knowledge is changing and updating every day. We have a weekly update with AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin), our own doctors' group are talking to their colleagues, then we are evolving the Apollo Protocol. First, we did the protocol for doctors and care guidelines. We keep updating that - first it was hydroxychloroquine, then it was remdesivir, then it was heparin, and then it is the combined treatment regime. So, we are bringing out our own bulletins for doctors, for factories and industries, for the lay public. Today, we started talking about separate protocol for children. I mean the conversation was the children are protected and now we are seeing the Kawasaki Syndrome in children in New York. So our paediatricians quickly got together and discussed if they should do anything different for people. It is a proactive, continuous exchange of knowledge which is credible, validated but we do not have the luxury of large clinical trials. So its best intent and a lot of reading and research which is going on continuously.

eTurbo News |

FICCI applauds India PM's Step1: Mission Revive India

Commenting on the set of economic measures to revive India as announced by the Finance Minister of India, Dr. Sangita Reddy, President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said: “With today’s comprehensive set of announcements, the stage is now set to rebuild the Indian industry and economy. Listening to the Finance Minister and the series of measures spelt out gave us the confidence that our government is ready and will lead from the front in taking India out of the COVID-19 storm and emerge bigger and stronger. And as the country moves ahead it will ensure that every individual, every enterprise, and every section of society is taken along in a guided manner so that the impact of the turmoil is cushioned in the best possible manner. FICCI thanks the Finance Minister for the Stimulus Package 2.0 and looks forward to more such measures in the ensuing days.

“The greatest takeaway from today’s announcement was the clear focus on getting liquidity flowing into the system. Besides liquidity, we need to give equal focus on generating consumption demand and propping up investments. We hope that in the next set of announcements, these areas will be taken up in a comprehensive manner as well.”

The MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium enterprises) sector has been facing the maximum brunt of COVID-19 induced lockdown and many of our constituents from across the country were looking forward to the relief measures to be announced by the government. With a breakdown in their cash flow cycle, MSMEs require money to restart operations as well as to continue to meet their fixed costs. FICCI had as part of its Fiscal Response Strategy shared with the Finance Minister requested for collateral free loans to be given to MSMEs with government guarantee. The Rs 3 lakh crore package geared towards this is most welcome and it should help bring back to like a large proportion of our MSMEs.

Additionally, with the government announcing another Rs 20,000 crore of funds to be provided to stressed MSMEs and setting up a fund of funds worth Rs 50,000 crore that could take up equity in viable MSMEs and thereby pave the way for their listing on the market is a novel approach that will come in handy for the cash starved but viable business entities. Clearing of the receivables for MSMEs due from CPSEs and other central government departments in the next 45 days will also bring back liquidity in the system and help units as they plan to restart their operations and revive India.

Besides these direct liquidity infusion measures, the government has given MSMEs another shot in the arm by declaring that all public procurement tenders up to Rs 200 crore will no longer be global tenders. This will help in bringing more business to Indian MSMEs and create greater opportunities for them in government projects and procurement areas that can be substantive.
On support extended on payment of statutory dues, the 3-months extension given to the earlier announced measure of government contributing both the employer and employee share in PF within certain limits is a noteworthy move. FICCI members have reported that this support was timely, but we could look at enhancing the wage limits set under this relief measures as minimum wages vary from state to state. Simultaneously, the temporary reduction introduced in the contribution towards provident fund from 12 percent to 10 percent of basic salary should lead to an increase in the take home pay of individuals and provide some impetus to consumption.

Another sector that came in for special mention today in the effort to revive India was NBFC/HFC and MFI sector. The clear developmental role of these players was recognized by the government and as an acknowledgement of their contribution to promoting growth by delivering credit to the underserved segments of society, the government announced two special lines. A special government guaranteed liquidity line worth Rs 30,000 crore and extension of the Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme by Rs 45,000 crore with first loss default cover of 20 per cent. Feedback from FICCI’s NBFC members shows that the funds allotted earlier through the TLTRO by RBI through the banks were not reaching NBFCs and HFCs because of the clear risk aversion on part of banks to lend under current circumstances. With today’s announcements, we hope the perceived credit risk amongst banks with regards to NBFCs and HFCs will come down and the flow of funds will resume to NBFCs including those that have investment grade paper and not just triple A rated instruments. FICCI has made specific suggestions on how the Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme can be improvised for better administration and we hope that these changes will be looked into by the government in the days ahead.

On the power sector, the need for reforms is urgent and long overdue. While the infusion of liquidity to the tune of Rs 90,000 crore in DISCOMs against their receivables by PFC and REC will help DISCOMS discharge their payments to Gen-Cos, a longer-term approach to make the sector sustainable is required. Nevertheless, we hope more reform measures will be announced with time.
The relief offered to contractors undertaking infrastructure projects in terms of extending the timelines for completion of projects/construction related milestones without attracting any penalty should offer some succor to them. However, the larger support that comes to them is in the form of release or repayment of bank guarantees linked to the completion of the projects. This would be helpful and players in the infrastructure sector were seeking such relief. In the same light, the declaration of COVID-19 as force-majeure under RERA should de-stress players in the real estate sector.

Further, continuing with the earlier efforts to ease the compliance burden on individuals and companies, the government has further extended the due dates for filing of tax returns and assessments and we welcome these steps. On the tax side, the reduction by 25 percent in the applicable rates of TDS and TCS is expected to release Rs 50,000 and this will be another avenue by which more money will be left in the hands of companies and individuals.

FICCI is hopeful that more such measures to revive India will be announced by the government in the coming days and we will see greater thrust being laid on some of the most battered segments of industry including tourism, hospitality, aviation, and healthcare. FICCI has requested that a minimum amount of Rs 20,000 crore be allotted for these sectors as they have seen maximum dip in demand and will also take much longer to recover from the set-back seen.

Healthcare sector also needs huge impetus in order to build capacity to fight the COVID-19 menace effectively. The sector is trying to make its contribution but needs support to sustain its efforts.
The government also needs to plan for more support for the migrant workers and the more vulnerable sections of society.

Finally, large corporates have also been significantly affected. FICCI has recommended a need for COVID liquidity bridge for providing guarantee to banks to give them comfort to restructure/ extend loans to companies whose balance sheets have been impaired due to COVID-19. Government needs to provide an amount of Rs 10,000 crore in first year towards this, which is a small amount of support needed but can have significant impact on companies and economy.

The Indian Practitioner |

FICCI introduces a free Helpline to help Non-COVID patients

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) today launched a Free Helpline to assist and support the treatment of Non-COVID patients. It was realised that many patients who needed emergency health treatment/services were struggling to get required treatment owing to nationwide lockdown. It was in this situation; FICCI partnered with Tech Mahindra (a member company) and launched this healthcare Helpline. Many media channels highlighted this problem as well.

With this FICCI initiative, a Non-COVID patient should dial on 080 6889 0550 wherein he/she will be provided details of the nearest hospital which can be reached for emergency health treatment/services. Currently, this Helpline facility will be available in Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Indore, Kolkata, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, and Bangalore. Over 150 hospitals have enrolled for this Helpline. Number of Cities along with list of more Hospitals in respective city will keep adding as the work progresses.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “Many non-COVID patients who need treatment were unsure of where they could go and what the procedure would be. This helpline is in response to their multi queries.”

The Asian Chronicle |

FICCI welcomes PM's Step1: Mission Revive India

Commenting on the set of economic measures announced by the Finance Minister, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “With today’s comprehensive set of announcements, the stage is now set to rebuild the Indian industry and economy. Listening to the Finance Minister and the series of measures spelt out gave us the confidence that our government is ready and will lead from the front in taking India out of the covid-19 storm and emerge bigger and stronger. And as the country moves ahead it will ensure that every individual, every enterprise, and every section of society is taken along in a guided manner so that the impact of the turmoil is cushioned in the best possible manner. FICCI thanks the Finance Minister for the Stimulus Package 2.0 and looks forward to more such measures in the ensuing days.”

“The greatest takeaway from today’s announcement was the clear focus on getting liquidity flowing into the system. Besides liquidity, we need to give equal focus on generating consumption demand and propping up investments. We hope that in the next set of announcements, these areas will be taken up in a comprehensive manner as well,” added Dr Reddy.

The MSME sector has been facing the maximum brunt of covid-19 induced lockdown and many of our constituents from across the country were looking forward to the relief measures to be announced by the government. With a breakdown in their cash flow cycle, MSMEs require money to restart operations as well as to continue to meet their fixed costs. FICCI had as part of its Fiscal Response Strategy shared with the Finance Minister requested for collateral free loans to be given to MSMEs with government guarantee. The Rs 3 lakh crore package geared towards this is most welcome and it should help bring back to like a large proportion of our MSMEs.

Additionally, with the government announcing another Rs 20,000 crore of funds to be provided to stressed MSMEs and setting up a fund of funds worth Rs 50,000 crore that could take up equity in viable MSMEs and thereby pave the way for their listing on the market is a novel approach that will come in handy for the cash starved but viable business entities. Clearing of the receivables for MSMEs due from CPSEs and other central government departments in the next 45 days will also bring back liquidity in the system and help units as they plan to restart their operations.

Besides these direct liquidity infusion measures, the government has given MSMEs another shot in the arm by declaring that all public procurement tenders upto Rs 200 crore will no longer be global tenders. This will help in bringing more business to Indian MSMEs and create greater opportunities for them in government projects and procurement areas that can be substantive.

On support extended on payment of statutory dues, the 3-months extension given to the earlier announced measure of government contributing both the employer and employee share in PF within certain limits is a noteworthy move. FICCI members have reported that this support was timely, but we could look at enhancing the wage limits set under this relief measures as minimum wages vary from state to state. Simultaneously, the temporary reduction introduced in the contribution towards provident fund from 12 per cent to 10 per cent of basic salary should lead to an increase in the take home pay of individuals and provide some impetus to consumption.

Another sector that came in for special mention today was NBFC / HFC and MFI sector. The clear developmental role of these players was recognised by the government and as an acknowledgement of their contribution to promoting growth by delivering credit to the underserved segments of society, the government announced two special lines. A special government guaranteed liquidity line worth Rs 30,000 crore and extension of the Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme by Rs 45,000 crore with first loss default cover of 20 per cent. Feedback from FICCI’s NBFC members shows that the funds allotted earlier through the TLTRO by RBI through the banks were not reaching NBFCs and HFCs because of the clear risk aversion on part of banks to lend under current circumstances. With today’s announcements, we hope the perceived credit risk amongst banks with regard to NBFCs and HFCs will come down and the flow of funds will resume to NBFCs including those that have investment grade paper and not just triple A rated instruments. FICCI has made specific suggestions on how the Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme can be improvised for better administration and we hope that these changes will be looked into by the government in the days ahead.

On the power sector, the need for reforms is urgent and long overdue. While the infusion of liquidity to the tune of Rs 90,000 crore in DISCOMs against their receivables by PFC and REC will help DISCOMS discharge their payments to Gen-Cos, a longer-term approach to make the sector sustainable is required. Nevertheless, we hope more reform measures will be announced with time.

The relief offered to contractors undertaking infrastructure projects in terms of extending the timelines for completion of projects / construction related milestones without attracting any penalty should offer some succour to them. However, the larger support that comes to them is in the form of release or repayment of bank guarantees linked to the completion of the projects. This would be helpful and players in the infrastructure sector were seeking such relief. In the same light, the declaration of covid-19 as force-majeure under RERA should de-stress players in the real estate sector.

Further, continuing with the earlier efforts to ease the compliance burden on individuals and companies, the government has further extended the due dates for filing of tax returns and assessments and we welcome these steps. On the tax side, the reduction by 25 per cent in the applicable rates of TDS and TCS is expected to release Rs 50,000 and this will be another avenue by which more money will be left in the hands of companies and individuals.

FICCI is hopeful that more such measures will be announced by the government in the coming days and we will see greater thrust being laid on some of the most battered segments of industry including tourism, hospitality, aviation and healthcare. FICCI has requested that a minimum amount of Rs 20,000 crore be allotted for these sectors as they have seen maximum dip in demand and will also take much longer to recover from the set-back seen.

Healthcare sector also needs huge impetus in order to build capacity to fight the covid-19 menace effectively. The sector is trying to make its contribution but needs support to sustain its efforts.

The government also needs to plan for more support for the migrant workers and the more vulnerable sections of society.

Finally, large corporates have also been significantly affected. FICCI has recommended a need for COVID liquidity bridge for providing guarantee to banks to give them comfort to restructure/ extend loans to companies whose balance sheets have been impaired due to covid-19. Government needs to provide an amount of Rs 10,000 crore in first year towards this, which is a small amount of support needed but can have significant impact on companies and economy.

ICJ 24 |

FICCI calls for stimulus of around Rs 10 lakh cr to stimulate demand, supply to avert long-term economic slowdown

There is a critical and immediate need for a significant stimulus of Rs 9 lakh crore to 10 lakh crore or four to five percent of the GDP to stimulate demand and supply for averting a long-term economic slowdown, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Monday.

“If we do not help industries (large and small), we will have large-scale job losses which will contract demand significantly and will lead to further pressure on the utilisation of businesses and their liquidity,” FICCI President Sangita Reddy said in a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The situation will reduce government tax collections significantly and fiscal deficit will remain high (even without stimulus outflow) if the economic engine does not re-start, said Reddy. “The socio-economic impact of large-scale job losses and loss of demographic dividend will impact the future course of economic development even in medium-term,” she said.

“We are staring at a significant contraction of demand and economy, and a cascading impact of long-term economic slowdown if the economic engine does not re-start immediately. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to immediately support the supply and demand side,” she said.

Reddy called for interest-free and collateral-free loans to MSME companies (turnover of less than Rs 500 crore) for up to 12 months period depending on the sector to enable them to cover fixed costs, salaries and other operational expenses. For non-GST paying companies, an alternate mechanism may be worked out (based on IT filing).

Even if the government was to give Rs one lakh crore of loans to MSME businesses, the cost of interest payment will be Rs 8,000 crore (assuming 8 percent lending rate) which is 0.04 percent of the GDP. This loan can be given with pre-conditions that businesses will continue to run and there will be no layoffs of workers, she said. After one year, it can be converted into a grant if all conditions are met. Threshold tax collection could be one metric.

“A COVID liquidity bridge may be created to support restructuring and additional loan requirement of large companies whose balance sheets have got impaired due to COVID. This will have a huge positive impact on the entire supply chain of these companies, including many small and mid-sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis,” said Reddy.

She said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity and immediate release of moneys stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help the situation. This may have already been provided for in the budget.

An additional sum of Rs 1 lakh crore over and above the PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme must be earmarked and transferred to states to supplement their efforts to cater to the immediate needs of the poor and informal sector workers.

Reddy said there is a need to accelerate infrastructure spend of Rs 1.7 lakh crore already allocated in the Budget to provide immediate impetus to the economy. A significant amount of this money can go towards low-cost housing and road construction.

“Linkage of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and low-cost housing construction with MNREGA workers will have a multiplier effect on the economy by putting money in the hands of people and energising 200-odd sectors related to construction. This will give significant impetus to growth.”

Reddy said all recovery is dependent on consumption stimulus and survival of businesses itself. A special package is required for airlines, airport developers, hospitality and tourism, retail and healthcare sectors.

For getting the industry back on track and moving, there needs to be a robust plan for phased opening up of the economy and re-starting growth. There is also a need to evaluate inter-twined supply chains to allow specific clusters or value chains to be opened, she said.

The Dispatch |

FICCI warns of massive job losses, calls for 4 to 5 pc of GDP in stimulus package

There is a critical and immediate need for a significant stimulus of Rs 9 lakh crore to 10 lakh crore or four to five per cent of the GDP to stimulate demand and supply for averting a long-term economic slowdown, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Monday.
“If we do not help industries (large and small), we will have large-scale job losses which will contract demand significantly and will lead to further pressure on the utilisation of businesses and their liquidity,” FICCI President Sangita Reddy said in a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The situation will reduce government tax collections significantly and fiscal deficit will remain high (even without stimulus outflow) if the economic engine does not re-start, said Reddy. “The socio-economic impact of large-scale job losses and loss of demographic dividend will impact the future course of economic development even in medium-term,” she said.

“We are staring at a significant contraction of demand and economy, and a cascading impact of long-term economic slowdown if the economic engine does not re-start immediately. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to immediately support the supply and demand side,” she said.

Reddy called for interest-free and collateral-free loans to MSME companies (turnover of less than Rs 500 crore) for an up to 12 months period depending on the sector to enable them to cover fixed costs, salaries and other operational expenses. For non-GST paying companies, an alternate mechanism may be worked out (based on IT filing).

Even if the government was to give Rs one lakh crore of loans to MSME businesses, the cost of interest payment will be Rs 8,000 crore (assuming 8 per cent lending rate) which is 0.04 per cent of the GDP. This loan can be given with pre-conditions that businesses will continue to run and there will be no layoffs of workers, she said.

After one year, it can be converted into a grant if all conditions are met. Threshold tax collection could be one metric.

“A COVID liquidity bridge may be created to support restructuring and additional loan requirement of large companies whose balance sheets have got impaired due to COVID. This will have a huge positive impact on the entire supply chain of these companies, including many small and mid-sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis,” said Reddy.

She said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity and immediate release of moneys stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help the situation. This may have already been provided for in the budget.

An additional sum of Rs 1 lakh crore over and above the PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme must be earmarked and transferred to states to supplement their efforts to cater to the immediate needs of the poor and informal sector workers.

Reddy said there is a need to accelerate infrastructure spend of Rs 1.7 lakh crore already allocated in the Budget to provide immediate impetus to the economy. A significant amount of this money can go towards low-cost housing and road construction.

“Linkage of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and low-cost housing construction with MNREGA workers will have a multiplier effect on the economy by putting money in the hands of people and energising 200-odd sectors related to construction. This will give significant impetus to growth.”

Reddy said all recovery is dependent on consumption stimulus and survival of businesses itself. A special package is required for airlines, airport developers, hospitality and tourism, retail and healthcare sectors.

For getting the industry back on track and moving, there needs to be a robust plan for phased opening up of the economy and re-starting growth. There is also a need to evaluate inter-twined supply chains to allow specific clusters or value chains to be opened, she said.

The Banking & Finance Post |

FICCI seeks fiscal relief for MSMEs, writes to FM

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has asked for immediate support for the Indian economy that involves Rs 4.5 lakh crore for the MSME sector, saying that companies need it in addition to the Rs 2.5 lakh crore blocked in refunds and other government dues to navigate over the crisis due to the lockdown.

Besides, FICCI President Sangeeta Reddy also requested for interest-free and collateral-free loans to MSME companies that have a turnover of less than 50 crores for up to 12 months period depending on the sector to enable them for covering fixed costs, salaries, and other operational expenses and an alternate mechanism for non-GST paying companies.

“Additional fiscal support is required for vulnerable communities over and above the sum provided for in earlier announced ‘Garib Kalyan Yojana’, fiscal support to MSMEs for getting them back on track, upgradation of healthcare infrastructure to effectively deal with current situation, and support for sectors that have taken maximum hit, like aviation and tourism,” said Sangeeta Reddy, FICCI President on Monday.

In a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, FICCI President Sangita Reddy has stated that banks would need Rs 10,000 crore as a liquidity vailablity that assists them to restructure or provide new loans to large companies whose balance sheets have been impaired due to coronavirus pandemic.

Besides, she said that banks would require Rs 40,000 crore as a guarantee for a four-year period in a bid to enable them to extend loans. This would be giving benefit to the companies and help them in reviving the supply chains, which largely consist of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The letter mentioned that there is a need for the ‘Bharat Self-Sufficiency Fund’ for innovation, construction, and manufacturing to take the advantage of the disruption in global supply chains.

Express Healthcare |

Dealing with COVID: The Hinduja Hospital's experience

P D Hinduja Hospital CEO Gautam Khanna’s experiences from the COVID-19 pandemic teach us how hospitals stay robust in times of crisis. He urges the industry to look for strategies that build a sturdy health system for India in future.

In less than 100 days, a virus brought the entire world to a standstill. Currently, it is just unimaginable that things could go back to normal after this unprecedented crisis – our nation’s economic policies, public health strategies, investments and collective imaginations, all overshadowed by a virus. Many healthcare organisations, pharma companies, diagnostics centres were asked to step up services specific to COVID-19 and pause the rest. As a consequence, these organisations, especially hospitals have been juggling between serving the nation in the fight against COVID and trying to sustain their businesses as most of them have incurred huge financial setback. It’s tough, especially for those hospitals that have limited resources to put forward at the battlefront, yet demonstrate great courage in serving the nation in these difficult times. However, this isn’t the time to be remorseful. It is time when healthcare providers reimagine our healthcare delivery systems and ensure that we tide over this storm and come out stronger.

Gautam Khanna, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and CEO, P D Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre in an exclusive conversation shares his key learnings from being betwixt in the pandemic. His hospital is one among the prime private healthcare centres for COVID-19 treatment in the city of Mumbai, the virus hotspot in the country. He insists that we adopt the one-health approach to solve our current problems and build new strategies for a resilient future.

He first begins with sharing his hospital’s experiences and how the outbreak compelled them to change infrastructure, disease management strategies and empower the limited resources they had to work with.

Strategic changes to infrastructure and hospital policy

When the outbreak first took place in the city, the hospital began its preparations to be part of the government programme for treating COVID-19 patients. They immediately had to make some strategic changes to infrastructure, policy and workforce in preparation to combat the virus.

“To deal with a pandemic of such magnitude, P D Hinduja Hospital had to make significant infrastructural changes. We built special isolation wards and isolation ICUs for COVID 19 patients and dedicated isolation wards for suspected COVID-19 patients whose test results were awaited. All these facilities were built in a separate hospital building away from any regular IPD and OPD areas to ensure the safety of patients and staff. Further, as per protocol, all patients with respiratory ailments were being kept at separate areas. All these required changes in infrastructure, special policies, training for doctors, nurses and paramedical staff as per government guidelines and equipment to treat COVID patients. We also ensured adequate social distancing everywhere in the hospital premises including waiting areas for patient screening or triaging before entering the hospital, in elevators, at admission and billing counters, OPD waiting areas, outside swab collection centres, in staff cafeterias, etc. As a safety measure, we also implemented triaging at the entrance to screen patients before they enter the hospital and a safe room to test suspected patients of the virus. Our lab has been approved for conducting RT PCR test for COVID-19 and we have also set up a special swab collection centre and protocols for conducting this test,” shares Khanna.

All these changes within the hospital had to be done quickly as Mumbai became the hotspot for the virus spread. P D Hinduja hospital still remains in the thick of things and continues its battle. It is one of the major private hospitals being part of the state health programme during the pandemic. “As the disease spread, and in line with government norms, we thereafter changed the screening norms, limited our OPD and IPD services, and started triaging of patients for the safety of all. Once the lockdown was effective, we had to immediately arrange for transport for our employees and also make special arrangements like stay and food for staff deployed in the COVID ward. Supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and medical consumables and equipment was another challenge, but we were proactive in anticipating the demand and ordered in advance, so that treatment for COVID and non-COVID patients could be provided. The state governments’ guidelines for treating and testing COVID patients kept changing regularly, basis the changing situation and latest data trends and we had to adapt by modifying our protocols accordingly”, he goes on.

The roll-out of teleconsultations

When the lockdown began, hospitals were refrained from operating OPD services, conducting elective surgeries and were asked to discourage people to come to hospitals unless there was an emergency. P D Hinduja hospital had to make some tough decisions then to ensure that government rules are followed but at the same time, patients don’t have to bear much brunt. “Even during the lockdown, we continued providing services like emergency and urgent surgeries, chemotherapy, dialysis, emergency OPD services, with adequate safety protocols. A dedicated helpline managed by experienced nurses was set up to guide the patients seeking services at the hospital. We have also rolled out teleconsultation services for our patients. Most of our doctors are now just a video call away to solve any needs of our patients”, he confirms.

All these response actions are working well at the moment, Khanna corroborates. It is now time to think about post-lockdown strategies. How will the hospital manage patient load in the era of social distancing, and how will the new protocols for hospitals look like?

Hospital services in the era of social distancing

“People have been avoiding coming to hospitals due to travel restrictions and for their own safety. So, when the lockdown gets lifted, there is bound to be an increase in demand for all services, including OPD, IPD, diagnostic services, etc. However, in these days of lockdown, we have learnt how important it is to maintain social distancing, so we will continue to implement social distancing norm in the hospitals. Hospitals also have to set up appropriate protocols to ensure that there is no overcrowding and safety of all patients and staff is maintained. We will open up our services in a phased manner, initially limiting the number of OPDs, IPD admissions for surgeries, appointments for diagnostics/imaging services and increase gradually. This is essential for the safety of patients and staff. We will continue to promote our teleconsultation services which have received a good response so far,” Khanna discloses.

Once the social distancing protocols are taken care of, the next hurdle is dealing with patient fears, anxiety and stigma. So, how is the hospital prepped up for this change?

“There may be some fear factor amongst patients while visiting hospitals, but I think a lot of them are aware of the precautions they have to take. Hospitals also need to reassure the patients on the safety aspect. We will continue with our safety protocols as mentioned earlier, including maintaining social distancing, screening and triaging of patients, phased opening up of our services to prevent overcrowding, etc. We will also be communicating these safety measures adopted by the hospitals to the patients to reassure them about their safety at the hospital,” Khanna assures.

The next tough part is securing financial strength.

Dealing with a liquidity crisis

The financial losses that hospitals and healthcare companies have incurred in the pandemics are huge. Finding opportunities that lie beneath uncertainty isn’t a cakewalk either, but maintaining simple financial hygiene practices can be helpful, points out Khanna. He further goes on to say, “Hospitals are in fact facing significant revenue disruptions and financial issues currently. On one hand, heavy investments have been made to set up facilities for treating COVID patients; on the other, revenues have dropped considerably, with limited OPDs, IPDs and other services. Being an essential service, we have to keep our hospital operational, so overhead costs continue. Having said that, I feel that once the lockdown is lifted, we will see a gradual recovery of revenues. Our patients have a lot of trust and faith in our hospital and will come back to us for their healthcare needs. We will be communicating to our patients, corporate and institutional clients suitably at the appropriate time. However, since we will be opening our services gradually due to safety reasons, I see more of a hockey stick kind of recovery, rather than a V-shaped one.”

One thing for sure is that coping with the pandemic has slowed down the hospital business. Despite that, the more worrying factor that haunts most hospital CEOs and administrators is the burnout experienced by the workforce who have been constant on the battlefield. Khanna cites examples of what his team did to keep his people motivated.

Uplifting the spirits of employees

“As we fight this pandemic, currently the hospital has taken several measures for motivation and safety of our employees. These include transport for employees who are required to report to work maintaining social distancing norms, having a panel of psychologists who are available for counselling our staff, having the staff come on alternate days wherever possible, without disrupting our services. Each of our directors and managers keep a daily track about the safety of their respective teams and report accordingly on WhatsApp groups.”

He further goes on to appeal to the government saying, “To help the government tackle COVID-19, the private players are doing their bit. The government needs to fullfill the gap of the shortage of PPE and also make sure that adequate testing is done, and necessary precautions are taken to flatten the curve. Some state governments have announced insurance schemes for healthcare workers treating COVID patients, which is a welcome move. Going forward, we hope that the government gives healthcare a priority sector status that would help organisations to get loans at a reduced or subsidised rate. The private healthcare sector needs emergency assistance loans, tax waivers and clearing of pending dues from the government schemes. Other exemptions could include GST or Income Tax exemption.”

One-Health approach and the future it holds

As Khanna continues, he also hints at a multi-sectoral, One-Health approach that promotes coordination to better understand and manage risks in future epidemic management. The concept takes inferences from the silver lining of lessons learned, capacity improved, and critical collaborations formed during this pandemic. This is something that many health economists and the World Bank, have been vouching for, for a long time. Khanna believes, “While the concept of One Health is not new, its first use came by in 2003 during the SARS outbreak. With the recent COVID-19 outbreak, it is clear that the majority of the novel zoonotic infectious diseases originate in animals and drivers of these diseases are due to changes in the ecosystem and other human activities. To fight viruses such as the coronavirus, there is an immediate need for countries to have the capability and capacity to detect and roll out an effective response and alert system which are of international concern. COVID-19 has made us believe that the One Health approach now needs implementation at the grass-root level. Globally, there has been a lot of talk on how there needs to be a collaborative approach. Maybe, India too needs to look at that approach and create sync between research and education at the medical school. The other crucial part would be played by insurance players to cover such pandemics.”

Interesting as Khanna’s suggestion is, indeed, this approach could in future be a panacea that country and the entire world is looking forward to.

Here are some takeaways from the World Bank framework for a One-Health-approach policy:
  • Starting points for One Health vary by context, disease and objectives. Therefore, public health systems must be agile enough to address all hazards. For a One Health-approach, countries need strong human, animal, and environmental health/management systems and coordination between them to determine which sectors are relevant for understanding and managing risk.
  • One Health is integral to the success of multisectoral national action plans for health security, to address antimicrobial resistance, and for disaster risk reduction. It can optimise pandemic preparedness planning and enhance climate change vulnerability assessments as well.
  • One-Health approaches should be built into project design from the outset. Engaging all relevant stakeholders early on can help optimise project success by promoting a common understanding of issues and joint solutions to address them, anticipating risks, targeting gaps, reducing duplication and facilitating relevant coordination channels.
  • Communication is a key priority for One Health understanding and implementation. Planning for disease events and maintaining strong multi-sector coordination channels helps ensure consistent and effective messaging to manage risk, enhance efficiency and promote the credibility of all sectors.
Having said that, to implement One-Health approaches, India will require innovative financing models. The World Bank supports countries in their efforts to prevent pandemics by strengthening veterinary and human health systems, but it also rests upon individual nations to invest in the same. Will India truly understand the significance of One-health approach? Will Indian stakeholders continue to join forces for such a cause even after the pandemic ends?

Mice Affairs |

Beginning of the new normal for exhibition business - FICCI announces "Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020" - Maiden Edition to go virtual

Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has recently announced to restart Exhibition Business with the launch of Maiden edition of “Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020”. The show is scheduled for 22-26 June 2020. A Five-day comprehensive virtual exhibition on a subject, which is quite relevant to present conditions, is being considered as a welcome step by the industry experts. Key focus sectors shall include Ayush & Wellness, Medical Devices, Medical Textiles, Pharmaceuticals, and Sanitization.

While most of Industry mates are still discussing and deliberating on Lockdown, tentative measures, Situation Post COVID and Bounce Back strategies, such announcement by FICCI is definitely being considered as the start of a new era. Mice Affairs Media Group speaks to Mr. Balvinder Singh Sawhney, Assistant Secretary-General, FICCI to get the inside story of the initiative, thought process, and future plans.

MA: When everyone is still deliberating and discussing what next for Exhibitions. At the same time, FICCI is moving ahead with a virtual event. What’s the thought process behind this project?
BS: As you are aware that COVID 19 is one of the biggest disaster mankind has ever faced in recent times, bringing disruption to human life worldwide. With no vaccine or treatment currently in place, social distancing, containment, and restrictions are the only way forward in the time being until the curve flattens and normalcy prevails. In the scenario, when no large gatherings and physical events taking place, going virtual is the new normal or interim solution. The idea is to transport the user into a life-like simulation of an actual brick and mortar space with all the elements which are physically there at any expo and providing a vantage platform for networking, building linkages and capitalizing the business opportunities.
MA: Please share some key insights about Expo?

BS: The Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020 – India’s first International Virtual Exhibition & Conference on Healthcare and Hygiene will be organized by FICCI between June 22-26,2020. This will be first of its kind of Event which will be organized on virtual platform and digitally accessed by Buyers from across the globe. The first edition of VH&H Expo 2020 will comprise of a five-day comprehensive virtual exhibition on sectors like AYUSH & Wellness, Medical Devices, Medical Textiles & Consumables, Pharmaceuticals and Sanitisation. This virtual event will also feature various Webinars discussing various issues and opportunities in focus sectors post-COVID.

We will invite Buyers from over 120 countries to participate from the comfort of their home-countries to interact live with the exhibiting companies. The participants will have an immersive experience and the virtual platform will be close to a conventional exhibition that can’t be organized in the current scenario. it will be a unique experience for the participants to interact with each other at ease of their office/home in these difficult times and get business generated. This expo will comprise of a Dedicated Virtual Exhibition showcasing products and services of more than 100 manufacturers. Various Webinars will also be hosted during the expo. Digitally enabled B2B meetings will also be organized between Exhibitors and Buyers. During this virtual exhibition, the Buyers can visit the Expo, check exhibitors’ profile, products and then can fix meetings and meet them in the Live hours which will be 12 noon - 9 pm IST enabling the entire world to join.

MA: This would be the strategy for time being or there is more to it. Please share the key insights of roadmap starting with this first virtual expo?

BS: The world grapples with the unprecedented challenge of Covid-19, we at FICCI are committed to support and help the Indian industry navigate the crisis, plan for the future, and generate business including exports. Crisis shall spur the adoption of new technologies, business models and move towards further digitization. The attempt is to add spring in the steps of the business community wherein they would be able to network with their peers, meet prospective buyers and generate business opportunities to support their units and keeping jobs intact. Eventually, normalcy shall prevail and we can contemplate virtual being an added element in the armory until travel restrictions are imposed. Also, it counters the cost challenges, travel embargos and fear psychosis for the community to travel freely. It can be a hybrid model complimenting Physical events. We hope to be back next year, we at FICCI have shifted most of our calendar events between Jan - Mar 2021 and I am given to understand that's the strategic shift being considered by all major organizers.

India Education Diary |

FICCI launches a free helpline for Non-COVID patients

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) today launched a Free Helpline to assist and support the treatment of Non-COVID patients.

It was realised that many patients who needed emergency health treatment/services were struggling to get required treatment owing to nationwide lockdown. Kidney patients in need of dialysis, Cancer patients needing chemotherapy along with some other critical disease profile were struggling to reach the hospitals. Sensing the situation, FICCI partnered with Tech Mahindra (a member company) and launched this healthcare Helpline. Many media channels highlighted this problem as well.

With this FICCI initiative, a Non-COVID patient should dial on 080 6889 0550 wherein he/she will be provided details of the nearest hospital which can be reached for emergency health treatment/services.

Currently, this Helpline facility will be available in Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Indore, Kolkata, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Bangalore. Over 150 hospitals have enrolled for this Helpline. Number of Cities along with list of more Hospitals in respective city will keep adding as the work progresses.
Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “Many non-COVID patients who need treatment were unsure of where they could go and what the procedure would be. This helpline is in response to their multi queries.”

Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI said, “We are thankful to Tech Mahindra Management who have been very considerate to partner with us to put this helpline in place. This joint initiative will certainly help people get their emergency healthcare needs addressed in these COVID times.”

We also request all hospitals to please reach out to Ms. Aparna Sharma (email address: aparna.sharma@ficci.com / mobile number : 9910614188 ) to enroll for this service.

Drug Today |

FICCI launches free helpline for Non-COVID patients

To ensure non-COVID- 19 patients are not denied medical treatment, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has launched a Free Helpline to assist and support the treatment of such patients.

FICCI has partnered with Tech Mahindra and launched this healthcare Helpline. To use the Non-COVID helpline number, a person is required to save the number 080 6889 0550 in your contacts wherein he/she will be provided details of the nearest hospital which can be reached for emergency health treatment/services.

The facility will be available in Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Indore, Kolkata, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Over 150 hospitals have enrolled for this Helpline. Number of Cities along with list of more Hospitals in respective city will keep being added as the work progresses.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI said, “Many non-COVID patients who need treatment were unsure of where they could go and what the procedure would be. This helpline is in response to their multi queries.”

Kidney patients in need of dialysis, cancer patients needing chemotherapy along with some other critical disease profile were struggling to reach the hospitals due to nationwide lockdown.

The New Indian Express |

FICCI seeks Rs 9 to 10 lakh crore stimulus to boost economy

With the Centre likely to announce the much-awaited financial stimulus package this week to revive the pandemic-hit economy, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) President Sangita Reddy has written to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reiterating the chamber’s demands.

FICCI has sought around Rs 9-10 lakh crore, or 4-5 per cent of the India’s GDP, to stimulate the demand and supply and prevent a long-term economic slowdown.

“The problem being faced is largely that of liquidity and immediate release of money stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help the situation. This may have already been provided for in the budget,” Reddy said.

“Additional fiscal support required at current juncture for this purpose is about Rs 4.5 lakh crore.”

According to Reddy, additional fiscal support is required for vulnerable communities over and above the sum provided for in the earlier announced Garib Kalyan Yojana. Fiscal support to get MSMEs back on track, upgradation of healthcare infrastructure to effectively deal with the current situation and support for sectors such as aviation and tourism that have taken the maximum hit, were the other demands.

The letter also warned of massive job losses. “If we do not help industries (large and small), we will have large-scale job losses, which will contract demand significantly and lead to more pressure on the utilisation of businesses and their liquidity,” Reddy wrote.

According to the Centre for Monitoring the Indian Economy, India’s unemployment rate is now at a record high of 25 per cent.Whle other industry bodies have also called for fat stimulus packages, many experts feel that the government is unlikely to meet their expectations.

The Free Press Journal |

FICCI warns of massive job losses, calls for 4 to 5% of GDP in stimulus package

There is a critical and immediate need for a significant stimulus of Rs 9 lakh crore to 10 lakh crore or four to five per cent of the GDP to stimulate demand and supply for averting a long-term economic slowdown, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Monday.

"If we do not help industries (large and small), we will have large-scale job losses which will contract demand significantly and will lead to further pressure on the utilisation of businesses and their liquidity," FICCI President Sangita Reddy said in a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The situation will reduce government tax collections significantly and fiscal deficit will remain high (even without stimulus outflow) if the economic engine does not re-start, said Reddy. "The socio-economic impact of large-scale job losses and loss of demographic dividend will impact the future course of economic development even in medium-term," she said.

"We are staring at a significant contraction of demand and economy, and a cascading impact of long-term economic slowdown if the economic engine does not re-start immediately. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to immediately support the supply and demand side," she said.

Reddy called for interest-free and collateral-free loans to MSME companies (turnover of less than Rs 500 crore) for an up to 12 months period depending on the sector to enable them to cover fixed costs, salaries and other operational expenses. For non-GST paying companies, an alternate mechanism may be worked out (based on IT filing).

Even if the government was to give Rs one lakh crore of loans to MSME businesses, the cost of interest payment will be Rs 8,000 crore (assuming 8 per cent lending rate) which is 0.04 per cent of the GDP. This loan can be given with pre-conditions that businesses will continue to run and there will be no layoffs of workers, she said.

After one year, it can be converted into a grant if all conditions are met. Threshold tax collection could be one metric.

"A COVID liquidity bridge may be created to support restructuring and additional loan requirement of large companies whose balance sheets have got impaired due to COVID. This will have a huge positive impact on the entire supply chain of these companies, including many small and mid-sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis," said Reddy.

She said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity and immediate release of moneys stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help the situation. This may have already been provided for in the budget.

An additional sum of Rs 1 lakh crore over and above the PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme must be earmarked and transferred to states to supplement their efforts to cater to the immediate needs of the poor and informal sector workers.

Reddy said there is a need to accelerate infrastructure spend of Rs 1.7 lakh crore already allocated in the Budget to provide immediate impetus to the economy. A significant amount of this money can go towards low-cost housing and road construction.

"Linkage of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and low-cost housing construction with MNREGA workers will have a multiplier effect on the economy by putting money in the hands of people and energising 200-odd sectors related to construction. This will give significant impetus to growth." Reddy said all recovery is dependent on consumption stimulus and survival of businesses itself. A special package is required for airlines, airport developers, hospitality and tourism, retail and healthcare sectors.

For getting the industry back on track and moving, there needs to be a robust plan for phased opening up of the economy and re-starting growth. There is also a need to evaluate inter-twined supply chains to allow specific clusters or value chains to be opened, she said.

First Post |

FICCI calls for stimulus of around Rs 10 lakh cr to stimulate demand, supply to avert long-term economic slowdown

There is a critical and immediate need for a significant stimulus of Rs 9 lakh crore to 10 lakh crore or four to five percent of the GDP to stimulate demand and supply for averting a long-term economic slowdown, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Monday.

"If we do not help industries (large and small), we will have large-scale job losses which will contract demand significantly and will lead to further pressure on the utilisation of businesses and their liquidity," FICCI President Sangita Reddy said in a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The situation will reduce government tax collections significantly and fiscal deficit will remain high (even without stimulus outflow) if the economic engine does not re-start, said Reddy. "The socio-economic impact of large-scale job losses and loss of demographic dividend will impact the future course of economic development even in medium-term," she said.

"We are staring at a significant contraction of demand and economy, and a cascading impact of long-term economic slowdown if the economic engine does not re-start immediately. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to immediately support the supply and demand side," she said.

Reddy called for interest-free and collateral-free loans to MSME companies (turnover of less than Rs 500 crore) for up to 12 months period depending on the sector to enable them to cover fixed costs, salaries and other operational expenses. For non-GST paying companies, an alternate mechanism may be worked out (based on IT filing).

Even if the government was to give Rs one lakh crore of loans to MSME businesses, the cost of interest payment will be Rs 8,000 crore (assuming 8 percent lending rate) which is 0.04 percent of the GDP. This loan can be given with pre-conditions that businesses will continue to run and there will be no layoffs of workers, she said.

After one year, it can be converted into a grant if all conditions are met. Threshold tax collection could be one metric.

"A COVID liquidity bridge may be created to support restructuring and additional loan requirement of large companies whose balance sheets have got impaired due to COVID. This will have a huge positive impact on the entire supply chain of these companies, including many small and mid-sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis," said Reddy.

She said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity and immediate release of moneys stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help the situation. This may have already been provided for in the budget.

An additional sum of Rs 1 lakh crore over and above the PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme must be earmarked and transferred to states to supplement their efforts to cater to the immediate needs of the poor and informal sector workers.

Reddy said there is a need to accelerate infrastructure spend of Rs 1.7 lakh crore already allocated in the Budget to provide immediate impetus to the economy. A significant amount of this money can go towards low-cost housing and road construction.

"Linkage of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and low-cost housing construction with MNREGA workers will have a multiplier effect on the economy by putting money in the hands of people and energising 200-odd sectors related to construction. This will give significant impetus to growth."

Reddy said all recovery is dependent on consumption stimulus and survival of businesses itself. A special package is required for airlines, airport developers, hospitality and tourism, retail and healthcare sectors.

For getting the industry back on track and moving, there needs to be a robust plan for phased opening up of the economy and re-starting growth. There is also a need to evaluate inter-twined supply chains to allow specific clusters or value chains to be opened, she said.

SME Futures |

FICCI warns of massive job losses, calls for 4 to 5 per cent of GDP in stimulus package

There is a critical and immediate need for a significant stimulus of Rs 9 lakh crore to 10 lakh crore or four to five per cent of the GDP to stimulate demand and supply for averting a long-term economic slowdown, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Monday.

“If we do not help industries (large and small), we will have large-scale job losses which will contract demand significantly and will lead to further pressure on the utilisation of businesses and their liquidity,” FICCI President Sangita Reddy said in a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The situation will reduce government tax collections significantly and fiscal deficit will remain high (even without stimulus outflow) if the economic engine does not re-start, said Reddy. “The socio-economic impact of large-scale job losses and loss of demographic dividend will impact the future course of economic development even in medium-term,” she said.

“We are staring at a significant contraction of demand and economy, and a cascading impact of long-term economic slowdown if the economic engine does not re-start immediately. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to immediately support the supply and demand side,” she said.
Reddy called for interest-free and collateral-free loans to MSME companies (turnover of less than Rs 500 crore) for an up to 12 months period depending on the sector to enable them to cover fixed costs, salaries and other operational expenses. For non-GST paying companies, an alternate mechanism may be worked out (based on IT filing).

Even if the government was to give Rs one lakh crore of loans to MSME businesses, the cost of interest payment will be Rs 8,000 crore (assuming 8 per cent lending rate) which is 0.04 per cent of the GDP. This loan can be given with pre-conditions that businesses will continue to run and there will be no layoffs of workers, she said.

After one year, it can be converted into a grant if all conditions are met. Threshold tax collection could be one metric.

“A COVID liquidity bridge may be created to support restructuring and additional loan requirement of large companies whose balance sheets have got impaired due to COVID. This will have a huge positive impact on the entire supply chain of these companies, including many small and mid-sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis,” said Reddy.
She said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity and immediate release of moneys stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help the situation. This may have already been provided for in the budget.

An additional sum of Rs 1 lakh crore over and above the PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme must be earmarked and transferred to states to supplement their efforts to cater to the immediate needs of the poor and informal sector workers.

Reddy said there is a need to accelerate infrastructure spend of Rs 1.7 lakh crore already allocated in the Budget to provide immediate impetus to the economy. A significant amount of this money can go towards low-cost housing and road construction.

“Linkage of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and low-cost housing construction with MNREGA workers will have a multiplier effect on the economy by putting money in the hands of people and energising 200-odd sectors related to construction. This will give significant impetus to growth.”

Reddy said all recovery is dependent on consumption stimulus and survival of businesses itself. A special package is required for airlines, airport developers, hospitality and tourism, retail and healthcare sectors.

For getting the industry back on track and moving, there needs to be a robust plan for phased opening up of the economy and re-starting growth. There is also a need to evaluate inter-twined supply chains to allow specific clusters or value chains to be opened, she said

The Sen Times |

FICCI warns of massive job losses

There is a critical and immediate need for a significant stimulus of Rs 9 lakh crore to 10 lakh crore or four to five per cent of the GDP to stimulate demand and supply for averting a long-term economic slowdown, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Monday.

“If we do not help industries (large and small), we will have large-scale job losses which will contract demand significantly and will lead to further pressure on the utilisation of businesses and their liquidity,” FICCI President Sangita Reddy said in a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The situation will reduce government tax collections significantly and fiscal deficit will remain high (even without stimulus outflow) if the economic engine does not re-start, said Reddy.

“The socio-economic impact of large-scale job losses and loss of demographic dividend will impact the future course of economic development even in medium-term,” she said.

“We are staring at a significant contraction of demand and economy, and a cascading impact of long-term economic slowdown if the economic engine does not re-start immediately. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to immediately support the supply and demand side,” she said.

Reddy called for interest-free and collateral-free loans to MSME companies (turnover of less than Rs 500 crore) for an up to 12 months period depending on the sector to enable them to cover fixed costs, salaries and other operational expenses.

For non-GST paying companies, an alternate mechanism may be worked out (based on IT filing).

Even if the government was to give Rs one lakh crore of loans to MSME businesses, the cost of interest payment will be Rs 8,000 crore (assuming 8 per cent lending rate) which is 0.04 per cent of the GDP. This loan can be given with pre-conditions that businesses will continue to run and there will be no layoffs of workers, she said.

After one year, it can be converted into a grant if all conditions are met. Threshold tax collection could be one metric.

“A COVID liquidity bridge may be created to support restructuring and additional loan requirement of large companies whose balance sheets have got impaired due to COVID. This will have a huge positive impact on the entire supply chain of these companies, including many small and mid-sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis,” said Reddy.

She said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity and immediate release of moneys stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help the situation. This may have already been provided for in the budget.

An additional sum of Rs 1 lakh crore over and above the PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme must be earmarked and transferred to states to supplement their efforts to cater to the immediate needs of the poor and informal sector workers.

Reddy said there is a need to accelerate infrastructure spend of Rs 1.7 lakh crore already allocated in the Budget to provide immediate impetus to the economy. A significant amount of this money can go towards low-cost housing and road construction.

“Linkage of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and low-cost housing construction with MNREGA workers will have a multiplier effect on the economy by putting money in the hands of people and energising 200-odd sectors related to construction. This will give significant impetus to growth.”

Reddy said all recovery is dependent on consumption stimulus and survival of businesses itself. A special package is required for airlines, airport developers, hospitality and tourism, retail and healthcare sectors.

For getting the industry back on track and moving, there needs to be a robust plan for phased opening up of the economy and re-starting growth.

There is also a need to evaluate inter-twined supply chains to allow specific clusters or value chains to be opened, she said.

Devdiscourse |

FICCI warns of massive job losses, calls for 4 to 5 pc of GDP in stimulus package

There is a critical and immediate need for a significant stimulus of Rs 9 lakh crore to 10 lakh crore or four to five per cent of the GDP to stimulate demand and supply for averting a long-term economic slowdown, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Monday. "If we do not help industries (large and small), we will have large-scale job losses which will contract demand significantly and will lead to further pressure on the utilisation of businesses and their liquidity," FICCI President Sangita Reddy said in a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The situation will reduce government tax collections significantly and fiscal deficit will remain high (even without stimulus outflow) if the economic engine does not re-start, said Reddy. "The socio-economic impact of large-scale job losses and loss of demographic dividend will impact the future course of economic development even in medium-term," she said. "We are staring at a significant contraction of demand and economy, and a cascading impact of long-term economic slowdown if the economic engine does not re-start immediately. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to immediately support the supply and demand side," she said.

Reddy called for interest-free and collateral-free loans to MSME companies (turnover of less than Rs 500 crore) for an up to 12 months period depending on the sector to enable them to cover fixed costs, salaries and other operational expenses. For non-GST paying companies, an alternate mechanism may be worked out (based on IT filing). Even if the government was to give Rs one lakh crore of loans to MSME businesses, the cost of interest payment will be Rs 8,000 crore (assuming 8 per cent lending rate) which is 0.04 per cent of the GDP. This loan can be given with pre-conditions that businesses will continue to run and there will be no layoffs of workers, she said.

After one year, it can be converted into a grant if all conditions are met. Threshold tax collection could be one metric. "A COVID liquidity bridge may be created to support restructuring and additional loan requirement of large companies whose balance sheets have got impaired due to COVID. This will have a huge positive impact on the entire supply chain of these companies, including many small and mid-sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis," said Reddy.

She said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity and immediate release of moneys stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help the situation. This may have already been provided for in the budget. An additional sum of Rs 1 lakh crore over and above the PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme must be earmarked and transferred to states to supplement their efforts to cater to the immediate needs of the poor and informal sector workers.

Reddy said there is a need to accelerate infrastructure spend of Rs 1.7 lakh crore already allocated in the Budget to provide immediate impetus to the economy. A significant amount of this money can go towards low-cost housing and road construction. "Linkage of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and low-cost housing construction with MNREGA workers will have a multiplier effect on the economy by putting money in the hands of people and energising 200-odd sectors related to construction. This will give significant impetus to growth."

Reddy said all recovery is dependent on consumption stimulus and survival of businesses itself. A special package is required for airlines, airport developers, hospitality and tourism, retail and healthcare sectors. For getting the industry back on track and moving, there needs to be a robust plan for phased opening up of the economy and re-starting growth. There is also a need to evaluate inter-twined supply chains to allow specific clusters or value chains to be opened, she said.

Chini Mandi |

FICCI warns of massive job losses, calls for 4 to 5 pc of GDP in stimulus package

There is a critical and immediate need for a significant stimulus of Rs 9 lakh crore to 10 lakh crore or four to five per cent of the GDP to stimulate demand and supply for averting a long-term economic slowdown, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Monday.

“If we do not help industries (large and small), we will have large-scale job losses which will contract demand significantly and will lead to further pressure on the utilisation of businesses and their liquidity,” FICCI President Sangita Reddy said in a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The situation will reduce government tax collections significantly and fiscal deficit will remain high (even without stimulus outflow) if the economic engine does not re-start, said Reddy. “The socio-economic impact of large-scale job losses and loss of demographic dividend will impact the future course of economic development even in medium-term,” she said.

“We are staring at a significant contraction of demand and economy, and a cascading impact of long-term economic slowdown if the economic engine does not re-start immediately. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to immediately support the supply and demand side,” she said.

Reddy called for interest-free and collateral-free loans to MSME companies (turnover of less than Rs 500 crore) for an up to 12 months period depending on the sector to enable them to cover fixed costs, salaries and other operational expenses. For non-GST paying companies, an alternate mechanism may be worked out (based on IT filing).

Even if the government was to give Rs one lakh crore of loans to MSME businesses, the cost of interest payment will be Rs 8,000 crore (assuming 8 per cent lending rate) which is 0.04 per cent of the GDP. This loan can be given with pre-conditions that businesses will continue to run and there will be no layoffs of workers, she said.

After one year, it can be converted into a grant if all conditions are met. Threshold tax collection could be one metric.

“A COVID liquidity bridge may be created to support restructuring and additional loan requirement of large companies whose balance sheets have got impaired due to COVID. This will have a huge positive impact on the entire supply chain of these companies, including many small and mid-sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis,” said Reddy.

She said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity and immediate release of moneys stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help the situation. This may have already been provided for in the budget.

An additional sum of Rs 1 lakh crore over and above the PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme must be earmarked and transferred to states to supplement their efforts to cater to the immediate needs of the poor and informal sector workers.

Reddy said there is a need to accelerate infrastructure spend of Rs 1.7 lakh crore already allocated in the Budget to provide immediate impetus to the economy. A significant amount of this money can go towards low-cost housing and road construction.

“Linkage of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and low-cost housing construction with MNREGA workers will have a multiplier effect on the economy by putting money in the hands of people and energising 200-odd sectors related to construction. This will give significant impetus to growth.”

Reddy said all recovery is dependent on consumption stimulus and survival of businesses itself. A special package is required for airlines, airport developers, hospitality and tourism, retail and healthcare sectors.

For getting the industry back on track and moving, there needs to be a robust plan for phased opening up of the economy and re-starting growth. There is also a need to evaluate inter-twined supply chains to allow specific clusters or value chains to be opened, she said.

Skugal |

Economy requires Rs 4.5 lakh crore fiscal support at current juncture: FICCI to FM

Seeking immediate support for the Indian economy hit by COVID-19, industry body FICCI said an additional fiscal support of Rs 4.5 lakh crore is required at the current juncture besides a quick release of Rs 2.5 lakh crore stuck in refunds and other government payments.

In a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, FICCI President Sangita Reddy also made a case for the need to create a self-sufficiency fund for innovation, construction and manufacturing clusters to make use of the emerging opportunities in the wake of disruption in global supply chain.

The fund can be provided in tranches in the medium term, she said.

Seeking an “immediate support”, Reddy said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity, and immediate release of money stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help tide over the crisis.

“This may have already been provided for in the budget,” she said.

Further, additional fiscal support is required for vulnerable communities over and above the sum provided for in the Garib Kalyan Yojana announced earlier.

Fiscal support is also needed for MSMEs in order to help them get back on track. Besides, funds are needed for upgradation of healthcare infrastructure to effectively deal with the current situation and for support to sectors like aviation and tourism that have been hit hard due to the lockdown.

“Additional fiscal support required at the current juncture for this purpose is about Rs 4.5 lakh crore,” the letter said.

The fiscal support sought includes “small amount” of Rs 10,000 crore towards proposed COVID-19 liquidity bridge required to give comfort to banks to restructure/ provide additional loans to large companies whose balance sheets have been impaired due to the virus outbreak, it added.

“Government may need to provide for about Rs 30,000-40,000 crore as a guarantee to banks over a 4-year period and in the current year, it can provide about one-fourth of that amount.

“This small amount will have a huge positive impact on these companies and their supply chain that includes several small and medium sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis,” the chamber said.

The central government had imposed a 21-day lockdown from March 25 to check the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown has been extended twice, though with some relaxations.

The lockdown has severely affected the economic activities in the country.

In order to ensure that weaker sections of the society “continue to get basic amenities and do not get impacted” during lockdown a Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) was announced by the Finance Minister on March 26.

The government has also been providing cash transfers to Jan Dhan accounts held by women.

The RBI on its part has sharply reduced the key short-term lending rate with an aim to spur credit disbursement.

It also announced a Rs 50,000 crore special liquidity facility for the mutual fund sector in the wake of redemption pressures related to closure of some debt MFs and potential contagious effects therefrom.

News18 |

Economy requires Rs 4.5 Lakh crore fiscal support at current juncture: FICCI to FM

Seeking immediate support for the Indian economy hit by COVID-19, industry body FICCI said additional fiscal support of Rs 4.5 lakh crore is required at the current juncture besides a quick release of Rs 2.5 lakh crore stuck in refunds and other government payments.

In a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, FICCI President Sangita Reddy also made a case for the need to create a self-sufficiency fund for innovation, construction and manufacturing clusters to make use of the emerging opportunities in the wake of disruption in global supply chain.

The fund can be provided in tranches in the medium term, she said. Seeking an "immediate support", Reddy said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity, and immediate release of money stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help tide over the crisis.

"This may have already been provided for in the budget," she said. Further, additional fiscal support is required for vulnerable communities over and above the sum provided for in the Garib Kalyan Yojana announced earlier.

Fiscal support is also needed for MSMEs in order to help them get back on track. Besides, funds are needed for upgradation of healthcare infrastructure to effectively deal with the current situation and for support to sectors like aviation and tourism that have been hit hard due to the lockdown.

"Additional fiscal support required at the current juncture for this purpose is about Rs 4.5 lakh crore," the letter said.

The fiscal support sought includes "small amount" of Rs 10,000 crore towards proposed COVID-19 liquidity bridge required to give comfort to banks to restructure/ provide additional loans to large companies whose balance sheets have been impaired due to the virus outbreak, it added.

"Government may need to provide for about Rs 30,000-40,000 crore as a guarantee to banks over a 4-year period and in the current year, it can provide about one-fourth of that amount. "This small amount will have a huge positive impact on these companies and their supply chain that includes several small and medium sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis," the chamber said.

The central government had imposed a 21-day lockdown from March 25 to check the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown has been extended twice, though with some relaxations.

The lockdown has severely affected the economic activities in the country. In order to ensure that weaker sections of the society "continue to get basic amenities and do not get impacted" during lockdown a Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) was announced by the Finance Minister on March 26.

The government has also been providing cash transfers to Jan Dhan accounts held by women. The RBI on its part has sharply reduced the key short-term lending rate with an aim to spur credit disbursement.

It also announced a Rs 50,000 crore special liquidity facility for the mutual fund sector in the wake of redemption pressures related to closure of some debt MFs and potential contagious effects therefrom.

India TV |

Economy requires Rs 4.5 lakh crore fiscal support at current juncture: FICCI to FM

Seeking immediate support for the Indian economy hit by COVID-19, industry body FICCI said an additional fiscal support of Rs 4.5 lakh crore is required at the current juncture besides a quick release of Rs 2.5 lakh crore stuck in refunds and other government payments.

In a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, FICCI President Sangita Reddy also made a case for the need to create a self-sufficiency fund for innovation, construction and manufacturing clusters to make use of the emerging opportunities in the wake of disruption in global supply chain.

The fund can be provided in tranches in the medium term, she said.

Seeking an "immediate support", Reddy said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity, and immediate release of money stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help tide over the crisis.

"This may have already been provided for in the budget," she said.

Further, additional fiscal support is required for vulnerable communities over and above the sum provided for in the Garib Kalyan Yojana announced earlier.

Fiscal support is also needed for MSMEs in order to help them get back on track. Besides, funds are needed for upgradation of healthcare infrastructure to effectively deal with the current situation and for support to sectors like aviation and tourism that have been hit hard due to the lockdown.

"Additional fiscal support required at the current juncture for this purpose is about Rs 4.5 lakh crore," the letter said.

The fiscal support sought includes "small amount" of Rs 10,000 crore towards proposed COVID-19 liquidity bridge required to give comfort to banks to restructure/ provide additional loans to large companies whose balance sheets have been impaired due to the virus outbreak, it added.

"Government may need to provide for about Rs 30,000-40,000 crore as a guarantee to banks over a 4-year period and in the current year, it can provide about one-fourth of that amount.

"This small amount will have a huge positive impact on these companies and their supply chain that includes several small and medium sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis," the chamber said.

The central government had imposed a 21-day lockdown from March 25 to check the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown has been extended twice, though with some relaxations.

The lockdown has severely affected the economic activities in the country.

In order to ensure that weaker sections of the society "continue to get basic amenities and do not get impacted" during lockdown a Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) was announced by the Finance Minister on March 26.

The government has also been providing cash transfers to Jan Dhan accounts held by women.

The RBI on its part has sharply reduced the key short-term lending rate with an aim to spur credit disbursement.

It also announced a Rs 50,000 crore special liquidity facility for the mutual fund sector in the wake of redemption pressures related to closure of some debt MFs and potential contagious effects therefrom.

Business World |

FICCI warns of massive job losses, calls for 4 to 5 % of GDP in stimulus package

There is a critical and immediate need for a significant stimulus of Rs 9 lakh crore to 10 lakh crore or four to five per cent of the GDP to stimulate demand and supply for averting a long-term economic slowdown, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Monday.

"If we do not help industries (large and small), we will have large-scale job losses which will contract demand significantly and will lead to further pressure on the utilisation of businesses and their liquidity," FICCI President Sangita Reddy said in a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The situation will reduce government tax collections significantly and fiscal deficit will remain high (even without stimulus outflow) if the economic engine does not re-start, said Reddy. "The socio-economic impact of large-scale job losses and loss of demographic dividend will impact the future course of economic development even in medium-term," she said.

"We are staring at a significant contraction of demand and economy, and a cascading impact of long-term economic slowdown if the economic engine does not re-start immediately. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to immediately support the supply and demand side," she said.

Reddy called for interest-free and collateral-free loans to MSME companies (turnover of less than Rs 500 crore) for an up to 12 months period depending on the sector to enable them to cover fixed costs, salaries and other operational expenses. For non-GST paying companies, an alternate mechanism may be worked out (based on IT filing).

Even if the government was to give Rs one lakh crore of loans to MSME businesses, the cost of interest payment will be Rs 8,000 crore (assuming 8 per cent lending rate) which is 0.04 per cent of the GDP. This loan can be given with pre-conditions that businesses will continue to run and there will be no layoffs of workers, she said.

After one year, it can be converted into a grant if all conditions are met. Threshold tax collection could be one metric.

"A COVID liquidity bridge may be created to support restructuring and additional loan requirement of large companies whose balance sheets have got impaired due to COVID. This will have a huge positive impact on the entire supply chain of these companies, including many small and mid-sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis," said Reddy.

She said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity and immediate release of moneys stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help the situation. This may have already been provided for in the budget.

An additional sum of Rs 1 lakh crore over and above the PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme must be earmarked and transferred to states to supplement their efforts to cater to the immediate needs of the poor and informal sector workers.

Reddy said there is a need to accelerate infrastructure spend of Rs 1.7 lakh crore already allocated in the Budget to provide immediate impetus to the economy. A significant amount of this money can go towards low-cost housing and road construction.

"Linkage of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and low-cost housing construction with MNREGA workers will have a multiplier effect on the economy by putting money in the hands of people and energising 200-odd sectors related to construction. This will give significant impetus to growth."

Reddy said all recovery is dependent on consumption stimulus and survival of businesses itself. A special package is required for airlines, airport developers, hospitality and tourism, retail and healthcare sectors.

For getting the industry back on track and moving, there needs to be a robust plan for phased opening up of the economy and re-starting growth. There is also a need to evaluate inter-twined supply chains to allow specific clusters or value chains to be opened, she said.

Express Pharma |

FICCI launches first international 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020'

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI announced the launch of ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020’ (VH&H Expo 2020) – India’s first International virtual exhibition and conference organized by FICCI from 22-26 June 2020.

This is the first time that an event will be organised on virtual platform and digitally accessed by buyers from across the globe. The first edition of VH&H Expo 2020 will comprise of five-day comprehensive virtual exhibition on sectors like AYUSH & Wellness, Medical Devices, Medical Textiles and Consumables, Pharmaceuticals and Sanitization. The virtual event will also feature webinars and discuss various issues and opportunities in focus sectors, post COVID-19.

Dr Reddy said, “COVID-19 is one of the biggest disaster mankind has ever faced in recent times, bringing disruption to the human life worldwide. With no vaccine or treatment currently in place, containment and social distancing has become the only solution to prevent the spread of highly contagious virus.”

“We at FICCI are committed to support and help the Indian business houses, manufacturers so that they generate business and the exports gain momentum. FICCI team is working towards this and I am pleased to announce the 1st Virtual exhibition & Conference i.e. Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020 –which will be the first of many such in pipeline from 22nd – 26th June, 2020,” Dr Reddy added.

“This will be first of its kind event which will organized on virtual platform indigenously built in the country and will be digitally accessed by the buyers from across the globe. I am sure the manufacturers of the ecosystem i.e. Pharmaceuticals, Medical Device, AYUSH & Wellness, Medical Textile, Hygiene & Sanitization will get benefited by this initiative and I welcome you all to be part of this mega program,” said Dr Reddy.

Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI said that the Chamber will invite buyers from over 120 countries to participate from the comfort of their home-countries to interact live with exhibiting companies. He added that the participants will have an immersive experience and the virtual platform will be close to a conventional exhibition which can’t be organized in current scenario.

“FICCI is also in touch with central and the state governments for their participation in the exhibition,” said Mr Chenoy.

Mr Anurag Sharma, Chair, FICCI AYUSH Committee; Member of Parliament and Director, Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan Pvt Ltd, said that in these testing times, AYUSH systems of traditional medicines is playing an important role in supporting the government efforts to tackle the crisis.

“Ministry of AYUSH also plans to conduct a study to find ‘evidence’ about the efficacy of AYUSH medicines to fight Covid-19. Industry will work towards the goals set by Hon’ble Prime Minister for AYUSH manufacturers,” he added.

VH&H Expo 2020 will be a unique experience for the participants to interact at the ease of their office or home in these difficult times and get business. The expo will comprise of a Dedicated Virtual Exhibition showcasing products and services of over 100 manufacturers. Various webinars and digitally enabled B2B meetings will also be organised between the exhibitors and buyers.

During the virtual exhibition, buyers can visit the expo, check exhibitors’ profile, products and can fix meetings and meet them during ‘Live Hours’ from 12 noon-9 pm IST.

Medi Circle |

FICCI launches first international 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020'

Global industry players are going to take part at India’s first ever virtual expo which is held from 22- 26 June 2020. Buyers from 120 countries will virtually take part and connect with Indian Manufactures. Dr Sangita Reddy, President, The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) announced the launch of ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020’. This is for the first time ever, a huge event will be organised on a virtual platform and get digitally accessed by the participators, buyers from across the globe. Due to the lockdown all over the nation and even the worldwide the event will be organised virtually.

The first edition of VH&H Expo 2020 will comprise of five-day comprehensive virtual exhibition on sectors like AYUSH & Wellness, Medical Devices, Medical Textiles and Consumables, Pharmaceuticals and Sanitization. This event is designed in a way that it can also hold virtual event which feature webinars and discuss various issues and opportunities in focus sectors.

Dr Reddy said, “COVID-19 is one of the biggest disaster mankind has ever faced in recent times, bringing disruption to the human life worldwide. With no vaccine or treatment currently in place, containment and social distancing has become the only solution to prevent the spread of highly contagious virus.”

“We at FICCI are committed to support and help the Indian business houses, manufacturers so that they generate business and the exports gain momentum. FICCI team is working towards this and I am pleased to announce the 1st Virtual exhibition & Conference i.e. Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020 –which will be the first of many such in pipeline from 22nd – 26th June, 2020,” Dr Reddy added.

“This will be first of its kind event which will organized on virtual platform indigenously built in the country and will be digitally accessed by the buyers from across the globe. I am sure the manufacturers of the ecosystem i.e. Pharmaceuticals, Medical Device, AYUSH & Wellness, Medical Textile, Hygiene & Sanitization will get benefited by this initiative and I welcome you all to be part of this mega program,” said Dr Reddy.

“FICCI is also in touch with central and the state governments for their participation in the exhibition,” said Mr Chenoy.

This is the unique experience for the buyers to interact with an ease away from all rush hours and utilise your difficult currently running time and get business. This expo is a combination of a Dedicated Virtual Exhibition for showcasing products and different services of over 100 manufactures. Buyers may also check exhibitors profile, products and can also fix meetings during ‘Live Hours’ from 12 noon-9 pm IST.

Adgully |

FICCI launches first international 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020'

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI today announced the launch of ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020’ (VH&H Expo 2020) – India’s first International virtual exhibition and conference organized by FICCI from 22-26 June 2020.

This is the first time that an event will be organized on virtual platform and digitally accessed by buyers from across the globe. The first edition of VH&H Expo 2020 will comprise of five-day comprehensive virtual exhibition on sectors like AYUSH & Wellness, Medical Devices, Medical Textiles and Consumables, Pharmaceuticals and Sanitization. The virtual event will also feature webinars and discuss various issues and opportunities in focus sectors, post Covid-19.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “Covid-19 is one of the biggest disaster mankind has ever faced in recent times, bringing disruption to the human life worldwide. With no vaccine or treatment currently in place, containment and social distancing has become the only solution to prevent the spread of highly contagious virus.”

“We at FICCI are committed to support and help the Indian business houses, manufacturers so that they generate business and the exports gain momentum. FICCI team is working towards this and I am pleased to announce the 1st Virtual exhibition & Conference i.e. Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020 –which will be the first of many such in pipeline from 22nd – 26th June, 2020,” Dr Reddy added.

“This will be first of its kind event which will organized on virtual platform indigenously built in the country and will be digitally accessed by the buyers from across the globe. I am sure the manufacturers of the ecosystem i.e. Pharmaceuticals, Medical Device, AYUSH & Wellness, Medical Textile, Hygiene & Sanitization will get benefited by this initiative and I welcome you all to be part of this mega program,” said Dr Reddy.

Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI said that the Chamber will invite buyers from over 120 countries to participate from the comfort of their home-countries to interact live with exhibiting companies. He added that the participants will have an immersive experience and the virtual platform will be close to a conventional exhibition which can’t be organized in current scenario.

“FICCI is also in touch with central and the state governments for their participation in the exhibition,” said Mr Chenoy.

Mr Anurag Sharma, Chair, FICCI AYUSH Committee; Member of Parliament and Director, Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan Pvt Ltd, said that in these testing times, AYUSH systems of traditional medicines is playing an important role in supporting the government efforts to tackle the crisis.

“Ministry of AYUSH also plans to conduct a study to find ‘evidence’ about the efficacy of AYUSH medicines to fight Covid-19. Industry will work towards the goals set by Hon’ble Prime Minister for AYUSH manufacturers,” he added.

VH&H Expo 2020 will be a unique experience for the participants to interact at the ease of their office or home in these difficult times and get business. The expo will comprise of a Dedicated Virtual Exhibition showcasing products and services of over 100 manufacturers. Various webinars and digitally enabled B2B meetings will also be organised between the exhibitors and buyers.

During the virtual exhibition, buyers can visit the expo, check exhibitors’ profile, products and can fix meetings and meet them during ‘Live Hours’ from 12 noon-9 pm IST.

Details about Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020 at www.vhhe.in

Outlook |

Economy requires Rs 4.5 lakh crore fiscal support at current juncture: FICCI to FM

Seeking immediate support for the Indian economy hit by COVID-19, industry body FICCI said an additional fiscal support of Rs 4.5 lakh crore is required at the current juncture besides a quick release of Rs 2.5 lakh crore stuck in refunds and other government payments.

In a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, FICCI President Sangita Reddy also made a case for the need to create a self-sufficiency fund for innovation, construction and manufacturing clusters to make use of the emerging opportunities in the wake of disruption in global supply chain.

The fund can be provided in tranches in the medium term, she said.

Seeking an "immediate support", Reddy said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity, and immediate release of money stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help tide over the crisis.

"This may have already been provided for in the budget," she said.

Further, additional fiscal support is required for vulnerable communities over and above the sum provided for in the Garib Kalyan Yojana announced earlier.

Fiscal support is also needed for MSMEs in order to help them get back on track. Besides, funds are needed for upgradation of healthcare infrastructure to effectively deal with the current situation and for support to sectors like aviation and tourism that have been hit hard due to the lockdown.

"Additional fiscal support required at the current juncture for this purpose is about Rs 4.5 lakh crore," the letter said.

The fiscal support sought includes "small amount" of Rs 10,000 crore towards proposed COVID-19 liquidity bridge required to give comfort to banks to restructure/ provide additional loans to large companies whose balance sheets have been impaired due to the virus outbreak, it added.

"Government may need to provide for about Rs 30,000-40,000 crore as a guarantee to banks over a 4-year period and in the current year, it can provide about one-fourth of that amount.

"This small amount will have a huge positive impact on these companies and their supply chain that includes several small and medium sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis," the chamber said.

The central government had imposed a 21-day lockdown from March 25 to check the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown has been extended twice, though with some relaxations.

The lockdown has severely affected the economic activities in the country.

In order to ensure that weaker sections of the society "continue to get basic amenities and do not get impacted" during lockdown a Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) was announced by the Finance Minister on March 26.

The government has also been providing cash transfers to Jan Dhan accounts held by women.

The RBI on its part has sharply reduced the key short-term lending rate with an aim to spur credit disbursement.

It also announced a Rs 50,000 crore special liquidity facility for the mutual fund sector in the wake of redemption pressures related to closure of some debt MFs and potential contagious effects therefrom.

Money Control |

Economy requires Rs 4.5 lakh crore fiscal support at current juncture: FICCI to FM

Seeking immediate support for the Indian economy hit by COVID-19, industry body FICCI said an additional fiscal support of Rs 4.5 lakh crore is required at the current juncture besides a quick release of Rs 2.5 lakh crore stuck in refunds and other government payments. In a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, FICCI President Sangita Reddy also made a case for the need to create a self-sufficiency fund for innovation, construction and manufacturing clusters to make use of the emerging opportunities in the wake of disruption in global supply chain.

The fund can be provided in tranches in the medium term, she said.

Seeking an "immediate support", Reddy said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity, and immediate release of money stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help tide over the crisis.

"This may have already been provided for in the budget," she said.

Further, additional fiscal support is required for vulnerable communities over and above the sum provided for in the Garib Kalyan Yojana announced earlier.

Fiscal support is also needed for MSMEs in order to help them get back on track. Besides, funds are needed for upgradation of healthcare infrastructure to effectively deal with the current situation and for support to sectors like aviation and tourism that have been hit hard due to the lockdown.

"Additional fiscal support required at the current juncture for this purpose is about Rs 4.5 lakh crore," the letter said.

The fiscal support sought includes "small amount" of Rs 10,000 crore towards proposed COVID-19 liquidity bridge required to give comfort to banks to restructure/ provide additional loans to large companies whose balance sheets have been impaired due to the virus outbreak, it added.

"Government may need to provide for about Rs 30,000-40,000 crore as a guarantee to banks over a 4-year period and in the current year, it can provide about one-fourth of that amount.

"This small amount will have a huge positive impact on these companies and their supply chain that includes several small and medium sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis," the chamber said.

The central government had imposed a 21-day lockdown from March 25 to check the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown has been extended twice, though with some relaxations.

The lockdown has severely affected the economic activities in the country.

In order to ensure that weaker sections of the society "continue to get basic amenities and do not get impacted" during lockdown a Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) was announced by the Finance Minister on March 26.

The government has also been providing cash transfers to Jan Dhan accounts held by women.

The RBI on its part has sharply reduced the key short-term lending rate with an aim to spur credit disbursement.

It also announced a Rs 50,000 crore special liquidity facility for the mutual fund sector in the wake of redemption pressures related to closure of some debt MFs and potential contagious effects therefrom.

Yahoo News |

FICCI warns of massive job losses, calls for 4 to 5 pc of GDP in stimulus package

There is a critical and immediate need for a significant stimulus of Rs 9 lakh crore to 10 lakh crore or four to five per cent of the GDP to stimulate demand and supply for averting a long-term economic slowdown, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Monday.

"If we do not help industries (large and small), we will have large-scale job losses which will contract demand significantly and will lead to further pressure on the utilisation of businesses and their liquidity," FICCI President Sangita Reddy said in a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The situation will reduce government tax collections significantly and fiscal deficit will remain high (even without stimulus outflow) if the economic engine does not re-start, said Reddy. "The socio-economic impact of large-scale job losses and loss of demographic dividend will impact the future course of economic development even in medium-term," she said.

"We are staring at a significant contraction of demand and economy, and a cascading impact of long-term economic slowdown if the economic engine does not re-start immediately. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to immediately support the supply and demand side," she said.

Reddy called for interest-free and collateral-free loans to MSME companies (turnover of less than Rs 500 crore) for an up to 12 months period depending on the sector to enable them to cover fixed costs, salaries and other operational expenses. For non-GST paying companies, an alternate mechanism may be worked out (based on IT filing).

Even if the government was to give Rs one lakh crore of loans to MSME businesses, the cost of interest payment will be Rs 8,000 crore (assuming 8 per cent lending rate) which is 0.04 per cent of the GDP. This loan can be given with pre-conditions that businesses will continue to run and there will be no layoffs of workers, she said.

After one year, it can be converted into a grant if all conditions are met. Threshold tax collection could be one metric.

"A COVID liquidity bridge may be created to support restructuring and additional loan requirement of large companies whose balance sheets have got impaired due to COVID. This will have a huge positive impact on the entire supply chain of these companies, including many small and mid-sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis," said Reddy.

She said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity and immediate release of moneys stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help the situation. This may have already been provided for in the budget.

An additional sum of Rs 1 lakh crore over and above the PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme must be earmarked and transferred to states to supplement their efforts to cater to the immediate needs of the poor and informal sector workers.

Reddy said there is a need to accelerate infrastructure spend of Rs 1.7 lakh crore already allocated in the Budget to provide immediate impetus to the economy. A significant amount of this money can go towards low-cost housing and road construction.

"Linkage of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and low-cost housing construction with MNREGA workers will have a multiplier effect on the economy by putting money in the hands of people and energising 200-odd sectors related to construction. This will give significant impetus to growth."

Reddy said all recovery is dependent on consumption stimulus and survival of businesses itself. A special package is required for airlines, airport developers, hospitality and tourism, retail and healthcare sectors.

For getting the industry back on track and moving, there needs to be a robust plan for phased opening up of the economy and re-starting growth. There is also a need to evaluate inter-twined supply chains to allow specific clusters or value chains to be opened, she said.

Latest LY |

Indian economy requires Rs 4.5 lakh crore fiscal support at current juncture: FICCI to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Seeking immediate support for the Indian economy hit by COVID-19, industry body FICCI said an additional fiscal support of Rs 4.5 lakh crore is required at the current juncture besides a quick release of Rs 2.5 lakh crore stuck in refunds and other government payments.

In a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, FICCI President Sangita Reddy also made a case for the need to create a self-sufficiency fund for innovation, construction and manufacturing clusters to make use of the emerging opportunities in the wake of disruption in global supply chain.

The fund can be provided in tranches in the medium term, she said.

Seeking an "immediate support", Reddy said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity, and immediate release of money stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help tide over the crisis.

"This may have already been provided for in the budget," she said. Further, additional fiscal support is required for vulnerable communities over and above the sum provided for in the Garib Kalyan Yojana announced earlier.

Fiscal support is also needed for MSMEs in order to help them get back on track. Besides, funds are needed for upgradation of healthcare infrastructure to effectively deal with the current situation and for support to sectors like aviation and tourism that have been hit hard due to the lockdown.

"Additional fiscal support required at the current juncture for this purpose is about Rs 4.5 lakh crore," the letter said.

The fiscal support sought includes "small amount" of Rs 10,000 crore towards proposed COVID-19 liquidity bridge required to give comfort to banks to restructure/ provide additional loans to large companies whose balance sheets have been impaired due to the virus outbreak, it added.

"Government may need to provide for about Rs 30,000-40,000 crore as a guarantee to banks over a 4-year period and in the current year, it can provide about one-fourth of that amount.

"This small amount will have a huge positive impact on these companies and their supply chain that includes several small and medium sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis," the chamber said.

The central government had imposed a 21-day lockdown from March 25 to check the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown has been extended twice, though with some relaxations.

The lockdown has severely affected the economic activities in the country.

In order to ensure that weaker sections of the society "continue to get basic amenities and do not get impacted" during lockdown a Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) was announced by the Finance Minister on March 26.

The government has also been providing cash transfers to Jan Dhan accounts held by women. The RBI on its part has sharply reduced the key short-term lending rate with an aim to spur credit disbursement.

It also announced a Rs 50,000 crore special liquidity facility for the mutual fund sector in the wake of redemption pressures related to closure of some debt MFs and potential contagious effects therefrom.

Times2 |

FICCI calls for stimulus of around Rs 10 lakh cr to stimulate demand, supply to avert long-term economic slowdown

There is a critical and immediate need for a significant stimulus of Rs 9 lakh crore to 10 lakh crore or four to five percent of the GDP to stimulate demand and supply for averting a long-term economic slowdown, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Monday.

“If we do not help industries (large and small), we will have large-scale job losses which will contract demand significantly and will lead to further pressure on the utilisation of businesses and their liquidity,” FICCI President Sangita Reddy said in a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The situation will reduce government tax collections significantly and fiscal deficit will remain high (even without stimulus outflow) if the economic engine does not re-start, said Reddy. “The socio-economic impact of large-scale job losses and loss of demographic dividend will impact the future course of economic development even in medium-term,” she said.

“We are staring at a significant contraction of demand and economy, and a cascading impact of long-term economic slowdown if the economic engine does not re-start immediately. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to immediately support the supply and demand side,” she said.

Reddy called for interest-free and collateral-free loans to MSME companies (turnover of less than Rs 500 crore) for up to 12 months period depending on the sector to enable them to cover fixed costs, salaries and other operational expenses. For non-GST paying companies, an alternate mechanism may be worked out (based on IT filing).

Even if the government was to give Rs one lakh crore of loans to MSME businesses, the cost of interest payment will be Rs 8,000 crore (assuming 8 percent lending rate) which is 0.04 percent of the GDP. This loan can be given with pre-conditions that businesses will continue to run and there will be no layoffs of workers, she said.

After one year, it can be converted into a grant if all conditions are met. Threshold tax collection could be one metric.

“A COVID liquidity bridge may be created to support restructuring and additional loan requirement of large companies whose balance sheets have got impaired due to COVID. This will have a huge positive impact on the entire supply chain of these companies, including many small and mid-sized vendors, which otherwise may not survive the current crisis,” said Reddy.

She said the problem being faced is largely that of liquidity and immediate release of moneys stuck in refunds and other government payments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore will immensely help the situation. This may have already been provided for in the budget.

An additional sum of Rs 1 lakh crore over and above the PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme must be earmarked and transferred to states to supplement their efforts to cater to the immediate needs of the poor and informal sector workers.

Reddy said there is a need to accelerate infrastructure spend of Rs 1.7 lakh crore already allocated in the Budget to provide immediate impetus to the economy. A significant amount of this money can go towards low-cost housing and road construction.

“Linkage of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and low-cost housing construction with MNREGA workers will have a multiplier effect on the economy by putting money in the hands of people and energising 200-odd sectors related to construction. This will give significant impetus to growth.”

Reddy said all recovery is dependent on consumption stimulus and survival of businesses itself. A special package is required for airlines, airport developers, hospitality and tourism, retail and healthcare sectors.

For getting the industry back on track and moving, there needs to be a robust plan for phased opening up of the economy and re-starting growth. There is also a need to evaluate inter-twined supply chains to allow specific clusters or value chains to be opened, she said.

French Xinhuanet |

India to hold first virtual health and hygiene exhibition in June

India will hold its first virtual International Health and Hygiene Exhibition from June 22 to 26, which will be accessible to buyers from 120 countries and regions around the world, said in a press release from the Indian Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

The exhibit will cover topics as diverse as wellness, medical devices, medical textiles and consumables, pharmaceuticals or sterilization, and will also include webinars to discuss various issues and opportunities in priority sectors after the pandemic of COVID-19.

According to the latest available data on the importance of the health field in the country, dating from two or three years ago, the Indian welfare market was estimated at 14.57 billion dollars with a growth of 13 at 15%.

The exhibit will showcase the products and services of more than 100 manufacturers while various webinars and B2B virtual meetings will be held between exhibitors and buyers, the statement said.

Konexio Network |

FICCI launches first international 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020'

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI today announced the launch of ‘Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020’ (VH&H Expo 2020) – India’s first International virtual exhibition and conference organized by FICCI from 22-26 June 2020.
This is the first time that an event will be organized on virtual platform and digitally accessed by buyers from across the globe. The first edition of VH&H Expo 2020 will comprise of five-day comprehensive virtual exhibition on sectors like AYUSH & Wellness, Medical Devices, Medical Textiles and Consumables, Pharmaceuticals and Sanitization. The virtual event will also feature webinars and discuss various issues and opportunities in focus sectors, post Covid-19.
Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “Covid-19 is one of the biggest disaster mankind has ever faced in recent times, bringing disruption to the human life worldwide. With no vaccine or treatment currently in place, containment and social distancing has become the only solution to prevent the spread of highly contagious virus.”

“We at FICCI are committed to support and help the Indian business houses, manufacturers so that they generate business and the exports gain momentum. FICCI team is working towards this and I am pleased to announce the 1st Virtual exhibition & Conference i.e. Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020 –which will be the first of many such in pipeline from 22nd – 26th June, 2020,” Dr Reddy added.

“This will be first of its kind event which will organized on virtual platform indigenously built in the country and will be digitally accessed by the buyers from across the globe. I am sure the manufacturers of the ecosystem i.e. Pharmaceuticals, Medical Device, AYUSH & Wellness, Medical Textile, Hygiene & Sanitization will get benefited by this initiative and I welcome you all to be part of this mega program,” said Dr Reddy.

Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI said that the Chamber will invite buyers from over 120 countries to participate from the comfort of their home-countries to interact live with exhibiting companies. He added that the participants will have an immersive experience and the virtual platform will be close to a conventional exhibition which can’t be organized in current scenario.

“FICCI is also in touch with central and the state governments for their participation in the exhibition,” said Mr Chenoy.

Mr Anurag Sharma, Chair, FICCI AYUSH Committee; Member of Parliament and Director, Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan Pvt Ltd, said that in these testing times, AYUSH systems of traditional medicines is playing an important role in supporting the government efforts to tackle the crisis.
“Ministry of AYUSH also plans to conduct a study to find ‘evidence’ about the efficacy of AYUSH medicines to fight Covid-19. Industry will work towards the goals set by Hon’ble Prime Minister for AYUSH manufacturers,” he added.
VH&H Expo 2020 will be a unique experience for the participants to interact at the ease of their office or home in these difficult times and get business. The expo will comprise of a Dedicated Virtual Exhibition showcasing products and services of over 100 manufacturers. Various webinars and digitally enabled B2B meetings will also be organised between the exhibitors and buyers.

Express Healthcare |

FICCI launches 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020'

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI announced the launch of 'Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020' (VH&H Expo 2020) – a virtual exhibition and conference organised by FICCI from June 22-26.

This is the first time that an event will be organised on the virtual platform and digitally accessed by buyers from across the globe. The first edition of VH&H Expo 2020 will consist of five-day comprehensive virtual exhibitions on sectors like AYUSH & Wellness, medical devices, medical textiles and consumables, pharmaceuticals and sanitization. The virtual event will also feature webinars and discuss various issues and opportunities in focus sectors, post Covid-19.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “COVID-19 is one of the biggest disasters mankind has ever faced in recent times, bringing disruption to human life worldwide. With no vaccine or treatment currently in place, containment and social distancing has become the only solution to prevent the spread of a highly contagious virus.”

“We at FICCI are committed to support and help the Indian business houses, manufacturers so that they generate business and the exports gain momentum. FICCI team is working towards this and I am pleased to announce the first virtual exhibition and conference i.e. Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene Expo 2020 –which will be the first of many such in the pipeline from June 22 – 26, 2020,” Dr Reddy added.

Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI said that the chamber will invite buyers from over 120 countries to participate from the comfort of their home-countries to interact live with exhibiting companies. He added that the participants will have an immersive experience and the virtual platform will be close to a conventional exhibition which can’t be organised in the current scenario.

“FICCI is also in touch with central and the state governments for their participation in the exhibition,” said Chenoy.

Anurag Sharma, Chair, FICCI AYUSH Committee; Member of Parliament and Director, Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan, said that in these testing times, AYUSH systems of traditional medicines are playing an important role in supporting the government’s efforts to tackle the crisis.

“Ministry of AYUSH also plans to conduct a study to find ‘evidence’ about the efficacy of AYUSH medicines to fight COVID-19. Industry will work towards the goals set by the Prime Minister for AYUSH manufacturers,” he added.

VH&H Expo 2020 will be a unique experience for the participants to interact at the ease of their office or home in these difficult times and get business. The expo will consist of a dedicated virtual exhibition showcasing products and services of over 100 manufacturers. Various webinars and digitally enabled B2B meetings will also be organised between the exhibitors and buyers.

During the virtual exhibition, buyers can visit the expo, check exhibitors’ profile, products and can fix meetings and meet them during ‘Live Hours’ from 12 noon-9 pm.

ABP Live |

ABP E-Shikhar Sammelan: Apollo JMD Sangita Reddy Vouches for Universal Health Insurance Cover; Talks About Remdesivir

In order to strengthen India’s healthcare system, Sangita Reddy, Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise and FICCI President has asked to bring in universal health insurance cover and also raise the budget for healthcare on Friday at the ‘e- Shikhar Sammelan’, a conclave organized by ABP News.

While stressing that the country has tackled the Covid-19 situation extremely well she said, “Another thing to keep in mind is that if 100 people are affected by the virus, then 85 people are cured without going to the hospital. In India, the death rate is decreasing very fast, it means that the health care systems are working very well,” added Reddy.

While praising the pharmaceutical companies in India, she added, they must further strengthen its capabilities. “Four pharma companies in India are licensing from Gilead Sciences for manufacturing the drug. Drugs like Remidivisir should be looked upon as a hope-clinical trial of this is going on. We need to understand the virus is very new and we are looking for ways to combat it,” she added.

On asked that India is exporting drugs to the whole world, and the promise in Remidivisir drug trial she said, “In India already four companies are making Remidivisir. We don’t depend on other countries. We will also export it to other countries”

She is hopeful of the health budget to get more than doubled in the future as she praised India for handling the Covid-19 cases so well and keeping the death rates low compared to other nations. Everyone is now mulling at increasing the health care budget and the preparedness to deal with the pandemic of such intensity.

It is the responsibility of the entire society to fight coronavirus and not an individual’s fight or a particular segment of society.

Social News.XYZ |

'Mahamana Declaration' to help in corona war

The 'Mahamana Declaration', being drafted by a nine-member working group in the Banaras Hindu university (BHU) will help in strengthening the battle against Coronavirus.

The Mahamana Declaration is based on the inputs from a webinar, held recently, on indigenous alternative medicine systems in India like Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH).

'Mahamana' is the name given to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya who set up the Banaras Hindu University.

Chairman of the committee and dean of the faculty of Ayurveda, Prof Yamini Bhushan Tripathi, said that the implementation of the 'Mahamana Declarations' will be ensured within the next 12 months.

The six-day webinar was held last week by faculty of Ayurveda, IMS BHU, in association with the Patient Safety and Access Initiative of India Foundation (PSAIIF), Quality Council of India (QCI) and Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).

Prof Tripathi said that a special attention is needed on the accessibility of indigenous alternative medicine systems AYUSH to lessen morbidity and mortality across the world. The declarations also took note of policy and legal issues, such as the action plan for promotion and communication strategy for global partnership to provide credible options other than modern medicine.

According to Prof Tripathi, the main points of the declarations include basic issues like at least 5 per cent of the GDP should be invested into healthcare and substantial amount in preventive care by linking all the primary healthcare centres with AYUSH.

The ministry of health and family welfare and ministry of AYUSH (MoA) should jointly examine, revise and update specifications of plant materials, finished products and packaging materials regularly.

Clinical trials and experimental studies of Ayurveda medicines, procedures and recommendations should also be speeded up.

All AYUSH practitioners, nurses and other paramedics should sharpen their clinical skills, and treatment guidelines.

"We should involve all AYUSH doctors, nurses and paramedics working under all situations of health care. We also need to develop Ayurvedic/AYUSH protocol for treatment," he said.

He said that all existing helplines for farmers and citizens should be integrated with the National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB) to help cultivation of medicinal plants.

It is also recommended to establish a Centre of Excellence in the form of National Institute of Ayurvedic Education and Research (NIEAR) at faculty of Ayurveda at BHU.

Outlook |

"Mahamana Declaration" to help in corona war

The "Mahamana Declaration", being drafted by a nine-member working group in the Banaras Hindu university (BHU) will help in strengthening the battle against Coronavirus.

The Mahamana Declaration is based on the inputs from a webinar, held recently, on indigenous alternative medicine systems in India like Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH).

"Mahamana" is the name given to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya who set up the Banaras Hindu University.

Chairman of the committee and dean of the faculty of Ayurveda, Prof Yamini Bhushan Tripathi, said that the implementation of the "Mahamana Declarations" will be ensured within the next 12 months.

The six-day webinar was held last week by faculty of Ayurveda, IMS BHU, in association with the Patient Safety and Access Initiative of India Foundation (PSAIIF), Quality Council of India (QCI) and Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).

Prof Tripathi said that a special attention is needed on the accessibility of indigenous alternative medicine systems AYUSH to lessen morbidity and mortality across the world. The declarations also took note of policy and legal issues, such as the action plan for promotion and communication strategy for global partnership to provide credible options other than modern medicine.

According to Prof Tripathi, the main points of the declarations include basic issues like at least 5 per cent of the GDP should be invested into healthcare and substantial amount in preventive care by linking all the primary healthcare centres with AYUSH.

The ministry of health and family welfare and ministry of AYUSH (MoA) should jointly examine, revise and update specifications of plant materials, finished products and packaging materials regularly.

Clinical trials and experimental studies of Ayurveda medicines, procedures and recommendations should also be speeded up.

All AYUSH practitioners, nurses and other paramedics should sharpen their clinical skills, and treatment guidelines.

"We should involve all AYUSH doctors, nurses and paramedics working under all situations of health care. We also need to develop Ayurvedic/AYUSH protocol for treatment," he said.

He said that all existing helplines for farmers and citizens should be integrated with the National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB) to help cultivation of medicinal plants.

It is also recommended to establish a Centre of Excellence in the form of National Institute of Ayurvedic Education and Research (NIEAR) at faculty of Ayurveda at BHU.

Daiji World |

'Mahamana Declaration' to help in corona war

The 'Mahamana Declaration', being drafted by a nine-member working group in the Banaras Hindu university (BHU) will help in strengthening the battle against Coronavirus.

The Mahamana Declaration is based on the inputs from a webinar, held recently, on indigenous alternative medicine systems in India like Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH).

'Mahamana' is the name given to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya who set up the Banaras Hindu University.

Chairman of the committee and dean of the faculty of Ayurveda, Prof Yamini Bhushan Tripathi, said that the implementation of the 'Mahamana Declarations' will be ensured within the next 12 months.

The six-day webinar was held last week by faculty of Ayurveda, IMS BHU, in association with the Patient Safety and Access Initiative of India Foundation (PSAIIF), Quality Council of India (QCI) and Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).

Prof Tripathi said that a special attention is needed on the accessibility of indigenous alternative medicine systems AYUSH to lessen morbidity and mortality across the world. The declarations also took note of policy and legal issues, such as the action plan for promotion and communication strategy for global partnership to provide credible options other than modern medicine.

According to Prof Tripathi, the main points of the declarations include basic issues like at least 5 per cent of the GDP should be invested into healthcare and substantial amount in preventive care by linking all the primary healthcare centres with AYUSH.

The ministry of health and family welfare and ministry of AYUSH (MoA) should jointly examine, revise and update specifications of plant materials, finished products and packaging materials regularly.

Clinical trials and experimental studies of Ayurveda medicines, procedures and recommendations should also be speeded up.

All AYUSH practitioners, nurses and other paramedics should sharpen their clinical skills, and treatment guidelines.

"We should involve all AYUSH doctors, nurses and paramedics working under all situations of health care. We also need to develop Ayurvedic/AYUSH protocol for treatment," he said.

He said that all existing helplines for farmers and citizens should be integrated with the National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB) to help cultivation of medicinal plants.

It is also recommended to establish a Centre of Excellence in the form of National Institute of Ayurvedic Education and Research (NIEAR) at faculty of Ayurveda at BHU.

Financial Express |

Private hospitals have a point in not admitting patients without testing for Covid-19

The Centre, following reports of widespread denial of healthcare - chiefly by private hospitals - from across the country, last week notified all states and Union Territories of the need to ensure that hospitals continue to provide essential healthcare services like immunisation, cancer treatment and dialysis. The Delhi government has even told hospitals that denying treatment would mean cancellation of their registration, while the Maharashtra government has warned of action under the Epidemic Act. Indeed, the government of Andhra Pradesh preemptively invoked the Act to commandeer private hospitals to bolster Covid-19 treatment capacity.

The Centre had earlier laid out guidelines on private hospitals earmarking a portion of their facilities for Covid-19 hospitalisation while continuing to offer hospitalisation for other illnesses, but there have been reports of private hospitals denying care to both suspected Covid-19 cases and cases where the patient was seeking treatment for some other disease. There have also been reports of hospitals insisting on Covid-19 testing for patients seeking admission - the Centre has asked the states to prevent this, too.

While patients requiring urgent medical attention for life-threatening diseases can’t be made to wait, the fact is that, without appropriate screening (especially against a backdrop of the wide range of symptoms that Covid-19 shares with other diseases), hospitals will be putting healthcare personnel at risk of contracting the disease. With India short of 6 lakh doctors and 20 lakh nurses, it is clear that every medical/ paramedical hand is a crucial resource at the moment, especially with the lockdown lifted in the manner it has been.

Against a shortage of personal protective equipment, including the right masks, the government orders on admitting patients and no mandatory testing pose a devil-and-deep-sea situation for hospitals. Adding to the hospitals’ plight is the fact that the government had advised against regular out-patient consultations and non-emergency or elective surgery. This, amongst other factors, has caused a 70-80% footfall reduction in private hospitals, apart from a 50-70% fall in revenue in the last 10 days of March, as per a FICCI-EY study.

To be sure, the big hospitals, with cash reserves that can allow them to bear the temporary pain, shouldn’t be turning people away citing lack of PPE etc. But, the smaller players, for whom such erosion of revenue is likely to be debilitating, may not simply be in a position to take on the risks of admitting patients without testing for Covid-19.

The government needs to tweak its protocol to allow wider antigen-based testing—even if it limits this to the testing of patients seeking hospital admission—so that hospitals can be sure that their personnel are not exposed without due protection. Hospitals must admit emergency patients; but the government also needs to ensure that risks are minimised, by getting the PPE supply chain in order and relooking its testing strategy.

The Hindu Business Line |

Call to involve private sector in fight against Covid

“Increased budgetary allocation for the health sector is the need of the hour in the Covid scenario, as currently, the country is spending only 1.28 per cent GDP on the health sector. This needs to be drastically improved,” said Indu Bushan, Chief Executive Officer, Ayushman Bharat - PMJAY and National Health Authority.

He was delivering the keynote address at a webinar organised by FICCI Kerala State Council on the ‘impacts of Covid-19 on the private health sector’.

He said private health sector needs to be allotted more roles in the fight against Covid-19. Private hospitals should take advantage of opportunities through innovative methods such as telemedicine and virtual consultation. The way Kerala has fought against containing the virus could serve as a case study in the future, he added.

The Ayush sector can play an important role in augmenting the immunity of persons recovering from Covid and in enhancing the immunity of those vulnerable, said Sharmila Mary Joseph, secretary, Ayush.

The webinar called for the Central and State governments to make the most of the potential of the private health sector in the fight against Covid-19, as the private health sector has all along played a key role in providing quality health system to the people of Kerala.

M.I. Sahadulla, Co-Chairman, FICCI Kerala State Council, pointed out that the private health care sector and particularly hospitals are going through the worst crisis in terms of financial liquidity, resource crunch and it would take many months for the industry to be back on track and sought the support of government for the various representations submitted highlighting the plight of the industry.

The Hindu Business Line |

Call to involve private sector in fight against Covid

“Increased budgetary allocation for the health sector is the need of the hour in the Covid scenario, as currently, the country is spending only 1.28 per cent GDP on the health sector. This needs to be drastically improved,” said Indu Bushan, Chief Executive Officer, Ayushman Bharat - PMJAY and National Health Authority.

He was delivering the keynote address at a webinar organised by FICCI Kerala State Council on the ‘impacts of Covid-19 on the private health sector’.

He said private health sector needs to be allotted more roles in the fight against Covid-19. Private hospitals should take advantage of opportunities through innovative methods such as telemedicine and virtual consultation. The way Kerala has fought against containing the virus could serve as a case study in the future, he added.

The Ayush sector can play an important role in augmenting the immunity of persons recovering from Covid and in enhancing the immunity of those vulnerable, said Sharmila Mary Joseph, secretary, Ayush.

The webinar called for the Central and State governments to make the most of the potential of the private health sector in the fight against Covid-19, as the private health sector has all along played a key role in providing quality health system to the people of Kerala.

M.I. Sahadulla, Co-Chairman, FICCI Kerala State Council, pointed out that the private health care sector and particularly hospitals are going through the worst crisis in terms of financial liquidity, resource crunch and it would take many months for the industry to be back on track and sought the support of government for the various representations submitted highlighting the plight of the industry.

The Indian Express |

Extra cost, empty OPDs: Covid hits revenue model

The premises of Southern Kolkata’s Remedy Hospital wears a deserted look, with stray staff attending to a few patients in the OPD. There isn’t any crowd either at the 681-bed Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS).

“Compared with about 1,000 patients visiting the hospital on a regular basis, only around 50 patients are coming now,” said RTIICS CEO R Venkatesh. Most private hospitals have witnessed a huge drop in footfall of patients in emergency as well as OPDs, and almost all patients have rescheduled their elective surgeries.

From large hospital chains to smaller nursing homes, the lockdown and the Covid pandemic have re-shaped operations: revenues have dipped by 70-80 per cent, operating costs have jumped with hospitals required to provide staffers financial incentives, personal protective equipment (PPE), transport service, and even accommodation.

At Hinduja Hospital in Khar, Mumbai, elective surgeries generated 80 per cent revenues, said its Medical Director, Dr Avinash Supe. “The occupancy is only 20 per cent since elective surgeries like cosmetic procedures, joint replacement, have completely stopped. We are treating only cancer and fracture cases. OPD has come down too,” he said.

For the hospital, PPE, transport and accommodation, on the other hand, have added 10 per cent to the cost, he said.

Operating a Covid facility is much more expensive, said Abhay Soi, Chairman, Max Healthcare, and CMD, Radiant Life Care. “It is thrice that at a regular hospital due to the cost of protective gear and tests we perform to ensure our healthcare workers are not infected. We also have to exercise caution in operating other facilities (25 per cent costlier now) so that patients with other critical conditions, and doctors and nurses treating them, do not get infected,” he said.

Testing costs. Take for example, South Mumbai’s Bhatia Hospital where 51 staffers tested positive. It spent Rs 32 lakh to test over 700 staffers. “And these tests will be routinely done again and again,” said R B Dastur, medical director of the hospital.

Then there are safeguards. “Our hospital requires 300 PPEs daily for its staff and we spend Rs 2.4 lakh a day on this,” said an administrator at Breach Candy Hospital in South Mumbai. “Our hospital’s income comes mostly from cardiac and stroke patients. But those cases have disappeared, we don’t know why. There may be salary cuts in other industries. But in private hospitals, we are paying over 20 per cent incentives to staffers who agree to work,” the administrator said.

Some can take these extra costs, others, including several neighbourhood nursing homes, have locked themselves down.

In Ruby Hospital in the city’s suburbs, staff attendance dropped by 40 per cent as soon as the first Covid cases trickled in. “We can’t afford PPE daily for every staffer. Some demanded a raise. With no patients, it is difficult to handle the increased cost,” a paediatrician from the nursing home said.

The Breach Candy administrator said a hospital makes profits only if occupancy rates are 80-85 per cent. “Since the pandemic began, bed occupancy is hardly 30 per cent,” he said.

At 20 per cent occupancy levels, revenues per quarter of private hospitals are likely to drop to Rs 18,000 crore from Rs 59,000 crore (pre-Covid) and losses at around Rs 22,000 crore, said Dr Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, and President, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

“The pain that the private sector is facing is the complete lack of revenue right now,” she told The Indian Express. “The ability to say that we can provide free treatment for Covid-19 is not (possible)… other nursing homes and smaller hospitals are in a very bad scenario too. Most of them are losing money and don’t know how to pay salaries,” Dr Reddy said.

Said Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman and Managing Director, Medanta – The Medicity: “Healthcare facilities are already cruising close to the ground in terms of revenues and profits. Now, the outbreak and lockdown has resulted in drop in revenue. There is a huge gap in our ability to pay our costs. We don’t want to get rid of our staff and we want to keep operations intact. The industry may have to borrow up to Rs 10,000 crore to keep alive,” he said.

Unlike other industrial sectors, where the lockdown means units are shut down and staff stays home, said Reddy of Apollo Hospitals, hospitals don’t have that elbow room.

“For (sectors like) aviation, you know they are shut down. They are closed, they are at home and it’s done till they reopen. For healthcare, not only do you have no patients, but you have to be open for the 10 per cent or 20 per cent who will come because they need you. On top of it, you have to also treat this unknown, critical and difficult to handle third type of environment (the outbreak)… and handle your staff’s insecurities,” she said.

Trehan said there was a need for the government to support the working capital requirement at a lower interest rate. “We’re not asking for grants, because we know that the government is already under pressure,” he said.

“Now that special COVID-19 hospitals have been created, there are no more Covid patients in hospitals like Medanta, so those who are non-Covid can come for their treatment without fear. Once that happens, the financial situation will improve,” he said.

FICCI has, meanwhile, sought exemptions and waivers on indirect taxes, income tax benefits, deferment of statutory liability payments, and liquidity support.

But some public health experts suggest that the industry always exaggerates its burden. A few hospital bills accessed by The Indian Express show that patients have been billed in the thousands for PPE used by hospital staff.

In one instance, a Covid patient, who is admitted in a large private hospital for over 10 days now, was billed over Rs 8 lakh for treatment, with PPE costs running up to nearly Rs 50,000. The hospital is not being named since the patient remains admitted and the family shared the bills on condition of anonymity.

Dr Shaktivel Selvaraj, Director, Health Economics, Financing and Policy, at the Public Health Foundation of India, estimates the average cost of treatment of a Covid patient admitted to the ICU for 10 days and on ventilator support at a hospital in the charitable sector at Rs 2.5-3 lakh, just a third of Rs 8 lakh the patient has been billed so far.

Hospitals prefer brands that provide them higher commissions leading to higher costs for patients. “This holds good even during a pandemic,” said Malini Aisola representing All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN), a patient activist group. “We have observed that costs of repeated Covid testing, PPE etc are all offloaded to the patient.”

Selvaraj said private hospitals and clinics have profited, even profiteered, over several years. “They should ideally be able to plough this money back at this time to manage. They have got land at concessional rates in some states, they have got electricity and water subsidised, and the only major cost for them is paying salaries. As long as they are able to pay their salaries, they should be able to get back their revenues… I can tell you, watch it for the next six months or so – no big, or even smaller clinics, are going to shut down. This is just a short-term phenomenon,” he said.

In some states, private hospitals, especially in Tier II or Tier III cities, bank on business from non-Covid patients and are wary of the ‘mahamari aspatal’ tag. For instance, leading corporate hospital Paras HMRI in Patna refers four to five suspected Covid cases to specialised hospitals everyday instead of treating them itself. When asked why, S.A. Rahman, Medical Superintendent, Paras HMRI, said, “Because we have to take care of non-COVID-19 cases.”

The Straits Times |

Indian companies join global race to develop coronavirus vaccine

More than half a dozen companies and research institutes in India have joined the international race to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus as it continues to wreak havoc across the world, causing at least 234,143 deaths to date.

Some are in international tie-ups, while others are developing it on their own.

Bharat Biotech is working with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and fellow vaccine firm FluGen of the United States to develop a nasal vaccine for Covid-19 called CoroFlu.

The three were already in a partnership to develop an influenza vaccine, which is currently in phase 2 of clinical trials, and is the base for the coronavirus vaccine as well.

Dr Krishna Ella, chairman and managing director of Bharat Biotech International Limited, said: "Little did we know that this influenza vaccine candidate would become very useful as a 'backbone' in developing CoroFlu, which is a vaccine candidate that hopefully will be effective against both Covid-19 and influenza."

He said the university will conclude animal trials in the next four to six months and his firm, which has the capacity to produce 300 million doses a year, will start human trials to get CoroFlu ready by the fall of 2020 or early 2021.

"Thereafter, its efforts will be to gain regulatory approvals, the licence to mass-produce multi-doses of this vaccine, marketing and supplying of the vaccine across the globe," said Dr Ella.

The firm aims to make the vaccine "easily accessible and affordable for even low-resource income countries", he added.

One Indian biotechnology company that is even further along is Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine maker by number of doses - 1.5 billion a year - produced and sold globally. It has already started producing a vaccine even as human trials are still on at Britain's Oxford University.

The Serum Institute is looking at manufacturing 60 million doses and has indicated pricing as low as 1,000 rupees (S$18.80).

Experts said India's strength in these efforts is the capability to scale up production quickly and at a low cost.

"They have the capacity to produce large amounts. There are other groups (in other countries developing vaccines) but India has the tremendous capacity for ramping up vaccine manufacturing," said Dr K. Srinath Reddy, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) president and a member of the Indian Council of Medical Research Covid-19 task force.

India can expect to benefit even if it is unable to develop a vaccine ahead of others.

Dr Reddy said: "If the vaccine is available (from another part of the world) and shared globally, we should be able to put all our resources to a larger manufacturing scale."

India is the world's third-largest producer of drugs with the pharmaceuticals industry worth around US$38 billion (S$53 billion) a year.

It is a global supplier of medicines for a variety of diseases and is known for producing high-quality and low-cost medicines. It fulfils 50 per cent to 60 per cent of global demand for many vaccines, 40 per cent of generic medicines consumed in the US and 25 per cent of all the medicines dispensed in Britain, according to a report by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Other Indian firms working on a vaccine include Biological E, Indian Immunologicals and Mynvax, which are developing a vaccine each, while Zydus Cadila is developing two vaccines.

Mr Pankaj R. Patel, chairman of pharma firm Zydus Cadila, said: "India has the capabilities to discover, develop and produce the vaccine in large quantities."

His firm is working on two vaccines, including a DNA vaccine that targets the viral membrane protein that is responsible for the cell entry of the coronavirus.

"This vaccine is in the animal testing stage and if the results are successful it will go into clinical trials in the second quarter of this financial year," said Mr Patel. The company is also exploring the use of a biologic drug Interferon alfa-2b to treat Covid-19.

Research institutes in India are also working towards finding a cure.

Dr Raghavan Varadarajan of Indian Institute of Science, a research university for higher education, started working on a vaccine in early February with four students and two scientists at Mynvax, a start-up founded by him and another colleague. The vaccine has entered animal testing.

With India coming to the end of a lockdown on Sunday (May 3), he expects access to materials to improve, speeding up the vaccine's development.

"Getting reagents (synthetic genes for our designs) as well as oligonucleotides and other reagents has been challenging as is sending material to our collaborators. We hope the situation will ease in the coming weeks," he said.

The Pioneer |

What of critical care?

Hospitals are turning away serious patients with other conditions because they don’t have a COVID-free certificate

With a death rate ranging between 2.3 and five per cent in the worst case scenario, the Coronavirus pandemic has us all hunkering down in our homes with the medical fraternity primed in battle mode. To the extent that all other patients are being told to stay away from hospitals and use telemedicine facilities instead. But now an extended lockdown and the fear of contamination mean that emergency rooms at most hospitals are turning critical care patients away unless they have a COVID-free certificate, which can take days to come. However, before the Coronavirus reared its ugly head in China and subsequently in India, a whopping 5.8 million people in this country were dying each year due to Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), as indicated by a 2015 World Health Organisation (WHO) report. So now, we also have to think of the millions of patients who till now made up the disease burden of the nation. Cancer, heart, respiratory diseases, diabetes, malaria, TB, dengue, stroke, renal diseases, endocrine and infectious diseases to name a few have not disappeared overnight. They are still very much in the country, people are suffering and yes, they are dying from them. But are they being treated? For instance, last month, private hospitals in Vizianagaram stopped new admissions of non-Corona patients and discharged many in-hospital ones. Out Patient Departments (OPDs), too, were non-functional as many doctors and staff showed little or no interest in extending their services. The Government itself has asked hospitals to stop OPDs and elective or non-emergency surgeries. As a result, private hospitals around India are reporting a sharp drop in footfall - as high as 70 per cent to 80 per cent, says a FICCI study. Many patients, who were ailing from diseases other than the virus, were evicted from their rooms at some hospitals as well. So what of the plight of non-COVID patients? What of the people who have been diagnosed with cancer and have travelled to metropolitan cities to seek treatment? Are they to be left to die and their relatives who accompanied them left if the lurch, forced to fend for themselves amid a nationwide lockdown? Or even if they belong to the city where the hospital is located, what of their trauma? Are they being looked after, their treatment continuing?

2018 saw 2.15 million new cases of tuberculosis diagnosed in India. The predicament of these patients, countless of whom would be on treatment at DOTS (directly observed treatment short-course) centres and additionally at hospital OPDs, which are currently either closed down or difficult to reach because of the rigid time limitation, is unimaginable. The resurgence of TB - multiple drug-resistant TB - because of not following treatment conventions is notable. It is significant that the wellbeing of TB patients during the lockdown is monitored. The dread of Coronavirus and the requirement for isolation must not stop individuals from getting treatment for non-COVID medical emergencies. Both the Government and the hospital administrators must understand that people are rushing to hospitals only when the scenario is beyond redemption. Also, since all the hospitals and numerous smaller clinics are shut, a significantly high number of patients with cardiac, neuro, stroke, gastro, diabetic and orthopaedic complications are getting zero or delayed intervention that will prolong the recovery process. While the PM’s idea of clapping and clanging of utensils to recognise the efforts of those fighting the battle against COVID-19 was a noble one, the on-ground reality still appears to be grim and disappointing. Doctors have been assaulted by citizens as well as police forces for ‘breaking the rules of the lockdown’ while trying to reach their respective workplaces to continue serving patients. At this moment, the noise created by the clanging utensils is the last thing medical professionals want. Instead, demands are being made for better hardware and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Social distancing is a basic step to check the spread of the infection. Yet, the lockdown could have been executed with more thought for people already suffering from various ailments. The healthcare machinery of a country ought not to be decided by its reaction to a pestilence but by its promise to save lives in the long haul. A fully functional healthcare system framework would have been helpful in crises such as these. So we have to take stock of what we are doing. Are we exchanging one disease burden for another and ignoring the chronic, pre-existing one, thereby making India a sicker nation than it was before? It is time we got a bit real.

The Indian Express |

Covid fight: Govt system in front, private hospitals do the distancing

Of the thousands of COVID-19 patients admitted in hospitals around the country, just around 800 are critical, requiring either oxygen support, ventilators or treatment in ICUs (Intensive Care Units). Private hospitals, which account for two-thirds of hospital beds in India, and almost 80 per cent of available ventilators, are handling less than 10 per cent of this critical load.

This is just one symptom of a larger trend over the last three months: the Rs 2.4-lakh-crore private health care sector has largely been relegated to the sidelines, watching the public health care system - government hospitals, doctors, nurses and paramedics - battle the Covid pandemic.

Behind this are a set of circumstances that range from the nature of government policy on managing the pandemic to decisions taken by the hospitals themselves.

From being sealed in the early stages after their staff tested positive, like Wockhardt in Mumbai or the private hospital in Bhilwara, to refusing to admit patients, from suspending services to playing safe, private hospitals aren’t pulling their substantive weight.

That’s not all.

Nationwide, private hospitals employ four out of every five doctors, but the refrain from several cities and towns amid the pandemic is that they are locking themselves down even when it comes to providing non-Covid health care.

From Patna to Mumbai, private hospitals cite many reasons to explain their near absence: lockdown restrictions, lack of internal protocols to handle the pandemic, fear of infection to their own doctors and nursing staff, unwillingness to risk the business from non-Covid patients, or even the government’s own ambiguity in co-opting the private sector.

But, fallen off the radar, they have.

Bihar, in fact, witnessed an “almost complete withdrawal” of the private health sector, which has nearly twice the bed capacity of public facilities.

“Forget COVID-19, even regular services have become unavailable,” complained Bihar Principal Secretary (Health) Sanjay Kumar on April 19. The state, with India’s third largest population, had to issue an order asking all hospitals to resume services.

This was particularly significant also because all three hospitals handling Covid cases in Patna are government hospitals. Vikash R Keshri, Senior Research Fellow, The George Institute for Global Health, said it was also “surprising” since the number of people relying on private healthcare over public for both outpatient and in-patient services in Bihar is “far higher”. Private hospitals have 47,000 beds in the state compared with 22,000 of public hospitals.

“The public sector remains the mainstay of the Covid response. The private sector response has been variable. They have expressed interest but to what extent they are actually providing support required needs to be gauged,” said K Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India.

Before the outbreak, the private sector accounted for nearly 70 per cent of critical procedures like chemotherapy and dialysis, according to Indu Bhushan, Chief Executive Officer, Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and National Health Authority. Yet, “a lot” of these private establishments treating even non-Covid cases had shut down in certain states citing increased costs and reduced footfalls, he said.

“States like Madhya Pradesh, currently struggling with lack of healthcare personnel, and Bihar could do with more private sector intervention here,” said Bhushan. “This is the time that the private sector should be looking at a welfare maximisation model and not a profit-maximisation model. Hopefully, this will happen,” he noted.

In Mumbai, the city with the largest number of Covid cases, and also the most deaths, The Indian Express has reported how patients were turned away from one hospital to another, and even Covid-positive patients have had to wait for hours before they could be admitted.

Maharashtra did not bar private hospitals from treating Covid patients but many would just not admit patients with Covid symptoms, fearing they would be sealed by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (BMC).

“In Mumbai, BMC is managing 80 per cent load of patients; the private hospitals are handling 20 per cent,” said Suresh Kakani, Additional Municipal Commissioner. Of the 4,574 active cases on Tuesday, 400 patients were admitted in private hospitals, whereas 1,600 were in public hospitals. The remaining 2,500-odd were asymptomatic, not requiring admission.

In fact, as on date, Maharashtra has 187 critical patients, of which Mumbai alone accounts for about 120-125, most of whom require just oxygen support. A split of patients requiring critical care between private and public hospitals was not immediately available.

In India, there are three levels of COVID facilities. The first level comprises quarantine facilities in stadia, hostels, schools and lodges, called Covid Care Centres. This is where most Covid-positive patients are kept. The second and third levels are hospitals with oxygen support, ventilators and ICU facilities. Some patients who show symptoms, which are not very severe, but yet require medical attention, may also be admitted in hospitals.

According to Indian Council of Medical Research, 80 per cent cases in the country show either mild symptoms or are asymptomatic - the latter comprising 69 per cent of all cases. These cases generally do not require hospitalisation, and can return home after quarantining themselves for two weeks in Covid Care Centres.

Given the complaints from patients in the city, the municipal corporation had on April 25 issued a circular asking all nursing homes and private clinics to open up. On Monday, the state government held extensive discussions with private hospitals, nursing homes and even clinics in Pune.

Subhash Salunkhe, Technical Advisor to the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, told The Indian Express, “They are afraid for obvious reasons. They are involved but they can participate further. The Health Minister and the Chief Minister have already assured assistance for Personal Protective Equipment to hospitals and nursing homes.”

In Delhi, which has over 3,300 cases, government hospitals are handling almost double the number of ICU patients.

Senior officials in the Delhi government’s health department said they had received several complaints of private hospitals refusing treatment to patients during the lockdown, and later of compelling patients to get a Covid-negative test report before dialysis.

This prompted the state to issue an order on April 15 warning hospitals and nursing homes in the city of strict action, including cancellation of registration.

While private facilities may seem to have remained conspicuously absent, especially in certain high burden states, it is not without any reason, say senior executives.

In some cases, facilities are ready and waiting, but some states like Uttar Pradesh have kept them on standby. In a few instances, states like Telangana did not “fully support” the role of the sector initially, either in testing or treatment.

“There was even a time when they (Telangana government) said ‘send all your positive patients (to government facilities)’. Now, I think they have realised that in treatment, they need private hospital support. But I think this is just one or two governments. With most of the other governments, there’s a great partnership role being played,” said Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, India’s largest hospital chain.

“I think the private sector has been trying to step up. There was the initial fear - some hospitals got shut down… and with smaller nursing homes also, there were some who were worried. But I think everybody is now ramping up,” said Reddy, also the President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

The sector’s biggest pain point, though, is their struggle to operate facilities at a time when their costs have increased, but their revenues have seen a dip.

“I feel very strongly about people trying to pull private sector hospitals down at this point in time, especially when some of us have been trying to continue operations despite incurring operating losses,” said Abhay Soi, CMD, Radiant Life Care and Chairman, Max Healthcare.

Said C K Mishra, chairman, of Empowered Group 2, that is in charge of hospital facilities and testing: “The private sector has been assisting the government and it is a very welcome step. Perhaps, we should look forward to more and more private-sector facilities joining the government.”

Medical Buyer |

"There is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry's triple burden”- Dr Sangita Reddy

“The private healthcare sector in India has stood besides the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, Hyderabad

Business World |

Covid-19 Impact: Private health care sector fearing for survival; seeks govt. help

The health sector in India, one of the major contributors to India’s economy, is experiencing the wrath of corona virus. Private players describe a sharp decline in the business post lock-down. Elective surgeries and medical tourism were the two biggest revenue generators for the private healthcare business in India which has suffered the most as a result of lockdown, say leading private health professionals.

Dr Alok Roy, Chairman-FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals says: “We have seen a noticeable downfall of nearly 80 per cent in the hospital business.” Agrees Dr Nandakumar Jairam, CEO, Chairman & Group MD, Columbia Asia Hospitals. “It has strained the healthcare resources of the country as the healthcare sector has to brace itself for many patients, some requiring intensive care, others isolation, all mandated in the management of Covid-19 patients," says Jairam.

Approximately 70 per cent of the healthcare services in India is provided by private healthcare players. In these hard times, the private healthcare sector is looking towards the government’s support for survival.

Dr Jairam adds, “The depletion in the number of patients for elective surgeries (and coming for specialized treatment), has created a financial strain on private healthcare providers.”

The single greatest worry for all private hospitals now, says Dr Harish Pillai, is cash flow management and how to meet both payroll and material costs. Dr Pillai is the CEO of Aster India, Aster DM Healthcare.

If private health care does not survive because of financial considerations then the entire healthcare of the nation will crumble argues Dr Jairam.

“We are running short of cash and manpower....By the time we get through it, a lot of companies may not have money,” adds Dr Roy. Dr Pillai says he will not be surprised if India begins to hear bankruptcy-related closure of numerous hospitals. "This has stressed the healthcare infrastructure considerably," he adds.

How Can Government Help?

The government can support the health sector by getting them emergency assistance loans, tax waivers and clear pending dues from their schemes. “Additionally, if the government can give healthcare a priority sector status that would help the organisations apply for a loan at a reduced or subsidised rate,” suggests Gautam Khanna, CEO of P D Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre.

The economic impact in the coming 2-3 quarters is expected to be disastrous for the private player. “As the Outpatient and Inpatient occupancy volumes have crashed significantly across India impacting revenues big time,” explains Dr Pillai of Aster India whereas according to Dr Roy’s understanding, it will probably take least 6 months to 12 months for recovery.

In addition to these, Khanna says, “We need a structural overhauling of Indian healthcare to make it more sustainable and agile to help cope with new challenges while catering to the needs of such a huge population.”

Bio Spectrum |

"There is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden"- Dr Sangita Reddy

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, Hyderabad talks about the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 situation

"The private healthcare sector in India has stood besides the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before."

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, Hyderabad

Business World |

Diagnostic business under COVID stress

In pre-Corona pandemic, the diagnostic service providers like Dr Lal Path Labs, Dr Dangs Lab and several others were facing the issues like price increase, volume pressure and rising cost base but post-corona virus outbreak the worry has shifted to the sustainability of the business. Industry leader (Honorary) Brig. Dr Arvind Lal, Executive Chairman of Dr Lal Pathlabs says, “We are not doing well at all...Our businesses have come down by 80 per cent."

"We were seeing 60 to 65 thousand patients all over India. Now that patient number has gone down by at least 60 per cent," added Dr Lal.

When asked about how long will it take to recover from the impact of Covid-19, he thinks, "It will take anything between 6 months to 18 months for us to come anywhere near normal."

Though the market is majorly dominated by pathology services accounting for approximately 70 per cent, the impact of Covid-19 has shaken this section like other aspects of the Indian healthcare sector. But what is the main reason for this? “The percentage of GDP invested in the health sector is so low that it puts private sector under stress,” says Dr Lal. He is also the Advisor to FICCI Health Services Committee.

ICMR and NABL accredited private laboratories like Dr Lal Pathlabs and Dr Dangs Lab have joined the forces fighting against Covid-19 in the country but the situation is worse for all players. These third-party certified labs have been asked to perform Covid testing at a fixed price of Rs 4,500 where the cost of the test is higher than this. Private labs are urging to reimburse the cost of these tests after the SC’s order with Ayushman Bharat Yojana funds.

Back in 2009, private players were again called to be a part of the fighting troop against swine (H1N1) flu pandemic. Just like now, the cost of the H1N1 test was approved at Rs 4,500 by the government. Considering all the economic changes like import duty and rupees devaluation in 11 years, Dr Lal says, "These prices should have exceeded Rs 7,000- Rs 7,500. Cost-wise, we've done a marvellous job."

But that’s not the only issue faced by the private players. Although the government is putting in their efforts to fight back the coronavirus at the same time, they need to strengthen the health sector. While seeking the government’s support, industry leaders request the government to reduce the GST and import duty on the medical items and ease the pressure on payback loans.

According to a recent Research and Markets report “Indian Diagnostic Services Market Outlook 2020”, the industry is expected to grow at 27.5 per cent for the next five years. This can be achieved by improving healthcare facilities, pathological and medical diagnostic laboratories, Public-private projects along with the health insurance sector. The report also suggests that the market will rise up to Rs 860 billion in revenues by 2020.

News18 |

Lack of trust, contagion fears: Can a law undo social & psychological factors behind attack on doctors during Covid-19?

"No physician, however conscientious or careful, can tell what day or hour he may not be the object of some undeserved attack, malicious accusation, black mail or suit for damages." This statement, written 129 years ago in Journal of American Medical Association, has turned out to be prophetic, especially as India treads unchartered paths during a global pandemic.

The Centre last week issued an ordinance for protection of doctors, under which cases of assault on medics will be non-bailable. The scale of stigmatisation, however, points towards a more deep-rooted societal problem.

Ever since India imposed a nation-wide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, doctors have endured ostracisation from their neighbours and landlords, been subjected to stone pelting when tracing contacts of a Covid-19 case and beaten by cops on their way back from inhumane shifts.

Social and job-induced responsibility was at crossroads when on April 9, two doctors came under attack in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal by a man in khakhi. Two resident doctors — Dr Yuvraj Singh and Dr Rituparna Jana – from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS, Bhopal) were returning home after emergency duty at the hospital when a police patrol party not only assaulted them, but even abused and blamed them for spreading coronavirus. While Dr Singh's hand was fractured, Dr Rituparna sustained injuries on her leg.

The mental and physical harassment hit its peak last week when a doctor in Chennai, who died after being infected with the coronavirus, was refused a proper burial by locals who protested at the cemetery. As the mob pelted stones and attacked the ambulance, his colleagues had to dig a grave with bare hands to bury him.

In view of the rising complaints, Cabinet minister Prakash Javadekar last Wednesday said, "Changes in the Epidemic Diseases Act through ordinance have been approved by the cabinet. Offences will be made non-bailable and cognizable."

The Centre ruled that investigations will be completed in 30 days. There will be stringent punishments, including fines up to Rs 2 lakh. Serious cases will entail imprisonment up to seven years and fine up to Rs 5 lakh.

While the ordinance may act as a deterrent, the rot writhes far deeper.

Declining Trust in Healthcare System

Given that India places doctors highly in society, violence against them may seem unlikely. But, according to a study by the Indian Medical Association, over 75 per cent of doctors have faced violence at work. Citizens across the country have also expressed their trust deficit in India's healthcare system time and again.

According to a joint survey by EY and The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, ‘Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0', at least 60 per cent patients surveyed in 2019 believe that hospitals did not act in their best interests, as against 37 per cent patients in 2016.

The results were worse in a separate survey conducted in 2018. Over 92 per cent people said they do not trust healthcare system in India, with hospital being the most distrusted organisation followed by Pharma and insurance companies, as per annual survey by fitness device firm GOQii.

While this in no way justifies the attacks on doctors, it helps understand the psyche behind it. The condemned phenomenon is also fairly global.

A local news reporter in Madhya Pradesh's Indore visited the area a week after residents there had violently chased out a team of doctors who were there tracing contacts of a positive coronavirus patient. He informed News18 about his conversations with residents who were not exactly involved in violence but where witnesses.

"People there told me that they were scared. They thought doctors will conduct tests and quarantine all of them. Some of them even believed that they will be sent to isolation centres where they will not be able to meet or see anyone for an extended period of time," said Brajesh Thakur. The lack of information and trust in medical experts was clear.

On April 1, a team of doctors, ASHA workers and revenue officials had visited the area to identify the family members of a 65-year-old man who died after having been infected with coronavirus. Two women doctors were injured in the attack and had to be rescued by police. The shocking assault came two days after locals from the Ranipura area of the city allegedly spat at officials and abused them during screening procedures.

The same incident also brought to light the menace that is probably as potent as the virus itself, fake news.

A resident of the area later revealed in a news report that residents were suspicious of health workers after fake videos started doing the rounds. The videos claimed that healthy Muslims were being taken away and injected with the virus.

A sizeable share of the blame also needs to be borne by news media industry.

A research paper published last year by Digant Shastri, National President of Indian Academy of Pediatrics, notes "sensationalisation by media" as of the key reasons behind attack on doctors. The mainstream media lacks what forms the very foundation of reporting during a humanitarian crisis: nuance.

"As a hypothetical example, a television reporter shouting at the medical superintendent of a Delhi hospital reeling under a load of dengue patients as to why antimalarials were not given to a patient who died of dengue. This is done with an air of ‘knowledge’ that viewers would be convinced that not giving antimalarials to a patient of dengue in shock was medical negligence of the highest order," wrote Neeraj Nagpal, convener, Medicos Legal Action Group, a registered trust of qualified doctors, in a research paper published by The National Medical Journal of India.

Also, barring a few, none of the print, electronic and digital news outlets contribute in busting fake news.

Among other causes of violence against doctors in India are the deplorable conditions in which patients are treated at government hospitals.

Last month, an Agra woman hit the headlines when she resisted the option of being isolated at a public health facility even though her husband began to show Covid-19 symptoms. “The sight of the unhygienic condition of the toilets made her retch,” her brother-in-law told the Times of India newspaper.

The incident was not solitary. On March 9, a coronavirus suspect escaped from a government hospital’s isolation ward in Mangaluru, arguing that he preferred to seek private treatment. In Manesar, where the Indian Army runs a quarantine facility, patients raised an alarm for better facilities that resulted in the police being called in to control the situation.

Several patients complained of cockroaches, dirty toilets and lack of proper food in Covid-19 hospitals. This leads to fear among those approached by doctors for testing, resulting in the behaviour that still cannot be justified.

Behavioural Immune System

Pandemics are generally unprecedented for a generation. They take a serious toll, for the masses, mostly on the mind. Also, human minds are evolved for socialisation. Any attempt at quarantine for an extended period of time can put individuals off the grid. Therefore, it is important to understand how events such as a sudden, prolonged lockdown, with no clarity of its end, affect humans mentally.

Mark Schaller, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, wrote that humans evolved a set of unconscious psychological responses — which he has termed the “behavioural immune system” — to act as a first line of defence to reduce contact with potential pathogens during a pandemic.

The disgust response is one of the most obvious components of the behavioural immune system. For example, when individuals avoid things that smell bad or food that they believe to be unclean, they are instinctively trying to steer clear of potential contagion.

The behaviour is similarly portrayed in interactions with people. Any suspicious or potential carrier is automatically avoided to minimise the spread of disease, leading to a kind of instinctive social distancing. However, this can at times be quite crude. This means the responses are often misplaced, and may be triggered by irrelevant information.

This explains the incident that took place in Gujarat's Surat on April 6. Dr. Sanjibani Panigrahi was inordinately harassed merely for being a doctor and treating Covid-19 patients. Working at the government-run civil hospital in the city, she was ridiculed as a carrier of coronavirus by her neighbours. When she did not pay any heed, her neighbour obstructed her from entering her own house while mouthing obscenities. The 34-year-old put out two videos that clearly portrayed the harassment.

A study by Natsumi Sawada from McGill University found that people develop a fear of outsiders when they feel vulnerable to infection.

The study established practical depiction in several cases reported across the country where healthcare professionals described the growing stigma they had to face from their neighbours and landlords, resulting in many being refused taxis, barricaded from their own homes, or made homeless.

In order to find help, Resident Doctors' Association of All India Institute of Medical Sciences on March 24 wrote to the government. “Many doctors are stranded on the roads with their entire luggage, nowhere to go, across the country,” they said in the letter. In both Delhi and West Bengal, the government has now ordered action against anyone threatening to evict healthcare workers.

Several women who work as private ayahs in hospitals also reported that they have either been asked to vacate their rented occupancies or been told to stay away from the community till the pandemic is finally over.

Having listed the psychological reasons, it is important to remember that people always had these deep-rooted biases. An increased threat of disease simply hardens their positions.

David J Ley, a clinical psychologist in New Mexico, also goes to the extent of writing, "xenophobia in response to pandemics is (sadly) normal."

Is Legislative Action Enough?

President Ram Nath Kovind on last Wednesday approved The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, aimed at protecting healthcare professionals against violence during health crises such as the Covid-19.

The approval makes not just attacks on healthcare personnel, but also those on their property, including their living and working premises, cognizable, non-bailable offences.

The question whether the legislation is enough to change social and psychological inclinations remains to be analysed.

Most laws wanting to change social behaviours resulting from deep-rooted underlying causes have not been able to. For example, several laws have been passed in the US to end racial discrimination. Despite these, in a study among Airbnb customers, researchers at Harvard Business School found that African Americans were 16 per cent less likely to be accepted as guests than Caucasians. The study could not find any variable beyond race to explain this attitude.

Fear of punishment may be the single most significant factor behind the argument of implementing a law to enforce a behavioural change. It may be defined as when one has to face the repercussions in the guise of penalty or imprisonment, people avoid breaking the laws.

However, laws aimed at managing public behaviour need other forms of intervention. Dr Shastri in his paper highlights a few, in this case.

There needs to be a complete overhaul of the existing economic system and healthcare system. "Our country’s health budget spending is meagre (approximately 2 per cent) as compared to that of western countries. Raising budget to address the problem of poor doctor-population ratio is the need of the hour," the paper noted.

Improvement of services in a global fashion, employment of adequate number of doctors and ensuring regular communication with patients are some of the ways that confidence of the society can be won back, he wrote.

Meanwhile, it may be wrong to conclude that laws have always failed to bring about societal changes.

Several measures, including health warnings, were used to curtail smoking. But one factor that has demonstrably contributed to a sustained decline in smoking was a ban on it in public places. One of the first pieces of legislation to curb smoking in public places followed an order of the Kerala High Court, way back in 1999.

It is only safe to say that while laws may act as antidotes, addressing the core issue may be the much needed vaccine.

The Economic Times |

View: Covid saw India prioritise health security, pay economic cost

The Covid-19 pandemic has dredged up the issue of health security as India’s existential priority with a vengeance. Health security denotes the protection of national populations from global pandemic threats. It is inextricably linked to biosecurity, national and human security, and to health as a social public good. Economic security signifies the financial, employment, food and standard of living related security of a country, economic entity and household. Both have interrelated psychological triggers and should ideally be symbiotic not binary. However, Covid-19 prevention and response has required India to prioritise health security and pay an economic cost.

PM Modi has wisely calibrated and sequenced policies to serve urgent human security purposes without compromising economic security beyond a temporary period, while limiting its adverse impact. Absent a vaccination or treatment, the unthinkable tragedy of mass contagion engulfing a vast, densely populated country has to be prevented at any cost.

Additionally our health system – overstretched at the best of times – would be unable to handle an explosion of cases. PM Modi, therefore, took early, globally acclaimed decisions to prioritise health security above all in the first phase of the Covid-19 war. Inspired by the three Ps of precaution, prevention and protection he took restrictive measures in January-February even before WHO’s belated declaration of a global pandemic.

From March 23 a complete lockdown was imposed and extended to May 3, along with strict social distancing norms to prevent the catastrophic stage 3 of the pandemic – community spread. Simultaneously, arrangements for upscaled, rapid testing , citizen empowerment and contact tracing (including through Bharat Aarogya Setu app), quarantine and dedicated hospital facilities and Ayushman Bharat coverage were made. India pursued vaccine and therapeutics development on war footing and joined global efforts too.

That governments at all levels implemented this “holistic and integrated strategy” and 1.3 billion people largely observed nagarik dharma (citizens’ duty) and demonstrated samoohik shakti (collective power) despite considerable hardship is a remarkable feat. A huge, federal democracy with complex socio-economic and cultural challenges achieved success without the authoritarian advantage of China and resource endowments of Western democracies. At the end of lockdown 1.0 and a week into 2.0, the success of saving lives first strategy is reflected in the limited increase in active Covid-19 cases to 18,000, good rate of recoveries, 80 per cent cases being mild and lower death rate of 3%. This is 0.75% of global infections and 0.33 % of global deaths.

We have averted going into full-blown stage 3 despite the cluster contagion by the Tablighi Jamaat and laxity of some states. Experts conservatively estimate that the lockdowns may have averted Indian Covid-19 cases shooting up to 50,000-100,000. Compare this to the trajectory of health security measures by developed countries like Italy, with 189,000 cases and 25,000 deaths, and USA with highest number of 886,000 declared cases and 50,000 deaths. Although higher than India in the Global Health Security Index on pandemics preparedness, they paid an unconscionable price in human lives by not imposing full economic lockdowns early enough.

The Covid-19 economic shocks have evoked understandable anguish about the impact on economic security of millions especially those living below the poverty line, migrant and contract labour, micro and small entrepreneurs whose livelihood and sustenance got disrupted amid social distancing challenges in congested settlements.

Curtailment of large swathes of economic activity – farming, transport, manufacturing and services – have caused labour dislocation, wage and income loss, liquidity crunch, unemployment and risk of India’s GDP contraction by half.Acutely aware of this, PM Modi is concurrently pursuing economic security through a three pronged strategy of 1) mitigation, relief and social protection 2) stimulus for resilience and recovery and 3) rebuilding and renewal of the national economy. The lockdown lessons have prompted flanking economic security measures to be front-loaded, interlinked, adequately funded and effectively implemented by central and state governments alongside health security measures.

For mitigation, in the spirit of antyodaya (upliftment of the weakest section of society), keeping the supply of essential goods, services and finance flowing, including through PM’s and state government’s social protection and empowerment schemes -PMAY, Swachh Bharat, Ujjwala, Jan Dhan, MGNREGA – especially to meet food, health, shelter, sanitation and financial security needs of those most left behind is imperative. Timely and in situ disbursement and delivery is crucial.Operationalisation of the stimulus package including assistance to MSMEs and strategic industries and agriculture and their partial opening up to survive the economic disruption is complex but key. Government resilience and recovery measures and outlays seek to respond to CII, FICCI, CSO and other proposals. A viable, graduated exit strategy from the lockdown must address testing, protection and prevention protocols in workplaces and public transport.

Covid-19 health security crisis may represent Shiva’s cosmological dance of creative destruction for the Indian Economy. A master plan for its rebuilding and renewal and a new Make in India industrial and trade blueprint for health security and economic renaissance must therefore emerge. India must seize this chance to become a pharmaceutical, biotechnological, medical and healthcare related production, R&D, and services hub and a valued global health security provider. That way we can claim that “jaanein bhi bachi aur arabon bhi paaye (we saved lives and earned billions too)”.

Business World |

E-Pharmacy: Caught in a logjam

In August 2018, the draft regulations defined an e-pharmacy as a “Business of distribution or sale, stock, exhibit or offer for sale of drugs through a web portal or any other electronic mode.” The draft rules had become necessary in the wake of the legal tussles and lawsuits opposing the spread of e-pharmacies in the country. Besides, since the laws then said nothing about e-pharmacies, a regulatory framework to govern this sector had become necessary to curb illegal and risky transactions.

Two years later, life for e-pharmacies has not gotten any better thanks to the bureaucratic web that has prevented the draft rules from becoming laws. In the absence of clear-cut laws, e-pharmacies have remained susceptible to legal challenges and hemmed in by uncertainties.

At the forefront of the attack on the e-pharmacies is the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), which contests that the deep discounts and offers extended by new-age pharmacies have adversely impacted the offline sales of medicines.

Industry insiders say there are genuine fears of losing business to online players once big-boys like Amazon, Flipkart and others decide to enter this business ‘officially’.

In 2018, Amazon acquired PillPack, a full-service plus an online pharmacy, for $753 million thereby gaining access to all major US-based pharmacy benefit managers like CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, Optum Rx, Prime Therapeutics, Cigna, MedImpact, and CastiaRX, among others. They can do the same in India too, experts say.

The efforts of AIOCD and its members paid some dividend in December 2019 when the Delhi High Court banned the online sale of medicine by ‘un-licensed’ players thereby limiting the role of hundreds of online pharmacies.

But around 50-plus e-pharmacies including Medlife, 1MG, NetMeds, PharmEasy and others continue to do online sale-purchase of drugs, medicines, etc. even today. How? Because they have physical medical stores that are licensed to sell drugs. “We are doing a business that is perfectly legal,” says Prashant Tandon, President of the Digital Health Platforms (DHP) and founder and CEO of 1MG, a leading e-pharmacy player. “To end the miscommunication and to bring in harmonisation, entrepreneurs like us decided to take this issue to the government to incorporate laws for e-pharmacy within the existing laws,” adds Tandon, who is also heading the FICCI e-Pharmacy Working Group that has been lobbying for enabling laws.

“A clear policy will reduce the time and cost involved in filing petitions and litigation and put any kind of speculation around the operability and regulations to rest,” says Ananth Narayanan, Co-founder and CEO, Medlife. The lack of policy direction is holding the companies from moving forward into their businesses due to its repetition across the country, he adds.

On the new draft rules pending approval, Dharmil Sheth, CEO of PharmEasy says, “There won’t be any fly-by-night riders coming in the system and will clear illegitimate players from the market.”

Pending the notification of official rules, the e-pharmacies are offering a host of services to the customer via mobile applications. These include online sales of medicines, FMCG products, consultation with docs, location of blood banks, and safekeeping of documents and records online, virtual doctors, home-based medical tests, among other things.

Legal Tussle

In the last four years, the 8 lakh-odd traditional medical shops under the banner of AIOCD have consistently protested against the proliferation of e-pharmacies in the country, and even taken the matter to various courts across different states.

Thanks to their efforts, the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) had formed a panel to look into the issue of online drug sales and even suggested the licensing of pharmacies three years ago. As per the draft guidelines which have yet to become law, e-pharmacies will need to register with the DCGI for a fee of Rs 50,000, which will be valid for three years.

Then, there are several stringent clauses that prevent e-pharmacies from selling narcotic drugs, tranquillisers, and Schedule X drugs. They also cannot advertise any drugs on their portals. Periodic inspections and stringent penalties for violators are prescribed. Basically, the e-pharmacy draft rules will now provide sector-specific e-commerce regulations so as to harmonise existing laws/ guidelines which is similar to FSSAI guidelines for e-commerce food operators, etc. Almost all the provisions of the draft rules, in fact, have been welcomed by the licensed e-pharmacies. So where is the problem?

Caught in a Web

Industry insiders say a Group of Ministers (GoM) is examining the draft rules. But officials point to some additional related issues that require a sound regulatory mechanism to avoid future legal tussles.

“Regulations for telemedicine and e-prescription is in the works too. Current laws allow discretion to the doctor whether they want to give the patient a written prescription or not. Because of ambiguity in current laws, medicines are being ordered online without a prescription where the customer can simply tick a box authorising a call from the doctor on the medicines ordered. Whether the call is happening or not, whether a digital record of it is being maintained or not are still grey areas,” says an industry insider.

But e-pharmacy companies say fixing telemedicine or e-prescription is a separate issue from selling medicine online.

AIOCD members are contesting the online sale of medicine citing the risk factor. “Some websites may sell fake, expired, contaminated, unapproved or unsafe products that are dangerous for patients and which might put their health at risk. Rules for selling drugs in India are based on the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, Drugs and Cosmetics Rule, 1945 and Pharmacy Act, 1948, and these were written prior to the arrival of computers and India does not legalise the online sale of medicines,” says one of the petitions from AIOCD members before a court a few years ago.

But e-pharmacies maintain that brick-and-mortar pharmacies are the “real reason for public health safety issues” as several of them operate “without qualified pharmacists, selling medicines without prescriptions and failing to maintain a record of drugs sold to each patient”. The tussle continues.

Advantage e-pharmacy?

Initially, e-pharmacies were delivering medicines to the doorsteps at discounted prices. With growth and expansion now they are also offering online doctor consultation, health blogs, health insurance, home-based diagnostics, among others.

“The current ecosystem pivots around a mobile application that acts as a facilitator between customers, pharmacies and manufacturers to purchase and process orders of medicines either through a marketplace or an inventory model or an omnichannel player,” says Sanjay Singh, Partner, Deal Advisory, National Head, Life Sciences Sector, KPMG India.

According to Charu Sehgal, Partner, Lead – Life Science and Healthcare, Deloitte India, “E-pharmacies are filling an important void in the current healthcare system’s reach and affordability.” It is therefore, the experts argue, very important for the government to encourage the sector, especially when it is in its nascent stage.

Medlife, one of the leading players in the e-pharmacy business is selling drugs only against an authentic prescription, like many of its peers. They deliver the medications within 24 hours, duly stamped by a registered and approved pharmacist. The company is serving customers in 29 states and 4,000 cities fulfilling over 25,000 deliveries daily. Currently, they have one national and five regional laboratories and over 350 phlebotomists helping bring diagnostics to patients’ homes.

PharmEasy, another leading name in this space, is operating in over 1,000 towns and cities across India. They deliver the medicines within four hours via local delivery boys. This solves the problem of customers facing issues like accessibility and availability. They are also bridging the gap by connecting patients, doctors and pharmacies. And, 1mg has collaborated with local brick-and-mortar stores to reach the last mile and are selling their own over-the-counter products.

Worried Investors?

Despite the lack of regulatory clarity, the e-pharmacy segment within the healthcare sector has attracted over Rs 4,000 crore in investments with another Rs 2,000-3,000 crore of additional investments expected once the rules are notified. So what are the investors looking for?

“They are looking for a business which can grow significantly large sooner. And they can get healthy returns. Globally, investors are investing in digital health as it is one of the hottest sectors and the last sector to feel the impact of technology,” says Tandon of 1MG. And he is correct in his assessment. After all, the healthcare sector in India is mostly unorganised with a lot of inherent deficiencies. “Considering the stickiness of the industry amongst consumers, recurring spends, average order value, demand for quality medicines are just a few of the reasons investors are flocking to the segment,” explains Ankur Pahwa, Partner and National Leader – e-commerce and consumer internet, EY India.

Consolidation Galore

That existing players continue to strengthen their online business is evident from a spate of acquisitions. Recently, Medlife acquired Bengaluru-based online medicine delivery startup Myra, which specialises in two-hour deliveries. It also acquired EClinic24/7, adding chat and video-based doctor consultations to its existing portfolio. Medlife has also partnered with Fortis Hospitals for running their offline pharmacies.

Rivals are active too. While PharmEasy has merged with Ascent Health for its distribution, and laboratory logistics, 1MG has acquired Lab For Sure.

Chennai-based Netmeds, another weighty company in the space, acquired JustDoc, an online video consultation app. This has helped it venture into healthcare services, diagnostics and consultation. In March 2019, it also acquired health tech startup KiViHealth, a clinic management platform providing cloud-based, AI-powered tools for effective doctor-patient interaction.

Now, all eyes are on the upcoming meeting of the e-pharmacies, the health ministry and other stakeholders, the outcome of which may lead to the speedy formalisation of draft rules. That is the industry expectation for now at least.

Medical Buyer |

Prioritise Health Sector: Gautam Khanna, FICCI Co-Chair Health Services Committee

The struggle of the hospitals, both private and government have been real during the pandemic. Falling short of equipment and essential items have cost some of the front-line health workers their lives. The private healthcare sector needs emergency assistance loans, tax waivers and clearing of pending dues from the government schemes. “If the government can give healthcare a priority sector status that would help the organisations apply for a loan at a reduced or subsidised rate,” says Gautam Khanna, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee.

“Other exemptions could include GST or Income Tax exemption,” he says in an exclusive interaction with BW Businessworld.

Nearly 5000 Covid-19 cases in the state, Maharashtra has been registered with the maximum number of cases in India. Khanna says Covid-19 has hampered the delivery of essentials like Personal Protection Equipment, risking healthcare staff. Khanna is the CEO of P D Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Center.

According to him, the main bottleneck has been due to a shortage of PPE’s and inadequate testing due to which the safety of healthcare staff and other patients was being compromised. Hospitals like they have had to set up exclusive isolation wards, dedicated ICU’s and other necessary infrastructure to provide the best medical care for coronavirus patients, ensuring their staff and facilities are safe.

This has required hospitals to make significant investments to procure the necessary medical equipment, PPE and to follow safety and infection control protocols. Forecasting the impact of Covid-19 on hospitals, Khanna said, “This, combined with the drop in revenue, has had a huge financial impact and may take 6 – 12 months to stabilize after the lockdown.”

Although, the doctor suggests patients suffering from cancer and kidney ailments need to undergo timely medications and treatments like chemotherapy and dialysis. Radiology and AKD departments continue to function at the hospital following safety protocols but there could be several hospitals that are unable to continue due to this virus scare, confirms Khanna.

In addition to these, Khanna says, “We need a structural overhauling of Indian healthcare to make it more sustainable and agile to help cope with new challenges while catering to the needs of such a huge population.”

The coronavirus pandemic has posed several challenges for all hospitals including P D Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Center. They have taken timely actions, as per government guidelines, to tide over this.

Express Healthcare |

HCFI conducts online media advocacy programme in association with CMAAO

The session focussed on present situation of COVID-19, attacks on healthcare professionals, possible healthcare outcomes after lockdown is lifted

The Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) recently conducted an online media advocacy programme in association with the Confederation of Medical Associations of Asia and Oceania (CMAAO). Organised on April 22, 2020, the session focussed on the present situation of COVID-19, attacks on healthcare professionals, and possible healthcare outcomes after the lockdown is lifted.

The session was chaired by Dr KK Aggarwal, President, CMAAO and the panellists included leading healthcare stakeholders. Medtalks was the supporting partner.

The panellists included Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor Medical Operations and Chairman Fortis Medical Council, Delhi; Dr AK Agarwal, Ex Dean, MAMC; Dr Mahesh Verma, VC, IP University, Ex Director MAIDS Government of Delhi; Dr Suneela Garg Dir, Professor, MAMC, National President Elect IAPSM; Dr Girdhar Gyani, DG AHPI; Dr Atul M Kochar, CEO, NABH; Dr TS Jain, Consultant Pediatrician, Max Smart City Hospital, Ex MS; Dr Bejon Misra, Founder Patient Safety and Access, Consumer Online Foundation; Dr Anita Arora, Director Medical Operations, Fortis Healthcare; Upasana Arora, Director, Yashoda Super Specialty Hospital; Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, Group Medical Director, Max Healthcare; Dr KK Kalra, Ex CEO NABH, Director HCFI; Dr Arvind Lal, Managing Director, Dr Lal Path Labs; Dr Alok Roy, Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals and Chairman FICCI Health Services.

Speaking about this Dr Aggarwal said, “With so much information around COVID-19, there is a need to communicate the right things to both the media and the common public. This can go a long way in dispelling myths around the condition and therefore, fear. This advocacy programme was an initiative in that direction and addressed key concerns including the violence against the medical fraternity in these difficult times. Some other highlights were how tele consultations are likely to become the norm going forward and that self-regulation on the part of every individual will be key in fighting similar infections.”

Dr Aggarwal also added, “Medical workers have been attacked amidst the Corona crisis and the situation is particularly bad in India. Given this, government has brought in an ordinance to amend the Epidemic Diseases Act making attacks on doctors, paramedic staff and ASHA workers a non-bailable offence under punishable up to seven years in prison and fine of up to Rs 5 lakh. This is an extremely encouraging move given how all these people are frontline warriors in the fight against this pandemic.”

Expressing his concern about the situation of the private healthcare sector, Dr Puri said, “This is a very tough phase for the sector with inadequate and derogatory media coverage. There is a high degree of discrimination and violence against doctors which must be highlighted. We are also in a state of infodemic where some doctors themselves are confused with the huge influx of information. Many people are misquoting and giving wrong information in the media which adds to the confusion. Then there are also the Covidiots who misbehave in public, without paying heed to advice from doctors and authorities. All these things must be addressed urgently.”

Talking about the future scenario, Dr Kochar added, “After the extension of the lockdown, a new normal has come into play. We have resumed work but are also exploring new ways to initiate virtual assessment, keeping in mind the safety and protection of the patients as well as the doctors and hospital staff. We are now creating a comprehensive document with the help of IMA, public and other stakeholders. This will be a Pan-India guideline which will boost the way the doctors are dealing with their work conditions. We are also following up with the National Building Board to get guidance for specific pandemic-oriented hospitals. Focussing on the interests of patients, attendants, health providers and staff, we are targeting to standardise processes in terms of quality and hygiene not just for current pandemic but all future scenarios.”

The session highlighted how there is no one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with COVID-19. Every state must take from best practices and tailor them to suit their preferences accordingly. Giving his views, Dr Budhiraja said, “We have observed that about 5 per cent of all the COVID-19 cases are critical. Asymptomatic patients are a concern. The challenge is to decide when or whom to put on ventilator. The condition of patients deteriorates very quickly and there is often not enough time to transfer them to a ventilator. The rate of secondary infections is also high. While the focus so far has been on ventilator and respiration, it is gradually shifting to the heart and brain. The tight prognostication is very important. Sudden deaths may occur unexpectedly in some patients. The public should know this.”

The session also addressed aspects of COVID-19 including duration of the lockdown, precautionary measures to be taken once normal routine resumes, treatment for the condition, risk factors of getting the infection in various categories of people, etc.

Bio Spectrum |

FICCI-EY study reveals adverse impact of pandemic

The already strained healthcare industry has been feeling the negative economic impact of COVID-19 with sliding bed occupancies and uncertainty of the burden of the virus.

Yet, private hospitals and nursing homes, that constitute more than 60% of beds at 8.5-9 lac, 60% of inpatients and 80% of doctors in India, have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100% preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed.

While the government is taking cognizance of financial strain in sectors like hospitality, tourism, construction, little is being discussed regarding the distress felt by the private healthcare sector.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, expressed that “the private healthcare sector in India has stood besides the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

The Prime Minister‘s call to the nation to honour the healthcare professionals has indeed been a morale booster. However, with dwindling revenues, government measures in terms of liquidity infusion, tax reliefs and other waivers have become crucial for the survival of health services providers of the country.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals shared that, “the financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.”

In view of this, FICCI in partnership with EY, carried out a study of the economic impact of COVID-19 on private healthcare sector. The report reveals that the private hospitals and laboratories, which were already facing multiple challenges, will witness an acute crisis due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, which has resulted in occupancy levels to fall to a mere 40% by late-March vis-à-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of ~65-70%. This is expected to reduce even further. Impact on diagnostic labs is even worse, with almost 80% fall in patient visits and revenue.

Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner- Healthcare, EY India, while expressing concern, shared that “While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for “differential” financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis”.

FICCI-EY report recommends government support through Liquidity infusion for financing of the operating losses through short term interest free/ concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of Rs 14,000 -24,000 Cr.

Although the government has issued a notification for the release of government dues under CGHS and ECHS schemes to private hospitals, which is in the range of INR 1700-2000 crores, the payment is yet to be processed. Immediate release of such dues is crucial.

Other recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector are:
  • Indirect tax reliefs/ exemptions/ waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements for a stipulated period; Customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of COVID patients; Waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, Extension of time under the EPCG scheme etc.
  • Income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, penalty for a stipulated period (3-6 months)
  • Rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period

The Pioneer |

Drop in footfall in small hospitals in small cities during Covid outbreak

In just four months since the first case of Covid-19 was reported, the pandemic is already adversely impacting country’s private healthcare sector including small hospitals and clinics, especially in Tier-II and III cities, which have been forced to close down their operations since their cash flows have dried-up, according to a joint report by FICCI and the EY, a global entity engaged in tax, transaction and advisory services.

Yet, private hospitals and nursing homes, that constitute more than 60 per cent of beds at 8.5-9 lac, 60% of inpatients and 80 per cent of doctors in India, have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100% preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed, said the report.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, said, “the private healthcare sector in India has stood besides the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19.

“However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Health services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals added, “the financial distress accentuated by Covid-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.”

The stakeholders have recommended Government support through Liquidity infusion for financing of the operating losses through short term interest free/ concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of Rs 14,000 -24,000 Crore, besides tax waivers.

Bio Voice News |

COVID-19: Private healthcare sector in financial distress, reveals FICCI-EY Study

The already strained healthcare industry has been feeling the negative economic impact of COVID-19 with sliding bed occupancies and uncertainty of the burden of the virus. Yet, private hospitals and nursing homes, that constitute more than 60% of beds at 8.5-9 lac, 60% of inpatients and 80% of doctors in India, have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100% preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed.

While the government is taking cognizance of financial strain in sectors like hospitality, tourism, construction, little is being discussed regarding the distress felt by the private healthcare sector.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, expressed that “the private healthcare sector in India has stood besides the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

The Prime Minister‘s call to the nation to honour the healthcare professionals has indeed been a morale booster. However, with dwindling revenues, government measures in terms of liquidity infusion, tax reliefs and other waivers have become crucial for the survival of health services providers of the country.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals shared that, “the financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.”

In view of this, FICCI in partnership with EY, carried out a study of the economic impact of COVID-19 on private healthcare sector. The report reveals that the private hospitals and laboratories, which were already facing multiple challenges, will witness an acute crisis due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, which has resulted in occupancy levels to fall to a mere 40% by late-March vis-à-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of ~65-70%. This is expected to reduce even further. Impact on diagnostic labs is even worse, with almost 80% fall in patient visits and revenue.

Mr Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner- Healthcare, EY India, while expressing concern, shared that “While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for “differential” financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis”.

FICCI-EY report recommends government support through Liquidity infusion for financing of the operating losses through short term interest free/ concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of Rs 14,000 -24,000 Cr.

Although the government has issued a notification for the release of government dues under CGHS and ECHS schemes to private hospitals, which is in the range of INR 1700-2000 crores, the payment is yet to be processed. Immediate release of such dues is crucial.

Other recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector are:
  • Indirect tax reliefs/ exemptions/ waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements for a stipulated period; Customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of COVID patients; Waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, Extension of time under the EPCG scheme etc.
  • Income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, penalty for a stipulated period (3-6 months)
  • Rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period
About the study: FICCI and EY assessed COVID impact on the private hospital and diagnostic sectors basis the study of immediate impact in the last week of March 2020, post the nation-wide lockdown:
  • Studied median performance across 91 private healthcare players (pre-COVID)
  • Analysed March week-wise revenue and occupancy levels of 10 hospitals and 5 diagnostic chains
  • Discussion with 10 healthcare and diagnostic labs to understand post-COVID impact

Express Healthcare |

The cooperation among technocrats, bureaucrats and politicians will determine the fate in future

Epidemics teach us many lessons on how we can strengthen primary healthcare within a nation. The key is that disease management and effective primary care should be an everyday protocol and just be part of disaster management. Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor-FICCI Health Services Committee and MVT Committee; Former Chairman- NABH; Advisor-Medical Operations and Chairman, Fortis Medical Council, Fortis Healthcare explains various aspects of India’s response to COVID-19 in a chat with Raelene Kambli

Dr Puri, you have been in multiple roles – a doctor, strategist, journalist and more, and have seen and have evaluated India’s healthcare system in many ways. Tell us from your experience, how have you read this current pandemic impact for Indian healthcare?

The effect of the current COVID-19 pandemic is cataclysmic for the entire world, its social order, its economy, healthcare systems and an entire generation is preparing to pay its price for quite a while to come. Hence, it is only natural that healthcare, not just in India but all over the globe has been affected and shall not be the same in future. Indian healthcare has been badly dented – the public healthcare system has been swamped, particularly in some pockets of our country and the private sector is working in tandem with the policymakers and public healthcare system to provide succour in terms of manpower, beds, lab tests, training and skill development, to name just a few.

Economically, the Indian healthcare industry stands in a precarious position as has been so well brought out in the FICCI-EY Report on Economic Assessment of COVID-19 on private healthcare providers. Smaller medical establishments have, and are closing down; bigger players have taken a massive hit to their balance sheets and cash flows are a huge issue. Dwindling footfalls in OPD and stoppage of all elective surgeries, zero medical tourism has hurt the industry. It was never an industry which was in the pink of health all-round, COVID has really put it on the canvas, to borrow a boxing term. Hospitals and laboratories have lost about 70-80 per cent of their revenues – administrators and doctors have accepted reduced pay packages, no variable payment and the question of bonuses and yearly increments have just flown out of the window. At the same time, all efforts are being made to ensure that nurses, technicians, resident doctors and colleagues in junior places in hospital administration retain their salaries and jobs. Indian healthcare, thanks to COVID, is itself sick and is crying for help.

Strange to say, there is a positive impact of this pandemic too – badly required beds, equipment and personnel are being bought and brought in at public health systems – moribund hospitals are being opened and equipped now and the realisation of the importance of enhanced spending on health as a percentage of GDP is being realised at state and central levels.

From a historic point of view, do you think India’s response to COVID-19 is better than before or the lack of infrastructure and a proper system still exists?

If there was ever a time when I blessed rather than cursed (usual) the political class and bureaucracy, it is now. Whilst I would not like to be in their shoes at this moment, given the fact that they are having to make decisions quite like what we as doctors have to do in our daily lives, as their policy decisions can make a difference between life and death. So far, by and large, they have come out well – calibrating India’s response has been quite adroit, flexible and on the job at all times. Timely steps in terms of screening of incoming passengers at the airports, lockdown and then its extension, creation of hotspots, a calibrated opening up of the economy appear to have been taken at the right time and even as we still do not know the trajectory of this disease in India, appear to be the right steps. Most importantly, the intention behind these seems to be right. It is inevitable some may feel-‘x’ should have been done this way, ‘y’ should have been delayed –possible, but in my mind, the intention has always been right. And they have, unlike some high ups in other countries, listened to the healthcare experts and paid heed to science.

This alacrity has been necessitated because India has been tardy in spending a decent sum on healthcare – a measly 1.2 per cent or so and is amongst the laggards in the world in terms of public spend. It has struggled to support the preventive and primary healthcare system and emergency and disaster medicine has never been in the syllabus of post-graduation till lately. Hopefully, post-COVID, this lackadaisical approach to healthcare will change. I feel political will bends to public demand and the public, and henceforth, will hopefully demand better healthcare.

From a quality perspective, what is your opinion on accreditation being a barrier to the right response to epidemic management? Because in the times of crisis, tough choices need to be taken and following protocol could sometimes be a barrier?

Accreditation is an enabler, not a barrier. It is a WHO-approved method of quality measurement and improvement. It encourages patient safety as its primary objective. How can that be a barrier? High quality always costs less, ultimately. Take the example of Chinese companies supplying PPE and kits, since they have received a lot of publicity from across the world the Chinese government is forced to enforce quality control. Why should quality (accreditation is merely a quality tool) and accreditation be seen as anything else but a system and protocol that wants that the patient is safe and tries to ensure this through external checking of systems and policies? Who wants a defective kit or an N95 mask that does not do its job of filtering 95 per cent pathogens?

Now you know in an epidemic, most people at risk are the providers. We have seen that in earlier epidemics too. In fact, if we gather lessons from the Ebola outbreak in Western Africa, we see that many healthcare providers lost their lives. In India too, we fear that because we see a lot of our nursing and doctor resources being infected while providing treatment. How do we protect our providers?

It is true that healthcare workers are being harmed the most by COVID management. Whilst the percentage of mortality is high, morbidity and psychological damage are also very high. They are, as a BBC documentary I saw, said – ‘The only line’ not just the front line. You have only got to see the visuals of the mayhem in Italy (Lombardy), New York and the UK hospitals to realise this. In India, sadly these “warriors” and their “henchmen” (police, ambulance drivers and safai karamcharis) are also subjected to violence, derision and derogatory comments. I have very little doubt that the Indian healthcare worker will triumph – initially, they managed without or less of PPE, masks, goggles and gowns but they never gave up. Frugal healthcare and jugaad is a way of life for them but is it humane to expose them with improper gear, training and derision and violence?

What are the major changes that India will need to do to be epidemic-ready in future?

Hope springs eternal. What helped Singapore was that SARS had helped create a state of preparedness in terms of manpower, training, processes and infrastructure to better tackle the COVID epidemic. The Nipah virus disease outbreak helped Kerala to be better acquainted with managing epidemics. I am quite sure lessons will be learnt, in fact, are being learnt as we adopt best practices from one state to the other and from one country to the other.

The key will be not to forget these lessons and not to allow a chalta hai approach pervade our psyche nor allow a bureaucratic approach to overcome the scientific vigour. The cooperation among technocrats, bureaucrats and politicians will determine the fate in future too and when it comes to managing healthcare in India in a judicious way, public and private distinctions will need to drop. All hands on deck have to be the approach.

Technology and science must be the way finders and be relied upon increasingly in a changing landscape of healthcare that is in the offing.

Business World |

Covid-19 puts financial strain on private healthcare players: Dr Nandakumar Jairam

Dr Nandakumar Jairam, Co-Chair, FICCI Health services committee and CEO, Chairman & Group MD, Columbia Asia Hospitals discusses the struggles of private healthcare providers during the pandemic with Shweta of BW Businessworld

What is the impact of Lockdown due to Covid-19 on Health Sector?

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected us in several ways. Firstly, it has strained the healthcare resources of the country as the healthcare sector has to brace itself for many patients, some requiring intensive care, others isolation, all mandated in the management of Covid-19 patients. This has stressed the healthcare infrastructure considerably.

Also, because of the pandemic, there is fear and patients with other conditions are not seeking care in hospitals. This depletion in the number of patients has created a financial strain on private healthcare and providers are looking at the means of ensuring that they continue to survive in this environment. Their presence is necessary, not only for Covid-19 patients but also for others with routine health issues.

Another way in which this has affected the health care sector is that the stress levels of all health care workers have risen. One understands that this is not just because of the fear of getting infected, but various other factors like staying away from family, different environment to stay, working hours etc.

Finally, I would say that certain things have improved. In the initial stages, there were concerns of shortages of protective gear for healthcare professionals and the quality of what was available. This has improved.

How essential it is to resume certain areas or units of the healthcare industry?

It is heartening that the government has very clearly and very proactively put down the path for the management of Covid-19 patients throughout the country. This has enabled us to understand that there would be dedicated hospitals for Covid-19. So, it is important that patients do not fear that they would contract Covid-19 by visiting the other hospitals and routine work should and could start.

We must understand that babies still must be born, TB patients must be treated. Other patients with conditions like hypertension, dialysis, and renal failure, need to continue their treatment because their treatment is crucial to prevent complications. Routine work must restart quickly, and the government should do everything possible to do so.

Also, I have heard that the government is looking at other activities like extending more labs to do Covid-19 testing, that is extremely important because that is very crucial for us to diagnose and contain the epidemic patients. We have done very well in the last several weeks of the pandemic in our own country compared to others.

The manufacturing industry involved in producing biomedical equipment needs to double up quickly and all medical infrastructure needs to ramp up. I hear that MHA is looking in this direction and an announcement regarding this is awaited. I hope it starts on the 20th of April.

How prepared are the private hospitals for coronavirus patients?

There are fever and flu clinics that both private and government healthcare has set-up and at these, we do find patients coming in. However, inpatients are by and large directed to hospitals by the government. Today, in our hospitals, we have very few Covid-19 patients as most of them go to the designated hospitals. We would only admit patients based on instructions and specific orders from the health authorities. We would not like to contravene or interfere in the smooth and efficient manner in which the entire government machinery has acted in the situation.

Hydroxychloroquine is considered to be a precautionary drug. In many cases, it has proven to be effective but in how many cases it has failed?

The value of Hydroxychloroquine in the management Covid-19 is not proven. Many centres have questioned its value. The ICMR, however, has suggested that this should be used for protection in specific situations namely, in the healthcare personnel who are exposed and for families who have come in contact with Covid-19 positive patients.

It does not mean that taking hydroxychloroquine gives you immunity against the virus. It may only mean that the disease is maybe a little less virulent. However, as stated this is not a proven point.

It is difficult to say how many failures there are because the very value of the drug is still questioned. Only time will tell us, as to whether this drug has any clinical use in the treatment or prevention of this infection.

Apart from safeguarding the healthcare service providers, where else the health sector lacks? How can we overcome it?

In the subsequent months and years, we need to relook at the entire healthcare sector of this country. It is necessary that the government and private players dialogue and understand what the lacunae are, and how one should be prepared to rejig.

Clearly, the number of beds and the infrastructure that is required for a population of our size is still much less than what is optimal. Also, there are more beds available in urban centres, fewer beds and infrastructure and few specialists in the rural areas and in the semi-urban areas. This itself is a problem and requires to be addressed.

Health, remaining a state subject, has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. A comprehensive plan to restructure healthcare in the country should be evolved in conjunction with both the private and the public level. Bodies like Niti Aayog would be best off looking at it.

Further, it is important to note that there is still a lack of specialists in the country. Medical infrastructure and equipment like ventilators are far from what is optimal in numbers for the country.

If private healthcare has to survive, the government will have to look at how to support them. Today, nearly 70-80 per cent of healthcare in the country is provided by private healthcare players, yet they are not in good financial shape. And if private health care does not survive because of financial considerations then the entire healthcare of the nation will crumble.

Keeping this in mind, I would urge that we have a long and medium-term of solution for healthcare in India.

Do you think India has enough resources and funds to tackle the pandemic, like Covid-19 both now and for the future? What about clinical research?

Opportunities for research in India is immense. The number of patients that India has and the population automatically make it a very convenient place to do clinical research. I would strongly suggest that we should invest in clinical research in India, which would enable us to innovate and come up with solutions which are cost-effective in healthcare.

With this pandemic, we have proved that the country can quickly put up necessary resources and fight, irrespective of how big the problem is. I do not believe that even the developed countries have shown the kind of grit that we have, and the resources that came together at one shot, the speed, the efficiency are commendable. This needs to continue.

Earlier, there was mutual mistrust between the government and the private health care, which was detrimental and not helping us to move forward. This has been, thanks to the pandemic, put to rest. However, this needs to have permanency. We need to work together and ensure that we understand each other's focus, importance and presence and move forward.

The New Indian Express |

Private healthcare sector in ICU: FICCI-EY study

COVID-19 has left the private healthcare sector in a financial distress. Private hospitals and laboratories that were already facing multiple challenges will witness an acute crisis because of the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, which has resulted in occupancy levels fall to a mere 40% by late-March as against pre-COVID occupancy levels of over 65-70%. It is expected to go down further, a FICCI-EY study showed.

The impact on diagnostic labs is even worse with almost 80% fall in patient visits and revenues, said the study, conducted by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry and Ernst and Young. Dr Sangita Reddy, president, FICCI, and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, said, “The private healthcare sector has stood beside the government to contain the virus and is committed to the war against COVID-19.

However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden, low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in outpatient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19 impacting the hospitals and laboratories like never before.” Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, said, “The crisis has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters.

Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.” “Private hospitals and nursing homes that constitute more than 60% of beds at 8.5-9 lakh, 60% of inpatients and 80% of doctors in India have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100% preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed,” the study said.

It will take at least three quarters to return to normalcy and operating losses of Rs 14,000-24,000 crore for the quarter are expected. The sector would need liquidity infusion, indirect and direct tax benefits, and fixed cost subsidies from the government to address the disruption, it said.Hospitals felt that the government is taking cognisance of financial strain in sectors like hospitality, tourism and construction, but ignoring the distress felt by the private healthcare sector.

Test and impact

FICCI and Ernst and Young assessed COVID impact on private hospital and diagnostic sectors.

The immediate impact on the sectors in the last week of March 2020, post the nation-wide lockdown, was studied.

The median performance across 91 private healthcare players (pre-COVID) was analysed.

March Week-wise revenue and occupancy levels of 10 hospitals and five diagnostic chains was looked into.

Discussions were held with 10 healthcare and diagnostic labs to understand post-COVID impact

The Times of India |

Gujarat lockdown losses: Private hospital occupancy shrinks to 25%

The 40-day nationwide lockdown imposed over two phases has severely shrunk the footfalls at private hospitals in Gujarat, leaving hospital managements grappling with piling overheads and little income. With negligible numbers at outside patient departments (OPDs), cancellation of elective surgeries, only emergency and trauma care services remaining operational, occupancy has drastically fallen across private hospitals, and consequently, revenues have taken a hard hit.

Estimates by Ahmedabad Hospitals and Nursing-homes Association (AHNA) suggest that hospital occupancy has fallen to 25% across most city hospitals. As a result, handling fixed overhead costs is a major concern.

Dr Bharat Gadhvi, president, AHNA, said, “The occupancy at hospitals has reduced by 75%, which mainly comprise emergency patients and those critically ill. Besides, with restricted vehicular movement due to the lockdown, trauma cases have gone down too. Many a time, patients willing to come for check-up are unable to reach hospitals and thus, footfalls for OPDs also reduce. This is a major financial loss to private hospitals because their overhead costs remain the same.”

“With dwindling revenues, hospitals are mulling over cost-cutting because the outlook for the year ahead does not look too bright,” said Gadhvi who is also the regional director for Gujarat at HCG Hospitals.

Citing a report by FICCI, industry sources revealed that overall revenues of private hospitals will be dented because of a decline in average occupancies by 65-70%. “Operating losses for hospitals will be fairly high and since the healthcare industry operates on thin margins, we’re looking at negative or single-digit earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBIDTA) across the sector,” said a source.

In fact, some believe that overhead costs will further increase with the risk of Covid transmission. “Despite limited income, hospitals will have to bear overhead costs. Even though the lockdown is lifted, the s i t u a - tion is not expected to improve overnight with the current trend of spike in cases. Therefore, private hospitals will have to take additional precautions and impose strictest hygiene and safety standards, by making hand sanitizers, masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) available to the staff. All this will come at added costs to the hospital management,” said Dr Vikram Shah, chairman and managing director, Shalby Hospitals.

Industry players have also raised concerns over the loss in revenues that may be triggered in case there is temporary shutting down of most hospital operations in case any staffer tests Covid-positive.

With looming uncertainty over the return of normalcy in public life and curbs on international travel expected to remain longer, sustaining revenues will be a challenge across private hospitals. “60-70% patients at our hospital come from outside Gujarat because access to healthcare infrastructure and high-end treatments are not easily available in every town and city of the country. With lockdown likely to be lifted in a staggered manner, inflow of patients from outside the state will reduce,” said Shah.

Private hospitals are mulling over measures for cost-cutting and reducing overheads amid the impact. “Most elective surgeries have been postponed and there is little likelihood of many of them being taken up, especially from patients who are visiting from outside Ahmedabad or even Gujarat. Overheads for hospitals remain the same and as a result, cost-cutting measures are being mulled over,” said Nimisha Gandhi, chief executive officer, Sterling Hospital in Ahmedabad.

Medical Buyer |

Private Healthcare Sector In ICU

COVID-19 has left the private healthcare sector in a financial distress. Private hospitals and laboratories that were already facing multiple challenges will witness an acute crisis because of the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, which has resulted in occupancy levels fall to a mere 40% by late-March as against pre-COVID occupancy levels of over 65-70%. It is expected to go down further, a FICCI-EY study showed.

The impact on diagnostic labs is even worse with almost 80% fall in patient visits and revenues, said the study, conducted by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry and Ernst and Young. Dr Sangita Reddy, president, FICCI, and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, said, “The private healthcare sector has stood beside the government to contain the virus and is committed to the war against COVID-19.

However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden, low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in outpatient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19 impacting the hospitals and laboratories like never before.” Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, said, “The crisis has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters.

Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.” “Private hospitals and nursing homes that constitute more than 60% of beds at 8.5-9 lakh, 60% of inpatients and 80% of doctors in India have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100% preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed,” the study said.

It will take at least three quarters to return to normalcy and operating losses of Rs 14,000-24,000 crore for the quarter are expected. The sector would need liquidity infusion, indirect and direct tax benefits, and fixed cost subsidies from the government to address the disruption, it said.Hospitals felt that the government is taking cognisance of financial strain in sectors like hospitality, tourism and construction, but ignoring the distress felt by the private healthcare sector.

Other recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector are:
  • Indirect tax reliefs/ exemptions/ waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements for a stipulated period; Customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of COVID patients; Waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, Extension of time under the EPCG scheme etc.
  • Income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, penalty for a stipulated period (3-6 months)
  • Rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period

INVC News |

COVID-19 pandemic leaves the private healthcare sector in financial distress: FICCI-EY Study

The already strained healthcare industry has been feeling the negative economic impact of COVID-19 with sliding bed occupancies and uncertainty of the burden of the virus. Yet, private hospitals and nursing homes, that constitute more than 60% of beds at 8.5-9 lac, 60% of inpatients and 80% of doctors in India, have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100% preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed.

While the government is taking cognizance of financial strain in sectors like hospitality, tourism, construction, little is being discussed regarding the distress felt by the private healthcare sector.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, expressed that “the private healthcare sector in India has stood besides the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19;which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

The Prime Minister‘s call to the nation to honour the healthcare professionals has indeed been a morale booster. However, with dwindling revenues, government measures in terms of liquidity infusion, tax reliefs and other waivers have become crucial for the survival of health services providers of the country.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals shared that, “the financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up,due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.”

In view of this, FICCI in partnership with EY, carried out a study of the economic impact of COVID-19 on private healthcare sector. The report reveals that the private hospitals and laboratories, which were already facing multiple challenges, will witness an acute crisis due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, which has resulted in occupancy levels to fall to a mere 40% by late-Marchvis-à-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of ~65-70%. This is expected to reduce even further. Impact on diagnostic labs is even worse, with almost 80% fall in patient visits and revenue.

Mr Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner-Healthcare, EY India, while expressing concern, shared that“While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for “differential” financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis”.

FICCI-EY report recommends government support through Liquidity infusion for financing of the operating losses through short term interest free/ concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of Rs 14,000 -24,000 Cr.

Although the government has issued a notification for the release of government dues under CGHS and ECHS schemes to private hospitals, which is in the range of INR 1700-2000 crores, the payment is yet to be processed. Immediate release of such dues is crucial.

Other recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector are:
  • Indirect tax reliefs/ exemptions/ waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements for a stipulated period; Customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of COVID patients; Waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, Extension of time under the EPCG scheme etc.
  • Income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, penalty for a stipulated period (3-6 months)
  • Rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period
About study:

FICCI and EY assessed COVID impact on the private hospital and diagnostic sectors basis the study of immediate impact in the last week of March 2020, post the nation-wide lockdown:
  • Studied median performance across 91 private healthcare players (pre-COVID)
  • Analysed March week-wise revenue and occupancy levels of 10 hospitals and 5 diagnostic chains
  • Discussion with 10 healthcare and diagnostic labs to understand post-COVID impact

Live Chennai |

COVID-19 pandemic leaves the private healthcare sector in financial distress: FICCI-EY Study

  • The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an adverse impact on the private healthcare sector resulting in 70 - 80% drop in footfall, test volumes and 50-70% drop in revenue in last ten days of March; expected to sustain in the month of April with continued lockdown.
  • Many small hospitals and nursing homes, especially in tier-II and III cities, have been forced to close down their operations since their cash flows have dried-up.
  • Possible ramp-up will be gradual, taking at least three quarters for return to normalcy.
  • With an estimated impact of Rs. 14,000 to 24,000 Cr operating losses for the quarter, the sector would need liquidity infusion, indirect and direct tax benefits, and fixed cost subsidies from the Government to address the disruption.
The already strained healthcare industry has been feeling the negative economic impact of COVID-19 with sliding bed occupancies and uncertainty of the burden of the virus. Yet, private hospitals and nursing homes, that constitute more than 60% of beds at 8.5-9 lac, 60% of inpatients and 80% of doctors in India, have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables, and other resources to ensure 100% preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed.

While the government is taking cognizance of financial strain in sectors like hospitality, tourism, construction, little is being discussed regarding the distress felt by the private healthcare sector.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, expressed that “the private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz. low financial performance in the pre-COVID state; a sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

The Prime Minister‘s call to the nation to honor the healthcare professionals has indeed been a morale booster. However, with dwindling revenues, government measures in terms of liquidity infusion, tax reliefs, and other waivers have become crucial for the survival of health services providers of the country.

Dr. Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals shared that, “the financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.”

In view of t this, FICCI in partnership with EY carried out a study of the economic impact of COVID-19 on the private healthcare sector. The report reveals that the private hospitals and laboratories, which were already facing multiple challenges, will witness an acute crisis due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, which has resulted in occupancy levels to fall to a mere 40% by late-Marchvis-à-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of ~65-70%. This is expected to reduce even further. The impact on diagnostic labs is even worse, with almost 80% fall inpatient visits and revenue.

Mr. Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner-Healthcare, EY India, while expressing concern, shared that“While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for “differential” financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilize its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis”.

FICCI-EY report recommends government support through Liquidity infusion for the financing of the operating losses through short term interest-free/ concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of Rs 14,000 -24,000 Cr.

Although the government has issued a notification for the release of government dues under CGHS and ECHS schemes to private hospitals, which is in the range of INR 1700-2000 crores, the payment is yet to be processed. Immediate release of such dues is crucial.

Other recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector are:
  • Indirect tax reliefs/ exemptions/ waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements for a stipulated period; Customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables, and devices for treatment of COVID patients; Waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, Extension of time under the EPCG scheme, etc.
  • Income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, the penalty for a stipulated period (3-6 months)
  • Rebate on the commercial rate of power for a stipulated period
About study:

FICCI and EY assessed COVID impact on the private hospital and diagnostic sectors basis the study of immediate impact in the last week of March 2020, post the nation-wide lockdown:
  • Studied median performance across 91 private healthcare players (pre-COVID)
  • Analyzed March week-wise revenue and occupancy levels of 10 hospitals and 5 diagnostic chains
  • Discussion with 10 healthcare and diagnostic labs to understand the post-COVID impact

Pen News |

COVID-19 pandemic leaves private healthcare sector in financial distress: FICCI-EY study

The already strained healthcare industry has been feeling the negative economic impact of COVID-19 with sliding bed occupancies and uncertainty of the burden of the virus.

A statement issued here on Friday said, yet, private hospitals and nursing homes, that constitute more than 60 per cent of beds at 8.5-9 lakh, 60 percent of inpatients and 80 percent of doctors in India, have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100 per cent preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed.

While the government is taking cognisance of financial strain in sectors like hospitality, tourism, construction, little is being discussed regarding the distress felt by the private healthcare sector. Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, expressed that ''the private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry's triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19;which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.''

The Prime Minister's call to the nation to honour the healthcare professionals has indeed been a morale booster. However, with dwindling revenues, government measures in terms of liquidity infusion, tax reliefs and other waivers have become crucial for the survival of health services providers of the country. Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals shared that, ''the financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to shut down the shutters.

Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.'' In view of this, FICCI in partnership with EY, carried out a study of the economic impact of COVID-19 on the private healthcare sector. The report reveals that the private hospitals and laboratories, which were already facing multiple challenges, will witness an acute crisis due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, which has resulted in occupancy levels to fall to a mere 40 per cent by late-March Vis-à-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of 65-70 per cent.

This is expected to reduce even further. Impact on diagnostic labs is even worse, with almost 80 per cent fall in patient visits and revenue. Mr Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner-Healthcare, EY India, while expressing concern, shared that ''While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for “differential” financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis''. FICCI-EY report recommends government support through Liquidity infusion for financing of the operating losses through short term interest free/ concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of Rs 14,000 -24,000 Cr.

Although the government has issued a notification for the release of government dues under CGHS and ECHS schemes to private hospitals, which is in the range of INR 1700-2000 crores, the payment is yet to be processed. Immediate release of such dues is crucial. Other recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector are: Indirect tax reliefs/ exemptions/ waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements for a stipulated period; customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of COVID patients; Waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, extension of time under the EPCG scheme Income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, penalty for a stipulated period (3-6) amount Rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period

Indi Lens |

Covid-19: Private hospitals struggling, need financial stimulus from government, says report

India’s private healthcare sector needs at least three quarters to return to normal as the restricted treatment of non-coronavirus health conditions has brought patient footfall down by 70% to 80%, a report has claimed. The sector needs a liquidity push as well as subsidies from the government to recover, said the report, prepared by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and consultancy firm EY.
The Covid-19 pandemic has infected more than 20 lakh people globally – around 13,000 of those in India. With the fast transmission rate of the coronavirus that causes the infection, most countries have had to lock down cities and restrict public movement. India has been under lockdown since March 25, and the government has asked citizens not to overwhelm hospitals by visiting them for regular health checkups and surgeries that can be postponed.
According to the FICCI-EY study, revenue of the private healthcare sector declined 50% to 70% in the last 10 days of March, and this is expected to remain so in April due to the continuing lockdown. Occupancy levels in private hospitals fell to just 40% in late March, as compared to around 65% to 70% before the pandemic, the report said, projecting an even…

The New Indian Express |

Healthcare sector set for large operational losses amid COVID-19 lockdown: Study

For the already shaky private healthcare industry, the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 has come as a body blow, says study jointly released by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Ernst & Young on Thursday. With occupancy rates plunging, the report expects the sector to see significant operational losses.

According to the analysts, the sector would see operational losses of Rs 4,500 crore a month if occupancy levels remain at 35 per cent and a whopping Rs 7,500 crore a month if occupancy rates fall to 20 per cent.

“Hospitals are witnessing a drop in both domestic and international patient footfalls and elective surgeries, resulting in occupancy levels to fall to a mere 40 per cent by late-March vis-a-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of ~65-70 per cent and is expected to reduce further,” the report said, adding that diagnostic labs have seen an 80 per cent fall in revenue and footfall.

“The sector would need liquidity infusion, indirect and direct tax benefits, and fixed cost subsidies from the government to address the disruption,” the study noted. The onset of operating losses will cause cash balances to be fully depleted if the situation persists for a quarter, it added.

“There is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden: low financial performance in the pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19,” said Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI.

Loss of Rs 4,500 crore a month

Healthcare sector will see operational losses of Rs 4,500 crore a month if occupancy levels remain at 35 per cent and a whopping Rs 7,500 crore a month if occupancy rates fall to 20 per cent.

The Hindu Business Line |

Covid-19 leaves private healthcare sector in financial distress: FICCI-EY study

The Covid-19 pandemic has had an adverse impact on the private healthcare sector, resulting in 70- 80 per cent drop in footfall, test volumes and 50-70 per cent drop in revenue in the last 10 days of March.

And this is expected to sustain in the month of April with the continued lockdown, according to the findings of a FICCI-Ernst & Young survey.

Many small hospitals and nursing homes, especially in Tier-II and -III cities, have been forced to shut their operations since their cash flows have dried up. Any possible ramp-up will be gradual, taking at least three quarters for return to normalcy.

With an estimated impact of ₹14,000-24,000 crore in operating losses for the quarter, the sector would need liquidity infusion, indirect and direct tax benefits, and fixed cost subsidies from the government to address the disruption.

Covid-19 burden

While they have been feeling the burden of Covid-19, private hospitals and nursing homes - that constitute more than 60 per cent of beds at 8.5-9 lakh, 60 per cent of in-patients and 80 per cent of doctors in India - have been investing heavily in manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100 per cent preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed.

Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said: “There is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden of low financial performance in pre-Covid state, sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to Covid-19, which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

Government support

The Prime Minister’s call to honour healthcare professionals has indeed been a morale booster. However, with dwindling revenues, government measures in terms of liquidity infusion, tax reliefs and other waivers have become crucial for the survival of health services providers of the country.

Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner, Healthcare, EY India, said: “While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for ‘differential’ financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis.”

The FICCI-EY report recommends government support through liquidity infusion for financing the operating losses through short-term interest free/concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of ₹14,000-24,000 crore.

Live Mint |

Health insurers in a fix as pvt hospitals seek higher rates for covid treatment

Health insurers have been grappling with claims as high as ₹7 lakhs as private hospitals seek higher package rates for treating a covid-19 patient.

Abhay Soi, chairman of Max Healthcare and Radiant Life Sciences, in a video conference on Wednesday had said the cost of care has moved up because of the disruption, requirement for personal protective equipment (PPE), and the greater risks faced by doctors.

“We are in discussions with insurance providers for increasing package rates," Soi said.

Max Healthcare’s hospital in Delhi’s Saket area has 32 patients of covid-19, of which 15 are in the intensive care unit, including three on ventilator support, according to a Delhi government’s bulletin on Wednesday. There are around 600-700 patients in its hospitals across the national capital, Soi said.

Due to the crisis, other large private hospitals have also been approaching health insurance firms to discuss package rates for treatment of the disease.

“Because pandemics are a once-in-a-hundred-years phenomenon, the pricing was not taken into consideration by insurers anywhere in the world," Mahavir Chopra, a health insurance expert, said. “My understanding is that there will be a review of the possibilities of how costs can go up because this is something insurers and reinsurers are grappling with currently."

But the problem is not only with high claims, but also the variance in claim amounts. And so health insurers are also seeking standardised rates.

“The issue that we are facing out of the little claims experience that we have is that the size of the claims varies significantly. Some claims are just ₹1.5 lakh and some go up to ₹7 lakh. It is very important to bring about some sort of standardisation for Covid-related claims similar to how there is blanket standardisation on the cost of testing," Ritesh Kumar, managing director and chief executive officer of HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company, told Mint. He added that hospitals also feel the need for standardisation.

Apart from covid-19 treatment, there is also an issue of treatment of other diseases, which were already included in the insurance schemes, but hospitals say that currently, with lower footfalls that may not be the most important factor for them.

“Our costs have gone up, but we haven’t started doing that (approaching health insurance firms) as yet because at this point of time there is anyway not enough occupancy to be worrying about that," Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd group chief financial officer Krishnan Akhileswaran told Mint, adding that the country’s largest hospital chain will reconsider its options after monitoring the situation for 15 days.

Fortis Healthcare said it will continue to provide services at existing prices despite a rise in cost, and its focus is to maintain continuity of services for the benefit of patients.

“Yes, costs have increased, such as for PPE for the surgeons, doctors and nurses; use of disposable sheets etc. but right now, we have not calculated the cost per procedure and we continue to provide our services at existing prices," a spokesperson for Fortis Healthcare told Mint in a statement.

Fortis Healthcare-operated Hiranandini Hospital at Vashi on the outskirts of Mumbai has been designated as dedicated COVID 19 facility, while it is also treating patients at Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram, as well as two hospitals in Mumbai, and one each in Kolkata, Bengaluru and Amritsar.

Most private hospitals said their costs have increased even as revenue streams have been hit by lower occupancy rates and decline in footfalls in outpatient departments (OPDs), fewer elective surgeries and a fall in international patients.

“The covid-19 pandemic has caused an adverse impact on the private healthcare sector resulting in 70 – 80% drop in footfall, test volumes and 50-70% drop in revenue in last ten days of March that is expected to sustain in month of April with continued lock down," a joint report by consultancy firm Ernst & Young and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) said on Thursday.

The report estimated operating losses of ₹14,000-24,000 crore per quarter if the situation continues.

For now, processing claims for treatment of covid-19 is being done on a priority, say insurance firm executives, who believe that such wide difference in value would create issues and suggest standardisation in terms of whether the patient needs just normal treatment for milder symptoms or has to be shifted to intensive care unit and put on ventilator for severe symptoms.

“The entire architecture of the treatment for covid is defined by ICMR. But if treatment protocols get defined based on the severity of the cases then obviously cost also will get defined. We are still in the initial stage. I think it will take some time till things become clearer," Sanjay Dutta, Chief - underwriting, claims and reinsurance at ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co, told Mint.

SME Futures |

FICCI-EY study: COVID-19 pandemic leaves the private healthcare sector in financial distress

The already strained healthcare industry has been feeling the negative economic impact of COVID-19 with sliding bed occupancies and uncertainty of the burden of the virus. Yet, private hospitals and nursing homes, that constitute more than 60 per cent of beds at 8.5-9 lac, 60 per cent of inpatients and 80 per cent of doctors in India, have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100 per cent preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed.

COVID-19 pandemic has caused adverse impact on private healthcare sector resulting in 70 – 80 per cent drop in footfall, test volumes and 50-70 per cent drop in revenue in last ten days of March; expected to sustain in month of April with continued lock down.

Many small hospitals and nursing homes, especially in tier-II and III cities, have been forced to close down their operations since their cash flows have dried-up. Possible ramp up will be gradual, taking at least three quarters for return to normalcy.

With an estimated impact of Rs. 14,000 to Rs. 24,000 Crore operating losses for the quarter, the sector would need liquidity infusion, indirect and direct tax benefits, and fixed cost subsidies from the Government to address the disruption.

While the government is taking cognizance of financial strain in sectors like hospitality, tourism, construction, little is being discussed regarding the distress felt by the private healthcare sector.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “The private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

The Prime Minister’s call to the nation to honour the healthcare professionals has indeed been a morale booster. However, with dwindling revenues, government measures in terms of liquidity infusion, tax reliefs and other waivers have become crucial for the survival of health services providers of the country.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, said, “The financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.”

In view of this, FICCI in partnership with EY, carried out a study of the economic impact of COVID-19 on private healthcare sector. The report reveals that the private hospitals and laboratories, which were already facing multiple challenges, will witness an acute crisis due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, which has resulted in occupancy levels to fall to a mere 40 per cent by late-March vis-a-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of 65-70 per cent. This is expected to reduce even further. Impact on diagnostic labs is even worse, with almost 80 per cent fall in patient visits and revenue.

Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner- Healthcare, EY India, said, “While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for ‘differential’ financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis.”

FICCI-EY report recommends government support through Liquidity infusion for financing the operating losses through short term interest free/ concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of Rs. 14,000 -24,000 Cr.

Although the government has issued a notification for the release of government dues under CGHS and ECHS schemes to private hospitals, which is in the range of Rs. 1700-2000 crores, the payment is yet to be processed. Immediate release of such dues is crucial.

Other recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector are:
  • Indirect tax reliefs/ exemptions/ waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements for a stipulated period
  • Customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of COVID patients
  • Waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices
  • Extension of time under the EPCG scheme etc.
  • Income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, penalty for a stipulated period (3-6 months)
  • Rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period

Modern Ghana |

COVID-19 Pandemic leaves the private healthcare sector in financial distress: FICCI-EY Study

►The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an adverse impact on the private healthcare sector resulting in 70 – 80% drop in footfall, test volumes and 50-70% drop in revenue in last ten days of March; expected to sustain in month of April with continued lock down

► Many small hospitals and nursing homes, especially in tier-II and III cities, have been forced to close down their operations since their cash flows have dried-up

► Possible ramp up will be gradual, taking at least three quarters for return to normalcy

► With an estimated impact of Rs. 14,000 to 24,000 Cr operating losses for the quarter, the sector would need liquidity infusion, indirect and direct tax benefits, and fixed cost subsidies from the Government to address the disruption

The already strained healthcare industry has been feeling the negative economic impact of COVID-19 with sliding bed occupancies and uncertainty of the burden of the virus. Yet, private hospitals and nursing homes, that constitute more than 60% of beds at 8.5-9 lac, 60% of inpatients and 80% of doctors in India, have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100% preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed.

While the government is taking cognizance of financial strain in sectors like hospitality, tourism, construction, little is being discussed regarding the distress felt by the private healthcare sector.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, expressed that “the private healthcare sector in India has stood besides the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry's triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

The Prime Minister's call to the nation to honour the healthcare professionals has indeed been a morale booster. However, with dwindling revenues, government measures in terms of liquidity infusion, tax reliefs and other waivers have become crucial for the survival of health services providers of the country.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals shared that, “the financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.”

In view of this, FICCI in partnership with EY, carried out a study of the economic impact of COVID-19 on private healthcare sector. The report reveals that the private hospitals and laboratories, which were already facing multiple challenges, will witness an acute crisis due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, which has resulted in occupancy levels to fall to a mere 40% by late-March vis-à-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of ~65-70%. This is expected to reduce even further. Impact on diagnostic labs is even worse, with almost 80% fall in patient visits and revenue.

Mr Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner- Healthcare, EY India, while expressing concern, shared that “While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for “differential” financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis”.

FICCI-EY report recommends government support through Liquidity infusion for financing of the operating losses through short term interest free/ concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of Rs 14,000 -24,000 Cr.

Although the government has issued a notification for the release of government dues under CGHS and ECHS schemes to private hospitals, which is in the range of INR 1700-2000 crores, the payment is yet to be processed. Immediate release of such dues is crucial.

Other recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector are:
  • Indirect tax reliefs/ exemptions/ waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements for a stipulated period; Customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of COVID patients; Waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, Extension of time under the EPCG scheme etc.
  • Income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, penalty for a stipulated period (3-6 months)
  • Rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period
About study:

FICCI and EY assessed COVID impact on the private hospital and diagnostic sectors basis the study of immediate impact in the last week of March 2020, post the nation-wide lockdown:
  • Studied median performance across 91 private healthcare players (pre-COVID)
  • Analysed March week-wise revenue and occupancy levels of 10 hospitals and 5 diagnostic chains
  • Discussion with 10 healthcare and diagnostic labs to understand the post-COVID impact
About FICCI

Established in 1927, FICCI is the largest and oldest apex business organisation in India. Its history is closely interwoven with India's struggle for independence, its industrialization, and its emergence as one of the most rapidly growing global economies.

A non-government, not-for-profit organisation, FICCI is the voice of India's business and industry. From influencing policy to encouraging debate, engaging with policy makers and civil society, FICCI articulates the views and concerns of industry. It serves its members from the Indian private and public corporate sectors and multinational companies, drawing its strength from diverse regional chambers of commerce and industry across states, reaching out to over 2,50,000 companies.

FICCI provides a platform for networking and consensus building within and across sectors and is the first port of call for Indian industry, policy makers and the international business community.

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

ITIJ |

A massive loss in revenue for private hospitals in India

According to a new FICCI-EY report, private healthcare facilities in India have suffered revenue losses of up to 70 per cent during the final 10 days of March

Conducted by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Ernst & Young (EY), the report highlights that while private facilities in the region – which, together with nursing homes make up more than 60 per cent of beds, 60 per cent of in-patients and 80 per cent of doctors in India - have invested heavily in expensive medical equipment in recent times, a massive drop in the number of international patients due to travel curbs have left many facilities at a loss.

The lockdown has now also been extended until the 3 May, and the study predicts that it may take up to the third quarter before the situation there returns to normal.

Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said: “There is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden of low financial performance in the pre-Covid state, sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector and how this is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to Covid-19, which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner, Healthcare, EY India, also commented: “While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for ‘differential’ financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis.”

The New Indian Express |

COVID-19 leaves private healthcare sector in financial distress, in need of stimulus: FICCI-EY study

The private healthcare sector in the country is witnessing an unprecedented slowdown due to outbreak of coronavirus in India and the resultant lockdown, according to a FICCI-EY study.

"The pandemic has caused an adverse impact on the private healthcare sector resulting in 70-80 per cent drop in footfall, test volumes and 50-70 per cent drop in revenue in last ten days of March that is expected to sustain in month of April with continued lock down," the study said.

Possible ramp up will be gradual thereafter, taking at least three quarters for return to normalcy, according to the study titled 'COVID-19 impact assessment for private healthcare sector and key financial measures recommendations for the sector'.

"With an estimated impact of Rs 14,000-24,000 crore operating losses for the quarter, the sector would need liquidity infusion, indirect and direct tax benefits, and fixed cost subsidies from the government to address the disruption," the study said.

According to FICCI Health Services Committee Chair Alok Roy, the financial distress accentuated by the coronavirus lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II-III cities to pull down the shutters.

He added that many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.

"The private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19," said FICCI President Sangita Reddy.

However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry's triple burden - low financial performance in pre-coronavirus state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19 - which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before, she added.

In similar vein, EY India, Healthcare-Partner Kaivaan Movdawalla said, "While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for "differential" financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis."

Business World |

COVID-19 Pandemic leaves the private healthcare sector in financial distress: FICCI-EY Study

The already strained healthcare industry has been feeling the negative economic impact of COVID-19 with sliding bed occupancies and uncertainty of the burden of the virus. Yet, private hospitals and nursing homes, that constitute more than 60% of beds at 8.5-9 lac, 60% of inpatients and 80% of doctors in India, have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100% preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed.

While the government is taking cognizance of financial strain in sectors like hospitality, tourism, construction, little is being discussed regarding the distress felt by the private healthcare sector.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “The private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state;sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

The Prime Minister‘s call to the nation to honour the healthcare professionals has indeed been a morale booster. However, with dwindling revenues, government measures in terms of liquidity infusion, tax reliefs and other waivers have become crucial for the survival of health services providers of the country.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Health services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, said, “The financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.”

In view of this, FICCI in partnership with EY, carried out a study of the economic impact of COVID-19 on private healthcare sector. The report reveals that the private hospitals and laboratories, which were already facing multiple challenges, will witness an acute crisis due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, which has resulted in occupancy levels to fall to a mere 40% by late-March vis-à-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of ~65-70%. This is expected to reduce even further. Impact on diagnostic labs is even worse, with almost 80% fall in patient visits and revenue.

Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner- Healthcare, EY India, said, “While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for ‘differential’ financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis.”

FICCI-EY report recommends government support through Liquidity infusion for financing the operating losses through short term interest free/ concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of Rs 14,000 -24,000 Crore.

Although the government has issued a notification for the release of government dues under CGHS and ECHS schemes to private hospitals, which is in the range of Rs 1700-2000 crores, the payment is yet to be processed. Immediate release of such dues is crucial.

Other recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector include Indirect tax reliefs/ exemptions/ waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurement for a stipulated period; Customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of COVID patients; Waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, Extension of time under the EPCG scheme etc. The report also seeks Income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, penalty for a stipulated period (3-6 months) and Rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period.

FICCI and EY assessed COVID impact on the private hospital and diagnostic sectors basis the study of immediate impact in the last week of March 2020, post the nation-wide lockdown. It studied median performance across 91 private healthcare players (pre-COVID) and analysed March week-wise revenue and occupancy levels of 10 hospitals and 5 diagnostic chains. It also held discussion with 10 healthcare and diagnostic labs to understand post-COVID impact.

Business Today |

Private hospitals in trouble: Footfall crashes due to coronavirus fear; occupancy level falls 40%

As governments-central and states-are on a war footing to augment India's healthcare facilities to fight coronavirus pandemic, the key healthcare providers of the country are reeling under immense financial stress. Lower patient footfall, infection threat to staff and additional investment for coronavirus facilities are creating multiple challenges for private healthcare providers.

"With elective surgeries getting postponed only emergency cases like cancer patients or dialysis cases are reaching us. The occupancy rate across Max network hospitals is between 35 to 40 percent", Abhay Soi, chairman of Max Healthcare Institute and Radiant Life Care says. The dip in patient footfall comes at a time when the hospitals under the Max and Radiant brand are in the process of introducing a new protocol to protect their 14,000 strong staff across India from coronavirus.

The precarious condition of private hospitals was flagged in a recent study by consultancy firm EY and industry chamber FICCI. They found that the private hospitals and laboratories have seen occupancy levels fall to 40 percent by late-March vis-a-vis pre-coronavirus occupancy levels of 65 to 70 percent. Diagnostic labs have seen 80 percent fall in patient visits and revenue.

FICCI-EY study estimates the operating losses of private healthcare providers to be about Rs 4,500 crore for a month and Rs 13,400 crore for a quarter if revenues are at 50 percent (occupancy of 35 percent).

India's private hospitals and nursing homes account for more than 60 percent of beds at 8.5-9 lakh, 60 percent of inpatients and 80 percent of doctors in India. The leading hospitals have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to join the fight against coronavirus.

"The private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry's triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before", Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said.

While it's a financial crisis for the major healthcare providers, the small, standalone nursing homes and hospitals across India are finding it difficult to run the institutions.

In a letter to the central government, United Nurses Association of India, a body that represents over 5 lakh nurses in the country, alleges that several private hospitals nursing homes that are unable to procure protective gear for frontline healthcare workers are asking them either to work without protective equipment or leave their jobs, thus creating enormous mental stress and distress among the fraternity.

The FICCI-EY study had also sensed the level of distress among small nursing homes. "The financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries," Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, said.

The FICCI-EY report, which looked at the median performance of 74 hospital groups and 17 diagnostic chains suggests that the central government should take urgent measures to assist the private sector players through liquidity infusion, tax reliefs and other waivers to tide over the crisis. It recommends government support through liquidity infusion for financing the operating losses through short term interest free/concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of Rs 14,000-24,000 crore.

"While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for 'differential' financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis," Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner-Healthcare, EY India, said.

The industry has also asked for immediate release of government dues under CGHS and ECHS schemes, which is in the range of Rs 1700-2000 crore, to private hospitals.

Outlook |

Covid-19 leaves pvt healthcare sector in financial distress, in need of stimulus: Ficci-EY study

The private healthcare sector in the country is witnessing an unprecedented slowdown due to outbreak of Covid-19 in India and the resultant lockdown, according to a FICCI-EY study.

"The pandemic has caused an adverse impact on the private healthcare sector resulting in 70-80 per cent drop in footfall, test volumes and 50-70 per cent drop in revenue in last ten days of March that is expected to sustain in month of April with continued lock down," the study said.

Possible ramp up will be gradual thereafter, taking at least three quarters for return to normalcy, according to the study titled ''Covid-19 impact assessment for private healthcare sector and key financial measures recommendations for the sector''.

"With an estimated impact of Rs 14,000-24,000 crore operating losses for the quarter, the sector would need liquidity infusion, indirect and direct tax benefits, and fixed cost subsidies from the government to address the disruption," the study said.

According to FICCI Health Services Committee Chair Alok Roy, the financial distress accentuated by Covid-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II-III cities to pull down the shutters.

Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries, he added.

FICCI President Sangita Reddy said: "the private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against Covid-19".

However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry''s triple burden - low financial performance in pre-Covid state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to Covid-19 - which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before, she added.

In similar vein, EY India, Healthcare-Partner Kaivaan Movdawalla said: "While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for “differential” financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis".

DT Next |

Covid-19 leaves pvt healthcare sector in financial distress, in need of stimulus: FICCI-EY study

"The pandemic has caused an adverse impact on the private healthcare sector resulting in 70-80 per cent drop in footfall, test volumes and 50-70 per cent drop in revenue in last ten days of March that is expected to sustain in month of April with continued lock down," the study said.

Possible ramp up will be gradual thereafter, taking at least three quarters for return to normalcy, according to the study titled 'Covid-19 impact assessment for private healthcare sector and key financial measures recommendations for the sector'.

"With an estimated impact of Rs 14,000-24,000 crore operating losses for the quarter, the sector would need liquidity infusion, indirect and direct tax benefits, and fixed cost subsidies from the government to address the disruption," the study said.

According to FICCI Health Services Committee Chair Alok Roy, the financial distress accentuated by Covid-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II-III cities to pull down the shutters.

Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries, he added.

FICCI President Sangita Reddy said: "the private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against Covid-19".

However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry's triple burden - low financial performance in pre-Covid state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to Covid-19 - which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before, she added.

In similar vein, EY India, Healthcare-Partner Kaivaan Movdawalla said: "While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for differential financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis".

Pharma Biz |

Indian private healthcare sector in need of financial stimulus with large reduction in patient footfall: EY-FICCI study

With the outbreak of COVID-19 in India and stipulated lockdown, the private healthcare sector is witnessing an unprecedented slowdown as per EY-FICCI study titled, “COVID-19 impact assessment for private healthcare sector and key financial measures recommendations for the sector.”

The study is based on an assessment of private healthcare players in the country to assess the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and provides recommendations on the fiscal stimulus measures it needs in the coming months.

The sector is expected to witness short term operating losses to the tune of Rs. 14,000 to Rs. 24,000 crore for a quarter. For the hospital sector, which is already constrained with liquidity, onset of such losses will cause cash balances to be completely depleted within a month. Given the capital-intensive nature of the sector, interest coverage ratio (which is already low at 2) will get further constrained to negative 6 to 9. The revenue for the sector in FY 21 is also expected to be lower by 20-35% (compared to FY 20) resulting in early single digit or negative EBITDA for the full year with annual ROCEs estimated at -5 to -15%.

Kaivaan Movdawalla, partner – Healthcare, EY India, says, “While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for “differential” financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis.”

Dr Sangita Reddy, president, FICCI and joint managing director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises expressed, “The private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

The industry was already in a very fragile state in the pre-COVID state in terms of its financial robustness.

Median return on capital employed of ~7% which is lower than cost of capital of 14%, early double-digit operating margins and median profit after tax (PAT) margin of 3%. The sector was also operating on cash balance of only 19 days to sustain expenses. Given the capital-intensive nature of the industry, the interest coverage ratio also stands at only 2.

The private healthcare sector has witnessed an 80% fall in patient visits and test volumes and revenue drop of 50-70% in end March. Occupancy levels have fallen to a mere 30-40% by late-March vis-à-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of ~65-70%, which is expected to further exacerbate with the lockdown in April.

No/very limited latitude to reduce fixed cost and perhaps accommodate increase in costs in context of infection control and need for Personal Protection Equipments (PPEs).

While bed utilization is low, private hospitals are expected to be pro-active and prepared to manage any eventuality emerging from this epidemic situation. Hence, opportunity to rationalize fixed costs is very limited unlike other industry sectors. Increase in costs owing to infection control and PPE also needs to be accommodated.

Dr Alok Roy, chair- FICCI Healthservices Committee and chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals shared, “The financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.”

During the time of this pandemic, hospitals and medical professionals from doctors to nurses to support staff, who are the brave frontline soldiers fighting the war against COVID, are facing difficult times. There is an urgent call for action to address the immediate need of the sector and consider the recommendations for financial stimulus for the private healthcare sector.

The study suggests below recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector like liquidity infusion- short term interest free/ concessional interest loans to address the operating losses expected for the quarter and immediate 100% release of dues locked with central and state government authorities.

Indirect tax reliefs/ exemptions/ waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements for a stipulated period, customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of COVID patients, waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, extension of time under the EPCG scheme etc.

This also includes income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, penalty for a stipulated period (3-6 months) and rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period.

Telangana Today |

Healthcare stares at Rs 14,000-cr loss

With the outbreak of Covid-19 in India and stipulated lockdown, the private healthcare sector is experiencing severe stress, with expected short-term operating losses to the tune of Rs 14,000 to 24,000 crore for the quarter, according to a EY-FICCI study.

For the hospital sector, which is already constrained with liquidity, onset of such losses will cause cash balances to be completely depleted within a month. The revenue for the sector in FY21 is also expected to be lower by 20-35 per cent compared to FY20 resulting in early single digit or negative earnings for the full year. The private hospitals and nursing homes constitute more than 60 per cent of beds (at 8.5-9 lakh beds) 60 per cent of inpatients and 80 per cent of doctors in India.

The private healthcare sector has witnessed an 80 per cent fall in patient visits and test volumes, and revenue drop of 50-70 per cent in end March. Occupancy levels have fallen to a mere 30-40 per cent by late-March compared to pre-Covid occupancy levels of about 65-70 per cent, which is expected to further deteriorate this month. EY and FICCI studied median performance across 91 private healthcare players.

The sector is witnessing a slowdown as per the EY-FICCI study titled, “Covid-19 impact assessment for private healthcare sector and key financial measures recommendations for the sector.”

Dr Sangita Reddy, president, FICCI and joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, expressed that the private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against Covid-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden–low financial performance in pre-Covid state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to Covid-19 which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.

Recommendations to govt

FICCI and EY recommend short-term interest-free, concessional interest loans to cover operating losses; immediate release of Rs 1,700 crore dues locked with Central and State governments; Indirect tax reliefs, exemptions and waivers such as recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements estimated at Rs 2,000 crore for three months; customs duty, GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of Covid patients.

In addition to waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, the study recommends extension of time under the Export Promotion Capital Goods scheme for three years; recoup income tax refunds by adjusting taxes payable and tax dues; to declare tax deducted at source as NIL on payments from government authorities and insurance companies for FY21 and set at 5 per cent for FY22; deferment of statutory liability payments such as TDS, PF, ESI, GST without interest and penalty for 3-6 months; rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period. Estimated power cost for the sector is Rs 7,000 crore; and waiver of renewal fees for licenses along with option for renewal on self-certification basis to speed up the process of bed capacity addition.

First Post |

Coronavirus leaves private healthcare sector in financial distress, in need of stimulus: FICCI-EY study

The private healthcare sector in the country is witnessing an unprecedented slowdown due to the outbreak of Covid-19 in India and the resultant lockdown, according to a FICCI-EY study.

"The pandemic has caused an adverse impact on the private healthcare sector resulting in 70-80 percent drop in footfall, test volumes and 50-70 percent drop in revenue in the last ten days of March that is expected to sustain in the month of April with continued lockdown," the study said.

Possible ramp-up will be gradual thereafter, taking at least three quarters for return to normalcy, according to the study titled "Covid-19 impact assessment for the private healthcare sector and key financial measures recommendations for the sector".

"With an estimated impact of Rs 14,000-24,000 crore operating losses for the quarter, the sector would need liquidity infusion, indirect and direct tax benefits, and fixed cost subsidies from the government to address the disruption," the study said.

According to FICCI Health Services Committee Chair Alok Roy, the financial distress accentuated by Covid-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II-III cities to pull down the shutters.

Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries, he added.

FICCI President Sangita Reddy said: "the private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against Covid-19".

However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry's triple burden - low financial performance in the pre-Covid state; a sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to Covid-19 - which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before, she added.

In a similar vein, EY India, Healthcare-Partner Kaivaan Movdawalla said: "While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for “differential” financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis".

Orissa Diary |

COVID-19 pandemic leaves the private healthcare sector in financial distress: FICCI-EY study

The already strained healthcare industry has been feeling the negative economic impact of COVID-19 with sliding bed occupancies and uncertainty of the burden of the virus. Yet, private hospitals and nursing homes, that constitute more than 60% of beds at 8.5-9 lac, 60% of inpatients and 80% of doctors in India, have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100% preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed.

While the government is taking cognizance of financial strain in sectors like hospitality, tourism, construction, little is being discussed regarding the distress felt by the private healthcare sector.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “The private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

The Prime Minister’s call to the nation to honour the healthcare professionals has indeed been a morale booster. However, with dwindling revenues, government measures in terms of liquidity infusion, tax reliefs and other waivers have become crucial for the survival of health services providers of the country.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, said, “The financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.”

In view of this, FICCI in partnership with EY, carried out a study of the economic impact of COVID-19 on private healthcare sector. The report reveals that the private hospitals and laboratories, which were already facing multiple challenges, will witness an acute crisis due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, which has resulted in occupancy levels to fall to a mere 40% by late-March vis-a-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of ~65-70%. This is expected to reduce even further. Impact on diagnostic labs is even worse, with almost 80% fall in patient visits and revenue.

Mr Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner- Healthcare, EY India, said, “While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for ‘differential’ financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis.”

FICCI-EY report recommends government support through Liquidity infusion for financing the operating losses through short term interest free/ concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of Rs 14,000 -24,000 Cr.

Although the government has issued a notification for the release of government dues under CGHS and ECHS schemes to private hospitals, which is in the range of Rs 1700-2000 crores, the payment is yet to be processed. Immediate release of such dues is crucial.

Other recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector are:

Indirect tax reliefs/ exemptions/ waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements for a stipulated period; Customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of COVID patients; Waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, Extension of time under the EPCG scheme etc.
Income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, penalty for a stipulated period (3-6 months)
Rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period

Orissa Diary |

COVID-19 pandemic leaves the private healthcare sector in financial distress: FICCI-EY study

The already strained healthcare industry has been feeling the negative economic impact of COVID-19 with sliding bed occupancies and uncertainty of the burden of the virus. Yet, private hospitals and nursing homes, that constitute more than 60% of beds at 8.5-9 lac, 60% of inpatients and 80% of doctors in India, have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100% preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed.

While the government is taking cognizance of financial strain in sectors like hospitality, tourism, construction, little is being discussed regarding the distress felt by the private healthcare sector.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “The private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

The Prime Minister’s call to the nation to honour the healthcare professionals has indeed been a morale booster. However, with dwindling revenues, government measures in terms of liquidity infusion, tax reliefs and other waivers have become crucial for the survival of health services providers of the country.

Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, said, “The financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.”

In view of this, FICCI in partnership with EY, carried out a study of the economic impact of COVID-19 on private healthcare sector. The report reveals that the private hospitals and laboratories, which were already facing multiple challenges, will witness an acute crisis due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, which has resulted in occupancy levels to fall to a mere 40% by late-March vis-a-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of ~65-70%. This is expected to reduce even further. Impact on diagnostic labs is even worse, with almost 80% fall in patient visits and revenue.

Mr Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner- Healthcare, EY India, said, “While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for ‘differential’ financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis.”

FICCI-EY report recommends government support through Liquidity infusion for financing the operating losses through short term interest free/ concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of Rs 14,000 -24,000 Cr.

Although the government has issued a notification for the release of government dues under CGHS and ECHS schemes to private hospitals, which is in the range of Rs 1700-2000 crores, the payment is yet to be processed. Immediate release of such dues is crucial.

Other recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector are:

Indirect tax reliefs/ exemptions/ waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements for a stipulated period; Customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of COVID patients; Waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, Extension of time under the EPCG scheme etc.
Income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, penalty for a stipulated period (3-6 months)
Rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period

Scroll |

Covid-19: Private hospitals struggling, need financial stimulus from government, says report

India’s private healthcare sector needs at least three quarters to return to normal as the restricted treatment of non-coronavirus health conditions has brought patient footfall down by 70% to 80%, a report has claimed. The sector needs a liquidity push as well as subsidies from the government to recover, said the report, prepared by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and consultancy firm EY.

The Covid-19 pandemic has infected more than 20 lakh people globally – around 13,000 of those in India. With the fast transmission rate of the coronavirus that causes the infection, most countries have had to lock down cities and restrict public movement. India has been under lockdown since March 25, and the government has asked citizens not to overwhelm hospitals by visiting them for regular health checkups and surgeries that can be postponed.

According to the FICCI-EY study, revenue of the private healthcare sector declined 50% to 70% in the last 10 days of March, and this is expected to remain so in April due to the continuing lockdown. Occupancy levels in private hospitals fell to just 40% in late March, as compared to around 65% to 70% before the pandemic, the report said, projecting an even bigger decline ahead. Diagnostic laboratories in the private sector have seen a worse impact, with an almost 80% decline in patient visits and revenue, the report added.

Many small hospitals and nursing homes, especially in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and towns, have been forced to close down their operations since their cash flows have dried up, the study found. The sector is likely to report operating losses of Rs 14,000 crore to Rs 24,000 crore in a three-month period, the report said.

“For the sector which is already constrained in terms of liquidity, the onset of operating losses will cause cash balances to be completely depleted if the situation persists for a quarter,” the report said. It noted that despite low bed utilisation, private hospitals cannot really cut fixed costs unlike other sectors, because they are still expected to be “super ready” to manage any situation.

The report said it had not factored in the increased costs due to infection control and protective kits.

The recommendations made by the report included indirect tax reliefs and waivers for the sector, such as exemptions in customs duty and goods and services tax on essential medicines and devices for treatment of Covid-19 patients, tax benefits, and deferral of statutory liability payments without interest or penalty.

FICCI President Sangita Reddy, who is also the joint managing director of Apollo Hospitals, said the healthcare industry was under a “triple burden” – an already financially-constrained position before the pandemic; a sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic tests, elective surgeries and international patients; and the increased investments due to Covid-19.

Medical Buyer |

Private Hospitals, labs face severe financial stress as spendings on equipment surge to contain virus

As coronavirus cases are on a rise, the private healthcare sector is spending heavily on additional manpower, equipment, consumables, and other resources to ensure full preparedness for the pandemic. However, this has brought the sector to profound financial stress. The private healthcare sector in the country is witnessing an unprecedented slowdown due to the outbreak of Covid-19 in India and the resultant lockdown, said a FICCI-EY study. The report has also revealed that the occupancy levels have fallen to a mere 40 per cent by March-end, compared to 65-70 per cent before the outbreak. This is further expected to reduce while the impact on diagnostic labs is likely to be even worse, with almost 80 per cent fall inpatient visits and revenue.

The private hospitals were already going through a rough phase after India’s drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) had capped the prices of stents and knee implants by over 70 per cent in 2017. This led to a deterioration in the profitability margins of most of the corporate hospitals as the hospitals were making around two-third of profits from consumables such as drugs, stents, implants, and the services contributed only remaining one-third of profits, said a report by Care Ratings.

Another major roadblock that the sector faced was the implementation of GST as they were not able to input credit on consumables given the fact that they were under the zero rate category. Meanwhile, India’s private healthcare sector is much more advanced than the government sector facilities. Private hospitals and nursing homes constitute more than 60 per cent of beds at 8.5 – 9 lakh, nearly 60 per cent of inpatients and 80 per cent of doctors in India.

Express Healthcare |

How COVID-19 crisis will enable healthcare leaders to reinvent business models

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense disruption on the health and economic front. While the healthcare sector takes charge to remedy the damage, there are new factors that are greatly impacting financial decisions and overall business viability. Dr Alok Roy, Chairman- FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, explains the fiscal issues that lie ahead and urges hospital CEOs, CFOs and government to make some tough choices, in a conversation with Raelene Kambli

Due to the current health crisis in the country, many healthcare services seem to witness a business shock. Would you elaborate on the current situation within the hospital sector?

Bed occupancy across all major hospitals has plummeted to 20-25 per cent and the average revenue per operating bed (ARPOB) has dropped by 30-40 per cent. The overall impact is expected to be in tune of 15,000 to 20,000 crore for the private sector alone and as a result of such severe losses, cash flows have already started dwindling. Most healthcare organisations in the country have invested heavily in preparation for COVID-19 over the past few weeks and are now under tremendous fund crunch. The industry will need immediate financial support to survive; else we will see many hospitals shutting down soon due to bankruptcy. The situation is even worse for a small nursing home in tier-II and tier-III cities, some of which have already closed down due to the impact of lockdown.

In the coming times, healthcare-spending growth will increase consistently outpacing economic growth. This will create another fiscal challenge in future. How do you think India could reverse this situation or at least improve it considerably? How can the healthcare sector contribute to doing so?

Healthcare spending is a function of an individual’s health-seeking behaviour and their ability to pay. The present circumstances have adversely impacted both. Due to fear of catching infections and overall lack of liquidity in terms of regular cash flows, even people with reasonable health-seeking behaviour are avoiding treatment unless it becomes an emergency. This is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Moreover, due to lack of adequate testing in the community, every patient walking into the hospital will have to be considered as a potential COVID-19 positive patient from the point of safeguarding the treating doctors and nurses from getting infected. The costs associated with the use of PPE for staff is likely to be significant in the times to come.

Hospitals, Insurance companies as well as Central and state governments are still grappling to understand the disease dynamics, its evolution patterns, treatment protocols and treatment costs therein. Clearly, till date, India has been fortunate compared to many western countries, in terms of the quantum of the disease, and hopefully will continue to be so. Nevertheless, COVID-19 surely will not be the last such epidemic that we are likely to encounter during our lives. Hence, one will have to quickly learn from this episode and get prepared for the future.

Even before the recent health crisis, some observers had begun to contemplate the rising healthcare inflation rates. What is your opinion on this and how does that impact the healthcare business?

Healthcare traditionally has been a low EBITDA sector and inflation has always been a concern. It only aggravates under such a pandemic scenario due to a significant fall in revenue. Healthcare sector in India is one of the top five employers. Yet, it has been constrained severely in terms of liquidity. This is unlikely to get corrected in the near future unless there are supporting policies from the government.

Do you think by measuring healthcare value and putting a sharper focus on health system productivity will help in finding ways to meet additional demand while retaining control of expenditures in future?

The private sector will have to reinvent itself in light of such a catastrophe. One will need to stay focussed, accept lower-income, trimmed manpower and accept lower margins. This will be the new mantra of business for many years to come. This will become the new normal.

In future, what will be those tough choices that the government and industry will need to take in order to improve India’s healthcare system?

There will be a rise in in-patient volumes, albeit with low paying abilities. Healthcare delivery costs will go up and there will be a risk of quality getting compromised, this will take a year or two to settle down. Government’s spend is less than 1.5 per cent of the GDP. India’s healthcare sector has historically been underfunded in comparison to its peers. Italy, the US and China have 3.2, 2.8 and 4.3 beds per 1,000 people, compared to one bed per every 1,000 Indians. In the medium and longer-term, the government will have to develop a strategy to fight such epidemic and urgently allocate adequate funds towards such health sector reforms to strengthen government-run healthcare facilities and train adequate human resources at district and sub-district levels.

What will be the new pathways by which healthcare companies will find sustainability in future?

Healthcare organisations will have to stick to their core competencies, trim manpower and rationalise all possible costs to be able to survive. New models of care delivery like no-frill healthcare facilities, ambulatory care and home healthcare, that would have low operational costs but higher efficiencies would become more suitable in such a scenario. Moreover, the use of appropriate technologies and telehealth would need to be emphasised throughout the continuum of care.

India Education Diary |

COVID-19 pandemic leaves the private healthcare sector in financial distress: FICCI-EY study

The already strained healthcare industry has been feeling the negative economic impact of COVID-19 with sliding bed occupancies and uncertainty of the burden of the virus. Yet, private hospitals and nursing homes, that constitute more than 60% of beds at 8.5-9 lac, 60% of inpatients and 80% of doctors in India, have been investing heavily over the past month in additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100% preparedness for safety in the healthcare facilities and eventual treatment of patients, if needed.

While the government is taking cognizance of financial strain in sectors like hospitality, tourism, construction, little is being discussed regarding the distress felt by the private healthcare sector.

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “The private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz. low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

The Prime Minister’s call to the nation to honour the healthcare professionals has indeed been a morale booster. However, with dwindling revenues, government measures in terms of liquidity infusion, tax reliefs and other waivers have become crucial for the survival of health services providers of the country.
Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, said, “The financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.”

In view of this, FICCI in partnership with EY, carried out a study of the economic impact of COVID-19 on private healthcare sector. The report reveals that the private hospitals and laboratories, which were already facing multiple challenges, will witness an acute crisis due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, which has resulted in occupancy levels to fall to a mere 40% by late-March vis-a-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of ~65-70%. This is expected to reduce even further. Impact on diagnostic labs is even worse, with almost 80% fall in patient visits and revenue.
Mr Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner- Healthcare, EY India, said, “While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for ‘differential’ financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis.”

FICCI-EY report recommends government support through Liquidity infusion for financing the operating losses through short term interest free/ concessional interest rate loans to address the liquidity gap to the tune of Rs 14,000 -24,000 Cr.

Although the government has issued a notification for the release of government dues under CGHS and ECHS schemes to private hospitals, which is in the range of Rs 1700-2000 crores, the payment is yet to be processed. Immediate release of such dues is crucial.

Other recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector are:

Indirect tax reliefs/ exemptions/ waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements for a stipulated period; Customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of COVID patients; Waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, Extension of time under the EPCG scheme etc.

Income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, penalty for a stipulated period (3-6 months)

Rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period

The Economic Times |

Private healthcare facilities suffer huge revenue losses due to Covid-19: Study

The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the financial health of private medical facilities. With lesser number of footfalls and increased burden to create capacity to deal with Covid-19 situation, these private healthcare facilities are suffering huge losses and some of the may shut shop soon.

According to a FICCI-EY study, during the last ten days of March these private healthcare facilities suffered revenue losses of up to 70 per cent and with the lockdown now extended up to May 3, the revenue situation may not improve much.

The study predicts that it will take up to three quarters for the situation to return to normal.

Lower patient footfall, postponement of elective surgeries, drop in the number of international patients are some of the factors that are affecting the cash flow of these medical facilities.

In Mumbai, which is one of the worst-hit cities due to Covid-19, a number of private healthcare facilities have stopped new admissions as their staff haven been found to be infected from the coronavirus.

FICCI President Sangita Reddy said: "the private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against Covid-19".

"While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for “differential” financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis," EY India, Healthcare-Partner Kaivaan Movdawalla said.

Financial Express |

Private hospitals, labs face severe financial stress as spendings on equipment surge to contain virus

As coronavirus cases are on a rise, the private healthcare sector is spending heavily on additional manpower, equipment, consumables, and other resources to ensure full preparedness for the pandemic. However, this has brought the sector to profound financial stress. The private healthcare sector in the country is witnessing an unprecedented slowdown due to the outbreak of Covid-19 in India and the resultant lockdown, said a FICCI-EY study. The report has also revealed that the occupancy levels have fallen to a mere 40 per cent by March-end, compared to 65-70 per cent before the outbreak. This is further expected to reduce while the impact on diagnostic labs is likely to be even worse, with almost 80 per cent fall inpatient visits and revenue.

The private hospitals were already going through a rough phase after India’s drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) had capped the prices of stents and knee implants by over 70 per cent in 2017. This led to a deterioration in the profitability margins of most of the corporate hospitals as the hospitals were making around two-third of profits from consumables such as drugs, stents, implants, and the services contributed only remaining one-third of profits, said a report by Care Ratings.

Another major roadblock that the sector faced was the implementation of GST as they were not able to input credit on consumables given the fact that they were under the zero rate category. Meanwhile, India’s private healthcare sector is much more advanced than the government sector facilities. Private hospitals and nursing homes constitute more than 60 per cent of beds at 8.5 – 9 lakh, nearly 60 per cent of inpatients and 80 per cent of doctors in India.

Business Standard |

Covid-19 leaves pvt healthcare sector in financial distress, in need of stimulus: FICCI-EY study

The private healthcare sector in the country is witnessing an unprecedented slowdown due to outbreak of Covid-19 in India and the resultant lockdown, according to a FICCI-EY study.

"The pandemic has caused an adverse impact on the private healthcare sector resulting in 70-80 per cent drop in footfall, test volumes and 50-70 per cent drop in revenue in last ten days of March that is expected to sustain in month of April with continued lock down," the study said.

Possible ramp up will be gradual thereafter, taking at least three quarters for return to normalcy, according to the study titled 'Covid-19 impact assessment for private healthcare sector and key financial measures recommendations for the sector'.

"With an estimated impact of Rs 14,000-24,000 crore operating losses for the quarter, the sector would need liquidity infusion, indirect and direct tax benefits, and fixed cost subsidies from the government to address the disruption," the study said.

According to FICCI Health Services Committee Chair Alok Roy, the financial distress accentuated by Covid-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in tier II-III cities to pull down the shutters.

Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries, he added.

FICCI President Sangita Reddy said: "the private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against Covid-19".

However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry's triple burden - low financial performance in pre-Covid state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to Covid-19 - which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before, she added.

In similar vein, EY India, Healthcare-Partner Kaivaan Movdawalla said: "While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for differential financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis".

Express Healthcare |

'COVID-19 impact assessment for private healthcare sector and key financial measures recommendations for the sector': EY-FICCI study

With the outbreak of COVID-19 in India and stipulated lockdown, the private healthcare sector is witnessing an unprecedented slowdown as per EY-FICCI study titled, ‘COVID-19 impact assessment for private healthcare sector and key financial measures recommendations for the sector’. The study is based on an assessment of private healthcare players in the country to assess the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and provides recommendations on the fiscal stimulus measures it needs in the coming months.

The sector is expected to witness short term operating losses to the tune of Rs 14,000 to 24,000 crore for a quarter. For the hospital sector, which is already constrained with liquidity, onset of such losses will cause cash balances to be completely depleted within a month. Given the capital-intensive nature of the sector, interest coverage ratio (which is already low at 2) will get further constrained to negative 6-9. The revenue for the sector in FY 21 is also expected to be lower by 20-35 per cent (compared to FY 20) resulting in early single digit or negative EBITDA for the full year with annual ROCEs estimated at -5 to -15 per cent.

Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner – Healthcare, EY India, says, “While the private sector stands fully committed to partner with the government as a national duty, it truly finds itself in a compelling situation to beseech the government for ‘differential’ financial forbearance measures and to be supported well, in order to best utilise its capabilities and capacity to serve the nation in this hour of crisis”

Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, expressed that “The private healthcare sector in India has stood beside the government firmly to contain the virus and is deeply committed to the war against COVID-19. However, there is an urgent need to consider the healthcare industry’s triple burden viz low financial performance in pre-COVID state; sharp drop in out-patient footfalls, diagnostic testing, elective surgeries and international patients across the sector is impacting cash flow; and the increased investments due to COVID-19; which has impacted the hospitals and laboratories like never before.”

Private healthcare providers and laboratories are currently facing a triple burden unlike other sectors, which makes it situation unique:

1. The industry was already in a very fragile state in the pre-COVID state in terms of its financial robustness
  • Median return on capital employed of ~7 per cent which is lower than cost of capital of 14 per cent, early double-digit operating margins and median profit after tax (PAT) margin of 3 per cent. The sector was also operating on cash balance of only 19 days to sustain expenses. Given the capital-intensive nature of the industry, the interest coverage ratio also stands at only 2.
2. Extra-ordinary drop in demand impacting cash flow resulting in difficulties in managing payrolls and fixed costs
  • The private healthcare sector has witnessed an 80 per cent fall in patient visits and test volumes and revenue drop of 50-70 per cent in end March.
  • Occupancy levels have fallen to a mere 30-40 per cent by late-March vis-à-vis pre-COVID occupancy levels of ~65-70 per cent, which is expected to further exacerbate with the lockdown in April.
3. No / very limited latitude to reduce fixed cost and perhaps accommodate increase in costs in context of infection control and need for personal protection equipments (PPEs)
  • While bed utilisation is low, private hospitals are expected to be pro-active and prepared to manage any eventuality emerging from this epidemic situation. Hence, opportunity to rationalise fixed costs is very limited unlike other industry sectors. Increase in costs owing to infection control and PPE also needs to be accommodated.
Dr Alok Roy, Chair- FICCI Healthservices Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals shared that, “The financial distress accentuated by COVID-19 lockdown has forced several standalone and small nursing homes in Tier II and III cities to down the shutters. Many others are at high risk of closing down soon since their cash flows have dried up, due to steep decline in patient footfalls, and they are facing liquidity crisis for even sustaining their staff salaries.”

During the time of this pandemic, hospitals and medical professionals from doctors to nurses to support staff, who are the brave frontline soldiers fighting the war against COVID, are facing difficult times. There is an urgent call for action to address the immediate need of the sector and consider the recommendations for financial stimulus for the private healthcare sector.

The study suggests below recommendations for providing urgent financial stimulus for the sector:
  • Liquidity infusion- Short term interest free / concessional interest loans to address the operating losses expected for the quarter and immediate 100 per cent release of dues locked with central and state government authorities.
  • Indirect tax reliefs / exemptions / waivers like- recoup amount equivalent to ineligible GST credits paid on procurements for a stipulated period; Customs duty / GST exemption on essential medicines, consumables and devices for treatment of COVID patients; Waiver or reduction of health cess on medical devices, Extension of time under the EPCG scheme etc.
  • Income tax benefits and deferment of statutory liability payments without interest, penalty for a stipulated period (3-6 months)
  • Rebate on commercial rate of power for a stipulated period
About study:

FICCI and EY assessed COVID impact on the private hospital and diagnostic sector basis the study of immediate impact in the last week of March 2020, post the nation-wide lockdown:
  • Studied median performance across 91 private healthcare players (pre-COVID)
  • Analysed March week-wise revenue and occupancy levels of 10 hospitals and five diagnostic chains
  • Discussion with 10 healthcare and diagnostic labs to understand post-COVID impact

Business World |

Slew of Non-Pharma firms making medical essentials

Amid COVID-19 outbreak, the government is allowing Indian manufacturers, even those from non-medical manufacturing background to make and supply essentials including the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), masks, sanitizers and other associated items.

Due to the surge in demand, Union Ministry of Textile is giving certifications in a single day to such samples manufactured by companies either directly or through the designated bio-pharmaceutical companies, says Dr. Alok Roy, Chairman-FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals.

As per the ministry’s instructions, the companies are putting a unique certification code called UCC-Covid-19 and a tamper-proof sticker specifying details of the manufacturer.

States like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are the major contributors who are manufacturing PPE’s, N95 masks, sanitizers and supplying it across India.

Dr Roy said, "It is not only restricted to the bio-pharmaceutical companies to manufacture these items." Therefore, consumer lifestyle brands like Detel with its Sub-brand DetelPro have forayed into PPE segment. There are more companies like Detel who have expanded their arms into essential healthcare products like Mallcom, SamcoCare+, Pee Safe and more.

In their PPE Kits, DetelPro is including Gloves, Shoe Covers, Masks, Goggles and Gowns at an affordable price. They are planning to add more relevant products to augment it’s health and hygiene portfolio.

"Detel will be allocating their resources to the healthcare portfolio," said Yogesh Bhatia, Founder & CEO, Detel. "Our team of developers is fully engaged, uncovering solutions to address critical protective needs for those fighting on the front lines of this pandemic," he added.

Vikas Bagaria, Founder of Pee Safe said, "Many of the hospitals and healthcare providers have been using our products." "During the first few days, we struggled with ensuring that our products reach people and healthcare professionals," he added.

"Though China is willing to export the essential healthcare products but for a longer run, we need to boost our manufacturing segment," said Dr Roy of FICCI.

The Economic Times |

Coronavirus impact on India's pharma sector

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown it triggered is clearly visible in financial markets. But there is still no clarity on the deeper impact that it is having across businesses and industrial sectors. Based on assessments made by different analysts and industry body FICCI, here is an impact analysis on the pharma sector.

1. India pharma’s global standing

The Indian pharma industry has been a world leader in generics both globally and in domestic markets contributing significantly to the global demand for generics in terms of volume. Made-in-India drugs supplied to the developed economies such as the US, EU and Japan are known for their safety and quality. In recent years, India has seen increasing competition from China, which it has been able to leverage due to its inherent cost advantage, manufacturing intermediates and APIs at a cost much lower than those in India which has resulted in a gradual increase in API imports from China to India and this in turn has led to killing of domestic manufacturing capacity for certain key APIs and their advanced intermediates.

2. Risks from India pharma’s China linkages

India’s large import dependence on China (nearly 70% by value) has become a significant threat to India’s healthcare manufacturing and global supply chain. While Indian pharma players over a time period have steadily migrated up the value chain to focus on value-added formulations with higher margins, but this over dependence on China has increased the threat to the nation’s health security as some of these critical APIs are crucial to mitigate India’s growing disease burden.

3. Supply chain disruption for India pharma

Any disruption in supply chain of APIs can result in significant shortages in the supply of essential drugs in India. Some of the critical APIs for high-burden disease categories such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and tuberculosis are listed in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). In fact, the current market is largely dependent on China for many antibiotic APIs manufactured by the fermentation route such as penicillin, cephalosporins and macrolides. The increased dependency of low-cost API is mainly attributed to China’s extensive efforts towards developing economies of scale, easing regulations for bulk drug manufacturers, availability of low-cost utilities, building process efficiencies and supporting manufacturers in the form of subsidy, low taxes and fiscal incentives.India has significantly lost out on the API manufacturing owing to the inadequate government support and API focused infrastructure coupled with complexity in getting approvals for setting up a manufacturing plant, delayed pollution clearances, high cost with low availability of utilities, regulatory and price control regime are some of the key challenges faced by the bulk drug industry.

4. Major earnings cuts ahead for pharma firms

Edelweiss Securities says the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic has caused severe supply-side disruptions in various sectors, earnings will be cut by 10-15%. Pharma as a sector has emerged as a strong contender to drive the next leg of rally, whenever it comes. In anticipation, pharma stocks have seen a huge run up in the last 10 days.This is not just true for India, but globally too pharma companies have performed well. While in the short term, most companies will bounce back from the last 5 year of underperformance, this time around, the leader will be different.

5. Relative stability, reasonable valuations

HDFC Securities says Indian pharma has been relative resilient to the Covid disruption, and is poised to gain from favourable currency tailwinds and stable outlook for India and US business. India growth has picked up (~10% growth for IPM as of MAT Mar’20). It forecast 11% growth for covered companies over the next two years. US pricing environment continues to remain benign and the regulatory challenges are well understood. The pharma sector is up ~1% YTD and has outperformed the Nifty Index by 28%. We prefer stocks with high India exposure as it offers greater earnings visibility, supported by reasonable valuations.

6. Valuation and Risks

The sector trades at ~23x one year forward, 10% below its 5 year historical average. The sector premium to Nifty is at 35% vs. (5 year avg of 38%). Key risks: a) extended lockdown can impact demand and manufacturing; b) Delay in US FDA plant resolution due to travel advisory; c) EM markets currency risks and subdued demand; d) delay in key approvals.

The Economic Times |

Coronavirus impact on healthcare sector

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown it triggered is clearly visible in financial markets. But there is still no clarity on the deeper impact that it is having across businesses and industrial sectors. Based on assessments made by different analysts and industry body FICCI, here is an impact analysis in healthcare sector.
  • The healthcare sector is at the epicentre of this unprecedented global pandemic challenge, and the private sector has risen to the occasion, by offering to the government all the support it needs, be it testing support, preparing isolation beds for the treatment of Covid-19 positive patients or deploying equipment and staff in identified nodal hospitals.
1.Will private healthcare providers benefit?
  • While the private healthcare sector is fully prepared for every eventuality, it is also a reality that, unlike other sectors, the sector is facing a twin-burden: (a) Investing additional manpower, equipment, consumables and other resources to ensure 100 per cent preparedness for safety in the hospital(s) and eventual treatment of patients, if needed. (b) Experiencing a sharp drop in OP footfalls, elective surgeries and international patients.

  • The industry has been witnessing loss of business and this trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future (at least 3-6 months), and the fact that the sector’s costs are predominantly (around 80 per cent) fixed, it is expected that there will be losses and severe impact on cash flows.

  • It is likely that whenever the government announces any fiscal stimulus, this industry will be looked at favourably. The industry is also likely to benefit from increase awareness about healthcare and the more government focus that this endemic is likely to result in.
2. What is the impact on India’s medical devices industry?
  • The medical devices industry has also taken a hit. The country imports consumables, disposables and capital equipment including orthopaedic implants, gloves, syringes, bandages, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging devices from China. Due to the current crisis in China, the medical device manufacturers across India are finding it difficult to source important raw materials and electronic components from Chinese factories.

  • Even though some of the factories in China have restored operation, shortage of some critical electronic parts and raw material still exists. This is adversely affecting the margins and profitability of Indian companies importing medical devices and small components to manufacture finished products. This can also put upward pressure on prices of medical devices in the short term.

The Sentinel |

Many sectors will take 1-2 years to revive due to coronavirus crisis: FICCI survey

As the coronavirus crisis and subsequent nationwide lockdown severely impact the Indian economy, a FICCI survey has said that few sectors like restaurants, auto and real estate may take around 12 to 24 months to recover.

The other sectors also severely hit may require a similar period to revive, including transportation and tourism, logistics, entertainment and consumer durables.

The survey titled ‘COVID-19 India: Economic Impact & Mitigation’, however, said that recovery is dependent on consumption stimulus and survival of businesses itself. It said that sectors such as apparel and beauty product, beverages, alcoholic beverages, insurance, agriculture, chemicals, metals and mining, services, industries, offline retail, and healthcare are likely to recover in 9-12 months.

In its report, the industry body has said that the Indian industry requires an immediate stimulus package of Rs 9-10 lakh crore, which would account for 4-5 per cent of the country’s GDP.

The report noted that other countries have also taken similar steps. The debt-to-GDP ratio of India is manageable, it added.

“This money to be injected for relief and rehabilitation across all levels of the economy, including people at the bottom of the pyramid, informal workers, micro, small and medium enterprises, and large corporates,” it said.

The industry body has also suggested setting up of a ‘Bharat Self-Sufficiency Fund’ with an outlay of Rs 2 lakh crore.

Money Life |

Restaurants, Auto, Realty Sector to take 1-2 Yrs to revive: Report

As the coronavirus crisis and subvsequent nation-wide lock-down severely impact the Indian economy, a FICCI survey has said that few sectors like restaurants, auto and real estate may take around 12 to 24 months to recover.

The other sectors also severely hit may require similar period to revive, including transportation and tourism, logistics, entertainment and consumer durables.

The survey titled "COVID-19 India: Economic Impact & Mitigation", however, said that recovery is dependent on consumption stimulus and survival of businesses itself.
It said that sectors such as apparel and beauty product, beverages, alcoholic beverages, insurance, agriculture, chemicals, metals and mining, services, industries, offline retail, and healthcare are likely to recover in 9-12 months.
In its report, the industry body has said that the Indian industry requires an immediate stimulus package of Rs 9 lakh crore-Rs 10 lakh crore, which would account for 4%-5% of the country's GDP.
The report noted that other countries have also taken similar steps. The debt-to-GDP ratio of India is manageable, it added.
"This money to be injected for relief and rehabilitation across all levels of the economy, including people at the bottom of the pyramid, informal workers, micro, small and medium enterprises, and large corporates," it said.
The industry body has also suggested setting up of a 'Bharat Self-Sufficiency Fund' with an outlay of Rs 2 lakh crore. It said that the fund could be used to promote scientific research and innovation for building a stronger and resilient nation and creating self-sufficient industry clusters with fully developed value chains within the country for products where India has high import dependence.
The report also noted that services such as food retail, telecommunications, utility services and pharmaceutical have witnessed a boost in the short term and would stabilize in the long term, in about six to nine months.
Further, online healthcare, personal care, online entertainment and education have also received a boost during the restrictions and lock-down and would keep growth momentum in the long term.

Financial Express |

Combating Covid-19: How voice AI apps can be a lifesaver today

Anticipating huge pressure on healthcare systems during the current Covid-19 pandemic along with growing need for healthcare information, healthtech companies have decided to stay ahead of the curve in terms of understanding the potential risk as well as providing authentic and validated information.A recent Forbes report has said that voice-driven artificial intelligence (voice AI) can help cure the time shortage on both ends of the spectrum. With increased usage and aggregation of health data, there could be a larger share of decision making based on AI to ensure a more robust healthcare system in the country.

“Voice AI will be a transformational tool in healthcare access. Knowledge interpretation and insights would be enabled by digital in healthcare. Voice will put the use of AI on steroids,’’ says Sangita Reddy, joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group and president, FICCI. Apollo Hospitals has created an AI-powered BOT that assesses an individual’s risk of contracting coronavirus. “We believe that this will enable data-based decision making in today’s fast-changing healthcare environment. This AI-powered BOT is unique, because it combines the expertise of our Apollo doctors as well as leverages Apollo Hospitals data, along with critical global sources of health information such as WHO.”

For patients, interactive voice apps can inform and teach better than the current system of handouts, pamphlets and self-driven research and for doctors, voice apps can improve on old dictation systems, take direction to complete tasks like recording notes and ease complex billing processes.

For instance, Navia Life Care, a health-tech startup is building patient engagement platforms for medical providers, focusing on aspects of compliance, monitoring and communication. It also provides voice-based virtual assistant for healthcare providers. Gaurav Gupta, co-founder, Navia Life Care, says, “Voice AI is currently being used to create digital health records for patients. On our Navi EMR platform, doctors are able to dictate patient medical records to their phones, tablets or computers where our system is able to capture medically relevant terminology, contextualise into appropriate components such as diagnosis, symptoms, medications, investigations, etc., and create a digital record. Further, our system learns from the doctor’s behaviour and starts suggesting commonly spoken/written data points, for the doctor to simply select from.’’

Vikram Thaploo, CEO, Telehealth Apollo Hospitals, says AI has been shown to be very effective in predicting and diagnosing diseases. It also helps reduce the rate of misdiagnosis and medical errors, which are responsible for more than 5 million deaths in the country annually. Voice-based AI apps can be used to schedule same day video consults with healthcare professionals and coordinate the delivery of prescription medication to patients who are financially and geographically compromised. “AI algorithms can also be trained to read medical records and recommend treatment options that are specific to the patient’s needs along with information on its availability. We should build a platform that leverages the power of AI to check if the patient profile meets the criteria for a clinical trial. Telemedical apps can be trained on large databases of medical conditions and symptoms to suggest what ailment a patient has based on the information they supply the bot,” he adds.

AI has already proved to be a lifesaver in case of high-risk pregnancies. “Deployment of robotic process automation (RPA) solutions combined with AI and ML algorithms, helps doctors identify the patient’s risk factors in minimal time and assign the case to the relevant specialist; thereby, reducing the cycle-time by 95%. This makes it easier to ensure timely pregnancy risk evaluation and treatment,” says Manish Bharti, president, UiPath, India and SAARC.

NDTV |

"In Big Trouble": COVID-19 lockdown puts Private Hospitals on Ventilator

Till March 22, the 50-bed Repose Nursing Home in South Kolkata was full. But as the lockdown rolled in, occupancy fell to just 12 patients now. Usually, occupancy is 100 per cent with a waiting list. But all that now seems history and the owner is wondering how long she can keep the shutters up at her 40-year-old facility.

"Patients are not coming because doctors are not attending chambers and also patient parties are panic-stricken and there is no transport at all. But government is saying we have to give salaries. We can't deduct anything. How it is possible, I don't know. If this continues, we have to close down the institution," said Dr Maya Ghosh, the owners of the nursing home.

Bigger hospitals are in bigger trouble with bigger overheads and staff to take care of. The healthcare panel of the industry lobby FICCI has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 25 for help. They said the healthcare sector needs urgent help because the coronavirus outbreak and the nationwide lockdown have meant almost no patients are coming in for surgeries, footfalls at outpatient clinics are down 70 to 80 per cent and revenue is down 50 to 70 per cent putting private hospitals in total jeopardy.

Dr Alok Roy, chairman of FICCI healthcare panel and of the chain of Medica Superspeciality Hospitals in eastern India, said, "A hospital has 10 to 15 per cent EBITA (Earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization) and a PAT (Profit After Tax) of 3 to 5 per cent. With that money, we have no cash flow. As a result, we have already walked into CCU (Critical Care Unit). We won't be able to pay power bills from May and we will find it very, very difficult to pay salaries. Unless the government comes up with some fiscal support. We need oxygen ourselves. Else we are in big trouble."

"We are the care providers or warriors as the Prime Minister has called us. If this goes on, the healthcare workers will not be available to provide healthcare at a time when you need them and that's a frightening scenario," said Dr Narottam Puri of Fortis Hospital who is also advisor to FICCI's health panel.

At yet another small nursing home in South Kolkata with 50 beds and just 12 patients, staff say their chairman has promised full salaries for all but no escaping the question - for how long.

Sijo PL, Operations Manager, Purnam Medicare, said, "Doctors are not available, patients are worried. The patients coming for admission, their first question is are there any corona patient admitted here? That will be an issue. But I have strict instructions from my chairman that full salary will be paid to the staff in the current scenario. I don't know what will happen in the future."

A terrible uncertainty is gripping the private health sector which has at least 4,000 hospitals with 9 lakh beds directly employing 40 lakh people.

60 to 70 per cent of India's healthcare is provided by the private sector. If private sector hospitals go on life support, the battle against the virus will lose a huge flank of its army, experts say.

The Economic Times |

India Inc chalks out safety plans for life after Coronavirus lockdown

India Inc has started preparing for life after the lockdown by chalking out Covid-19 risk mitigation plans including social distancing, remote working and even temporary succession planning to ensure business survival even as the pandemic remains a clear and present danger.

Wearing masks, isolated workspaces and remote working will be a norm when the lockdown eases up and corporates try to return to normalcy, top industry officials said.

Companies will have to strictly follow guidelines to ensure that employees are safe and business risks can be minimised, said Sangita Reddy, president of industry association Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). “Employees, too, have to be proactive and compliance issues should be followed strictly. No casual attitude (in terms of social distancing) should be tolerated.”

Corporates should parallelly focus on business continuity and maintain regular cashflow, she said.

FICCI has chalked out multiple scenarios of how the Covid-19 can evolve and issued guidelines and advisories to corporates on ways to tackle various challenges at workplace. “Prepare temporary succession plans for key executive positions and critical roles and analyse if there is any high-risk work or any paper-based processes or processes that cannot be easily moved online and need a separate work plan,” it said.

Venu Srinivasan, chairman, TVS Motor Co, said, “With this complete uncertainty, the safest act is to make sure your business doesn't go bankrupt because of cashflows. Financial continuity and viability of the business is most important right now.”

Vivek Gambhir, CEO of Godrej Consumer Products, said there’s an “urgency to get factories to open”.

The FICCI advisory said organisations need to “communicate with employees frequently and with the right specificity” to keep the workplaces prepared for infection prevention and ensure health and safety of employees.

Harsh Mariwala, chairman of Marico, said wearing masks at workplaces will have to be a norm. “For a while, at least, letting people who can do work from remote places (to do so), and ensuring minimal gathering at workplaces, keeping the social distancing while working or lunch places, will be important. "

Biocon has already ensured use of hand sanitisers, creating zoning in offices and factories where people from one section cannot go to another, and satellite food courts, its chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shah said. “I think it’s important to continue remote working for a while and only allow travel of essential work people or logistics.”

Business Standard |

To fight Covid-19, India will need 15 mn PPEs, 50,000 ventilators by June

As the number of coronavirus (Covid-19) cases is on the rise in India, the central government has estimated a steep rise in demand for personal protective equipment (PPEs) and coronavirus diagnostic kit in the coming months. The country would require an estimated 27 million N95 masks, 15 million PPEs, 1.6 million diagnostic kits, and 50,000 ventilators by June 2020, according to an Indian Express report.

In a meeting on April 3, the government officials entrusted with various coronavirus task forces conveyed the numbers to the industry representatives, the report states. The meeting that was headed by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, was reportedly held for coordinating with the private sector, NGOs and international organisations on the pandemic situation in the country and was also attended by FICCI representatives.

Of the estimated demand of 50,000 ventilators in the next two months, 16,000 are already available, and orders have been placed for the remaining 34,000 ventilators. Further, the government is also planning to procure ventilators and PPEs from abroad to deal with any shortage. The Ministry of External Affairs has also been roped in for this purpose, according to the report.

The 'projected demand' is critical for the industry to plan investments and keep up with the production of essential equipments amid the virus outbreak, the IE report states. The country had witnessed an acute shortage of PPEs in the initial stages of the outbreak.

So far, eleven groups have been constituted and tasked by the government to monitor the situation of pandemic across the country and coordinate the response. The said group that attended the meeting with industry representatives has six members Principal Scientific Advisor Dr. Vijayaraghavan, Additional Secretary (Home) Anil Malik, NDMA member Kamal Kishore, Joint Secretary in PMO Gopal Baglay, CBIC member Sandeep Mohan Bhatnagar, and Deputy Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Tina Soni, along with Amitabh Kant.

Among industry representatives at the meeting were FICCI president, Senior Vice President, Vice President - Dr Sangita Reddy, Uday Shankar, and Sanjiv Mehta. Along with them Ashwani Channan of Honey Well and Harsh Mahajan of Mahajan Imaging also attended the meeting.

As the global death toll in coronavirus surpassed 69,000, the central government is ramping up its preparedness to deal with the pandemic. In the last few weeks, the govt has restricted supply of critical medical equipment, and has prohibited or tightened export restrictions on testing kits and drugs, especially anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine. It has also prohibited exports of “all ventilators including any artificial respiratory apparatus or oxygen therapy apparatus or any other breathing appliance/device" along with sanitisers, surgical masks, and PPEs.

Rising Kashmir |

India require 27mn N95 masks, 50000 ventilators in 2 months

Estimating a spike in demand for personal protective equipment and diagnostic kits in the fight against COVID-19, the central government has calculated that the country will require about 27 million N95 masks, 15 million PPEs, 1.6 million diagnostic kits, and 50,000 ventilators in next two months, The Indian Express reported.

According to sources, this was conveyed to industry representatives during a meeting on April 3 of the empowered group of officials on “coordinating with private sector, NGOs and international organisations”, which is headed by the NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.

“Demand for 27 million N95 masks, 1.6 million testing kits and 15 million PPEs by June 2020 is estimated and actions are being taken to procure them,” sources quoted an official as saying during the meeting that was also attended by FICCI representatives.
“The demand of ventilators has been estimated to be 50,000 by June 2020. Out of these, 16,000 are already available and orders has been placed for 34,000 ventilators. To facilitate procurement of ventilators and other PPEs from abroad, MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) has been taken on board,” the official said.

Sources said the official’s comments came in response to industry representatives who wanted clarity on “the projected demand and supply environment of PPEs” and other protective gear for the next 6-12 months. The information, they said, is critical for the industry to plan and make investments.

The empowered group is one of the 11 tasked with different aspects of coordinating the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Apart from Kant, it has six other members: Principal Scientific Advisor Dr Vijayaraghavan, NDMA member Kamal Kishore, CBIC member Sandeep Mohan Bhatnagar, Additional Secretary (Home) Anil Malik, Joint Secretary in PMO Gopal Baglay, and Deputy Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Tina Soni.

The industry representatives at the meeting included: FICCI president Dr Sangita Reddy; Uday Shankar, Senior Vice President, FICCI; Mehta, Vice President, FICCI, Ashwani Channan, Honey Well; and Harsh Mahajan, Mahajan Imaging.

The government is battling to ramp up supply of critical medical equipment, and has restricted or prohibited their export in last few weeks. The latest move was a restriction on export of testing kits Saturday.

On March 24, the government had prohibited the export of “all ventilators including any artificial respiratory apparatus or oxygen therapy apparatus or any other breathing appliance/device and sanitisers”.

Similarly, the export of surgical masks, textile raw material for masks, and coveralls, was banned with effect from March 19. It had banned the export of PPEs and masks on January 31, a day after Kerala reported the country’s first case of coronavirus.

Yahoo News |

Govt estimates: In next 2 months, need 27 million N95 masks, 50000 ventilators

Estimating a spike in demand for personal protective equipment and diagnostic kits in the fight against COVID-19, the central government has calculated that the country will require about 27 million N95 masks, 15 million PPEs, 1.6 million diagnostic kits, and 50,000 ventilators in next two months, The Indian Express has learnt.

According to sources, this was conveyed to industry representatives during a meeting on April 3 of the empowered group of officials on “coordinating with private sector, NGOs and international organisations”, which is headed by the NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.

“Demand for 27 million N95 masks, 1.6 million testing kits and 15 million PPEs by June 2020 is estimated and actions are being taken to procure them,” sources quoted an official as saying during the meeting that was also attended by FICCI representatives.

“The demand of ventilators has been estimated to be 50,000 by June 2020. Out of these, 16,000 are already available and orders has been placed for 34,000 ventilators. To facilitate procurement of ventilators and other PPEs from abroad, MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) has been taken on board,” the official said.

Sources said the official’s comments came in response to industry representatives who wanted clarity on “the projected demand and supply environment of PPEs” and other protective gear for the next 6-12 months. The information, they said, is critical for the industry to plan and make investments.

The empowered group is one of the 11 tasked with different aspects of coordinating the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Apart from Kant, it has six other members: Principal Scientific Advisor Dr Vijayaraghavan, NDMA member Kamal Kishore, CBIC member Sandeep Mohan Bhatnagar, Additional Secretary (Home) Anil Malik, Joint Secretary in PMO Gopal Baglay, and Deputy Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Tina Soni.

The industry representatives at the meeting included: FICCI president Dr Sangita Reddy; Uday Shankar, Senior Vice President, FICCI; Mehta, Vice President, FICCI, Ashwani Channan, Honey Well; and Harsh Mahajan, Mahajan Imaging.

The government is battling to ramp up supply of critical medical equipment, and has restricted or prohibited their export in last few weeks. The latest move was a restriction on export of testing kits Saturday.

On March 24, the government had prohibited the export of “all ventilators including any artificial respiratory apparatus or oxygen therapy apparatus or any other breathing appliance/device and sanitisers”.

Similarly, the export of surgical masks, textile raw material for masks, and coveralls, was banned with effect from March 19. It had banned the export of PPEs and masks on January 31, a day after Kerala reported the country’s first case of coronavirus.

Pharma Biz |

Indian pharma industry contributes global demand for generics in terms of volume, S Sridhar

The Indian pharmaceutical industry has been a world leader in generics both globally and in domestic market contributing significantly to the global demand for generics in terms of volume, according to S Sridhar, chair, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) pharmaceuticals committee and MD, Pfizer, India, said. Sridhar further added, 'Made in India' drugs supplied to the developed economies such as the US, EU, Japan and many other countries are known for their safety and quality." India's huge import dependence on China for APIs (nearly 70% by value) has become a significant threat to India's healthcare manufacturing and global supply chain. While Indian pharma companies over years have climbed up the value chain to focus on value added formulations, but this over-dependence on China has increased the threat to nation's health security as some of these critical and complex APIs are crucial to address India's growing disease burden. "Government of India's decision for promotion of bulk drug parks for financing common infrastructure facilities in 3 bulk drug parks with financial implication of Rs. 3,000 crore over next five years to boost domestic manufacturing of critical KSMs/drug intermediates and active active pharmaceutical ingredient (APIs) is a welcome move which FICCI and its pharma member companies widely support," said Sridhar. India needs to be seen as a world leader for not just generic formulations, but APIs too. Government of India's efforts to announce these parks with incentives in this testing global health threat of COIVD-19 are welcome. "India should not look at these bulk drug parks only for domestic requirement. China became big supplier because of scale which looked into both domestic and export requirement. Domestic will not give scale and is always exposed to cost and pricing pressures. With this new policy initiative, government must look at incentivising the manufacturing of the critical 54 APIs which were recently restricted for exports and together with Industry should work for not just domestic capacities but fulfilling global export demands too," added Sridhar. "We at FICCI support Prime Minister's vision which will drive toward enhancing India's API capacities," added Sridhar.

The Times of India |

Telangana government working to increase import of PPE from China

The state and central government are working to increase procurement of masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) from China. “Unless cargo flights and ships are permitted into India from China, we will face challenges for some time...We are working for an increase in the frequency of these flights and to destinations like Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai,” Telangana industries principal secretary Jayesh Ranjan said on Wednesday.

Ranjan, who was addressing a webinar jointly organised by FTCCI and FICCI, said that on the pharma front although the sector is a major exporter from the region, the first priority is the domestic market. “At this point I am not sure when we can allow the usual exports of pharma given the circumstances, unless there is a global emergency for our products. We have decentralised the entire operation. Respective district collectors and police officials have been authorised to make necessary assessment and give permissions for manufacturing and movement of goods and people,” Ranjan said.

The Economic Times |

Aviation industry lobby group seeks incentives for the sector

The Airports Council International, an industry lobby group for airport operators, and industry body FICCI have sought various incentives for the aviation sector from the government in the wake of the disruption caused by the outbreak of Covid-19.

ACI has sought suspension of all national and local aviation-specific taxes until December 31, including passenger departing taxes and revenue share payment made by private airport operators, and a moratorium on new national and local aviation-specific taxes until December 31.

“Amid an extremely challenging environment being faced, we are requesting the government to provide some relief measures to the airport operators, which will directly alleviate the financial burden for airports,” said Satyan Nayar, secretarygeneral of the Association of Private Airport Operators.

Business Journal |

Aviation industry lobby group seeks incentives for the sector

The Airports Council International, an industry lobby group for airport operators, and industry body FICCI have sought various incentives for the aviation sector from the government in the wake of the disruption caused by the outbreak of Covid-19.
ACI has sought suspension of all national and local aviation-specific taxes until December 31, including passenger departing taxes and revenue share payment made by private airport operators, and a moratorium on new national and local aviation-specific taxes until December 31.

“Amid an extremely challenging environment being faced, we are requesting the government to provide some relief measures to the airport operators, which will directly alleviate the financial burden for airports,” said Satyan Nayar, secretarygeneral of the Association of Private Airport Operators.

The News Minute |

Many airlines at brink of bankruptcy, need govt support: FICCI tells FM, Aviation Min

As cash reserves of aviation sector companies are "running down quickly" as planes are grounded amid the coronavirus pandemic, industry body FICCI on Wednesday recommended several measures to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to help the firms.

FICCI stated in its letter that the government needs to give appropriate directions to the Reserve Bank of India to ensure that the operation of existing "stand-by letters of credit, other foreign guarantees and bank guarantees etc. issued by Indian airlines operators or their banks" are suspended with immediate effect for a period of 90 days.

In its letter to both the ministers, the industry body stated that interests, penalties, delayed charges and accruals to airport operators should be waived for the airlines, and subsequently, airport operators could be adequately supported by the government to make up for the gap.

"One of the major challenges faced by the aviation industry is that cash reserves are running down quickly as fleets are grounded and flights are not operational in the past few days. Many airline companies are almost at the brink of bankruptcy," stated the letter written by Anand Stanley, Chairman, FICCI Aviation Committee.

Stanley is also President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia.

The liquidity position of all airlines will be benefited, if the "interest-free unsecured credit period" for payment of fuel charges to oil marketing companies is enhanced to 180 days from the current 21 days, Stanley noted.

India has imposed a 21-day lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, and domestic and international commercial passenger flights have been suspended for this period. Many other virus-affected countries have taken similar measures.

However, cargo flights, offshore helicopter operations, medical evacuation flights and flights that have gotten special approval from aviation regulator DGCA are permitted to operate during the flight ban.

"Airline cancellations far outstrip any fresh ticketing; airlines thus have negative sales during COVID-19. This results in Airline GST refunds being higher than the GST due. It is recommended that the Indian government consider deferment of payment of GST for the airline industry," Stanley stated.

Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) may be brought under the ambit of GST as for any airline in India, the cost of ATF constitutes about 40% of the total operational cost, he mentioned.

“Presently, ATF attracts excise duty at the rate of 11 per cent and VAT (which varies from state to state) up to 30 per cent. Airline companies may be allowed to take input credit of GST paid on ATF resulting into reduction in the cost of operation," Stanley recommended.

In his letter to both the ministers, Stanley also recommended waiving parking and landing charges and royalties that are paid by the airlines to the airports.

"The government could undertake some policy measures for at least 20 per cent contribution towards the total salary bill of employees with a gross salary of Rs 30,000 or less per month. The list of employees should be as per the pay-out made for month of Feb 2020," Stanley said, adding that this step would help aviation sector companies retain their employees despite current headwinds.

As on April 1, around 1,600 people have been infected by the novel coronavirus and 38 people have died due to it in India, according to the Union Health Ministry.

Travel Biz |

FICCI seeks government bailout for aviation industry

India’s aviation industry has urged the government to take steps for financial aid, including funds infusion into airlines and airports, as Covid-19 paralyses the sector, reports Mint.

The aviation industry needs an urgent bailout from the government, FICCI Aviation Committee Chairman Anand Stanley said in a letter on Tuesday to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

The industry body has sought tax relief, deferment of payment of goods and services tax (GST) for airlines, bringing jet fuel under GST, reduction in airport charges and overflight fees, a temporary cut in excise duty on jet fuel, as well as other financial aid.

“The government may immediately provide direct cash support to Indian carriers, so that airlines can meet their fixed costs, at least for the period where loss of revenues and liquidity is directly attributable to the government’s directive to cease operation,” Stanley said, referring to India suspending flights till 14 April amid a three-week nationwide lockdown to arrest the spread of Covid-19.

“The government could undertake some policy measures for at least 20% contribution towards the total salary bill of employees with a gross salary of INR 30,000 or less per month,” he said. These steps will help airline companies retain employees, despite the headwinds, he said.

India’s aviation industry is expected to post losses of USD 3-3.6 billion in the June quarter with airlines sharing the bulk of the hit because of the travel curbs and falling air travel demand because of covid-19, aviation consultancy CAPA India said in a report last week.

Express Healthcare |

COVID- 19 proving fatal for medical tourism industry

Medical value travel, includes patients travelling to India for treatment both in modern medicine, AYUSH sector, is estimated to be $3 bn market for India

Foundation of Healthcare & Wellness Promotion had a meeting to discuss amidst the travel breakdown in the world and with no foreseen resolution to COVID-19 fears, the Medical Travel Industry of India comes to a standstill, at least for next few months. Medical value travel, which includes patients travelling to India for treatment both in modern medicine and AYUSH sector, is estimated to be $3 bn market for India. Thought leaders of the industry were part of the meeting like Shinon Global, eExpedise Healthcare, Magnus Medi and HBG Medical Assistance to name a few.

Dalip Chopra, President, Foundation of Healthcare and Promotion, India, said, “There are many medical tourism players who have brought India to the top of the world medical tourism map, unfortunately, today they stare at a dark future”.

Amit Sharma, Founder and CEO, eExpedise Healthcare said, “The fiscal damage to the MVT industry due to the novel Corona is estimated at almost $2.5 billion, if the corona conditions persist across the world for six months. This is equivalent to the revenue we would have generated over eight months if our business had progressed at the usual pace, without the unusual disruption caused by COVID-19. Most of this amount would have gone towards salaries and maintenance of our international offices, that generate patient flow to India.”

In view of the above dismal scenario, we urge the Govt to take necessary steps to streamline the industry in the view of this pandemic.
  • Recognise MVT companies as an independent industry.
  • The MVT industry, driven purely by MVT companies, needs immediate financial stimulus and support. In absence of this, the industry may not survive, resulting in immense foreseen and unforeseen forex losses, losses on account of widespread jobs and losses of multi-billion dollars inflow opportunities in the near future.
  • Involve COVID impact council along with FICCI to support the MVT industry, which brings in so much forex to the country.
  • Reduce restrictions on international patients coming to India as soon as possible, with adequate measures to ensure such patients don’t spread COVID-19.

The New Indian Express |

FICCI FLO feeds needy, destitute

With thousands of poor and vulnerable people in the city going through a difficult phase due to Covid-19 lockdown, FICCI FLO, country’s only women Chamber of Commerce, has extended a helping hand by serving them cooked food.

The ladies organisation is distributing food among the elderly, single women household, differently-abled, migrant workers, daily wagers and other needy and destitute living in the city slums. The Bhubaneswar Chapter has crowdfunded to provide 6,000 cooked meals and ration to the deprived identified by BMC and Humara Bachpan Trust with the help of Bhubaneswar Smart City Ltd.

“We are trying to provide a small support to those facing food scarcity and remaining without food during this public health crisis,” said Dharitri Patnaik, Chairperson Designate of FICCI FLO, Bhubaneswar Chapter, which has more than 55 women entrepreneurs and professionals as its members.

Nyoooz |

Medical Devices sector seeks government support in ensuring supply of essential medical equipment intact

The government has taken many proactive actions to reduce the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on India. The private healthcare sector highly appreciates these measures and has come together to support the nation in this global war against COVID-19. Industry too is closely engaging with the government and developing strategies to facilitate business focused actions towards handling COVID-19 challenges. To manage the current public health emergency, the key priority is to meet the existing demand – supply gaps of essential medical supplies across India. “FICCI has been closely monitoring the situation and working alongside the healthcare sector to help remove any bottlenecks that could impede timely delivery of screening and treatment which is extremely critical to ensure that hospitals get timely medical supplies.

Outlook Traveller |

The world of travel has been impacted by the Covid19 pandemic. What lies ahead? Ashish Kumar, the Co-Chairman of FICCI Travel and Technology committee, shares his insights

The world of travel has been impacted by the Covid19 pandemic. What lies ahead? Ashish Kumar, the Co-Chairman of FICCI Travel and Technology committee, shares his insights.

The travel industry is constantly evolving. Whether domestic or international travel, each year the trends take a different course. And 2020 is no different. However, this year due to the global pandemic, the trends will shape up the industry differently. Ashish Kumar, Co-Chairman of FICCI Travel and Technology committee, gives us an insight into the travel industry post coronavirus outbreak.

Coronavirus will change the travelling word, permanently, socially.

A global novel virus that keeps us contained to our homes, maybe for months, is already re-orientating our relationship with each other and the outside world. Some changes might feel unfamiliar or unsettling. Will nations stay closed? How will people choose their holidays; their destinations; their brands? Will they shun group travel? Will they use the Net and technology to aid virtualisation? Will nations introduce visa norms for a compulsory virus-free certification (maybe on the lines of yellow fever decades ago)? Will the demographic category of over 60-65 year-olds (with underlying medical conditions) feel insecure about going on holidays, thus changing the demographics and needs of a travelling community?

However, a crisis can also present opportunities. Perhaps we will see more sophistication, and flexible use of technology, less polarisation, and a revival in appreciation of the outdoors and life's simple pleasures.

No one knows exactly what will come, but the economy, our lifestyle and demographics will impact the way we choose to travel, and decide on destinations, or review and consume holiday products.

And this may require vendors, suppliers, distributors and indeed the entire travel food chain to re-model and re-adapt to social changes. Our interactions with other people (even family members), how we study, eat, pray, shop, perceive health safety will all go through a transformation.

The current coronavirus pandemic has completely upended our lives, and one of the many questions for travel personnel is how, when humanity will get past this, will travel change. Is this a transformational moment in history that will fundamentally alter how we live? Will history now be divided between life before corona (BC) and life after (LA)? Or will it be merely a passing-though dramatic episode, like the 1918 Spanish Flu, the AIDS epidermic or 9/11? An event that changes certain patterns of our life in the short term, but eventually recedes into memory?

My opinion (and it may be debatable) is that this would usher in long-term behavioural changes. Human contact options will be re-viewed, and it may take a few years to recover from the fear of being with others.

So what may be the possible impact of this on travel?

Some destinations may be perceived (with some logic) as being safer than others. India inbound destinations may be better placed than some of the European /US destinations. Websites may just start carrying a "Safety Meter" badge to help people in choosing destinations, just like a service rating meter on, say, Trip Advisor.

The demographics of world travellers may change, with older, health-challenged people being adverse to risks of travelling. This should foster changes in products, distribution and consumption to suit a younger, fitter audience, and the way they review, search and book.

India as a holiday destination, both incoming and outgoing, will need to adapt.

Travellers may consider avoiding group travel, resulting in the rise of independent travel customised towards not just a younger audience, but to suit individual needs /safety perceptions. Cosmopolitan group tours which have a global composition may be seen as 'risky'. A case in point: some of the European coach tours.

Holidays which are based on long, confined space-sharing, be it cruises or inclusive train journeys, may face review.

New safety certificate visa regimes may come up. Each country may choose to put in its own parameters. This would make travel between some destinations, say Europe (EU), that we take for granted, to be based on border controls /individual clearances. One Schengen Visa may still be the political norm, but not necessarily the border entry norm. I am not sure how the federal structure in the US will play out regarding travel between their states.

Corporate travelling may need modifications, perhaps aided by video conferencing using VR. The MICE (Meetings, Events, and Incentives travel market) activity may see changes in terms of FIT holidays / individual travel rather than the current mode where busloads of channel partners travel together. Therefore, travel could be part of corporate gifting, to be consumed as and when needed, and based on personal choice of destination rather than in a group.

Travel suppliers, companies, airlines, hotels, tour operators and the entire chain, would have to micro analyse their existing operating process, and adopt to a digital, web and technology-driven interfacing, both with customer and internal teams. This may be for both inbound or within /outside India

Costs need to be pruned down and rationalised for servicing, distribution of product as well as for consumer consumption. For instance, airlines have to go beyond inventory management (as would hotels and resorts) and add value in every step. And this end-to-end experience has to be available to intermediaries in a simplified API /technology protocol, so that the customer touch points are well managed. Emerging technologies would have to quickly be adopted and scaled up like AI, machine learning, virtualisation and augmentation, to support information and experience.

Change is the only constant at the moment.

Ashish Kumar, Co-Chairman of FICCI Travel and Technology committee, brings with him 40 years of experience in travel, transport and hospitality. He is also a visionary who stands behind the integration of Artificial Intelligence in the travel industry.

Orissadiary.com |

Medical Devices sector seeks government support in ensuring supply of essential medical equipment intact

For the first time, we are experiencing an unprecedented global pandemic. The Healthcare sector is at the epicentre of this challenge, and the private sector has risen to the occasion, by offering to the Government all the support it needs, be it testing support, preparing isolation beds for the treatment of COVID-19 positive patients or deploying equipment and staff in identified nodal hospitals.

The government has taken many proactive actions to reduce the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on India. The private healthcare sector highly appreciates these measures and has come together to support the nation in this global war against COVID-19. Industry too is closely engaging with the government and developing strategies to facilitate business focused actions towards handling COVID-19 challenges. To manage the current public health emergency, the key priority is to meet the existing demand – supply gaps of essential medical supplies across India.

“FICCI has been closely monitoring the situation and working alongside the healthcare sector to help remove any bottlenecks that could impede timely delivery of screening and treatment which is extremely critical to ensure that hospitals get timely medical supplies. Industry has put aside all thoughts of risk to self, staff and organisation and have risen to the occasion,” Mr Badhri Iyengar, Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee and Cluster Managing Director – South Asia (SAARC) & South East Asia (ASEAN), Smith & Nephew

Medical devices sectors come under essential services, and are playing a critical role in ensuring that hospitals are fully equipped on the ground, however, there have been many instances where frontline medical professionals face stiff resistance to their discharge of duties, sometimes violently by certain sections of frontline law enforcement officials.

“At a time when government and industry need to join hands and collaborate to ensure we tide over these critical times, industry too seeks equal government support by ensuring the safety of these professionals who are doing a yeoman service risking their safety to ensure that the supplies reach the last mile and demand supply gap is met,” added Mr Iyengar.

Even though the Indian Government intends to ensure seamless delivery of essential services to the people of the country, despite the lockdown situation, however, there instances continue, which is unfortunate, and therefore FICCI requests the Union Home Ministry to intervene in this matter, so that much-required medical services are rendered without disruption.

At this time when holistic participation is required for India to emerge out of the COVID-19 crisis with as minimal an impact as possible to human life, we urge the Union Home Ministry to enable medical services organisations to effectively partake of this huge responsibility facing us.

The Hindu Business Line |

Pocket Aces' Loco upgrades product offerings, introduces game-streaming

Digital entertainment company, Pocket Aces, on Wednesday announced a product update for its gaming app Loco. The update will allow users to stream on the app, with a specific focus on gaming.

This will make Loco one of the earliest entrants in the game-streaming space in India, the company claimed in a statement.

The games that streamers on the platform are streaming include the likes of PUBG, FreeFire, Call of Duty etc, it said. The platform will continue to offer its ‘hyper-casual gaming’ and interactive trivia, where it has hosted over 2,000 quizzes with multiple branded games.

"In 2018, we launched Loco with two daily quiz shows and within a year, we expanded our services to include hyper-casual gaming. Today, users spend over 30 minutes per day on the app. As the next step in fulfilling our commitment towards building a long lasting gaming and esports ecosystem in India, we are now adding game streaming to our platform. This major update empowers gamers to entertain India and display their skills in different popular games, right from the comfort of their homes. In the coming months, we will roll-out an exciting array of new features and original gaming content,” said Anirudh Pandita and Ashwin Suresh, Founders, Pocket Aces.

Loco, in association with Fnatic will exclusively live stream #GamingForGood, a PUBG Mobile charity tournament, that will take place from April 3 to April 5 between 3 pm and 9 pm. This is an initiative taken to raise funds and help some of those affected due to the currently ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it said.

The top 20 teams from the South Asian PUBG MOBILE circuit will compete for prizes totalling to Rs 3.5 lakh, which will be donated to charities that teams pick.

According to FICCI and Ernst & Young's report titled, 'The era of consumer A.R.T', India's online gaming segment grew 40 per cent in 2019 to reach Rs 65 billion and is expected to reach Rs 187 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 43 per cent. There has been a significant increase in the number of online gamers, from 183 million in 2017 to 365 million in 2019.

Since its inception, Loco has seen more than 22 million gaming hours spent by users, 3 million cash prize winners and has rolled out more than 2,000 quizzes. Loco is currently available on Android and iOS platforms, and it has an engaged community of 2.2 lakh on Facebook, 1.9 lakh on Instagram and 60,000 on Twitter.

Media4Growth |

In-Cinema advertising projected to reach INR 8 bn in 2020: FICCI-EY report

According to FICCI-EY ‘s Media & Entertainment 2019 report, In-Cinema advertising has grown marginally in 2019 to reach INR7.7 billion and it is estimated to touch INR 8 billion in 2020. The report states that In-cinema advertising maintained its revenues, while physical revenues continued to fall. In 2019, the duration of on-screen cinema advertising has grown to up to 17-20 minutes per show wherein aggregators have managed over 70% of screens for advertising purposes.

The report highlights that multiplexes and advertising aggregators have started signing long-term deals with brands in comparison with earlier where brands would opt for weekly deals and extend deals depending on the success of the film, but now the brands are open to entering into 12-week deals leading to higher utilization.

Further, multiplexes are developing customized solutions and on-ground activation campaigns for brands which is boosting its revenue.

However, the report also clearly mentions that predictions may vary due to the impact of Coronavirus impact on the Media & Entertainment industry.

medianews4u |

MX Player ahead of Hotstar and Tik Tok in terms of monthly active users: FICCI 2020 report

MX Player has emerged as the #1 entertainment app in India, according to the annual FICCI Report on India’s Media and Entertainment Sector titled ‘The Era of Consumer A.R.T’. The ranking is based on apps classified under entertainment categories on iOS and Google Play. The entertainment streaming app that launched in February 2019, has dominated the market in terms of Monthly Active Users, followed by Hotstar, Tik Tok, BookMyShow, Jio TV, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, SonyLiv, Airtel TV, and Voot.

Currently, MX Player has 280 million MAUs globally and 175 million MAUs in India.

Commenting on this honour, Karan Bedi, CEO, MX Player said, “We’re a young brand and I’m delighted that in this short time, we’ve emerged as the #1 entertainment app of 2019 in India. Our scale and penetration remain unparalleled and our aim is to keep innovating and experimenting with genres, stories, languages, characters to be able to cater to every palette, enhancing our product and making sure that users continue engaging with a fresh experience, every time they log into MX Player. Being an AVOD platform, we also offer our clients unparalleled reach across the length and breadth of India.”

India ranks as one of the fastest-growing app markets globally, where entertainment apps are driving significant consumer engagement.

According to the report, total downloads among M&E categories grew 7% while total sessions grew across all M&E app categories with Entertainment growing by 31%, Music by 81% and News and Magazines by 40%. Games grew by 36% and MX Player recently added a gaming section that hosts high familiarity and easy to learn Hyper Casual Games which users can enjoy even without data or internet access, and play in a competitive format.

Staying true to the promise of providing ‘Everytainment’ – the platform is emerging as the one stop shop for all things entertainment with its best in class offline video playing capabilities, critically acclaimed Original Series, a large online streaming repository of over 1,50,000 hours of premium content including live channels and catch-up TV, audio music and gaming.

Live Mint |

FMCG firms facing production issues: Arvind Mediratta, Metro Cash & Carry India

Local arm of German retailer METRO Cash & Carry that runs 27 wholesale stores in the country selling staples, fresh produce and other packaged and household goods to small retailers, shopkeepers, businesses and restaurants, said the current three-week lockdown has disrupted movement of essential goods. Arvind Mediratta, managing director and chief executive officer of the company, who is also the chair of FICCI's committee on retail and internal trade and co-chair of food processing committee at CII, spoke with Mint about the covid-19 impact and what consumers are buying. Edited excerpts from an interview:

How has business been impacted for you?

The store footfall has dropped because of multiple reasons—customers are scared to come out of their homes or not allowed to come out, they are also not being issued passes. There is also a fear of getting harassed by the cops like our staff has been. The footfalls have dropped because of disruption in store operations. In some cities, we are allowed to open stores only until noon. In cities like Mumbai, we are allowed to operate for limited hours. We have been doing home deliveries from the beginning and continue to do so even today. For our stores in Surat, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Lucknow and Meerut, we are only given permission to do home deliveries.

What part of the broken supply chain is affecting you the most?

There are issues across the entire supply chain from - production to distribution. In the FMCG sector, a lot of factories shut down because of the lockdown, and consequently factory workers moved to their home towns. It is now difficult for them to come back, so production has been impacted for food and grocery products.

In the last one week, supplies of essential food commodities have been interrupted at various points - district, and state borders. With constant dialogue with authorities, these issues are slowly being ironed out. The Central government’s timely intervention has helped in the movement of goods at borders.

For FMCG companies, there is also a manpower challenge coupled by transportation issues. Furthermore, interpretation of the advisories at the state level is a major problem which is impacting the production for most companies.

Leading companies such as HUL and Britannia are only able to fulfil demand in Andhar Pradesh and Telangana, whereas Nestle and PepsiCo are falling short across the board.

In addition, companies such as Kellogg’s, L’Oréal, ITC, P&G are also facing issues for production.

We have close to 400 depots where suppliers send in their stock to further distribute to our stores. Out of these 400 depots only 30-35% are functional. METRO also works closely with small and mid-size companies to collect the stock of essential products from their warehouses to our stores. However, they are also facing several challenges.

Where do you think the bottlenecks lie?

Right now, what is considered as essential service is left to the discretion of the police officer and district magistrate on the ground, and they are taking calls which are different even in the same state. The biggest issue we are facing is that there is a central notification from the centre but the interpretation at the state level is very different. In UP - in Lucknow, they have one interpretation, while in Meerut and Ghaziabad they are separate.

What categories continue to be in high demand, and where are the shortages?

Metro has seen a surge in the sales of essential commodities such as rice, flour, vegetables, fruits, dal among others. We saw a big demand for personal hygiene and home hygiene products like mops, cleaning products etc. There has been a demand for kitchen products like pressure cookers, plastic containers etc as people are cooking at home.

We have voluntarily stopped selling non-essential products across all our stores.

As far food items are concerned, we will eventually witness shortage in pulses and whole spices as these items are largely transported from Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh which were restricting movement of goods earlier. The demand for packaged food products like biscuits and noodles is likely to see a spike but since the production is hit, there will be a shortage.

India Education Diary |

FICCI launches training courses for healthcare workers on COVID-19

As the whole country is in a 21-day lockdown and over a billion people stay at home to minimize transmission of COVID-19, healthcare workers have to do the opposite by reporting at work every day to care for the sick, putting themselves at high risk of infection.

FICCI, on behest of NITI Aayog, has launched a training course on COVID-19, with a focus on basic introduction to COVID-19, Infection Prevention and Control and Clinical management of positive cases, covering more than 15 important aspects on preparedness against the outbreak. The course provides information on the outbreak, transmission, symptoms, hospitals’ preparedness, screening and triaging of patients, standard precautions, correct and rational use of PPEs and bio-medical waste management for COVID-19. The content has been referred from credible sources such as guidelines from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, WHO, CDC- USA and best practices from Indian hospitals.

Co-created by experts from diverse fields of healthcare, the course has been launched by FICCI on an accessible for all platform developed with the help of Medvarsity. Healthcare workers can access the content free of cost. (https://healthedu.co.in/courses/training-of-hcws-on-covid-19/)

Further, FICCI is also working on courses for specific cadres of healthcare workforce and translating the courses to common Indian languages.

Regular training of the healthcare workforce must be undertaken for the better health of patients and medical staff as a key factor in any outbreak response.

Protecting healthcare workers at the forefront of fighting COVID-19 must be seen as a national priority. Some of the key tenets to prepare our healthcare workforce to combat the outbreak include, adequate supply of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and other requisite medical supplies, training on Infection Control and Prevention and management of the disease, financial and social protection as well as psychological support.

Finance minister’s announcement of a health insurance for Rs 50 lakh per healthcare worker for 3 months due to Coronavirus is a very prudent step towards financial protection for about 22 lakh health workers handling the COVID-19 crisis across India.

Last week, the PM’s call to the nation to applaud and express gratitude to the healthcare workers combating the pandemic, received an overwhelming response. It was truly a moment of euphoria. We need to continue to build the moment and ensure our healthcare workforce receives all the support they need to serve the nation in this critical hour of need.

Business Standard |

Many airline companies at brink of bankruptcy, need govt support: FICCI writes to Sitharaman, Puri

As cash reserves of aviation sector companies are "running down quickly" as planes are grounded amid the coronavirus pandemic, industry body FICCI on Wednesday recommended several measures to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to help the firms.

FICCI stated in its letter that the government needs to give appropriate directions to the Reserve Bank of India to ensure that the operation of existing "stand-by letters of credit, other foreign guarantees and bank guarantees etc. issued by Indian airlines operators or their banks" are suspended with immediate effect for a period of 90 days.

In its letter to both the ministers, the industry body stated that interests, penalties, delayed charges and accruals to airport operators should be waived for the airlines, and subsequently, airport operators could be adequately supported by the government to make up for the gap.

"One of the major challenges faced by the aviation industry is that cash reserves are running down quickly as fleets are grounded and flights are not operational in the past few days. Many airline companies are almost at the brink of bankruptcy," stated the letter written by Anand Stanley, Chairman, FICCI Aviation Committee.

Stanley is also President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia.

The liquidity position of all airlines will be benefited, if the "interest-free unsecured credit period" for payment of fuel charges to oil marketing companies is enhanced to 180 days from the current 21 days, Stanley noted.

India has imposed a 21-day lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, and domestic and international commercial passenger flights have been suspended for this period. Many other virus-affected countries have taken similar measures.

However, cargo flights, offshore helicopter operations, medical evacuation flights and flights that have gotten special approval from aviation regulator DGCA are permitted to operate during the flight ban.

"Airline cancellations far outstrip any fresh ticketing; airlines thus have negative sales during COVID-19. This results in Airline GST refunds being higher than the GST due. It is recommended that the Indian government consider deferment of payment of GST for the airline industry," Stanley stated.

Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) may be brought under the ambit of GST as for any airline in India, the cost of ATF constitutes about 40 per cent of the total operational cost, he mentioned.

"Presently ATF attracts excise duty at the rate of 11 per cent and VAT (which varies from state to state) up to 30 per cent. Airline companies may be allowed to take input credit of GST paid on ATF resulting into reduction in the cost of operation," Stanley recommended.

In his letter to both the ministers, Stanley also recommended waiving parking and landing charges and royalties that are paid by the airlines to the airports.

"The government could undertake some policy measures for at least 20 per cent contribution towards the total salary bill of employees with a gross salary of Rs 30,000 or less per month. The list of employees should be as per the pay-out made for month of Feb 2020," Stanley said, adding that this step would help aviation sector companies retain their employees despite current headwinds.

Till now, around 1,600 people have been infected by the novel coronavirus and 38 people have died due to it in India, according to Union health ministry.

The Hindu Business Line |

Govt should mandate force majeure for all civil aviation contracts: FICCI

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has recommended that the government should mandate that force majeure applies to all civil aviation contracts to save the domestic civil aviation industry from the Covid-19 induced crisis.

This is one of the recommendations that FICCI has made in a five-page letter to Hardeep Puri, Union Civil Aviation Minister, that it released to the media on Wednesday. The term ‘force majeure’ means unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract. With airline cancellations far outstripping any fresh ticketing the airlines have negative sales during Covid-19 pandemic, FICCI says it is recommending deferment of payment of GST by airlines.

Losses piling up

With the coronavirus hitting airlines globally, the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) on Tuesday estimated that the loss to global airlines during the second quarter could be $39 billion and global airlines were also looking at around $35 billion of ticket refunds during the second quarter.

FICCI also suggested that the government should look at providing flexibility to airlines from oil marketing firms to help ease their liquidity position. It suggested that the interest-free unsecured credit period for payment of fuel charges to oil marketing companies should be enhanced to 180 days from the current 21 days.

“Therefore, Oil Marketing Companies may be directed to extend unsecured interest-free credit terms to the aviation sector,” FICCI suggested. Aviation Turbine Fuel cost is one of the three major costs for most domestic airlines.

Meanwhile, the Airports Council International (ACI) in its revised revenue forecasts shows the 2020 impact of the pandemic now at $23.9 billion for Asia-Pacific only, impacting airports of all sizes. “Taking into account the rapid developments, ACI estimates the first quarter loss in Asia-Pacific in the range of $5.6 billion, almost double its earlier estimates,” it said in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Live Mint |

Grounded aviation industry seeks govt aid to avoid job losses

India’s aviation industry has urged the government to take steps for financial aid, including funds infusion into airlines and airports, as covid-19 paralyses the sector.

The aviation industry needs an urgent bailout from the government, FICCI Aviation Committee chairman Anand Stanley said in a letter on Tuesday to civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri. A copy of the letter has been reviewed by Mint.

The industry body has sought tax relief, deferment of payment of goods and services tax (GST) for airlines, bringing jet fuel under GST, reduction in airport charges and overflight fees, a temporary cut in excise duty on jet fuel, as well as other financial aid.

“The government may immediately provide direct cash support to Indian carriers, so that airlines can meet their fixed costs, at least for the period where loss of revenues and liquidity is directly attributable to the government’s directive to cease operation," Stanley said, referring to India suspending flights till 14 April amid a three-week nationwide lockdown to arrest the spread of covid-19.

“The government could undertake some policy measures for at least 20% contribution towards the total salary bill of employees with a gross salary of ₹30,000 or less per month," he said. These steps will help airline companies retain employees, despite the headwinds, he said.

The development comes even as several airlines, including state-run Air India, have been forced to trim salaries and perks. On Wednesday, GoAir chief executive officer Vinay Dube informed employees in an email that a portion of the March salary will be deferred to April. Others such as IndiGo, Vistara and SpiceJet have initiated pay cuts for sections of their staff.

India’s aviation industry is expected to post losses of $3-3.6 billion in the June quarter with airlines sharing the bulk of the hit because of the travel curbs and falling air travel demand because of covid-19, aviation consultancy Capa India said in a report last week.

Domestic carriers are forecast to post losses of about $1.75 billion next quarter, followed by airports and concessionaires with losses of between $1.5 billion and $1.75 billion, Capa India said.

“The government needs to intervene as the aviation sector is at the tip of the spear and an economically critical industry," said a senior airline official, requesting anonymity.

“Countries all over the world have announced bailout packages or announced measures to help the aviation industry," the official added.

Outlook |

Many airline companies at brink of bankruptcy, need govt support: FICCI writes to Sitharaman, Puri

As cash reserves of aviation sector companies are 'running down quickly' as planes are grounded amid the coronavirus pandemic, industry body FICCI on Wednesday recommended several measures to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to help the firms.

FICCI stated in its letter that the government needs to give appropriate directions to the Reserve Bank of India to ensure that the operation of existing "stand-by letters of credit, other foreign guarantees and bank guarantees etc. issued by Indian airlines operators or their banks" are suspended with immediate effect for a period of 90 days.

In its letter to both the ministers, the industry body stated that interests, penalties, delayed charges and accruals to airport operators should be waived for the airlines, and subsequently, airport operators could be adequately supported by the government to make up for the gap.

"One of the major challenges faced by the aviation industry is that cash reserves are running down quickly as fleets are grounded and flights are not operational in the past few days. Many airline companies are almost at the brink of bankruptcy," stated the letter written by Anand Stanley, Chairman, FICCI Aviation Committee.

Stanley is also President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia.

The liquidity position of all airlines will be benefited, if the "interest-free unsecured credit period" for payment of fuel charges to oil marketing companies is enhanced to 180 days from the current 21 days, Stanley noted.

India has imposed a 21-day lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, and domestic and international commercial passenger flights have been suspended for this period. Many other virus-affected countries have taken similar measures.

However, cargo flights, offshore helicopter operations, medical evacuation flights and flights that have gotten special approval from aviation regulator DGCA are permitted to operate during the flight ban.

"Airline cancellations far outstrip any fresh ticketing; airlines thus have negative sales during COVID-19. This results in Airline GST refunds being higher than the GST due. It is recommended that the Indian government consider deferment of payment of GST for the airline industry," Stanley stated.

Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) may be brought under the ambit of GST as for any airline in India, the cost of ATF constitutes about 40 per cent of the total operational cost, he mentioned.

"Presently ATF attracts excise duty at the rate of 11 per cent and VAT (which varies from state to state) up to 30 per cent. Airline companies may be allowed to take input credit of GST paid on ATF resulting into reduction in the cost of operation," Stanley recommended.

In his letter to both the ministers, Stanley also recommended waiving parking and landing charges and royalties that are paid by the airlines to the airports.

"The government could undertake some policy measures for at least 20 per cent contribution towards the total salary bill of employees with a gross salary of Rs 30,000 or less per month. The list of employees should be as per the pay-out made for month of Feb 2020," Stanley said, adding that this step would help aviation sector companies retain their employees despite current headwinds.

Till now, around 1,600 people have been infected by the novel coronavirus and 38 people have died due to it in India, according to Union health ministry.

Deccan Herald |

Many airline companies on the brink of bankruptcy, need govt support: FICCI writes to Sitharaman, Puri

As cash reserves of aviation sector companies are "running down quickly" as planes are grounded amid the coronavirus pandemic, industry body FICCI on Wednesday recommended several measures to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to help the firms.

FICCI stated in its letter that the government needs to give appropriate directions to the Reserve Bank of India to ensure that the operation of existing "stand-by letters of credit, other foreign guarantees and bank guarantees etc. issued by Indian airlines operators or their banks" are suspended with immediate effect for a period of 90 days.

In its letter to both the ministers, the industry body stated that interests, penalties, delayed charges and accruals to airport operators should be waived for the airlines, and subsequently, airport operators could be adequately supported by the government to make up for the gap.

"One of the major challenges faced by the aviation industry is that cash reserves are running down quickly as fleets are grounded and flights are not operational in the past few days. Many airline companies are almost at the brink of bankruptcy," stated the letter written by Anand Stanley, Chairman, FICCI Aviation Committee.

Stanley is also President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia.

The liquidity position of all airlines will be benefited, if the "interest-free unsecured credit period" for payment of fuel charges to oil marketing companies is enhanced to 180 days from the current 21 days, Stanley noted.

India has imposed a 21-day lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, and domestic and international commercial passenger flights have been suspended for this period. Many other virus-affected countries have taken similar measures.

However, cargo flights, offshore helicopter operations, medical evacuation flights and flights that have gotten special approval from aviation regulator DGCA are permitted to operate during the flight ban.

"Airline cancellations far outstrip any fresh ticketing; airlines thus have negative sales during COVID-19. This results in Airline GST refunds being higher than the GST due. It is recommended that the Indian government consider deferment of payment of GST for the airline industry," Stanley stated.

Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) may be brought under the ambit of GST as for any airline in India, the cost of ATF constitutes about 40 per cent of the total operational cost, he mentioned.

"Presently ATF attracts excise duty at the rate of 11 per cent and VAT (which varies from state to state) up to 30 per cent. Airline companies may be allowed to take input credit of GST paid on ATF resulting into reduction in the cost of operation," Stanley recommended.

In his letter to both the ministers, Stanley also recommended waiving parking and landing charges and royalties that are paid by the airlines to the airports.

"The government could undertake some policy measures for at least 20 per cent contribution towards the total salary bill of employees with a gross salary of Rs 30,000 or less per month. The list of employees should be as per the pay-out made for month of Feb 2020," Stanley said, adding that this step would help aviation sector companies retain their employees despite current headwinds.

Till now, around 1,600 people have been infected by the novel coronavirus and 38 people have died due to it in India, according to Union health ministry.

NDTV Profit |

Many Airlines at brink of bankruptcy, need government support: Industry Body

As cash reserves of aviation sector companies are "running down quickly" as planes are grounded amid the coronavirus pandemic, industry body FICCI on Wednesday recommended several measures to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to help aviation firms.

FICCI stated in its letter that the government needs to give appropriate directions to the Reserve Bank of India to ensure that the operation of existing "stand-by letters of credit, other foreign guarantees and bank guarantees etc. issued by Indian airlines operators or their banks" are suspended with immediate effect for a period of 90 days.

In its letter to both the ministers, the industry body stated that interests, penalties, delayed charges and accruals to airport operators should be waived for the airlines, and subsequently, airport operators could be adequately supported by the government to make up for the gap.

"One of the major challenges faced by the aviation industry is that cash reserves are running down quickly as fleets are grounded and flights are not operational in the past few days. Many airline companies are almost at the brink of bankruptcy," stated the letter written by Anand Stanley, Chairman, FICCI Aviation Committee.

Anand Stanley is also President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia.

The liquidity position of all airlines will be benefited, if the "interest-free unsecured credit period" for payment of fuel charges to oil marketing companies is enhanced to 180 days from the current 21 days, Stanley noted.

The government has imposed a 21-day lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, and domestic and international commercial passenger flights have been suspended for this period. Many other virus-affected countries have taken similar measures.

However, cargo flights, offshore helicopter operations, medical evacuation flights and flights that have gotten special approval from aviation regulator DGCA are permitted to operate during the flight ban.

"Airline cancellations far outstrip any fresh ticketing; airlines thus have negative sales during COVID-19. This results in Airline GST refunds being higher than the GST due. It is recommended that the Indian government consider deferment of payment of GST for the airline industry," Mr Stanley stated.

Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) may be brought under the ambit of GST as for any airline in India, the cost of ATF constitutes about 40 per cent of the total operational cost, he mentioned.

"Presently ATF attracts excise duty at the rate of 11 per cent and VAT (which varies from state to state) up to 30 per cent. Airline companies may be allowed to take input credit of GST paid on ATF resulting into reduction in the cost of operation," Stanley recommended.

In his letter to both the ministers, Mr Stanley also recommended waiving parking and landing charges and royalties that are paid by the airlines to the airports.

"The government could undertake some policy measures for at least 20 per cent contribution towards the total salary bill of employees with a gross salary of Rs 30,000 or less per month. The list of employees should be as per the pay-out made for month of February 2020," he said, adding that this step would help aviation sector companies retain their employees despite current headwinds.

Till now, around 1,600 people have been infected by the novel coronavirus and 38 people have died due to it in India, according to Union health ministry.

Outlook |

Lockdown Day 8: Crackdown on gatherings gather pace, but troubles mount for people

With a sharp spike in the COVID-19 tally, authorities on Wednesday stepped up their crackdown against violations of the ongoing nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the pandemic, even as troubles mounted for people with supply of goods getting sparse and economic activities being hit hard.

As the 21-day nationwide lockdown entered the eighth day, experts and executives at various companies warned that the worst is yet to be seen for corporates and the job market as there is expected to be a prolonged impact on the overall economy of the country.

A number of automakers on Wednesday reported massive drop in sales for March. These included Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai Motor, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

An industry report also said that demand for cement is expected to be muted in the near-term owing to exodus of labourers from construction sites following the nationwide lockdown, while another report flagged challenging time for the shipping sector.

Apollo Tyres said it has extended shutdown of its plants in Kerala, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu till April 14 due to the ongoing nationwide lockdown, while drungmaker Divi''s Labs said it anticipates certain delays in product deliveries during the lockdown.

While several companies across industries have already announced pay cuts and job reductions due to the lockdown, daily wagers and contract labourers have virtually been rendered without any means to earn their livelihood.

Even in the film and TV industry, thousands who get paid daily have been hit hard with all shootings being cancelled.

Several hiring firms have said there has been a huge surge in the job search activities, while a study by hiring site Indeed showed that job searches related to remote working have witnessed a jump of over 261 per cent amid the lockdown.

Air carrier GoAir has told its staff that a portion of their March salary has been deferred to April, days after it announced a pay cut for all the employees.

Industry body FICCI wrote to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to help aviation firms, saying many airlines were at the bring of bankruptcy as their cash reserves are "running down quickly" as planes are grounded amid the coronavirus pandemic.

While some respite came for people having taken loans from banks with several lenders initiating steps to provide a three-month moratorium on EMI payments, but experts said it is unlikely to bring much relief to the borrowers hit by COVID-19 lockdowns as they will have to bear the extra cost of interest and a longer repayment period.

Amid supply of household goods getting sparse, truckers body, the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) said only 5 per cent of around 90 lakh trucks across India are plying on the roads at the moment due to shortage of drivers and labourers at loading and unloading points, thereby severely hampering transportation of goods.

Several retailers, however, said there is enough stock of essential items and groceries if people do not resort to panic buying, though some organised players put caps on items that a consumer can purchase during the lockdown.

In the meantime, enforcement authorities have stepped up their crackdown against those violating the lockdown after a huge religious gathering in the national capital emerged as a major epicentre for spread of the deadly coronavirus, for which nearly 1,900 people have so far been tested positive and at least 55 have died.

While the Union Health Ministry urged people to avoid attending religious gatherings and other such events, police had to use force after about 100 people gathered for a religious congregation at a dargah in Sarwar town of Rajasthan''s Ajmer district.

In Maharashtra, police has begun using drone cameras to locate people venturing out, specially migrant workers going from one place to another.

With the migrant workers being the worst hit, the Union Health Ministry called for providing a social protection to them, saying they are prone to social, psychological and emotional trauma in lockdown situations.

At some places, authorities resorted to unusual punishments as well.

In a Maharashtra village, the panchayat announced donkey parade for those stepping out of homes.

On the other hand, Gujarat Police were seen using their band to lift the spirits of people amid the coronavirus crisis and to send across a message to stay strong and fight the challenging times with patience.

In Begaluru, tipplers facing a long dry phase in view of coronavirus lockdown fell prey to April Fool''s day prank on social media that liquor outlets will open for a day on Wednesday and thronged a shop in Karnatakas Gadag town, only to be driven away later.

People from various corners of the town queued up at a liquor shop, but got to know later it was a April 1 (April Fool''s day) prank.

In Chhattisgarh''s Raipur city, two men died after allegedly consuming surgical spirit as a replacement for alcohol.

A 60-year-old man feigned his own death so that he and his friends could reach their homes in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir in an ambulance, but ran out of luck when a police party recorded their temperature and found him to be alive.

Several people also lodged their complaints with the central government''s new public grievance redressal platform against those not adhering to the lockdown. Other such grievances included "garbage not being collected" and "supply of basic necessities affected".

Yahoo News |

Industry raises key issues in supply of PPEs, ventilators

Industry bodies have flagged the key issues of design, demand and import in augmenting supply of ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPEs) to arrest COVID-19 spread, it is learnt.

According to sources, in the first meeting of the empowered group of officers on ‘coordinating with private sector, NGOs, and international organisations’ for COVID-19-related response activities, top office-bearers of four major industry associations - CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, and NASSCOM - raised these issues. During the meeting, chaired by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant on Monday, the industry is learnt to have raised the issue of demand assessment of ventilators in India.

It is learnt that one of the industry chambers told the empowered group that a consortium comprising DRDO, the IITs, and the aerospace and automobile industries has developed a “prototype of ventilators and is looking for industry partners for mass production”. They also requested that a demand assessment be made by relevant government departments for this, a source said.

Corporate India also raised the issue of design approval of ventilators, and funding for their manufacturing, in the meeting, according to the source.

Raising the issue of design, one industry representative is learnt to have said in the meeting that prototype designs of ventilators have been developed by “start-ups, which are currently awaiting design approval and funding”. This representative is learnt to have also suggested using funds under corporate social responsibility (CSR) for PPEs.

The industry associations also raised the issue of substantial price increase of PPEs by Chinese manufactures, and observed that these manufacturers are reluctant to accept bank guarantees, a source said.

Financial Express |

Coronavirus Impact: Ad expenditure to decline by 50-55% on TV between April-June 2020

As the novel Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc around the world, television is one such industry which is currently under its grip, besides other sectors. According to industry estimates, advertising expenditure on television is expected to decline 50%- 55% to anywhere between Rs 3,750 crore – Rs 4,125 crore between April-June, that is Q1 FY2021 – if the lockdown continues. Compared to this, TV had clocked ad revenue worth Rs 7,500 crore in Q1,FY20 – this includes ad revenue from the Indian Premier League (IPL), ICC Cricket World Cup, both General Election and State Elections, among others. “The IPL is a key revenue earning property every year. As it currently stands cancelled, it has resulted in revenue loss of about Rs 2,5000 crore – Rs 3,000 crore. Unlike last year, there is no Cricket World Cup or elections which would have resulted into large ad spends,” a senior media planner said on condition of anonymity.

According to the latest FICCI-EY report, TV industry was valued at Rs 78,800 crore in 2019. The industry earned Rs 32,000 crore from advertising, and Rs 46,800 crore as subscription revenue. According to industry estimates, IPL raked in advertising revenue worth Rs 2,500 crore while elections generated revenue in the range of Rs 1,000 crore – Rs 1,500 crore, among others. Nonetheless, this year the government is expected to spend about Rs 500 crore in advertising to create awareness on the adverse impact of the novel Coronavirus. “Many companies have paused their marketing for now, giving the fact that consumers are not going out amidst lockdown. There are a lot of categories which would like to leverage the increase in eyeballs on television. Categories such as healthcare and nutrition, might up its ad spends to get better brand presence on TV,” Lloyd Mathias, angel investor, marketing and business strategist, said.

One of the reasons behind the decline in advertising revenue is largely due to a drying pipeline of fresh content. With all the shoots currently stalled, broadcasters are expected to run out of original content soon. As a result, either old content will return or broadcasters might borrow content from video streaming platforms. Case in point is public broadcaster Prasar Bharti is now airing a clutch of old shows such as Mahabharat, Ramayana, besides Circus, and Byomkesh Bakshi. Moreover, Star Sports too is airing old content such as highlights of 50 of the best matches of the VIVO IPL from the previous seasons, among others. According to Ashish Pherwani, partner and media and entertainment leader, EY India, in addition to bringing back old shows, broadcasters might also look at bringing some of its content from video streaming platforms.

An email sent to all the leading broadcasters including Star India – a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company India and Viacom18, among others, did not elicit any response till the time of publishing the story.

Secondly, some of the categories such as travel and tourism, auto, two-wheeler, retail, jewellery are expected to completely cut down on advertising. Even e-commerce which is usually a heavy spender on TV is expected to reduce its spends by 50%. “Still waiting to hear on IPL’s decision, so excluding that, there are some categories which are active even in these circumstances. Brands on hygiene/sanitization such as Dettol from Reckitt, Godrej Protekt, Lifebuoy are active and can be seen frequently’ Also Oppo and Mutual Funds brand are still active,” Sujata Dwibedy, group trading director, Amplifi, Dentsu Aegis Network India, said.

Global News Hut |

Process drive to resolve meals business points: Harsimrat Kaur Badal

Harsimrat stated the crew had already acquired 222 points out of which 98 had been resolved.

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal Monday assured business representatives {that a} devoted job drive had been established to resolve all issues being confronted by the meals processing and ancillary industries amid the 21-day nationwide lockdown.

In a video convention with main business our bodies akin to CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHDCCI, AIFPA, ICC, FINER and DICCI, Harsimrat stated the duty drive included all senior officers of the meals processing ministry and members of Make investments India. She stated the crew had already acquired 222 points out of which 98 had been resolved.

A SAD spokesperson, in a written assertion, stated, “Trade representatives stated that although instructions had been despatched to all state governments concerning the want for permitting the manufacturing and motion of important gadgets, they have been being interpreted in several methods. The representatives stated in addition they confronted issues associated to manufacturing facility shutdown, permission to function warehouses, personnel motion and logistic disruption. They discolsed that required labour was not obtainable for clean manufacturing and that there was a scarcity of transport additionally. In addition they urged that ‘kirana shops’ be allowed to open throughout the nation to make sure the ahead linkage”.

As per the spokesperson, Harsimrat stated she would take up the suggestion to deal with labour working in meals business on the sample of frontline staff and be given an insurance coverage cowl of Rs 50 lakh.

Yahoo News |

Task force to resolve food industry issues: Harsimrat Kaur Badal

Harsimrat said the team had already received 222 issues out of which 98 had been resolved.

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal Monday assured industry representatives that a dedicated task force had been established to resolve all problems being faced by the food processing and ancillary industries amid the 21-day national lockdown.

In a video conference with major industry bodies such as CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHDCCI, AIFPA, ICC, FINER and DICCI, Harsimrat said the task force included all senior officials of the food processing ministry and members of Invest India. She said the team had already received 222 issues out of which 98 had been resolved.

A SAD spokesperson, in a written statement, said, “Industry representatives said that though directions had been sent to all state governments about the need for allowing the manufacturing and movement of essential items, they were being interpreted in different ways. The representatives said they also faced problems related to factory shutdown, permission to operate warehouses, personnel movement and logistic disruption. They discolsed that required labour was not available for smooth manufacturing and that there was a shortage of transport also. They also urged that ‘kirana stores’ be allowed to open across the country to ensure the forward linkage”.

As per the spokesperson, Harsimrat said she would take up the suggestion to treat labour working in food industry on the pattern of frontline workers and be given an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh.

Yahoo News |

Coronavirus: Empowered group likely to firm up medical emergency plan in next few days

A day after the government formed an empowered group of officers on ‘medical emergency management plan’, the six-member group, headed by NITI Aayog member V K Paul, held its first meeting on Monday and discussed the various scenarios in which the number of COVID-19 cases can change in the coming month.

“The group is expected to come up with a medical emergency action plan in the next few days,” a source said.

The group, which comprises senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Cabinet Secretariat, Department of Biotechnology, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), also took an assessment of supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators required to deal with emergency situations, it is learnt.

The geographical distribution of health infrastructure was also assessed, sources said.

The group under Paul is one of the 11 empowered groups of officers constituted by Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Sunday “for planning and ensuring implementation of COVID-19 response activities”.

Another empowered group constituted for ‘coordinating with private sector, NGOs and international organisations for response-related activities’ also had its first meeting under the chairmanship of NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.

Sources said the group interacted with representatives of industry bodies such as FICCI and CII, and 32 civil society organisations (CSOs).

During the meeting, Kant is learnt to have urged CSOs to support the local administration in addressing issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic and by running decentralised kitchens and shelters for homeless and migrant workers, partner with state and local governments to minimise adverse effects of the spread of coronavirus.

He is learnt to have asked them to identify the infected patients and those most affected, and assisting people requiring hospital admissions; establishing and operating quarantine and isolation centres in taluk headquarters of more rural districts.

IBS Intelligence |

How banks and NBFCs are getting through COVID-19 using digitized loans

Banks and NBFCs in India are experiencing a sudden downturn in business due to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, with over 80% of companies reporting a decreased cash flow and the lowest reported economic growth rate in six years, according to FICCI.

Why are financial organizations feeling the pinch?

Banks and NBFCs rely heavily on the maintenance of a steady cash cycle to keep their business afloat, and loans are a crucial part of this cycle. Loan processes are now facing considerable disruptions in India. There are two reasons:

First, both individuals and organizations have not been taking loans due to the health risks involved in the physical nature of the onboarding and loan disbursement process.

Second, businesses are trying to stay put and weather the storm by reducing their financial activities, such as taking loans.

Addressing these two reasons will go a long way in returning the activities of banks and NBFCs to normalcy post the COVID-19 pandemic. But how are they being treated?

How digitized loans are helping fix the problems?

Digitizing the loan disbursement process is a quick and easy solution to this two-pronged problem, as it reduces the health risks of obtaining loans to zero. It is because no physical contact with other individuals is involved in the digitized loan process.

Additionally, the low cost of onboarding and the reduced turnaround time of digitized loans lowers the financial burden of loan disbursement on banks and NBFCs, allowing them to offer mortgages at lower rates to businesses that are reluctant to obtain loans due to the financial implications.

Therefore, by adopting end-to-end digitizing of the loan disbursement process, banks and NBFCs are beginning to get their businesses back on track while ensuring profitability.

End-to-end loan digitization

Start-ups are already offering end-to-end loan digitization solutions to banks and NBFCs. Chief among these start-ups is SignDesk, which provides a catalog of digital onboarding and documentation solutions to digitize loans.

SignDesk’s Video KYC product, scan.it, is used to digitally onboard customers. Following this, a loan agreement is ratified digitally through the online payment of stamp duty, via stamp.it. The loan agreement is then signed digitally and executed using ink.it, an e-signature workflow solution. Finally, payments on the loan are automated with link.it, an eMandate workflow solution.

In this way, the entire process can be completely digitized, thus reducing the risks of obtaining loans and injecting some much-needed stimulus into the financial ecosystem.

The Indian Express |

Task force to resolve food industry issues: Harsimrat Kaur Badal

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal Monday assured industry representatives that a dedicated task force had been established to resolve all problems being faced by the food processing and ancillary industries amid the 21-day national lockdown.

In a video conference with major industry bodies such as CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHDCCI, AIFPA, ICC, FINER and DICCI, Harsimrat said the task force included all senior officials of the food processing ministry and members of Invest India. She said the team had already received 222 issues out of which 98 had been resolved.

A SAD spokesperson, in a written statement, said, “Industry representatives said that though directions had been sent to all state governments about the need for allowing the manufacturing and movement of essential items, they were being interpreted in different ways. The representatives said they also faced problems related to factory shutdown, permission to operate warehouses, personnel movement and logistic disruption. They discolsed that required labour was not available for smooth manufacturing and that there was a shortage of transport also. They also urged that ‘kirana stores’ be allowed to open across the country to ensure the forward linkage”.

As per the spokesperson, Harsimrat said she would take up the suggestion to treat labour working in food industry on the pattern of frontline workers and be given an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh.

Deccan Herald |

Government to hold discussions with transport unions on raw material supply to food processing companies: Badal

Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Monday assured the industry that the government will hold discussions with transport unions regarding smooth supply of raw materials required by food manufacturing companies.

The minister spoke with industry associations CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHDCCI, AIFPA, ICC, FINER and DICCI through video conference.

Badal said that the grievances aired by the industry will be discussed with a dedicated task force set up to resolve sector specific issues during the period of lockdown till April 14 to combat COVID-19, according to an official statement.

"The Food Processing Industries Minister said talks would be initiated with the transport unions to ensure smooth supply of food material and access to raw materials by the food processing industry," the statement said.

She assured industry representatives that she would review all suggestions and grievances submitted by them to the task force.

Listing out the problems, industry associations said though directions had been sent to all state governments about the need for allowing manufacturing and movement of essential items, they were being interpreted in different ways by the state governments.

They stressed the need for uniform format for all states regarding manufacturing and movement of food products.

The industry bodies also shared the problems related to factory shutdown, permission to operate warehouses, personnel movement and logistic disruption.

"The industry representatives said that required labour was not available for smooth manufacturing and that there was a shortage of transport also," the statement added.

They further urged that 'kirana stores' should be allowed to be open across the country to ensure forward linkage was established.

The minister informed that the task force, which includes food processing ministry officials and members of Invest India, has received complaints about 222 issues, out of which 98 have been resolved and the rest are under process of resolution.

Fortune India |

Indian economy will be totally different post Covid-19: Dinesh Kanabar

The Indian economy will see a complete recalibration as a fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. GDP growth in 2020 in the short-term is unlikely to rise beyond 2.5%; the benchmark for aspects like employees’ salaries and rent for commercial premises will have to re-drawn; and business models like captive back offices of global multinationals in India will come under pressure, says Dinesh Kanabar, chief executive officer of a tax and regulatory consulting firm, Dhruva Advisors.

While the government has rightly focussed on addressing the plight of the vulnerable section of society through a relief package first, it needs to step up its efforts to support local businesses through measures like moratorium on tax payments, tax relief on the import and manufacturing of essential healthcare equipment and amendment to the insolvency and bankruptcy regulations, says Kanabar.

In an interview with Fortune India, Kanabar said that Indian companies will be forced to re-look at their supply chain and start building domestic capacity for essential products to reduce dependence on China.

Edited excerpts:

Do you think the Coronavirus pandemic is the biggest Black Swan event that India has ever faced?

As early as on March 10, I had written an email to clients asking them to brace for a much bigger disruption that was seen at that time. I was confident that the Indian and global markets hadn’t fathomed the full extent of the disruption.

I think the world and India are going to be in a completely different place altogether. It will be a completely different economy. We are so interconnected with the global economy that any adverse impact on companies far away, like in the US, will have an impact on us.

For instance, we need to see what happens to the entire outsourcing model wherein many global companies have captive back offices in India. If these captive centres are unable to provide seamless connectivity and continuity of service due to the Covid-19 related disruptions, the entire value proposition of these centres will be challenged. Many companies around the world-in aviation, hospitality and retail—have started furloughing employees in developed countries. Some of them have captive centres in India. There may well be a case where the global parent says it cannot support running a centre in India as a pure captive due to low capacity utilisation and asks it go independent and find business elsewhere.

Similarly, in steel and cement, our clients are telling us that they aren’t continuing with operations as they have run out of working capital and storage space to hold existing inventory. Restarting such heavy manufacturing installations will be a major issue since they cannot be powered up or down at the flick of a switch.

What can the government do to keep businesses on their feet in such trying times?

Right now, the government has rightly addressed the needs of the poor. But there is precious little that has been done to keep the economy going. Through FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) we have represented to the government that the liquidity needs of companies need to be addressed to help them remain solvent.

The government has said that companies with a turnover of less than ₹5 crore can pay GST (Goods and Services Tax) by June 2020. Why can't this be extended for all companies? Corporate India doesn’t need a dole or a grant. It just needs more time to make statutory tax payments. For instance, for the quarter ended March 31, companies usually need to deposit taxes with the government by April 10. Now, companies’ working capital is stuck in making recurring payments such as rent and salary; and receivables from customers are trickling in with a lag. So extending the deadline for paying taxes like GST till June, without any interest or penalty can go a long way in helping companies manage their liquidity and giving them time to reorganise.

Is it time for Indian companies to re-look their business operations and supply chain framework to ensure business continuity in the future? Overdependence on Chinese manufacturing has led to issues for sectors like pharma at present.

Yes. And the government has taken some steps in that direction. The new policy to offer a reduced corporate tax rate of 15% to new manufacturing facilities set up after October 1, 2019, should attract people to set up manufacturing in India. Countries like the U.S. have been over dependent on Chinese manufacturing and with a trade war between the two countries and the subsequent Covid-19 pandemic, India needs to see if it can go the US and persuade companies to source from here. Chinese companies have enjoyed a cost benefit for long but in the post-Coronavirus world, business costs will be looked at from a very different lens.

Countries, including India, will be forced to think of business from a nationalistic point of view post the Covid-19 crisis because it is clear that you can't rely on China alone and need to have local manufacturing capabilities for some essential products like intermediate pharma products within the country. We have been speaking about setting up manufacturing parks where the land, surrounding infrastructure, labour and logistics is taken care of. These efforts need to be stepped up.

This will also help India attract foreign capital at a time when the flow of foreign institutional money into India could possibly get choked with an imminent global recession.

What are the other relief measures that India can offer companies?

There are a variety of measures being taken by countries around the world. While we cannot possibly do what some of the developed countries - like the $2 trillion package being offered in the US - we are still not doing enough when compared to some other smaller countries like Portugal and Brazil. The government took a good step by agreeing to bear the employers’ and employees’ contribution to provident fund for three months. But why only for companies employing less than 100 people, with 90% of them earning less than ₹15,000 per month. This will restrict the benefit to only a small section of those need such measures.

Can we request the government to make corporate contributions—either to the Prime Minister’s relief fund or to a registered charity—for fighting the pandemic tax deductible? Can we waive of GST on the domestic manufacturing of essential items like masks and sanitisers? Can we waive of import duty on the import of such items?

With economic activity coming to a standstill and many companies facing cash flow issues, how will companies’ fundraising ability suffer? We have seen a number of credit ratings downgrades in the last few days.

One of the suggestions that we had made, which doesn’t seem to have found favour with the government, was to extend the closing of the financial year (2019-2020) to June 30. And consequently have only nine months in the next fiscal (2020-21). A company’s fundraising ability and consequent credit ratings are a function of its financial ratios available from its full year’s financials. Pushing the financial year to June may have given some cushion to companies to improve on these ratios. The government could also consider allowing companies to carry backward losses (wherein potential losses in the April-June 2020 period could be set off against profits made in the preceding 12 months) and compute tax on that basis.

Also, due to tax collection falling below target, the government had virtually stopped the processing of all tax-related refunds from December 2019. A large amount of capital is locked up in this and these funds should be released immediately as this will offer some relief to companies.

When it comes to fundraising, companies will need to recalibrate. There will be a repricing of all aspects of the economy. From salaries to rent, everything will be up for re-benchmarking. Even if the government wants the banks to lend to companies, they wouldn’t do so if the companies are in default. So, the insolvency and bankruptcy regulations need to be amended to offer a full moratorium to companies till September. This means that if a company has been compliant with debt servicing obligations in the past and cannot make payments at present, banks are refrained from referring it for bankruptcy proceedings till September.

Do you think 5-6% GDP growth is the new normal for India?

You must have seen that Moody’s has cut India’s economic growth forecast to 2.5% for calendar year 2020. I am an eternal optimist but even I don’t believe GDP will growth will rise beyond 2.5% in the short-term. We are a deeply interconnected economy and with joblessness in the US on the rise and many sectors completely shut down, it will have an impact on us as well.

The next couple of years will be all about stabilising the economy. Local consumption and growth will come back after that.

The Hitavada |

Industry bodies seek extension to financial year till June 30

Industry bodies have appealed to the Government seeking extension of the current financial year, ending March 31, by at least three months till June-end, citing the present economic situation amid the coronavirus pandemic. Representatives from industry chambers including CII, FICCI and Assocham met officials of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs here last week and apprised the government of the issues being faced by them, and gave various suggestions.

“In the current scenario, any financial statement prepared for April 2019 to March 2020 will not give true and fair view as it does not represent one complete business cycle of the entity. Hence, it is imperative to increase the given period to disclose the correct picture of business performances of a company,” the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) told the ministry in its submission. It further argued that the current economic situation in India and the world over has resulted in impaired valuations of all assets, including commodities and financial assets.

CII also called for allowing companies to pass circular resolutions for restricted matters without the requirement of conducting a board meeting for approving such matters for a period up to June 30, 2020. “With the current backdrop of coronavirus, the entire economy is getting stagnated for at least a couple of quarters which are kind of missing quarters for corporates. Further, to view the annualised financial statement of any corporate entity, one has to appropriately factor in the impact of current quarter,” it said.
Section 179(3) of Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 8 of the Companies (Meeting of Board and its Powers) Rules, 2014, provides certain matters to be dealt with by the Board of Directors only by means of resolutions passed at meetings of the Board.These matters include making calls on shareholders in respect of money unpaid on their shares; authorising buyback of securities; issuance securities, including debentures, whether in or outside India etc.

Indian Retailer.com |

Decoding the impact of Coronavirus on the retail sector

When the COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire, governments have no other better options than lock-down to counter the pandemic. The global economy is struggling between the devil and the deep blue sea, and small businesses are the worst hit. Retail, especially the physical retail is one of the worst hit sectors as the lock-down will be continued till mid of April. Though convenience and departmental stores are exempted from the lock-down, their footfall falls to a great extent. But, apparel, jewellery, mobiles & electronics, sports goods, and many other retail segments are completely closed in the wake of the ongoing health emergency.

Covid Impact

The economy was already in the slowdown phase for the last couple of quarters, and it had experienced the slowest growth in the last six year, when it grew only at 4.7 per cent. In such a challenging scenario, things become further aggravated when coronavirus spreads the tentacles in Indian markets. With every passing day, the crisis is mounting like never before and its impact can be seen everywhere. According to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), besides the direct impact on demand and supply of goods and services, decreasing cash flow is another big problem for the businesses. On the one hand, retailers are missing items in the inventory, on the other hand, amidst reduced cash flow, managing salaries of the employees and clearing payments of small vendors and artisans, further increasing their worries.

As all the manufacturing activities in the retail sector have come to a standstill under the lockdown state, things will take at least 30 to 45 days to get normal after the current shutdown. But, if the lock-down is extended for another two to three weeks, the after-effects will be very critical for the small players in the retail sector. So far, the seriousness with which government, healthcare sector, and police administration are working to combat COVID-19 pandemic, most of the industry experts expect that the situation will improve within a fortnight, but citizens too must have to follow the guidelines issued by the health ministry to countervail this disease as soon as possible.

Reforms to mitigate the loss

Recently the Ministry of Finance and Reserve Bank of India have also taken some crucial decisions to mitigate the ill effects of the current pandemic on the Indian Economy. Rs 1.7 lakh crore spending plan is announced by the government to improve the health of the economy curb the impact, RBI also comes forward as a frontier to support the country’s economy with a host of measures. The reverse repo rate was cut by 90 bps to 4 per cent and a moratorium of three months of EMIs on all outstanding loans is also announced by the Governor of RBI. But, these are short-term measures; there is also a need to make some adequate structural changes in the economy.

In many product categories, India’s retail sector depends on imports from China and European countries. Under the Make in India programme, there is an urgent need to focus on strengthening the manufacturing sector of the country, and there should be minimum dependence on foreign manufacturing. There is a close connection between retail and the manufacturing sector, and to protect the former, the latter should be equipped with advanced infrastructure and friendly policies.

Indian Retailer.com |

Decoding the impact of Coronavirus on the retail sector

When the COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire, governments have no other better options than lock-down to counter the pandemic. The global economy is struggling between the devil and the deep blue sea, and small businesses are the worst hit. Retail, especially the physical retail is one of the worst hit sectors as the lock-down will be continued till mid of April. Though convenience and departmental stores are exempted from the lock-down, their footfall falls to a great extent. But, apparel, jewellery, mobiles & electronics, sports goods, and many other retail segments are completely closed in the wake of the ongoing health emergency.

Covid Impact

The economy was already in the slowdown phase for the last couple of quarters, and it had experienced the slowest growth in the last six year, when it grew only at 4.7 per cent. In such a challenging scenario, things become further aggravated when coronavirus spreads the tentacles in Indian markets. With every passing day, the crisis is mounting like never before and its impact can be seen everywhere. According to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), besides the direct impact on demand and supply of goods and services, decreasing cash flow is another big problem for the businesses. On the one hand, retailers are missing items in the inventory, on the other hand, amidst reduced cash flow, managing salaries of the employees and clearing payments of small vendors and artisans, further increasing their worries.

As all the manufacturing activities in the retail sector have come to a standstill under the lockdown state, things will take at least 30 to 45 days to get normal after the current shutdown. But, if the lock-down is extended for another two to three weeks, the after-effects will be very critical for the small players in the retail sector. So far, the seriousness with which government, healthcare sector, and police administration are working to combat COVID-19 pandemic, most of the industry experts expect that the situation will improve within a fortnight, but citizens too must have to follow the guidelines issued by the health ministry to countervail this disease as soon as possible.

Reforms to mitigate the loss

Recently the Ministry of Finance and Reserve Bank of India have also taken some crucial decisions to mitigate the ill effects of the current pandemic on the Indian Economy. Rs 1.7 lakh crore spending plan is announced by the government to improve the health of the economy curb the impact, RBI also comes forward as a frontier to support the country’s economy with a host of measures. The reverse repo rate was cut by 90 bps to 4 per cent and a moratorium of three months of EMIs on all outstanding loans is also announced by the Governor of RBI. But, these are short-term measures; there is also a need to make some adequate structural changes in the economy.

In many product categories, India’s retail sector depends on imports from China and European countries. Under the Make in India programme, there is an urgent need to focus on strengthening the manufacturing sector of the country, and there should be minimum dependence on foreign manufacturing. There is a close connection between retail and the manufacturing sector, and to protect the former, the latter should be equipped with advanced infrastructure and friendly policies.

Money Control |

Coronavirus pandemic: Panel led by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant starts working on response strategy

A panel led by NITI Aayog chief executive officer (CEO) Amitabh Kant has begun working on a response strategy to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The Empowered Committee held its first meeting on March 30, which saw attendance from several representatives of the private sector and industry.

Representatives of organisations such as ASSOCHAM, NASSCOM, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) attended the meeting.

The Indian Express |

Net traffic surges during coronavirus lockdown, but video streaming cos may need new content to gain users

A total lockdown that has impacted most segments of the economy and the workforce, in addition to confining people to their respective homes, has proven to be bittersweet for video streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, etc. On the one hand, most of these platforms are witnessing a massive surge in traffic, on the other, a closure across the globe is likely to affect rollout of new movie and series titles on these services. Notably, experts have pointed out that originally produced content and release of new titles is what traditionally drives growth for these platforms.

“Premium, original content remains one of the biggest drivers and differentiators in the OTT (over-the-top) space with a plethora of OTT platforms competing for consumers’ attention. OTT players are investing heavily in acquiring or developing new content, new services and improved experiences,” a recent report on the media and entertainment sector by FICCI and EY noted.

According to a research note by Bank of America (BofA) Securities, app downloads of Zee5, Amazon Prime and Netflix showed a strong spike in March “as consumers look to watch content when being locked at home”.

However, similar traction was not witnessed by Hotstar, which is the mainstay for online viewing of sports events - most of which have been suspended across the globe because of COVID-19 outbreak. Hotstar also recently deferred the launch of Disney’s premium portfolio under the Disney+ brand, which would have added hours of new streamable content to Hotstar’s current library. “While Disney+ launch (expected to on 29th Mar with start of IPL) has been pushed back, we see competition picking up with the app launch given its appealing family content. Ideally, a lockdown like this could be good time to launch Disney+ as it would gain instant traction,” BofA Securities noted.

“A potential cancellation of IPL creates a huge opportunity loss for Hotstar which brings huge traction on the platform every year - some of which should be overcome on back of increased viewership due to more people watching content as they stay at home. Last year, Hotstar saw 20 million+ viewers on its platform in a single day on the day of IPL final and 300 million viewers during the season,” the research report added.

Even before the 21-day lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a number of film production houses suspended their activities as state governments were clamping down on multiplexes and movie theatres across the country.

The FICCI-EY report said that Netflix is expected to invest Rs 3,000 crore in 2019 and 2020 towards content in India “to license and create over 50 originals and shoot across more than 20 cities”. It also noted that in 2019, over 1,600 hours of original content were created for OTT platforms , which led to increased demand.

The Economic Times |

Food Processing ministry forms task force in the wake of Covid-19 to resolve problems of industry: Harsimrat Kaur Badal

Food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has assured industry representatives that talks will be initiated with the transport unions to ensure smooth supply of food material and access to raw materials by the food processing industry.

She has said that a dedicated task force had been established to resolve all problems being faced by the food processing and ancillary industries during the current Covid-19 lockdown.

In a video conference with major industry associations such as CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHDCCI, AIFPA, ICC, FINER and DICCI today, the minister said the task force included all senior officials of the food processing ministry and members of Invest India. She said the team had already received 222 issues out of which 98 had been resolved and the rest were under process of resolution.

During the video conference, industry representatives told Badal that though directions had been sent to all state governments about the need for allowing the manufacturing and movement of essential items, they were being interpreted in different ways by the state governments.

They stressed the need for uniform format for all states regarding manufacture and movement of food products.

The representatives shared the problems related to factory shutdown, permission to operate warehouses, personnel movement and logistic disruption.

The industry representatives said that required labour was not available for smooth manufacturing and that there was a shortage of transport also. They further urged that ‘kirana stores’ be allowed to open across the country to ensure the forward linkage was established.

The minister assured industry representatives that she would review all suggestions and grievances submitted by them to the task force.

The Indian Express |

Task force to resolve food industry issues: Harsimrat Kaur Badal

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal Monday assured industry representatives that a dedicated task force had been established to resolve all problems being faced by the food processing and ancillary industries amid the 21-day national lockdown.

In a video conference with major industry bodies such as CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHDCCI, AIFPA, ICC, FINER and DICCI, Harsimrat said the task force included all senior officials of the food processing ministry and members of Invest India. She said the team had already received 222 issues out of which 98 had been resolved.

A SAD spokesperson, in a written statement, said, “Industry representatives said that though directions had been sent to all state governments about the need for allowing the manufacturing and movement of essential items, they were being interpreted in different ways. The representatives said they also faced problems related to factory shutdown, permission to operate warehouses, personnel movement and logistic disruption. They discolsed that required labour was not available for smooth manufacturing and that there was a shortage of transport also. They also urged that ‘kirana stores’ be allowed to open across the country to ensure the forward linkage”.

As per the spokesperson, Harsimrat said she would take up the suggestion to treat labour working in food industry on the pattern of frontline workers and be given an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh.

The New Indian Express |

Call to turn vacant flats into quarantine centres

Many eady-to-move-in flats in the city are lying vacant as there are no takers. So why not convert them into quarantine units, is a suggestion from many people. Realtors from across the city, real estate associations, and even RERA-K officials are now thinking of ways to implement this suggestion. Vishnuvardhan Reddy, member of Real Estate (Regulation and Development Act), Karnataka, told The New Indian Express that many government constructed units like those built by the Bangalore Development Authority and Karnataka Housing Board, are lying vacant.

“These can be used as quarantine centres. They are better than private ones because most private properties lack basic facilities. The ones constructed by the government should have all basic facilities like water, electricity and other amenities, and can be put to immediate use,” he said. He added that Karnataka can also follow the example of Maharashtra, where unused government offices have been converted into quarantine units as logistics-wise, they were a better option.

Those associated with the real estate sector are welcome to the idea of opening their unused apartment and commercial units as quarantine centres. Kishor Jain, CREDAI Bengaluru president said that if it’s unsold, the entire unit can be used as a quarantine centre, but not individual homes as it will create fear. Though there is no request from the government, the idea is being mu l l ed amo n g t h e stakeholders. A senior FICCI member added that since the real estate sector is seeing a lull and many units are vacant, they can be converted into quarantine units. The FICCI member added that discussions among the members, stake holders and with the government, were being held and a decision will soon be taken.

HOTELS FOR ISOLATION UNITS

Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has identified non-air-conditioned hotels which will converted into quarantine centres. The state government will pay the room rent for the number of days the patients will stay and for food. The hotels have been directed to use disposable cutlery. The hotels are: Sabarwal Residency, Sudamanagar (50 rooms); Emirates Hotel, BTM layout (40); Empire, Koramangala 5th Block (39); Silicrest, Koramangala 4th Block (30); Oyo Amethyst, Jayanagar 5th Block (32); Ramakrishna Lodge, Gandhinagar (200); Hotel Citadel, Anand Rao Circle (111); Likith International, Gandhinagar (70), Fortune Park JP Celestial, Sampangi ramanagara (129); Arafa Inn, Gandhinagar (46); Lemon Tree Premier, Ulsoor (60); Keys Select, Hosur Road (120); Chalukya Hotel, Chalukya Circle (70); Oyo Town, near Ulsoor lake (28); Sri Lakshmi PG, Domlur (27); Keys Select Whitefield by Lemon Tree Hotel, ITPL Main Road (220); and Trinity Wood Hotel, ITPL Main Road (25).

The Free Press Journal |

Financial Year not extended: Three of your Income Tax queries answered

The finance ministry on Monday evening cleared the confusion on whether the last day of the financial year would be March 31 or July 30. A number of people assumed that the financial year had extended by three months due to the current lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak

The confusion arose after the Ministry of Finance via a gazetted notification on Monday informed that the Central Government was making an amendment to a notification published on January 8, 2020. The notice said that the words and figures “the 1st day of April 2020" will now be substituted with the phrase “the 1st day of July 2020”.

However amid speculation as to whether the Financial Year was being postponed, the Centre clarified that the delay in question was only for some income tax clarifications.

Here's all you need to know

It's good news for taxpayers: Individuals can complete their tax filing data by June 30. Deductions under Section 80C, 80D and other sections under the Income Tax act that include investing in ELSS, LIC policies, Health Insurance, NPS, etc can be claimed by investing till June 30

How does home loan interest work? Housing loan interest is eligible for deduction on accrual basis, so interest accrued till March 31 will be eligible for the deduction in FY 2019-20. However, installments due upto March can 31 be claimed as deduction even if paid till June 30

Industry bodies seek extension: Industry bodies have appealed to the government seeking extension of the current financial year, ending March 31, by at least three months till June-end, citing the present economic situation amid the coronavirus pandemic. Representatives from industry chambers including CII, FICCI and Assocham met officials of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs here last week and apprised the government of the issues being faced by them, and gave various suggestions. CII also called for allowing companies to pass circular resolutions for restricted matters without the requirement of conducting a board meeting for approving such matters for a period up to June 30, 2020.

The Hitavada |

Industry bodies seek extension to financial year till June 30

Industry bodies have appealed to the Government seeking extension of the current financial year, ending March 31, by at least three months till June-end, citing the present economic situation amid the coronavirus pandemic. Representatives from industry chambers including CII, FICCI and Assocham met officials of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs here last week and apprised the government of the issues being faced by them, and gave various suggestions.

“In the current scenario, any financial statement prepared for April 2019 to March 2020 will not give true and fair view as it does not represent one complete business cycle of the entity. Hence, it is imperative to increase the given period to disclose the correct picture of business performances of a company,” the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) told the ministry in its submission. It further argued that the current economic situation in India and the world over has resulted in impaired valuations of all assets, including commodities and financial assets.

CII also called for allowing companies to pass circular resolutions for restricted matters without the requirement of conducting a board meeting for approving such matters for a period up to June 30, 2020. “With the current backdrop of coronavirus, the entire economy is getting stagnated for at least a couple of quarters which are kind of missing quarters for corporates. Further, to view the annualised financial statement of any corporate entity, one has to appropriately factor in the impact of current quarter,” it said.

Section 179(3) of Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 8 of the Companies (Meeting of Board and its Powers) Rules, 2014, provides certain matters to be dealt with by the Board of Directors only by means of resolutions passed at meetings of the Board.These matters include making calls on shareholders in respect of money unpaid on their shares; authorising buyback of securities; issuance securities, including debentures, whether in or outside India etc.

Money Control |

Coronavirus pandemic: Panel led by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant starts working on response strategy

A panel led by NITI Aayog chief executive officer (CEO) Amitabh Kant has begun working on a response strategy to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The Empowered Committee held its first meeting on March 30, which saw attendance from several representatives of the private sector and industry.

Representatives of organisations such as ASSOCHAM, NASSCOM, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) attended the meeting.

Outlook |

Govt to hold discussions with transport unions on raw material supply to food processing cos: Badal

Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Monday assured the industry that the government will hold discussions with transport unions regarding smooth supply of raw materials required by food manufacturing companies.
The minister spoke with industry associations CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHDCCI, AIFPA, ICC, FINER and DICCI through video conference.

Badal said that the grievances aired by the industry will be discussed with a dedicated task force set up to resolve sector specific issues during the period of lockdown till April 14 to combat COVID-19, according to an official statement.

"The Food Processing Industries Minister said talks would be initiated with the transport unions to ensure smooth supply of food material and access to raw materials by the food processing industry," the statement said.

She assured industry representatives that she would review all suggestions and grievances submitted by them to the task force.

Listing out the problems, industry associations said though directions had been sent to all state governments about the need for allowing manufacturing and movement of essential items, they were being interpreted in different ways by the state governments.

They stressed the need for uniform format for all states regarding manufacturing and movement of food products.

The industry bodies also shared the problems related to factory shutdown, permission to operate warehouses, personnel movement and logistic disruption.

"The industry representatives said that required labour was not available for smooth manufacturing and that there was a shortage of transport also," the statement added.

They further urged that ''kirana stores'' should be allowed to be open across the country to ensure forward linkage was established.

The minister informed that the task force, which includes food processing ministry officials and members of Invest India, has received complaints about 222 issues, out of which 98 have been resolved and the rest are under process of resolution.

Outlook |

Industry bodies seek extension of financial year till June 30 amid coronavirus pandemic

Industry bodies have appealed to the government seeking extension of the current financial year, ending March 31, by at least three months till June-end, citing the present economic situation amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Representatives from industry chambers including CII, FICCI and Assocham met officials of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs here last week and apprised the government of the issues being faced by them, and gave various suggestions.

"In the current scenario, any financial statement prepared for April 2019 to March 2020 will not give true and fair view as it does not represent one complete business cycle of the entity. Hence, it is imperative to increase the given period to disclose the correct picture of business performances of a company," the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) told the ministry in its submission.

It further argued that the current economic situation in India and the world over has resulted in impaired valuations of all assets, including commodities and financial assets.

CII also called for allowing companies to pass circular resolutions for restricted matters without the requirement of conducting a board meeting for approving such matters for a period up to June 30, 2020.

"With the current backdrop of coronavirus, the entire economy is getting stagnated for at least a couple of quarters which are kind of missing quarters for corporates. Further, to view the annualised financial statement of any corporate entity, one has to appropriately factor in the impact of current quarter," it said.

Section 179(3) of Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 8 of the Companies (Meeting of Board and its Powers) Rules, 2014, provides certain matters to be dealt with by the Board of Directors only by means of resolutions passed at meetings of the Board and these matters cannot be passed by circular resolution.

These matters include making calls on shareholders in respect of money unpaid on their shares; authorising buyback of securities; issuance securities, including debentures, whether in or outside India; approving financial statement and the Board''s report; among others.

As follow-up of the meeting, Assocham has submitted a representation to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs stating that extension by three or six months for finalisation of annual accounts would be required to reflect the true and fair statement about businesses.

"This once-in-century kind of an event like virus attack would hopefully recede in the next few weeks or months. It would be only after normalcy returns in the economy that the companies would be able to resume their regular operations. Return to normalcy is required for any fair statement of accounts," Assocham Secretary General Deepak Sood said.

The chamber''s letter to Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman and the MCA Secretary Injeti Srinivas recommended that forbearances be given under the Companies Act, 2013.

"AGM for all companies should be allowed to be held within six months of 30th June, 2020, or 30th September 2020 i.e., latest by 31st December, 2020 or 31st March 2021 respectively, and on case-to-case basis. Subsequent relaxation is also desirable in terms of extension of time for filing income-tax returns for companies," Assocham said.

Elets Online |

Businesses facing the wrath of coronavirus may take longer to revive

Even as Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba recently said that there is no plan to extend the ongoing nationwide lockdown beyond 21 days, businesses may take longer to get back in shape after facing the blow of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The businesses facing a crisis situation due to drop in demand and zero footfall in the market may take nearly 6 months to get back to normalcy, as per a FICCI survey.

While 42 percent companies project that the businesses will come back to their normal pace in three months, 47 percent companies estimate nearly six months will be needed for this.

6 percent companies estimate that it would take nearly one full year for the companies to comeback to their original pace.

FICCI’s survey has also revealed that over half of the businesses in India are hit by the impact of Coronavirus outbreak at the early stages.

Most of the companies have reported a sudden fall in the number of their orders, disruption in the supply chain, and eventually a fall in cash flows.

Live Mint |

Coronavirus: Indian events and exhibition sector to take ₹1 trillion hit

The Indian events and exhibition sector is expected to take a ₹1 trillion hit as almost all big scale events across categories have been postponed or cancelled in the wake of coronavirus (covid-19) outbreak and the 21-day nationwide lockdown, Sanjoy K Roy, founder and managing director of events company Teamwork Arts and president of industry body Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) said on Monday.

This includes both formal segment events and exhibitions such as IIFA film awards, T20 cricket tournament IPL, music concerts, stand-up comedy shows as well as corporate product launches, MICE and hospitality, food and entertainment events along with informal segment such as weddings and other parties.

"Between February and March, we witnessed 60% to 70% cancellation leading to a damage of up to ₹5,000 crore. Now it's a complete lockdown and all big events are being cancelled or indefinitely postponed which means we are looking at 100% revenue loss because no big or small events can be held in view of precautionary measures of social distancing. While some of the events have move to digital but online doesn't have a sustainable financial model," Roy told Mint.

With around 10 million jobs in the live events and exhibition industry is at stake with 90% of them being daily wage earners, EEMA in a written request to the government has asked for sops for the industry.

The body has urged government to extend sops such as tax refunds, loan facility for MSME sector and artistes to mitigate the impact of livelihood of people involved in the entertainment and event space.

"The infrastructure and service providers that segment is completely wiped out. The venues, which are carrying huge inventory, are also facing the heat. In April with no income money coming in this sector we will see huge retrenchment," Roy added.

EEMA is working with industry bodies such as Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and government directly.

EEMA has urged government in a written request to cover the cost of salaries of daily wage workers affected by covid-19 and unable to resume work, collateral free line of credit to be used for employees' salaries and statutory dues and moratorium of paybacks on loans, interest free for a period of 9-12 months.

Besides, the body has also asked payments for government projects (both central and state) which have been completed should be released, measures to cover loss for the artist segment along with instructing insurance companies to insure future events against coronavirus or similar biological disasters.

The global impact of coronavirus is staggering as well. Germany announced $50 billion into the art economy, UK released €150 million in art segment similarly Singapore, Dubai and Australia have also released funds to counter the impact of the novel virus on the events, exhibition and creative arts industry.

"Unfortunately, in India we don't map. How much creative arts sector contributes to GDP of the country we don't come under one ministry. Without data it would be difficult to map the overall impact on this sector," Roy said.

Financial Express |

Businesses hit by coronavirus may take months to return to normalcy, even if lockdown lifts in 21 days

Even as Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba said that there is no plan to extend the ongoing lockdown beyond 21 days, businesses may have to wait for a long time to erase the scar made by the Covid-19 pandemic. The businesses facing a wallop due to slump in demand and zero footfall in the market may take up to 6 months to come back to normalcy, according to a FICCI survey. While 42 per cent companies estimate that the businesses will come back to a normal pace in three months, 47 per cent companies estimate a time period of six months will be required for this.

6 per cent companies estimate that it would take one full year for the companies to recover to their original pace. FICCI’s survey has also stated that more than half of the businesses in India are hit by the impact of Covid-19 at the early stages. Most of the companies have reported a sudden drop in their orders, disruption in the supply chain, and eventually a fall in cash flows.

However, to facilitate the movement of goods across the country, the central government has allowed transportation of all goods, without distinction of essential and non-essential during the lockdown period. This may bring little normalcy to the supply chain of the companies.

Meanwhile, many international agencies have downgraded India’s outlook. ADB has estimated that the Covid-19 outbreak could cost the Indian economy alone between USD 387 million and USD 29.9 billion in personal consumption losses. OECD, Fitch Ratings, Moodys, and S&P Global Ratings have significantly cut India’s outlook.

media4growth |

OOH to reach Rs 46bn level in 2022 from Rs 39.1bn in 2019: FICCI-EY M&E Report

The just released FICCI-EY Media & Entertainment report entitled ‘The era of consumer A.R.T.’ cites that India’s media and entertainment industry reached the size of Rs 1.82 trillion in 2019, growing at 9% over the previous year. The acronym A.R.T., in its expanded form being Acquisition, Retention and Transaction’, typifies the industry’s multi-fold engagements with consumers.

Ashish Pherwani, M&E Sector Leader, EY India in his foreword to the report states, “The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income all increased in 2019. Consequently, driven by the ability to create direct-to-customer relationships, the sector firmly pivoted towards a B2C operating model, changing the way it measured itself.”

The forecast is for the M&E industry to reach the size of Rs 2.42 trillion (US$34 billion) by 2022 at a CAGR of 10%. OOH reached the size of Rs 39.1 billion in 2019 and is forecasted to grow to Rs 41.3 billion in 2020, Rs 46 billion in 2022.

In 2019, traditional media accounted for 54% of total OOH revenues, transit 39% and DOOH 2%.

The OOH growth in 2019 was powered by airport advertising, Metro station naming rights, and the Indian Railways’ push to drive non-fare revenue growth, says the report. The growth was assessed on the basis of coverage of traditional, transit and digital media, but excludes untracked OOH media such as wall paintings, ambient media, proxy advertising, etc. which could added up to an additional Rs 10-15 billion.

The report cites that DOOH contributed 2% of total OOH revenues (Rs 1 billion) and is forecast to grow at a CAGR of over 33% to reach Rs 2 billion by 2022.

Top spending categories in OOH

OTT category emerged as the leading spending category in 2019 in the OOH space, whereby various players used the medium for different launch promotions. Other top spending categories were real estate, FMCG, financial services and media. The top 5 categories contributed 65% of OOH spends.

Transit media

Continuing its pace, the transit sector is set to grow from 39% in 2019 to 44% in 2020 of the total segment. Railway media accounted for about Rs 10 billion OOH revenue in 2019. Transit media is expected to be driven by new Metro rail expansions, new airport routes and new airports, bus shelter/terminal development, etc.

Looking ahead

The report says that aggregation of location-based data along with opportunity-to-see data are marking a change in how OOH is purchased. Platforms will likely emerge to automate and simplify the process of serving the demand from local and regional advertisers, providing them with options on OOH as well as geo-targeted digital inventory, as media owners become agencies providing 360-degree solutions across digital and OOH.

India has over 100 direct-to-customer brands that require physical presence hence OOH partnerships will benefit these brands and could expect equity for space deals in this space.

DOOH networks will be connected to large ad platforms to fill up inventory and it is possible that consolidation could take place within two to three years in media owners. There is also an opportunity for technology companies to provide services like design, scheduling, traffic, invoicing, payment management, etc. for international DOOH companies out of India.

The report also clearly states that the findings were established before the COVID-19 outbreak. Accordingly, estimates for CY2020 provided in the report have not been updated basis the impact of the coronavirus fallout. The forecasts will be revised going forward.

Adgully |

COVID-19 effect: 2020 estimates for M&E all askew; drop could be as high as 20-25%

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown out of gear all 2020 predictions for various industry sectors. Last week, FICCI-EY launched its annual report for the M&E industry. Titled ‘The Era of Consumer A.R.T - Acquisition, Retention and Transaction’, the report reveals that the M&E industry grew by 9 per cent in 2019 to become a ₹1.82 trillion industry. The report also predicts that the M&E industry is expected to reach ₹2.42 trillion (US$34 billion) by 2022 at a CAGR of 10 per cent.

The COVID-19 crisis and the resultant lockdown across the country has started impacting the economy. The global economy is now entering recession, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva declared last week. Ad spend projections are being revised globally, and India is no exception. The M&E industry, too, is facing challenging times.

In response to Adgully’s question, Ashish Pherwani, Partner and Media & Entertainment Leader, EY India, admitted that there would significant revisions in the projections that were given for 2020. According to Pherwani, “If the lockdown continues for the whole of April, we might look at a flat year ahead. There is also a possibility of a 10-12% drop for the M&E industry if the lockdown continues beyond April, while if the current scenario continues for more than 3 months, then the drop for the M&E industry could go up to 20-25 per cent.”

At the same time, he cautioned that these are very rough estimates and added that the situation will become clearer in the coming weeks. However, if the crisis continues unabated, then these just might be the numbers that the industry could be staring at by the end of the year.

COVID-19 effect on Movies & Entertainment

With cinema halls shut down, the movie industry has also been hit. Though estimates aren’t available currently, but looking at the big-ticket releases that have missed their launch dates, including ‘Sooryavanshi’ and ‘83’, Bollywood’s loss will be significant. Regional film industry is also in for a period of loss.

Television and digital could be the next launch platform for fresh movie releases amid the COVID-19 crisis. As stated by Pherwani, “Especially the small budget movies might consider a release on TV or digital platforms. On the other hand, the bigger budget movies could afford to hold back their movies during this time.” There could be a disruption happening in the movie distribution space as well.

Also, along with movies, all production work for TV and OTT has come to a grinding halt. Thus, these mediums are looking at a situation where they will soon run out of fresh content. In such a situation, Pherwani said that innovation would be the name of the game.

GECs are gearing up with moves such as repurposing OTT content for TV, and are also banking on the nostalgia factor by airing popular old serials. Already, Doordarshan has started airing mythological behemoths of the 90s – ‘Ramayan’ and ‘Mahabharat’. It will also air Shahrukh Khan’s TV series ‘Circus’ and ‘Byomkesh Bakshi’.

More movie premieres are also expected on TV channels in the coming days. It is also possible that production houses might create content from home, like a YouTube producer, and broadcast it on TV.timates for M&E all askew; drop could be as high as 20-25%

Fortune India |

'All day' is the new prime time: MX Player

With whole nations in lockdown mode in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Times Internet-owned MX Player is offering free streaming services in India and is expanding into seven new markets including the U.S., the U.K. and Australia. The company, which offers both licensed and original content and has monthly active users of 280 million globally, is the largest entertainment app in India, according to the annual FICCI-EY Report on India’s Media and Entertainment Sector.

MX Player has also launched a ‘Data Saver Mode’ (which restricts streaming on mobile devices to a lower resolution-480p instead of 1080p) to reduce broadband strain. The company said this is now the default setting on all mobile devices.

Fortune India spoke to Karan Bedi, CEO, MX Player about rising traffic on over-the-top platforms and growth opportunities in India’s OTT industry.

Edited excerpts:

What is the kind of growth that you’ve seen in the last few weeks?

With the rollout of the health advisory, many are gravitating towards digital entertainment. We are happy that our wide range of OTT offerings are helping hundreds of millions get their daily dose of entertainment. Over the past few weeks [March 16 onwards], the platform has witnessed seven times increase in time spent across genres as people are exploring web-content, especially our MX Originals that have registered a five times surge in the past 2-3 weeks. Our OTT engagement time has grown as well and DAUs (daily active users) have increased by over 35% as viewers are actively engaging in originals, shows and movies, they are also experimenting with new genres and languages. Interestingly, non-metro cities are witnessing three times more engagement than before. All-day is the new primetime now with traffic surging post 7pm. We’ve also witnessed a surge in traffic from Smart TVs that is effectively activating a newer and premium set of audiences.

Tell me something about the kind of content that people are watching.

Broadly speaking, a few things have happened. One is that there has been a large rise in overall viewership. In general, people are spending more time and watching video. The next interesting thing that has happened is that people are going towards watching more and more web-first content. At MX, a key takeaway that we are looking at is, while obviously there is a large audience that will always be interested in web content, but currently, because of the fact that people are no longer ready to go out because restaurants, malls and workplaces are starting to close down, people who were watching TV or movies, i.e. content they are familiar with, on a different platform have now also got the opportunity to watch content that they would otherwise not have the opportunity to watch- i.e. web content. That has seen a huge jump. The contribution of web-only content from the whole pie has become much more robust. People are now able to watch content that they were not so familiar with, because they have the time to explore and discover.

Would you say that mobile-only content has also gone down as people are not on-the-go anymore?

The choice of platforms is a very individual preference. In general, however, I think smart TV usage has also gone up quite significantly for us. The overall SmartTV user-base in India is quite small. This could present an opportunity for the base to grow.

A lot of events have been postponed or cancelled, do you see that overflow coming into OTT?

There are two major factors here. One is that while earlier our entertainment time was divided across different media like TV, cinema, etc. now, all of that have converged into OTT, because that is where all the content is at. Secondly, the time beyond our regular entertainment/watching time, i.e. time taken to go to a mall etc., all of such activities have come down and have got added on into entertainment time. There is a huge change in how people are spending their time at the moment. While things will surely go back to normal, at this time OTT has got a huge shot in the arm in the terms that while people were earlier reluctant to explore new genres, now they have the leisure to do that.

Are new users or the existing users that are experimenting with the video content?

Honestly, both are up. There are obviously new users on MX and on OTT as a category alone. On the other hand, the existing users who were already there, who may have come and watched one or two shows are also exploring since they have the time to. We are trying to communicate our content to the world so that people have a sense of what we offer and come and join us. So this is also an interesting time for OTT players to get new users on their platforms.

Is there any particular kind of content where you have seen a spike?

The biggest spike has come in web-series, that is the kind of content that many people are now exploring more since they have the time. Our originals are shooting through the roof. Apart from video streaming, packaged entertainment aggregators have also seen a rise.

Do you also believe linear television will also see a spike?

There are 2 or 3 differences. One is that for TV content one has to watch whatever linear content is being shown without much scope of on-demand. OTT that way has a much more wide section of content since it is a massive library and can go through whatever you want. People are changing their consumption patterns based on their preferences, for example, office workers in the corporate sectors who are working from home are now watching content in their own time. In that case, it has expanded the time people spend using our product.

Are there any measures to handle the unanticipated pressure on your servers?

For us, there is definitely one of our core areas of expertise. We are one of the few platforms that have their entire tech-stack in-house. We have done a lot of work to ensure that the amount of data used for streaming is how. But the stack is fully customised and has been created for the Indian scenario. We are doing our bit to ensure that the amount of data being used is as low as possible. There is also a very large amount of optimisation we are doing on the server-side to deal with any spike. We have a very capable tech team and are not facing any issue on that end.

Outlook |

MX Player top entertainment app in India in 2019: Report

Video streaming platform MX Player emerged as the top entertainment app in India in 2019, a new report has said.

According to the FICCI 2020 report on India''s media and entertainment sector, titled "The Era of Consumer A.R.T", the ranking was based on apps classified under entertainment categories on iOS and Google Play.

Launched in February 2019, MX Player has dominated the market in terms of monthly active users, ahead of Hotstar, Tik Tok and BookMyShow, among others.

"We're a young brand and I'm delighted that in this short time, we've emerged as the #1 entertainment app of 2019 in India," Karan Bedi, CEO, MX Player, said in a statement.

"Our scale and penetration remain unparalleled and our aim is to keep innovating and experimenting with genres, stories, languages, characters to be able to cater to every palette and enhancing our product," Bedi added.

According to the report, total downloads among monitoring and evaluation categories grew seven per cent while total sessions grew across all monitoring and evaluation app categories with entertainment growing by 31 per cent, music by 81 per cent and news and magazines by 40 per cent.

Currently, MX Player has 280 million monthly active users globally and 175 million in India.

The Economic Times |

'Nationalisation of hospitals not the solution to tackle Coronavirus'

Nationalisation of hospitals is not the solution to tackle the rising burden of cases due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Sangita Reddy joint managing director, Apollo Hospitals, the country’s largest hospital group with a turnover of over Rs 9,500 crore, has said, while emphasizing that it will partner with the government in its war against the outbreak. Reddy, also the president of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industries) said that the group’s six labs across five cities (Hyderabad, Delhi, Chennai, Bhubaneswar and Kolkata) have now been approved for Covid-19 testing on March 28, and will begin testing shortly. Excerpts from an emailed interaction with TOI:

Q: Given the scenario that a majority, or around 66% of hospital beds are in the private sector, there’s a view that the government should nationalise hospitals? What is your view? How would Apollo contribute in this case?

A: I do not believe nationalisation is the solution. This is the time to work as one, use each other’s strengths to complement and strengthen the response to COVID-19 and set an example of how a public-private partnership should be! At times such as these, we need to come together to overcome the threat. The government and private sector working together, sharing best practices, can definitely overcome the biggest healthcare challenge that the country has faced.

Q: In the wake of rising Covid-19 cases in India, how prepared is India with infrastructure like ventilators, ICU beds, and isolation wards?

A: With our network of 70 hospitals, we have the largest number of isolation and ICU facilities in the private sector, and are fully prepared for a stage where highly specialised treatment for the critically ill will be required. Across the network, we have over 250 beds which can be enhanced to 500 beds, created only to treat the critically ill at any given time and around 1000 ventilators. We expect to give advanced care to over 2000 patients a month. Medicines, consumables, hospital supplies, negative pressure rooms, ventilators and additional medical equipment has been procured or reserved with vendors to meet any increase in demand. We have also ensured stocking of PPE (personal protection equipment) for all our staff.

Q 3. Do you feel that India is testing less, and even asymptomatic people should be tested?

A: I believe that while widespread testing with expansion of the conditions for testing will be necessary, the testing strategy takes into account several factors including the current recommendations, availability of test kits and the testing infrastructure. With private labs now being allowed to test for Covid-19, the testing capacity will no doubt increase but may still need to be restricted to symptomatic patients. Even the ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) has indicated that there is insufficient documented evidence on transmission from asymptomatic persons. What is being done however is intensification of random sampling of people who display flu-like symptoms but don’t have any history of travel to Covid-19 zones. This will also help to determine whether community transmission is taking place.

One of the issues with testing asymptomatic people is that due to a lower virus load, the report may be negative and the patient may move out of quarantine while the disease and symptoms develop over the next two weeks. This is a big risk. One also needs to be wary of the false positives. A study in China in the close contacts of Covid-19 patients, showed nearly half or even more of the `asymptomatic infected individuals’ reported in the active nucleic acid test screening might be false positives.

Q. What would be the economic impact of the situation on healthcare/ hospitals sector in near term and medium term?

A: I believe that this is not the time to think of the economic impact as it is not just the Indian healthcare sector but the global economy that has been and will be impacted in the months to come. In the short term, the impact on medical value travel or medical tourism will be negative, but in the longer term, I am sure that healthcare being a resilient industry will bounce back to its normal growth.

Q. Are there any lessons for India and its healthcare sector, from countries like Italy, which have supposedly not handled the situation properly? And anything from those who handled it well like South Korea?

A: The government’s response shows that we have learnt from the experience of the other countries. This is evident from the decision taken to lock down a nation of 1.3 billion people with trains, flights, buses stopped for everything other than emergencies or essential services. As far as it comes to healthcare, we are on top of the latest recommendations for drugs which may benefit patients with Covid-19 with the government taking necessary steps to ensure supply by restricting exports. This is a situation that requires nations to close borders, but at the same time cooperate on a global scale to meet this unprecedented healthcare challenge.

With news of healthcare providers succumbing to the virus, one learning is that we must focus more on protecting our doctors and healthcare workers so that while they treat and live up to this call to action to serve humanity, they are safeguarded from the disease. We need to have adequate supply of personal protective gear so that healthcare staff are protected.

SME Times |

Task force formed to fight Covid-19 effects

Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal assured industry representatives that a dedicated Task Force had been established to resolve all problems being faced by the food processing and ancillary industries during the current Covid-19 lockdown.

In a video conference with major industry associations such as CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHDCCI, AIFPA, ICC, FINER and DICCI today, the Union minister said the Task Force included all senior officials of the food processing ministry and members of Invest India.

She said the team had already received 222 issues out of which 98 had been resolved and the rest were under process of resolution.

During the video conference, industry representatives told Smt. Harsimrat Badal that though directions had been sent to all State governments about the need for allowing the manufacturing and movement of essential items, they were being interpreted in different ways by the State governments.

They stressed the need for uniform format for all States regarding manufacture and movement of food products.

The representatives shared the problems related to factory shutdown, permission to operate warehouses, personnel movement and logistic disruption. The industry representatives said that required labour was not available for smooth manufacturing and that there was a shortage of transport also.

They further urged that ‘kirana stores’ be allowed to open across the country to ensure the forward linkage was established.

FPI Minister said talks would be initiated with the transport unions to ensure smooth supply of food material and access to raw materials by the food processing industry.

She assured industry representatives that she would review all suggestions and grievances submitted by them to the task force.

Devdiscourse |

Task Force set up to resolve food processing issues during Covid-19 lockdown

Union Food Processing Industries Minister Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal assured industry representatives that a dedicated Task Force had been established to resolve all problems being faced by the food processing and ancillary industries during the current Covid-19 lockdown.

In a video conference with major industry associations such as CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHDCCI, AIFPA, ICC, FINER and DICCI today, the Union minister said the Task Force included all senior officials of the food processing ministry and members of Invest India. She said the team had already received 222 issues out of which 98 had been resolved and the rest were under process of resolution.

During the video conference, industry representatives told Smt. Harsimrat Badal that though directions had been sent to all State governments about the need for allowing the manufacturing and movement of essential items, they were being interpreted in different ways by the State governments. They stressed the need for uniform format for all States regarding the manufacture and movement of food products. The representatives shared the problems related to factory shutdown, permission to operate warehouses, personnel movement and logistic disruption. The industry representatives said that required labor was not available for smooth manufacturing and that there was a shortage of transport also. They further urged that 'kirana stores' be allowed to open across the country to ensure the forward linkage was established.

FPI Minister said talks would be initiated with the transport unions to ensure a smooth supply of food material and access to raw materials by the food processing industry.

She assured industry representatives that she would review all suggestions and grievances submitted by them to the task force.

Food Navigator-asia.com |

India's COVID-19 lockdown: Coca-Cola, Nestle and more MNCs call for F&B manufacturing to be made 'essential service'

In the wake of India’s nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19, Coca-Cola India, Nestle India and various other big MNCs in the country have called for F&B manufacturing to be made an ‘essential service’ in order to keep shelves stocked and avoid further panic.

India’s nationwide lockdown of some 1.3 billion people started at midnight on March 25 and was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi the evening of March 24 via a televised speech, barely four hours before the lockdown took effect, sending the country into a panic buying frenzy.

When the lockdown was announced, India had seen 536 COVID-19 cases and nine deaths – as of time of publishing, this number has already increased to 1,122 cases and 31 deaths.

"The entire country will be in lockdown, total lockdown,”​ Modi said.

“Seeing the present conditions, this lockdown will be for 21 days. This is to save India, save each citizen and save your family. Do not step outside your house. For 21 days, forget what is stepping outside.”​

‘Essential services’​ were purportedly going to continue functioning, but Modi did not detail what these would be in his speech. He later added on his Twitter that ‘Centre and State Governments will ensure all essentials are available’​ and pleaded with the public to stop panic-buying, but with little effect.

The Ministry of Home Affairs attempted to clarify this later as well by issuing a set of guidelines – but details were also scarce.

With regard to food items, the guidelines stated that: “Shops, including ration shops (under PDS), dealing with food, groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, meat and fish, animal fodder.​

“However, district authorities may encourage and facilitate home delivery to minimise the movement of individuals outside their homes.”​

No clarification was provided as to the scope of food businesses that would be allowed to continue to function apart from retailers, leaving food suppliers and manufacturers in the dfark.

F&B firms as ‘essential services’​

This has prompted big food manufacturing firms such as Coca-Cola, Nestle, Britannia Industries, Mondelez, PepsiCo and more to submit letters to the government requesting for the F&B manufacturing sector to be deemed as an ‘essential service’​ and thus exempted from restrictions under the lockdown in order to continue production.

The requests were made through three trade associations: The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) and the All India Foods Processors’ Association.

“To maintain regular supplies, it is necessary that this sector is not put under any work and movement restrictions. Along with the food and beverage sector, food ingredients companies should also be allowed to operate smoothly,”​ said the FICCI letter, warning that stopping these production activities would also impact the livelihoods of farmers and other produce suppliers.

The USISPF concurred with this, adding that: “Supply chains for food are highly integrated; disruption to any one part will have a ripple effect and the impact would be felt back to the agriculture sector.”​

Britannia Industries Managing Director Varun Berry also warned that time was short to put these supply chains back into motion.

"If even one link in the supply chain is broken, the country could run of stocks of packaged food in the next seven to 10 days,”​ he told Economic Times​.

"The supply chain includes suppliers of raw materials and packaging materials, food manufacturing factories, factory workers, transporters carrying materials and finished goods, depots, wholesalers, distributors, and their salesmen. Necessary permits need to be immediately issued to all of them.”​

Coca-Cola India has also issued a separate statement on its website, saying that it had ‘temporarily suspended production’​ at all manufacturing facilities, but was working to provide its ‘essential beverages’​ to consumers.

Nestle India also posted its own statement online, saying that its office employees were working from home, and operational staff would focus on ‘social distancing and hygienic practices for the safety of the people’​.

“As [Nestle] is in the manufacture and sale of food and beverage products, [we are] in discussion with the authorities to continue operations in the factories/ distribution centres where the operations has been suspended,”​ it added.

F&B start-ups also facing dire straits​

Apart from the larger F&B firms, India is also home to a great many start-ups in the sector, and the lockdown is expected to have tremendous effect on their operations and even viability of survival.

In hopes of countering these, 50 Indian F&B entrepreneurs have formed what has been deemed the F&B Covid Emergency Group, and the consortium’s first move has been to create an online petition calling for ‘government support for small businesses in India’​.

“The government must realise that the 50 entrepreneurs have employed more than 1,000 people, and with other entrepreneurs who have signed the petition, the number employed can be close to 10,000,”​ consortium member and CEO of nut butter firm Happy Jars Surabhi Talwar told Your Story​.

“This crisis can destroy India’s young brands, which thrived on ecommerce and had their own supply chain.’’​

The consortium listed five areas where they would ‘need support from the Indian Government’​, namely: 1) Interest-free loans for MSMEs for six months; 2) Waiver/Delay on GST payments; 3) Invoice discounting by the government/large banks to support cash flow; 4) Helping to enfore 45-day payment commitments to MSMEs from clients; and 5) Cover 75% of staff salaries for staff during business closure.

Over 1,000 signatures have been obtained for the petition, but no official response from the government has been given as of time of publishing even though Minister for the Shipping Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Nitin Gadkari said at a public event that a 'major boost' ​was planned for the local MSME sector.

The Hindu Business Line |

Tourism, hospitality, aviation worst affected by Coronavirus pandemic: FICCI

The Indian economy has been experiencing a significant slowdown over the past few quarters. In the third quarter of the current fiscal, the economy grew at a six-year low rate of 4.7 per cent. There was a strong hope of recovery in the last quarter of the current fiscal. However, the new coronavirus epidemic has made the recovery extremely difficult in the near to medium term, said the industry body FICCI in a report on Friday.

In the report titled, Impact of Covid-19 on the Indian Economy, the industry body pointed out that tourism, hospitality and aviation are among the worst affected sectors that are facing the maximum brunt of the present crisis. Closing of cinema theatres and declining footfall in shopping complexes have affected the retail sector by impacting consumption of both essential and discretionary items,

Consumption is also getting impacted due to job losses and a decline in income levels of people particularly the daily wage earners due to slowing activity in several sectors including retail, Construction and entertainment, the report said.

FICCI, in the report, added that China has been a major market for many Indian products like seafood, petrochemicals, gems and jewellery. The outbreak of coronavirus has adversely impacted exports of these items to China. For instance, the fisheries sector is anticipated to incur a loss of more than Rs 1,300 crore due to a fall in exports. India also exports 34 per cent of its petrochemicals to China. Due to exports restrictions to China, petrochemical products are expected to see a price reduction.

The Economic Times |

E-grocers start utilising available resources of other e-commerce ventures to augment their last mile delivery

Food and grocery retailers and e-grocers have started to utilise available manpower resources of other e-commerce ventures to augment their last mile delivery to tide over the acute shortage of manpower.

Some e-grocers have also agreed to pick and deliver orders from local kiranas and supermarkets to customers, three industry executives said.

Large apparel and electronics brick-and-mortar retailers have also offered their available manpower to food and grocery players to help their in store operations and home delivery back-end, they said.

“Such sharing of manpower is the first such instance when the entire industry has come together forgetting rivalry to supply essentials to consumers with several migrant workers leaving the cities for their homes,” said Retailers Association of India (RAI) CEO Kumar Rajagopalan.

He said several of the food delivery apps and e-grocers have agreed to pick up essential orders from offline stores, from kiranas, local and large supermarkets, to deliver to consumers.

Spencer’s Retail and Nature’s Basket MD Devendra Chawla said new solutions to serve consumers are being tried like tying-up with e-commerce and logistics start-ups for delivery when manpower is reduced.

“The industry is also taking support of industry bodies like CII, FICCI and RAI to create a new ecosystem and making store as a platform for pickup and delivery of essentials,” he said.

Reliance Retail is utilising available manpower from within other formats, while it has received proposals from other retailers and e-commerce firms to work together and augment last mile. “These are tough times and any available resources will help,” CEO (grocery) Damodar Mall said.

RAI said around 25% of brick-and-mortar retail staff are coming over for work as of Saturday, while demand for food and grocery have peaked with the country on a nationwide lockdown hampering the movement of essentials.

Grofers CEO Albinder Dhindsa said the e-grocer has already started picking up and delivering orders from brick and mortar stores in Delhi and Lucknow. He said the company plans to expand this across the nation.

Grofers will also be using the delivery fleet of Swiggy and Zomato, industry executives said.

RAI has created WhatsApp groups with retailers, e-commerce firms, manufacturers and local administration where one can help another and forge partnerships. Even HR heads are discussing on the finer details to make these partnerships work, said Rajagopalan.

Swiggy, Zomato and Big Basket did not respond to queries from ET.

Several states have relaxed the operation of food delivery apps during the lock down, while other e-commerce delivery manpower will work under the retailer's rolls for the moment to ensure they are considered as essential service.

The Economic Times |

Retail Pooling: Online, offline firms share staff to deliver food, groceries

Food and grocery retailers and e-grocers have started to utilise available manpower resources of other e-commerce ventures to augment their last-mile delivery, to tide over an acute shortage of workers. Some e-grocers have also agreed to pick and deliver orders from local kiranas and supermarkets to customers, three industry executives said.

Leading national and local supermarkets as well as e-grocers like Grofers and BigBasket are going to partner with food delivery apps Swiggy and Zomato, and other available resources of ecommerce firms in fashion and other segments which have currently shut down operations, the executives said.

Large apparel and electronics brick-and-mortar retailers have also offered their available manpower to food and grocery players, to help their in-store operations and home delivery backend, they said.

“Such sharing of manpower is the first such instance when the entire industry has come together forgetting rivalry to supply essentials to consumers with several migrant workers (who often provided the last-mile services) leaving the cities for their homes,” Retailers Association of India (RAI) chief executive Kumar Rajagopalan said.

Spencer’s Retail and Nature’s Basket managing director Devendra Chawla said new solutions to serve consumers were being tried, like tying-up with ecommerce and logistics startups for delivery when manpower was less. “The industry is also taking support of industry bodies like the CII, FICCI and RAI to create a new ecosystem and making store as a platform for pickup and delivery of essentials,” he said.

Reliance Retail is utilising available manpower at other formats of the group, while it has received also proposals from other retailers and ecommerce firms to work together and augment lastmile services. “These are tough times and any available resources will help,” CEO (grocery) Damodar Mall said.

Grofers CEO Albinder Dhindsa said the e-grocer had already started picking up and delivering orders from brick-and-mortar stores in Delhi and Lucknow. The company plans to expand this across the nation, he added. Grofers has also tied up with Swiggy and Zomato to utilise their delivery fleet , an industry executive said.

Swiggy, Zomato and BigBasket did not respond to queries from ET. The retailers’ association said around 25% of brick-and-mortar retail staff were coming over for work as of Saturday, even as demand for food and grocery had peaked with the country on a lockdown hampering the movement of essentials.

The body has created WhatsApp groups with retailers, ecommerce firms, manufacturers and local administration where one can help another and forge partnerships. Even HR heads are discussing on the finer details to make these partnerships work, said Rajagopalan.

Financial Express |

Bank of India cuts external benchmark lending rate; MSME, home, other loans to get cheaper

Public sector lender Bank of India on Sunday announced cutting its external benchmark lending rate, linked to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) repo rate, by 75 basis points to 7.25 per cent per annum. With this, the bank said it has “passed on the benefit of rate cut announced by RBI on March 27, 2020” to its MSME, home, vehicle loan customers. The revised rates will be effective from April 1, 2020. The bank’s lending rate is linked to the RBI’s repo rate which was reduced by 75 bps from 5.15 per cent to 4.40 per cent on March 27. This will help MSMEs and other borrowers to likely secure loans at lower interest rates that might also lead to a decline in the cost of loans.

Bank of India also announced reducing its benchmark Marginal Cost of Funds Lending Rate (MCLR) by 25 basis points across tenors, from one year to one month, and by 15 basis points for overnight tenor. The one-year MCLR is now 7.95 per cent per annum from 8.20 per cent. For six months, three months, one month and overnight, the MCLR stands at 7.85 per cent, 7.80 per cent, 7.75 per cent, and 7.25 per cent respectively.

Recently other banks have also reduced their MCLR for one year. For instance, the State Bank of India had cut the MCLR by 10-15 basis points across tenors effective from March 10 while the Union Bank of India had announced 10 basis points cut in the MCLR from March 11. Importantly, as on February 2020, the median one year MCLR of public lenders has declined from 8.75 per cent since February 2019 to 8.20 per cent while for private banks, the figure slashed to 9.10 per cent to 9.28 per cent during the said period.

Last week, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced that the government would contribute the 24 per cent share of both employee and employer to the Employees’ Provident Fund for the coming three months. The move is likely to help MSMEs to manage cash flows and liquidity. “MSME would not be worried about the deadline of payments. Hence, there would be no violation on account of missing the deadline even as they won’t have to worry about interest or penalty for late payments,” Sanjay Bhatia, President, FICCI-CMSME had told Financial Express Online.

The Hindu Business Line |

Transporting essential goods across States still remains a challenge

Even as the Union Home Ministry has issued orders allowing inter-State movement of essential goods, including petroleum products, LPG, food products and medical supplies, implementing them remains a tough task.

The manufacturers and processors of essential commodities, including foodgrains, edible oils, dairy products and perishables like fruits and vegetables, are finding movement of goods difficult between States because of sealed borders and frequent checks and alleged harassment by the police and local authorities.

The dairy sector, which has diverse products in demand at different places across country, faces a tough time due to movement disruptions. RG Chandramogan, Chairman, Hatsun Agro, told Businessline that the inter-dependence of States for different commodities such as milk, coffee, tea and grains makes it imperative to allow smooth cross-border movement of goods.

No smooth movement

“Even if we produce certain milk products, we won't be able to transport them to other States. For example North-Eastern States need dairy whitener - which is an essential item for them. And we require Assam tea here in the South. We are inter-dependent on each other,” said Chandramogan adding that highways and its support system need to remain functional for all such essential food items.

On the other hand, sugar mill operators in South Gujarat are facing difficulty in sourcing raw material from neighbouring Rajasthan. “Cross border movement of sulphur and chalk is hampering our supplies, eventually impacting the processing. But we are contacting the government to resolve this issue,” said an office bearer of Bardoli Sugar Mill.

Perishables hit

In Mysuru, vegetable farmers are having a tough time selling their produce as the borders with neighbouring Kerala are closed. The district is one of the largest suppliers of vegetables to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. “Lack of buyers has forced farmers to discard around 200 tonnes of tomatoes today at the APMC,” said Kurubur Shantkumar of RaithaMithra Farmer Producer Company.

The Government has been very responsive to issue orders for including food as well as agri inputs as essential commodities. Now the onus is on local administration to implement the orders, which I am hopeful should get sorted out in the next few days, said Hemendra Mathur, Co-founder Think Ag and Chairman of FICCI Task Force on Agri Start-ups.

Also, to increase the availability of trucks for essential commodities, Mathur suggested that the Government should allow the movement of all trucks, so that the non-essential items are unloaded and they start carrying essential items.

Edible oil supply

Meanwhile, the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA) has also underlined the need to maintain movement of essential commodities, including the edible oils. In a letter to its members, SEA President Atul Chaturvedi said edible oil being ‘an essential commodity’ it’s supply cannot be disrupted as it can have huge repercussions.

He also advised the members to try their best to run the solvent factories and continue despatches.

“We should engage with the local administration and keep them in the loop in whatever we do. Attendance in the factory should be kept at a minimum to ensure smooth operations,” he added advising members to take extra care to maintain social distancing and provide protective gear, sanitisers and thermal checking facilities for employees.

The Telegraph |

Finance minister plea and pat for banks

The finance ministry has asked both public and private sector banks to ensure adequate liquidity at the branches and ATMs and at the banking correspondent level while maintaining social distancing.

“In a concall with bank chiefs, I asked them to ensure that all branches and ATMs remain open and continue operations,” finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a series of tweets after a conference call with chiefs of private and state-owned banks.

She asked them to ensure that all branches and ATMs continue operations while implementing social distancing at all points, provide authorisation to bank staff to work and coordinate with the district administration for the movement of bank employees.

She acknowledged the role of public sector banks and encouraged them to keep up their efforts in providing uninterrupted banking services across the country.

Earlier in the day, she tweeted that she appreciated the services of the bank mitra/banking correspondents and would request the states to ensure there were no restrictions on their movement.

Banking correspondents play a key role in financial inclusion and help customers, especially in the rural areas, where banking services are limited.

The minister also said she will ask banks to facilitate cash flow to ensure timely access to funds.

"Appreciate the service Bank Mitra/Banking Correspondents are undertaking across the country. Will talk to states- request no restrictions in their movements. Will speak to all banks to facilitate cash flow. Let’s ensure timely access to all," Sitharaman said.

To ensure easy access of funds to the beneficiaries, role of banks and banking correspondents is crucial.

"The entire banking fraternity deserves recognition and thanks for their tireless and brave efforts to ensure that banking services continue in these adverse times and that every customer is reached in a timely and safe manner" she said.

The Secretary of Corporate Affairs on Saturday addressed the concerns of CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM and PHD Chamber in view of nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.

"Secretary, Corporate Affairs, has held discussions with Confederation of Indian Industry, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, and PHD Chamber to hear and address their concerns. Ministry of Finance will continuously remain and respond to Industry's inputs," Finance Minister tweeted.

Expectations are that the government could provide some relief measures to the corporate including aviation, auto sectors among others after announcing certain statutory and compliance benefits for the next three months.

The government has announced a Rs 1.70 lakh crore package for the poor to help them mitigate the woes after the nationwide lockdown was imposed from 25 March. The government also stopped all modes of transport and sealed state borders to restrict movement of people.

Even though the government has allowed movement of essential goods, including food items, and medicines, there have been reports on local police restricting movement and delivery of essential services.

Glaws |

FICCI-EY report claims Online Gaming to grow at 40% CAGR, reach Rs. 18,000 crores in 2022

A 2020 report on India’s Media & Entertainment Sector titled ‘The era of consumer A.R.T. – Acquisition Retention and Transaction,’ released by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and consulting firm Ernst & Young (EY) claims that online gaming grew at a rapid 40% growth rate in the year 2020 and the total revenues generated by the sector in the year 2019 was Rs. 6,500 crores (Rs. 65 billion).

The report further claims that out of the Rs. 6,500 crores garnered by the online gaming industry in 2019, transaction-based (including real-money) gaming contributed about Rs. 4,600 crores, while the remaining was contributed by casual games. The total number of gamers in the country are pegged by the report to be around 36.5 crores (365 million).

EY also estimated that amongst various categories of real-money gaming, fantasy sports grew by over 100% in 2019, while poker and rummy grew by around 30%.

The report further forecasts that online gaming would continue to see robust compounded annual growth rate of about 43% over the next 3 years to become a US$2.5 billion dollar industry (about Rs. 18,700 crores) and would account for over 40,000 direct jobs in the country.

It is also reported that the total indirect tax contribution of the online gaming industry in 2019 was estimated to be around 9,800 crores, with the 2022 estimates pegged at around Rs. 28,600 crores.

The FICCI-EY report, which was supposed to be unveiled at the flagship FICCI Frames event this month, was released digitally due to the cancellation of the event in light of the Coronavirus crisis.

The report adds a caveat that its estimates and forecasts have not accounted for the economic impact and disruption caused due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Animation Xpress |

FICCI: Online gaming sector expected to reach Rs 187 billion by 2022 at a CAGR of 43 per cent

The FICCI-EY report ‘The era of consumer A.R.T. – Acquisition Retention and Transaction,’ that was recently launched found that Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector reached $25.7 billion in 2019, a growth of about nine per cent over 2018 and the online gaming segment retained its position as the fastest growing segment on the back of transaction-based games mainly fantasy sports, increased in-app purchases and a 31 per cent growth in the number of online gamers to reach around 365 million. This represents a 14x growth since 2010, when there were 25 million gamers. The online gaming segment grew 40 per cent in 2019 to reach Rs. 65 billion and is expected to reach Rs187 billion by 2022 at a CAGR of 43 per cent.

Online gaming growth was also enabled by:
  • Increased popularity of fantasy games on the back of popular sports like cricket, which grew over 100 per cent since 2018
  • Incentive to win money in transaction-based games coupled with a more pervasive mobile payments ecosystem
  • Growth of over 20 per cent in casual gaming on mobile phones
  • Online gaming in India is projected to grow faster than the global online gaming segment
  • Gaming contributed nearly 6 per cent of time spent by users across content categories on mobile devices
  • Women spent similar time on gaming applications as compared to men in India. Casual games that promoted relaxation, fun and connection were more popular with women, while competitive gaming also witnessed an increase in women participants
  • By 2022, the estimated number of employees within the online gaming segment would be over 40,00011
  • The online gaming segment also has the potential to bring in massive employment, through direct and indirect jobs that can be generated from ancillary sectors such as telecommunications, marketing, financial services and banking, technology, events and real estate
  • Indirect tax collection from online gaming for 2019 could be in excess of Rs 9.8 billion, rising to Rs28.6 billion by 202213, apart from direct taxes
  • India’s game downloads in 2019 increased 12 per cent over 2018 and amounted to 13 per cent of total game downloads worldwide
  • In 2019, 5.6 billion mobile game applications were downloaded in India which is the highest worldwide.
  • However, app store revenue from India was only 0.2 per cent of the global app store revenue
  • Time spent on gaming ranked fifth highest on mobile devices
  • Transaction-based games grew 50 per cent in 2019, led by fantasy sport games which grew by 118 per cent
FICCI conducted online gaming survey with 1,266 smartphone owning adults and the key findings are as follows:
  • There has been 10 per cent increase in number of players compared to 2018 earlier 67 per cent of smartphone users played games and this year it has increased to 77 per cent.
  • Among 59 per cent enjoying games as mode of entertainment whereas 31 per cent believes it acts as a stress reliever and 10 percent have other reasons to play games
  • Number of in app purchases have also increased by 10 per cent as 15 per cent are willing to pay for in-app purchases.
  • 74 per cent are ok to watch ads rather than pay to play which has increased from 70 per cent compared to 2018.
  • 28 mins average time spent by users in gaming as most played between 15 to 30 mins a day and 76 per cent of the audience play twice a day
  • 58 per cent prefer gaming post dinner time and 35 per cent prefer while travelling.
  • For gaming 73 person preferred mobile devices while 14 person prefer large screens
Choice of games :
  • People are preferring racing games(41 per cent), casual games(47 per cent), action and strategy games (61 per cent), and puzzels(44 per cent) as well.
  • 46 per cent have played multiplayer games and 35 per cent have played fantasy sports
  • 55 per cent have played games recommended by their friends and 43 per cent played popular games from the app store.
Global trends in gaming

According to the report here are the possible global trends can be predicted,they are as follows:

Legal sports gambling goes mainstream

Following the US Supreme Court’s decision of removing the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018, casinos, media companies, sports leagues, online gambling operators, fantasy sports start-ups and software providers have emerged as early winners in the market. Specifically, gaming operators have been ironing out massive contracts between professional sports leagues and individual teams which appear to be quite lucrative. Since the first legalization of sports betting, further legislation to authorize sports betting has passed in 13 states. Five more states and the District of Columbia are poised to start legal markets in the coming months, and similar bills are being considered in many other states.

Cloud gaming takes off

After mobile gaming expanded the market by making games accessible to billions of people across the globe (it remains the largest segment in 2019), cloud gaming offers a similar huge potential. Cloud gaming, in which any game can be played on any device without the consumer having to own the physical hardware required to process the game, presents a significant opportunity to expand the market for premium games beyond the current console and PC audience. Major gaming brands are looking for new ways to deliver gaming and are unveiling cloud gaming platforms. Faster internet along with 5G makes the technology feasible in more markets .

Cross-platform gaming becoming mainstream

With gaming publishers competing to expand their markets and potential audience, they are looking to create games that are played on a wide range of devices/platforms. Going forward, gamers are likely to focus more on which games they play and with whom and less on which devices they own. Players who enjoy playing with friends do not need to own the same gaming platform, be it PlayStation, Xbox, or PC, and so on.

Significant use of data analytics

Sports organisations must actively engage their different fan segments both inside and outside the game venue — they need to be agile, flexible and able to evolve their offerings. Data analytics offers the ability to give fans an exceptional experience, by getting the right content to individuals at the right time. Allowing real-time interaction and engagement, by creating relevant, consistent and personalized content helps establish a deeper connection with fans. During the game, viewers have the possibility to access instant replays, alternate views and closeup videos, vote for their favorite player, bookmark and comment. Data analytics is also used to improve public attendance and event monitoring, fine tune players, team playbooks, game plans and even to kickstart sales and promotions. Performance analytics is being used to identify weaknesses, track improvements and observe trends. Analytics is also helping professional sports teams prevent sports injuries by analyzing the data collected from wearable devices.

Moving forward what will be the gaming scene?

Here is a highlight on how the gaming scene of India will be according to the gaming experts:

Skill-based games to expand more

Nazara Technologies CEO Manish Agarwal says: “Skill Based Games played for real money + Competitive multiplayer + eSports will drive the overall gaming market going forward”. Moving on the same track All India Gaming Federation CEO Roland Landers said “ Online Real Money Skill Gaming (RMG) Industry is now poised to grow exponentially owing to the rise in digitally rich consumers and financial inclusion. The Industry needs rational taxation, both on methodologies and rates based on International best practices and endorsement of the AIGF self-regulation charter that governs stakeholders, so that businesses continue to expand and attract investments.” Junglee Games CEO Ankush Gera expects “The skill gaming industry, with close to a billion dollars in annual revenues on the backbone of Rummy and Fantasy Sports, is one of the fastest growing digital verticals in India, already seeing close to 100percent year-on-year growth. This industry will continue to beat all projections. Gaming is the opportunity for a billion screens in India and it has fully arrived.”

Digital interaction supported gameplay preference will increase

Amid the global lockdown due to coronavirus where people are practicing social distancing digital interaction is the only option left people are enjoying gaming as it also open avenues to interact with dear ones. Therefore Khel Group co-founder Nitesh Damani says, “The idea of ‘Lone Gamer’ is not true any more. A lot of gaming and a lot of interaction is no longer physical; it’s all digital and at a distance. I think there’s been this rediscovery of the joy of playing with people around the table.”

Poker possibilities in India

According to Spartan Poker founder and managing director Amin Rozani , “There has been an upward trend in the growth of poker in India, especially over the past 2 years and we believe this will continue going ahead with great value offerings and top-notch customer service driving the way.”

Adda52 CEO Naveen Goyal “Poker is a mind sport, played responsibly to learn life skills, probability and business. Gaming can take one to success in multiple facets of life.”

Multiplayer games and casual games to follow the trend

India Game Developer Conference Convenor Rajesh Rao says , “While real money gaming continues to grow rapidly, success of PUBG shows people’s propensity to spend on multiplayer games and casual should follow. With India’s per capita income being around 1/5th of China, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to forecast a games market 1/6th of China, after adjusting for lower disposable income in India… This would mean a India market in the US$4-US$7 billion range.”

10x increase in pay to play will open new avenues

Octro CEO Saurabh Aggarwal says, “India Gaming just levelled up. The 10x increase in the number of people willing to pay in games is an indication of the great things to come.”

Gaming next level

Pocket Aces co-founder Anirudh Pandita says “Globally, gaming has become a centerpiece of the consumer entertainment experience today with US gaming industry revenues now outpacing Hollywood box office receipts and approaching TV revenues. In India, increasing smartphone penetration along with cheap data is fuelling growth in gaming. Big beneficiaries have been hardcore games and gaming platforms. We are at the beginning of a secular trend that will continue for a while and will result in the formation of a gaming, game streaming, and esports ecosystem.

PokerStars India India CEO Ankur Dewani also believes that “India is perhaps one of the most exciting countries to be in for the next few decades, and we are all extremely proud and happy to be part this journey in our country’s growth phase, and in that hopefully bringing about a positive change for our industry along the way!”

As the online gaming sector gained a steady pace in the digital age India’s plan in becoming the hub of online gaming continues

Business Standard |

Will speak to banks to facilitate cash flow amid lockdown: FM Sitharaman

Lauding efforts of bankers in this difficult time, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that she will speak to all banks to facilitate cash flow and enable timely access to all.

She also assured that she will talk to states and ensure that there are no restrictions in the movement of cash, bankers, vendors or bank mitra.

"Appreciate the service Bank Mitra/Banking Correspondents are undertaking across the country. Will talk to states - request no restrictions in their movements. Will speak to all banks to facilitate cash flow. Let's ensure timely access to all," the Finance Minister said in a series of tweets.

It is to be noted that the government earlier this week announced a slew of measures, including direct benefit transfer of cash assistance to poor, old age people and disabled, for mitigating hardship posed by outbreak of coronavirus.

"The entire banking fraternity deserves recognition and thanks for their tireless and brave efforts to ensure that banking services continue in these adverse times and that every customer is reached in a timely and safe manner," she said.

Appreciating efforts of bankers, she said, "Bank officials and staff have consistently been on the frontline in providing services to customers during this time of adversity, whether it is physically providing cash where it is needed or keeping branches open no matter what".

According to Indian Banks' Association (IBA), 1,05,988 bank branches across the country were operational on Friday.

However, banks are closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Corporate Affairs Secy addresses concerns of CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM amid lockdown

The Secretary of Corporate Affairs on Saturday addressed the concerns of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Associated Chambers of Commerce of India (ASSOCHAM) and PHD Chamber in view of nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.

"Secretary, Corporate Affairs, has held discussions with Confederation of Indian Industry, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, and PHD Chamber to hear and address their concerns. Ministry of Finance will continuously remain and respond to Industry's inputs," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister appreciated the service banks correspondents across the country and said that she will talk to states and request for no restrictions in their movements.

Meanwhile, IBA has appealed to customers to strictly observe social distancing and avoid visiting branches unless very necessary.

Avoid touching counters, common places by maintaining proper distance from staff before and after physical transactions, IBA said.

It also urged customers to avoid crowding and maintain 1 to 1.5 metre distance between each other in the queue and only 5-6 customers to enter the branch at a time.

Anyone with cough and cold symptoms to avoid physical transactions, and asked senior citizens and children to desist from going to branches, it said.

The association also asked customers to use gloves or sanitizers or masks while entering the branches, and to carry all documents required for transaction.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country effective from midnight to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to combat the disease.

Business Standard |

Corporate Affairs Secy addresses concerns of CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM amid lockdown

The Secretary of Corporate Affairs on Saturday addressed the concerns of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Associated Chambers of Commerce of India (ASSOCHAM) and PHD Chamber in view of nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.

"Secretary, Corporate Affairs, has held discussions with Confederation of Indian Industry, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, and PHD Chamber to hear and address their concerns. Ministry of Finance will continuously remain and respond to Industry's inputs," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister appreciated the service banks correspondents across the country and said that she will talk to states and request for no restrictions in their movements. "Will speak to all banks to facilitate cash flow. Let's ensure timely access to all," she said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country effective from midnight to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to combat the disease.

DD News |

Steps announced by FM Nirmala Sitharaman are critical for vulnerable sections: FICCI

Industry body group, FICCI has said that the steps announced by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society through the immediate crisis.

FICCI President Dr Sangita Reddy welcomed Prime Minister's Gareeb Kalyan Scheme saying it will take care of the poor and vulnerable, women and MSME workers, effectively.

She said, the government has also shown that it’s determined to act with urgency and impact both to keep the citizens safe and also to mitigate their economic hardship.

Reddy said, FICCI is looking forward to the next set of announcements by the Finance Minister aimed at the corporate sector.

The Economic Times |

COVID-19: Take care of employees, workers, says Goyal to industry

Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday told industry and trade associations to take care of their employees and workers in this hour of crisis and distress.

Talking to representatives from various manufacturing, industry and trading associations from across the country through video conference, he said that they are not only their assets and resources, but also could become potential carrier of COVID-19, if they are allowed to migrate en-masse throughout the country and countryside, during this pandemic.

The video conference was held with the associations to assess the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown in the country, and get their feedback and suggestions in ameliorating the situation.

As per an official statement, Goyal said that they should also engage with various society influencers, including the leaders of different religions and faiths, to propagate all preventive measures, like washing of hands, maintaining social distance, and other health precautions.

“He said that essential services and activities required to sustain these services will continue, though with abundant precaution and proper social distancing,” the government said in the statement.

Various industry chambers including CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM and PHDCC along with industry associations NASSCOM, SIAM, FISME and IEEMA participated.

“The manufacturing companies will produce and procure medical equipment including ventilators, masks, and personal protection equipment for medical and other emergency staff. We request the Government to consider removing customs duty on these items and their inputs on a temporary basis to free up resources for producing them,” said Confederation of Indian Industry.

The minister appreciated industry’s efforts of ramping up the capacity of essential commodities, particularly the ventilators, and also some of them using their premises in running community kitchens and said that the situation would lead to more “Make in India” and Make in India for the world.

The New Indian Express |

Ministry of Corporate Affairs discusses India Inc's concerns with industry bodies: Nirmala Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that the Secretary for the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) Injeti Srinivas has discussed concerns of the India Inc with industry bodies - FICCI, CII, ASSOCHAM and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In a tweet, Sitharaman said the Ministry of Finance will continuously respond to inputs by the industry.

"SSecretary, Corporate Affairs has held discussions with @FollowCII @ficci_india @ASSOCHAM4India and @phdchamber to hear and address their concerns. @FinMinIndia will continuously remain and respond to Industry's inputs," Sitharaman tweeted.

The statement from the Finance Minister comes days after she announced a Rs 1.70 lakh crore package aimed at providing food security to the poor and money in their hands amid the coronavirus pandemic and the nationwide lockdown.

On Thursday, Sitharaman also indicated that concerns of India Inc, small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) segments and other segments hit by the lockdown might be looked at and that the government could announce a plan later.

"Our first priority is to provide food to the poor and money in their hands. We will think about other things later," Sitharaman said.

On relief to the travel and aviation sectors that are bearing the brunt of the lockdown, the Finance Minister said, "We will come back when something is ready." The industry has sought several reliefs along with a financial package.

The Reserve Bank of India, along with several relief measures including relaxation in terms of loan repayments and NPA classification, announced a much-awaited 75 basis point repo rate cut to 4.4 per cent.

Outlook |

Workers are assets, but en-masse migration could make them potential COVID-19 carriers: Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday asked industry and trade associations to not allow en-masse migration of workers, as they are not only their assets but could become potential carrier of COVID-19.

Goyal has told the industry and trade associations to take care of their employees and workers in this hour of crisis and distress.

He said this in a meeting through video conference. It was held with the associations to assess the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown in the country, and get their feedback as well as suggestions.

"They are not only their assets and resources, but also could become potential carrier of COVID-19, if they are allowed to migrate en-masse throughout the country and countryside, during this pandemic," an official statement said quoting the minister.

Minister of State for Chemicals and fertilizers and Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya, who was also present, stressed on retaining the workers and labourers on the payroll and at the same place.

He said that their movement will jeopardize the nationwide lockdown, and also affect the early normalisation in the post-COVID period.

Goyal called upon them to spread the message about the steps taken by the government in containing the menace of COVID-19, with the help of their stakeholders.

He said that they should also engage with various society influencers, including the leaders of different religions and faiths, to propagate all preventive measures, like washing of hands, maintaining social distance, and other health precautions.

Responding to the various issues raised in the conference, the commerce minister said the instructions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs make it clear that goods movement of any type will not be curtailed in the country.

He also said that many issues raised by the associations relating to other ministries and agencies, will be expeditiously taken up by the ministry.

The situation would lead to more "Make in India" for the country and the world, he added.

The associations narrated their assessment of impact of the lockdown and pandemic on their activities and businesses, and made a range of suggestions.

It was attended by the representatives from CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHD Chamber of Commerce, Laghu Udyog Bharati, Eastern Chamber of Commerce, CAIT, South Indian Chamber of Commerce, IMC, NASSCOM, SIAM, IMTMA, IEMA, FISME, IEEMA, and ICC.

Thousands of migrant workers and daily wagers have been stranded in Ghazipur which lies at the border of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

The Week |

Centre trying to procure 10 lakh personal protective equipment via MEA

The Centre is trying to procure 10 lakh personal protective equipment (PPE) from several countries via the Ministry of External Affairs, government officials told THE WEEK. Several countries battling the COVID-19 pandemic are facing a shortage of PPE for their medical staff.

Even as doctors across India have been agitating for masks, gloves and other PPE requirements, government officials on Saturday conceded that there was a "shortage" of PPE, because no one could have anticipated such a huge requirement.

"In India, most of the PPE is imported, and hospitals were only ordering as per routine requirement. With COVID-19, however, the demand has skyrocketed," the senior official said, requesting anonymity.

Under flak from doctors and public health experts for the PPE shortage, the government is going all out to procure masks, gloves, protective goggles and hazmat suits.

According to sources, on January 29, the health ministry wrote a letter to the ministry of textiles to alert them to start work on making PPEs indigenously.

In the subsequent weeks, several meetings were conducted with industry bodies such as CII, FICCI, specialised textile manufacturers and Delhi's local suppliers.

"On January 31, we also banned the export of PPE. In these meetings, we asked several manufacturers to make PPE based on our specifications. However, only DuPont agreed to give us some PPE," the official said. An inter-ministerial team also scouted across the country to inspect various manufacturing units, collected samples and tested them.

On March 18, after a meeting with indigenous bodies such as Association of Medical Device Industry and Preventive Wear Manufacturer Association of India, samples from indigenous manufacturers were tested and approved, and many have now started production. However, government officials stressed on "rational" use of equipment based on health ministry guidelines.

"In the beginning, we noticed that those working at the Manesar and the ITBP's Chawla camp were changing their masks frequently, at times, thrice a day. We then counselled them to use it rationally," the official added.

Business Today |

Coronavirus crisis: SMEs send SoS to govt on salaries; else retrenchment inevitable

With factories closed and cash flow virtually dried up, small and medium private firms want the government to come up with financial support for payment of employee salaries.

In a video-conference held by Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal on Saturday afternoon, members from the MSME sector said that they would find it difficult to pay salaries of staff in the absence of government support during the lockdown period. Industry bodies such as Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), FISME and Laghu Udyog Bharati represented SMEs in the meeting. They indicated that in absence of some aid it will be difficult for them to retain employees.

"United Kingdom (UK) government has announced it will pay 80 per cent of the salaries for certain employees. On the same lines, financial support can be given here too," an industry representative who attended the video conference said.

He said that massive retrenchment would be inevitable in case lockdown is extended and business establishments remain shut.

The agenda of the interaction with industry representatives was to discuss how industry was operating to make the lockdown effective, implementing work from home format, state-level issues and also how the exempt and essential services are being operated.

Speaking to BusinessToday.In, two senior industry members confirmed the discussion and hoped that government could work out a plan for salary payments.

Members of industry bodies Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Associated Chambers of Commerce of India (ASSOCHAM) and Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) attended the high-level meeting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while announcing Janata Curfew on March 19, days before declaring a complete lockdown, had appealed companies to not cut salaries and wages of employees. He also advised them not to retrench staff.

The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector employs 110 million people and contributes 29 per cent to the GDP and nearly half of India's exports.

"While we may not be able to retain employees in the wake of Covid-19 (coronavirus) crisis, the industry would face huge problems in getting the workers especially unskilled ones back after the crisis is over. It will take almost six months to return normalcy," Managing Director of a Mumbai-based firm said.

Nagaland Post |

Will speak to Banks to facilitate cash flow: FM

Lauding efforts of bankers in this difficult time, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that she will speak to all banks to facilitate cash flow and enable timely access to all. She also assured that she will talk to states and ensure that there are no restrictions in the movement of cash, bankers, vendors or bank mitra.

“Appreciate the service Bank Mitra/Banking Correspondents are undertaking across the country. Will talk to states - request no restrictions in their movements. Will speak to all banks to facilitate cash flow. Let’s ensure timely access to all,” the Finance Minister said in a series of tweets.

It is to be noted that the government earlier this week announced a slew of measures, including direct benefit transfer of cash assistance to poor, old age people and disabled, for mitigating hardship posed by outbreak of coronavirus. “The entire banking fraternity deserves recognition and thanks for their tireless and brave efforts to ensure that banking services continue in these adverse times and that every customer is reached in a timely and safe manner,” she said.

Appreciating efforts of bankers, she said, “Bank officials and staff have consistently been on the frontline in providing services to customers during this time of adversity, whether it is physically providing cash where it is needed or keeping branches open no matter what”.

According to Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), 1,05,988 bank branches across the country were operational on Friday.

However, banks are closed on Saturday and Sunday.

The Secretary of Corporate Affairs on Saturday addressed the concerns of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Associated Chambers of Commerce of India (ASSOCHAM) and PHD Chamber in view of nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.

“Secretary, Corporate Affairs, has held discussions with Confederation of Indian Industry, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, and PHD Chamber to hear and address their concerns. Ministry of Finance will continuously remain and respond to Industry’s inputs,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister appreciated the service banks correspondents across the country and said that she will talk to states and request for no restrictions in their movements.

Meanwhile, IBA has appealed to customers to strictly observe social distancing and avoid visiting branches unless very necessary.

Avoid touching counters, common places by maintaining proper distance from staff before and after physical transactions, IBA said.

It also urged customers to avoid crowding and maintain 1 to 1.5 metre distance between each other in the queue and only 5-6 customers to enter the branch at a time.

Anyone with cough and cold symptoms to avoid physical transactions, and asked senior citizens and children to desist from going to branches, it said.

The association also asked customers to use gloves or sanitizers or masks while entering the branches, and to carry all documents required for transaction.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country effective from midnight to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that “social distancing” is the only option to combat the disease.

Daiji World |

MCA discusses India Inc's concerns with industry bodies

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that the Secretary for the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) Injeti Srinivas has discussed concerns of the India Inc with industry bodies - FICCI, CII, ASSOCHAM and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In a tweet, Sitharaman said the Ministry of Finance will continuously respond to inputs by the industry.

"SSecretary, Corporate Affairs has held discussions with @FollowCII @ficci_india @ASSOCHAM4India and @phdchamber to hear and address their concerns. @FinMinIndia will continuously remain and respond to Industry's inputs," Sitharaman tweeted.

The statement from the Finance Minister comes days after she announced a Rs 1.70 lakh crore package aimed at providing food security to the poor and money in their hands amid the coronavirus pandemic and the nationwide lockdown.

On Thursday, Sitharaman also indicated that concerns of India Inc, small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) segments and other segments hit by the lockdown might be looked at and that the government could announce a plan later.

"Our first priority is to provide food to the poor and money in their hands. We will think about other things later," Sitharaman said.

On relief to the travel and aviation sectors that are bearing the brunt of the lockdown, the Finance Minister said, "We will come back when something is ready."

The industry has sought several reliefs along with a financial package.

The Reserve Bank of India, along with several relief measures including relaxation in terms of loan repayments and NPA classification, announced a much-awaited 75 basis point repo rate cut to 4.4 per cent.

Devdiscourse |

Workers are assets, but en-masse migration could make them potential COVID-19 carriers: Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday asked industry and trade associations to not allow en-masse migration of workers, as they are not only their assets but could become potential carrier of COVID-19. Goyal has told the industry and trade associations to take care of their employees and workers in this hour of crisis and distress.

He said this in a meeting through video conference. It was held with the associations to assess the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown in the country, and get their feedback as well as suggestions. "They are not only their assets and resources, but also could become potential carrier of COVID-19, if they are allowed to migrate en-masse throughout the country and countryside, during this pandemic," an official statement said quoting the minister.

Minister of State for Chemicals and fertilizers and Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya, who was also present, stressed on retaining the workers and labourers on the payroll and at the same place. He said that their movement will jeopardize the nationwide lockdown, and also affect the early normalisation in the post-COVID period.

Goyal called upon them to spread the message about the steps taken by the government in containing the menace of COVID-19, with the help of their stakeholders. He said that they should also engage with various society influencers, including the leaders of different religions and faiths, to propagate all preventive measures, like washing of hands, maintaining social distance, and other health precautions.

Responding to the various issues raised in the conference, the commerce minister said the instructions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs make it clear that goods movement of any type will not be curtailed in the country. He also said that many issues raised by the associations relating to other ministries and agencies, will be expeditiously taken up by the ministry.

The situation would lead to more "Make in India" for the country and the world, he added. The associations narrated their assessment of impact of the lockdown and pandemic on their activities and businesses, and made a range of suggestions.

It was attended by the representatives from CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHD Chamber of Commerce, Laghu Udyog Bharati, Eastern Chamber of Commerce, CAIT, South Indian Chamber of Commerce, IMC, NASSCOM, SIAM, IMTMA, IEMA, FISME, IEEMA, and ICC. Thousands of migrant workers and daily wagers have been stranded in Ghazipur which lies at the border of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

Yahoo Finance |

Workers are assets, but en-masse migration could make them potential COVID-19 carriers: Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday asked industry and trade associations to not allow en-masse migration of workers, as they are not only their assets but could become potential carrier of COVID-19.

Goyal has told the industry and trade associations to take care of their employees and workers in this hour of crisis and distress.

He said this in a meeting through video conference. It was held with the associations to assess the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown in the country, and get their feedback as well as suggestions.

'They are not only their assets and resources, but also could become potential carrier of COVID-19, if they are allowed to migrate en-masse throughout the country and countryside, during this pandemic,' an official statement said quoting the minister.

Minister of State for Chemicals and fertilizers and Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya, who was also present, stressed on retaining the workers and labourers on the payroll and at the same place.

He said that their movement will jeopardize the nationwide lockdown, and also affect the early normalisation in the post-COVID period.

Goyal called upon them to spread the message about the steps taken by the government in containing the menace of COVID-19, with the help of their stakeholders.

He said that they should also engage with various society influencers, including the leaders of different religions and faiths, to propagate all preventive measures, like washing of hands, maintaining social distance, and other health precautions.

Responding to the various issues raised in the conference, the commerce minister said the instructions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs make it clear that goods movement of any type will not be curtailed in the country.

He also said that many issues raised by the associations relating to other ministries and agencies, will be expeditiously taken up by the ministry.

The situation would lead to more 'Make in India' for the country and the world, he added.

The associations narrated their assessment of impact of the lockdown and pandemic on their activities and businesses, and made a range of suggestions.

It was attended by the representatives from CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHD Chamber of Commerce, Laghu Udyog Bharati, Eastern Chamber of Commerce, CAIT, South Indian Chamber of Commerce, IMC, NASSCOM, SIAM, IMTMA, IEMA, FISME, IEEMA, and ICC.

Thousands of migrant workers and daily wagers have been stranded in Ghazipur which lies at the border of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

Daily World |

MCA discusses India Inc's concerns with industry bodies

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that the Secretary for the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) Injeti Srinivas has discussed concerns of the India Inc with industry bodies –FICCI, CII, ASSOCHAM and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In a tweet, Sitharaman said the Ministry of Finance will continuously respond to inputs by the industry.

“SSecretary, Corporate Affairs has held discussions with @FollowCII @ficci_india @ASSOCHAM4India and @phdchamber to hear and address their concerns. @FinMinIndia will continuously remain and respond to Industry’s inputs,” Sitharaman tweeted.

The statement from the Finance Minister comes days after she announced a Rs 1.70 lakh crore package aimed at providing food security to the poor and money in their hands amid the coronavirus pandemic and the nationwide lockdown.

On Thursday, Sitharaman also indicated that concerns of India Inc, small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) segments and other segments hit by the lockdown might be looked at and that the government could announce a plan later.

“Our first priority is to provide food to the poor and money in their hands. We will think about other things later,” Sitharaman said.

On relief to the travel and aviation sectors that are bearing the brunt of the lockdown, the Finance Minister said, “We will come back when something is ready.”

The industry has sought several reliefs along with a financial package.

The Reserve Bank of India, along with several relief measures including relaxation in terms of loan repayments and NPA classification, announced a much-awaited 75 basis point repo rate cut to 4.4 per cent.

Social News.XYZ |

MCA discusses India Inc’s concerns with industry bodies

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that the Secretary for the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) Injeti Srinivas has discussed concerns of the India Inc with industry bodies - FICCI, CII, ASSOCHAM and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In a tweet, Sitharaman said the Ministry of Finance will continuously respond to inputs by the industry.

"SSecretary, Corporate Affairs has held discussions with @FollowCII @ficci_india @ASSOCHAM4India and @phdchamber to hear and address their concerns. @FinMinIndia will continuously remain and respond to Industry's inputs," Sitharaman tweeted.

The statement from the Finance Minister comes days after she announced a Rs 1.70 lakh crore package aimed at providing food security to the poor and money in their hands amid the coronavirus pandemic and the nationwide lockdown.

On Thursday, Sitharaman also indicated that concerns of India Inc, small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) segments and other segments hit by the lockdown might be looked at and that the government could announce a plan later.

"Our first priority is to provide food to the poor and money in their hands. We will think about other things later," Sitharaman said.

On relief to the travel and aviation sectors that are bearing the brunt of the lockdown, the Finance Minister said, "We will come back when something is ready."

The industry has sought several reliefs along with a financial package.

The Reserve Bank of India, along with several relief measures including relaxation in terms of loan repayments and NPA classification, announced a much-awaited 75 basis point repo rate cut to 4.4 per cent.

KNN |

Govt frees movement of goods; assures RBI directive will be followed by all banks

To deal with COVID-19 crisis, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held a meeting with top industry associations through Video Conferencing today.

"Government has issued instructions there is no need to distinguish between 'essential' and 'non-essential' goods allowing free movement of all types of goods", Minister told stakeholders while reacting to about freeze on movement of goods across the country following un-precedented lockdown and harassment of truckers in most of the states.

Besides the Ministers of State for Commerce and Industries and of Shipping, all senior officials of the Commerce Ministry were present in the meeting along with industry associations namely CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, FISME, NASSCOM, SIAM, LBU, ACMA among others.

Representatives of associations raised concern of recent RBI directives announced with Monetary Policy that these directives have left the decision to provide exemptions to the Banks and that different Banks have taken different positions on payments of EMI and NPA norms etc.

Piyush Goyal assured unequivocally that people should not have any doubt that all banks- whether public or private, will follow the directives of the RBI and extend the benefits announced.

The foremost concerns of Associations for which they demanded intervention of the government related to payment of salaries and wages and payment of Provident Fund and ESI contribution of workers during period of lockdown.

Other concerns included inability of industries in meeting various deadlines of statutory payments like of GST, Income Tax House Tax etc and it was demanded that last dates should extended to June.

FISME also demanded that automatic extension be given to all contractual obligations for supply of goods and services.

It also raised the issue of suspension of detention and demurrage at ports during lockdown.

The Times of India |

Media, entertainment sector in India to cross Rs 2.4 lakh crore by 2022

The Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector in India is expected to cross Rs 2.4 lakh crore ($34 billion) by 2022, with an annual growth rate of 10 per cent mainly driven by rapid proliferation of mobile access, according to a report.

The M&E sector in India grew by 9 per cent to reach Rs 1.82 lakh crore ($25.7 billion) in 2019, according to the FICCI EY report 'The era of consumer A.R.T. – Acquisition Retention and Transaction,' launched on Friday.

With its current trajectory, the M&E sector in India is expected to cross Rs 2.4 lakh crore ($34 billion) by 2022, at an annual growth of 10 per cent, the report said.

“However, the coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector, the situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world, the scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately,” EY India partner and M&E leader Ashish Pherwani told reporters.

This report was developed through primary and secondary research, discussions with several companies and industry stakeholders and cross referencing of available data points.

While television and print retained their positions as the two largest segments, digital media overtook filmed entertainment in 2019 to become the third-largest segment of the sector.

Digital subscription revenues more than doubled from 2018 levels and digital advertising revenues grew to command 24 per cent of total advertising spend.

The sector continued to grow at a rate faster than the GDP, driven primarily by growth in subscription-based business models and India's attractiveness as a content production and post production destination.

The rapid proliferation of mobile access is enabling on-demand, anytime-anywhere content consumption nationwide.

With a population of 1.3 billion, a tele-density approaching 89 per cent of households, 688 million internet subscribers and nearly 400 million smartphone users, India's telecom industry is poised to become the primary platform for content distribution and consumption.

India ranks as one of the fastest-growing app markets globally, where entertainment apps are driving significant consumer engagement.

Online gaming retained its position as the fastest growing segment on the back of transaction-based games mainly fantasy sports, increased in-app purchases and a 31 per cent growth in the number of online gamers to reach around 365 million.

The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019, Pherwani said.

The report revealed that the TV industry grew from Rs 74,000 crore to Rs 78,800 crore in 2019, a growth of 6.5 per cent.

TV advertising grew 5 per cent to Rs 3.2 lakh crore while subscription grew 7 per cent to Rs 46.8 lakh crore. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption increased by over 20 per cent in certain cases.

General entertainment and movie channels led with 74 per cent of viewership, it added.

The news genre witnessed a growth to almost 9 per cent of total viewership, up from 7.3 per cent in 2018.

In sports, cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80 per cent of the sports viewership, up from 70 per cent last year, due to the ICC World Cup.

Despite a 3 per cent revenue degrowth at Rs 29,600 crore, print continued to retain the second largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues increased by 2 per cent to Rs 9,000 crore as newspaper companies tactically increased prices in certain markets.

Meanwhile, in 2019, digital media grew 31 per cent to reach Rs 22,100 crore and is expected to grow at 23 per cent annually to reach Rs 41,400 crore by 2022.

Digital advertising grew 24 per cent to Rs 19,200 crore driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers' preference to measure performance.

SME and long tail advertisers increased their spends on digital media as well. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall.

Consequently, subscription revenue grew 106 per cent to Rs 2,900 crore.

Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16 per cent, audio streamers by 33 per cent and news consumers by 22 per cent, it added.

The Free Press Journal |

RBI measures will improve confidence in financial system

Industry players and stakeholders have welcomed the RBI’s measures to address the stress on the economy caused by the pandemic, saying that they would greatly help improve sentiments and confidence in the financial system.

Credit rating agency CARE said that although the policy rate has been reduced to a decadal low, it needs to be seen if the transmission of the same by the banks materialises and whether they would be willing to extend loans to businesses and segments that have been hit by the economic disruptions caused by the virus.

Presently, despite the measures taken to infuse liquidity, banks have been reluctant to lend while demand too has been muted.

However, in the wake of the outbreak, several companies will be seeking fresh credit to keep up with operations once normalcy returns and these new measures should help. CII director general Chandrajit Banerjee said measures announced by RBI will address the financial stress in the system on account of the outbreak and the consequent lockdown.

The substantial reduction in the CRR will help banks to reduce their lending rates and aid monetary transmission. The increase in the corridor between the repo and reverse repo rates will discourage the banks from parking money with the RBI,’’ he noted.

Given that the current lockdown is expected to have a negative impact on the cash flows of companies, Banerjee demanded that the moratorium on the repayments of term loan should be extended beyond three months in case the impact of the outbreak lasts longer than expected. On the other hand, FICCI president Sangita Reddy insisted that all the relaxations are being transmitted by banks in full and without delay.

"Our companies today need liquidity for survival. If the money released to the system reaches the corporates through greater lending, investments in commercial paper, nonconvertible debentures and corporate bonds, we will be able to see through this difficult phase,’’ she viewed.

Financial Express |

The M&E industry clocked in Rs 1.8 trillion in 2019: FICCI-EY report

The Indian media and entertainment (M&E) industry recorded a rise of 9% to Rs 1.8 lakh crores in 2019 as opposed to Rs 1.6 lakh crores in 2018, according to the latest FICCI-EY report. Titled, ‘The era of consumer A.R.T’, the report, which was collated before the advent of coronavirus in India, expects the sector to reach Rs 2.42 lakh crores by 2022 at a CAGR of 10%, while is unclear on the projection for 2020. ”If the lockdown and theatres and film and serial production shut down lasts for a month or two, the industry will see a year of flat growth. However, if it goes beyond that time period, the industry will actually see a decline in revenue from 2019,” Ashish Pherwani, partner and media and entertainment leader, EY India, said.

For Pherwani, while TV subscription grew 7% to Rs 46.8 thousand crores in 2019, it could incur anywhere between -4% – 2% of degrowth/growth in 2020 due to new tariff order (NTO) 2.0. Additionally, the government’s edict of 21 days of lockdown, wherein everything from theatres to production of film and serials have been shut, has also impacted the M&E industry. As a result of the lockdown, the general entertainment channels (GEC) will soon run out of fresh content to provide the viewers with. According to Pherwani, the GEC broadcasters are looking for new avenues to retain their viewers. “From repurposing OTT content to the TV, repackaging nostalgia by bringing back old shows to maybe introducing user-generated-content (UGC) to the TV, broadcasters are thinking of everything to entertain their viewers,” he added.

In 2019, the TV industry grew 6.5% to Rs 74 thousand crores with GECs and movie channels leading the viewership with 74%, as per the report. The news genre witnessed nearly a 9% growth of total viewership because of several key announcements by the central and state governments such as Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and general elections. Cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80% of the sports viewership, up from 70% last year, due to the ICC World Cup. However, this year, while the news genre continues to see a growth, sports viewership will be impacted due to coronavirus as the outbreak has resulted in major sporting events being either postponed. For instance, Indian Premier League (IPL) which was scheduled to begin from March 29, has been postponed.

As for digital media, the report claims that it grew by 31% to Rs 22.1 thousand crores in 2019 and as per Pherwani, the medium will witness a high growth this year due to coronavirus. In 2019, digital advertising grew 24% to Rs 19.2 thousand crores driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers’ preference to measure performance. Subsequently, pay digital subscribers crossed one crore for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall, enabling subscription revenue to grow 106% to Rs 2,900 crores. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16%, audio streamers rose 33% while news consumers increased by 22%.

According to the report, the Indian film segment grew 10% in 2019 to reach Rs 19.1 thousand crores driven by the growth in domestic theatrical revenues and both rates and volume of digital/ OTT rights sold. Domestic film revenues crossed Rs 115 thousand crores with gross Box Office collections for Hindi films at Rs 4,950 crores – the highest ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell 10% to Rs 2,700 crores despite more films being released abroad primarily as films with superstars didn’t perform as well in 2019. 108 Hollywood films were released in 2019 as compared to 98 in 2018. The gross box office collections of Hollywood films in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed versions) grew 33% to reach Rs 1,600 crore.

In 2020, the film industry stands to lose anywhere between Rs 300 crore – Rs 400 crore every weekend. The big budget films will eventually be released and will be able to minimise its loss, however the tier 2 films will lose out on release windows. “Due to this, more movies will be released on the digital platforms. Films which were not getting a satellite-cable deal, will get a deal now because broadcasters need fresh content,” Pherwani stated.

Exchange4Media |

M&E industry grew 9% in 2019: FICCI-EY report 2020

The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector reached Rs 1.82 trillion (US$25.7 billion) in 2019, registering a growth of 9% as compared to 2018, states the FICCI EY report - ‘The era of consumer A.R.T. – Acquisition Retention and Transaction’.

With its current trajectory, the M&E sector in India is expected to cross Rs 2.4 trillion (US$34 billion) by 2022, at a CAGR of 10%.

While television and print retained their positions as the two largest segments, digital media overtook filmed entertainment in 2019 to become the third largest segment of the M&E sector. Digital subscription revenues more than doubled from 2018 levels and digital advertising revenues grew to command 24% of total advertising spend.

The sector continues to grow at a rate faster than the GDP, driven primarily by growth in subscription-based business models and India’s attractiveness as a content production and post production destination.

The rapid proliferation of mobile access is enabling on-demand, anytime-anywhere content consumption nationwide. With a population of 1.3 billion, a tele-density approaching 89% of households, 688 million internet subscribers and nearly 400 million smartphone users, India’s telecom industry is poised to become the primary platform for content distribution and consumption. India ranks as one of the fastest-growing app markets globally, where entertainment apps are driving significant consumer engagement.

Online gaming retained its position as the fastest growing segment on the back of transaction-based games mainly fantasy sports, increased in-app purchases and a 31% growth in the number of online gamers to reach around 365 million.

Uday Shankar, Vice President, FICCI and Chair, FICCI Media and Entertainment Division, said: “Riding the wave of exponential progress made towards digital accessibility and adoption, the M&E industry has been a forerunner of a dynamic and aspirational India. New products and business models are being imagined to capitalize on the rise in media consumption. Global players are recognizing the need to build India-centric offerings. The coming years are likely to usher in greater innovation in content formats, means of dissemination, and business models.”

Ashish Pherwani, Partner and Media & Entertainment Leader, EY India, said, “The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019. Driven by the ability to create direct-to-customer relationships, the sector firmly pivoted towards a B2C operating model, changing the way it measured itself. As entertainment and information options grew and choice increased the era of consumer Acquisition, Retention and Transaction (ART) redefined the media value chain leading to the emergence of many new trends and strategies across content, distribution, consumption and monetization.”

“The coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector, the situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world, the scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately,” he added.

The key findings of the report are as follows:

Television: The TV industry grew from Rs 740 billion to Rs 788 billion in 2019, a growth of 6.5%. TV advertising grew 5% to INR 320 billion while subscription grew 7% to INR 468 billion. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption increased by over 20% in certain cases. General entertainment and movie channels led with 74% of viewership. On the back of several key announcements by the central and state governments such as Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and a general election, the news genre witnessed a growth to almost 9% of total viewership, up from 7.3% in 2018. In sports cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80% of the sports viewership, up from 70% last year, due to the ICC World Cup.

Print: Despite a 3% revenue degrowth at Rs 296 billion, print continued to retain the second largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues increased by 2% to Rs 90 billion as newspaper companies tactically increased prices in certain markets. Advertising revenues fell 5% to Rs 206 billion in 2019 as AdEX volumes fell by 8%. Margins improved as newsprint cost measures were implemented and companies benefited from the reduction of newsprint prices.

Digital media: In 2019, digital media grew 31% to reach Rs 221 billion and is expected to grow at 23% CAGR to reach Rs 414 billion by 2022. Digital advertising grew 24% to INR 192 billion driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers’ preference to measure performance. SME and long tail advertisers increased their spends on digital media as well. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall. Consequently, subscription revenue grew 106% to Rs 29 billion. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16%, audio streamers by 33% and news consumers by 22%.

Films: The Indian film segment grew 10% in 2019 to reach Rs 191 billion driven by the growth in domestic theatrical revenues and both rates and volume of digital/ OTT rights sold. Domestic film revenues crossed Rs 115 billion with Gross Box Office collections for Hindi films at Rs 49.5 billion – the highest ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell 10% to Rs 27 billion despite more films being released abroad primarily as films with superstars didn’t perform as well in 2019. 108 Hollywood films were released in 2019 as compared to 98 in 2018. The gross box office collections of Hollywood films in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed versions) grew 33% to reach Rs 16 billion. As single screens continued to reduce, the total screen count decreased by 74 to 9,527.

Mergers and Acquisitions in M&E: While the number of deals increased to 64 in 2019 from 41 in 2018, the overall deal value was much lower at Rs 101 billion as compared to Rs 192 billion in the previous year. This was largely due to the absence of big-ticket deals with only four deals crossing the US$100 million threshold. The highest amount of investment was made in television, followed by digital, radio and gaming. Deal activity was spearheaded by new media such as digital and gaming, which witnessed 54 of the 64 deals in 2019, however, in terms of deal value, the share of traditional media segments such as TV, radio and film exhibition was 63%.

Yahoo News |

The M&E industry clocked in Rs 1.8 trillion in 2019: FICCI-EY report

The Indian media and entertainment (M&E) industry recorded a rise of 9% to Rs 1.8 lakh crores in 2019 as opposed to Rs 1.6 lakh crores in 2018, according to the latest FICCI-EY report. Titled, 'The era of consumer A.R.T', the report, which was collated before the advent of coronavirus in India, expects the sector to reach Rs 2.42 lakh crores by 2022 at a CAGR of 10%, while is unclear on the projection for 2020. "If the lockdown and theatres and film and serial production shut down lasts for a month or two, the industry will see a year of flat growth. However, if it goes beyond that time period, the industry will actually see a decline in revenue from 2019," Ashish Pherwani, partner and media and entertainment leader, EY India, said.

For Pherwani, while TV subscription grew 7% to Rs 46.8 thousand crores in 2019, it could incur anywhere between -4% – 2% of degrowth/growth in 2020 due to new tariff order (NTO) 2.0. Additionally, the government’s edict of 21 days of lockdown, wherein everything from theatres to production of film and serials have been shut, has also impacted the M&E industry. As a result of the lockdown, the general entertainment channels (GEC) will soon run out of fresh content to provide the viewers with. According to Pherwani, the GEC broadcasters are looking for new avenues to retain their viewers. "From repurposing OTT content to the TV, repackaging nostalgia by bringing back old shows to maybe introducing user-generated-content (UGC) to the TV, broadcasters are thinking of everything to entertain their viewers," he added.

In 2019, the TV industry grew 6.5% to Rs 74 thousand crores with GECs and movie channels leading the viewership with 74%, as per the report. The news genre witnessed nearly a 9% growth of total viewership because of several key announcements by the central and state governments such as Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and general elections. Cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80% of the sports viewership, up from 70% last year, due to the ICC World Cup. However, this year, while the news genre continues to see a growth, sports viewership will be impacted due to coronavirus as the outbreak has resulted in major sporting events being either postponed. For instance, Indian Premier League (IPL) which was scheduled to begin from March 29, has been postponed.

As for digital media, the report claims that it grew by 31% to Rs 22.1 thousand crores in 2019 and as per Pherwani, the medium will witness a high growth this year due to coronavirus. In 2019, digital advertising grew 24% to Rs 19.2 thousand crores driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers' preference to measure performance. Subsequently, pay digital subscribers crossed one crore for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall, enabling subscription revenue to grow 106% to Rs 2,900 crores. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16%, audio streamers rose 33% while news consumers increased by 22%.

According to the report, the Indian film segment grew 10% in 2019 to reach Rs 19.1 thousand crores driven by the growth in domestic theatrical revenues and both rates and volume of digital/ OTT rights sold. Domestic film revenues crossed Rs 115 thousand crores with gross Box Office collections for Hindi films at Rs 4,950 crores-the highest ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell 10% to Rs 2,700 crores despite more films being released abroad primarily as films with superstars didn't perform as well in 2019. 108 Hollywood films were released in 2019 as compared to 98 in 2018. The gross box office collections of Hollywood films in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed versions) grew 33% to reach Rs 1,600 crore.

In 2020, the film industry stands to lose anywhere between Rs 300 crore – Rs 400 crore every weekend. The big budget films will eventually be released and will be able to minimise its loss, however the tier 2 films will lose out on release windows. "Due to this, more movies will be released on the digital platforms. Films which were not getting a satellite-cable deal, will get a deal now because broadcasters need fresh content," Pherwani stated.

Viral LifeStyle |

Media and entertainment industry hit Rs 1.82 trillion mark in 2019: FICCI-EY Report

The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector reached Rs 1.82 trillion (US$25.7 billion) in 2019, a progress of 9 per cent over 2018, states the FICCI EY report ‘The Era of Consumer A.R.T. –- Acquisition Retention and Transaction, which was unveiled right now. With its present trajectory, the M&E sector in India is anticipated to cross the Rs 2.4 trillion-mark (US$34 billion) by 2022, at a CAGR of 10 per cent. While tv and print retained their positions as the 2 largest segments, digital media overtook filmed entertainment in 2019 to change into the third largest phase of the M&E sector. Digital subscription revenues greater than doubled from 2018 ranges and digital promoting revenues grew to command 24 per cent of complete promoting spend.

The sector continues to develop at a fee sooner than the GDP, pushed primarily by progress in subscription-based enterprise fashions and India’s attractiveness as a content material manufacturing and publish manufacturing vacation spot.

The report states the fast proliferation of cell entry is enabling on-demand, anytime-anywhere content material consumption nationwide. With a inhabitants of 1.three billion, a tele-density approaching 89 per cent of households, 688 million web subscribers and practically 400 million smartphone customers, India’s telecom industry is poised to change into the first platform for content material distribution and consumption. India ranks as one of many fastest-growing app markets globally, the place entertainment apps are driving vital shopper engagement.

Online gaming retained its place because the quickest rising phase on the again of transaction-based video games primarily fantasy sports activities, elevated in-app purchases and a 31 per cent progress in the variety of on-line players to achieve round 365 million.

Uday Shankar, vp, FICCI and Chair, FICCI Media and Entertainment Division, stated: “Riding the wave of exponential progress made towards digital accessibility and adoption, the M&E industry has been a forerunner of a dynamic and aspirational India. New products and business models are being imagined to capitalize on the rise in media consumption. Global players are recognizing the need to build India-centric offerings. The coming years are likely to usher in greater innovation in content formats, means of dissemination, and business models.”

Ashish Pherwani, associate and media & entertainment chief, EY India, stated:, “The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019. Driven by the ability to create direct-to-customer relationships, the sector firmly pivoted towards a B2C operating model, changing the way it measured itself. As entertainment and information options grew and choice increased the era of consumer Acquisition, Retention and Transaction (ART) redefined the media value chain leading to the emergence of many new trends and strategies across content, distribution, consumption and monetization.”

However, Pherwani had a observe of warning. “The coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector, the situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world, the scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately,” he added.

According to the important thing findings of the report, the tv industry grew from Rs 740 billion to Rs 788 billion in 2019, a progress of 6.5 per cent. TV promoting grew 5 per cent to Rs 320 billion whereas subscription grew by seven per cent to Rs 468 billion. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption elevated by over 20 per cent in sure instances. General entertainment and film channels led with 74 per cent of viewership. On the again of a number of key bulletins by the central and state governments corresponding to Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and a basic election, the information style witnessed a progress to nearly 9 per cent of complete viewership, up from 7.three per cent in 2018. In sports activities, cricket emerged as the massive winner in 2019 because it accounted for over 80 per cent of the sports activities viewership, up from 70 per cent final yr, as a result of ICC World Cup.

Key insights offered by the report states that tv will stay the biggest earner of promoting revenues even in 2025, approaching Rs 570 billion. Viewership of regional language channels will proceed to develop and attain 55% of complete viewership in India as their content material high quality improves additional. Content considered on sensible TV units will start to mirror that consumed on cellphones, offering a window for consumer generated content material corporations and different non-broadcasters to serve content material on the related tv display screen.

The report on print media is that regardless of three per cent income degrowth at Rs 296 billion, print continued to retain the second largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues elevated by two per cent to Rs 90 billion as newspaper corporations tactically elevated costs in sure markets. Advertising revenues fell 5 per cent to Rs 206 billion in 2019 as AdEX volumes fell by eight per cent. Margins improved as newsprint value measures had been applied and corporations benefited from the discount of newsprint costs.

Key insights offered by the report on print medium suggests 2019 witnessed a major progress in digital information customers over 2018 when 300 million Indians consumed information on-line. Most massive print corporations had an outlined digital enterprise, with two corporations crossing Rs 1 billion in digital revenues. Digital subscription, although nascent, has elevated as a number of publications have put digital merchandise behind a paywall.

The digital media in the meantime recorded a progress of 31 per cent in 2019 to achieve the mark of Rs 221 billion. The sector is anticipated to develop at 23 per cent CAGR to achieve Rs 414 billion by 2022. Digital promoting grew 24 per cent to Rs 192 billion pushed by elevated consumption of content material on digital platforms and marketeers’ choice to measure efficiency. SME and lengthy tail advertisers elevated their spends on digital media as nicely. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the primary time as sports activities and different premium content material had been put behind a paywall. Consequently, subscription income grew 106 per cent to Rs 29 billion. Digital consumption grew throughout platforms the place video viewers elevated by 16 per cent, audio streamers by 33 per cent and information customers by 22 per cent.

Key insights that the report supplies in regards to the digital sector recommend that by 2020, OTT subscription market will take approximate 10 per cent of the overall TV subscription market (with out, nonetheless, contemplating information fees). We estimate over 40 million related TVs by 2025, which can present an enormous alternative for content material creators to achieve household customers. Better bandwidth will drive massive display screen consumption. By 2025, 750 million sensible cellphone screens can even enhance the demand for regional, UGC and quick content material, creating a brief video ecosystem that may create vital employment. The battle for content material discovery will depth and transfer to the unified interface.

The movie phase grew by 10 per cent in 2019 to achieve Rs 191 billion pushed by the expansion in home theatrical revenues and each charges and quantity of digital/ OTT rights bought. Domestic movie revenues crossed INR 115 billion with gross field workplace collections for Hindi movies at Rs 49.5 billion –- the best ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell by 10 per cent to Rs 27 billion regardless of extra movies being launched overseas primarily, as movies with superstars did not carry out as nicely in 2019. A complete of 108 Hollywood movies had been launched in 2019 as in comparison with 98 in 2018. The gross field workplace collections of Hollywood movies in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed variations) grew 33 per cent to achieve Rs 16 billion. As single screens continued to cut back, the overall display screen depend decreased by 74 to 9,527.

Key Insights offered by the report on the movie phase reveals that digital rights of movies have continued to develop in 2019 with a rise in revenues from Rs 13.5 billion in 2018 to Rs 19 billion in 2019. Digital launch home windows shortened with some motion pictures releasing on OTT platforms even earlier than their launch on tv. In-cinema promoting grew marginally to Rs 7.7 billion in 2019 as multiplexes and promoting aggregators began signing long-term offers with manufacturers. Seventeen hindi movies entered the coveted Rs 100 crore membership in 2019, which is the best ever. Interestingly, six motion pictures made it to the Rs 200 crore membership in 2019, versus three in 2018. The future will likely be pushed by immersive content material (know-how and VFX wealthy) experiences to drive theatrical footfalls and some genres of movies may migrate to dwelling viewership solely. We can anticipate to see creation of a segmented Hindi-mass product for the heartland at low ticket costs.

While on mergers and Acquisitions in the M&E area, whereas the variety of offers elevated to 64 in 2019 from 41 in 2018, the general deal worth was a lot decrease at Rs 101 billion as in comparison with Rs 192 billion in the earlier yr. This was largely as a result of absence of big-ticket offers with solely 4 offers crossing the US$100 million threshold. The highest quantity of funding was made in tv, adopted by digital, radio and gaming. Deal exercise was spearheaded by new media corresponding to digital and gaming, which witnessed 54 of the 64 offers in 2019, nonetheless, in phrases of deal worth, the share of conventional media segments corresponding to TV, radio and movie exhibition was 63 per cent.

The 2020 estimates of the report, by the way, don’t mirror the seemingly impression on the industry arising from the coronavirus outbreak because the state of affairs was nonetheless evolving quickly on the time of going to press.

La Indian |

Media and entertainment industry hit Rs 1.82 trillion mark in 2019: FICCI-EY Report

The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector reached Rs 1.82 trillion (US$25.7 billion) in 2019, a growth of nine per cent over 2018, states the FICCI EY report 'The Era of Consumer A.R.T. - Acquisition Retention and Transaction, which was unveiled today. With its current trajectory, the M&E sector in India is expected to cross the Rs 2.4 trillion-mark (US$34 billion) by 2022, at a CAGR of 10 per cent.

While television and print retained their positions as the two largest segments, digital media overtook filmed entertainment in 2019 to become the third largest segment of the M&E sector. Digital subscription revenues more than doubled from 2018 levels and digital advertising revenues grew to command 24 per cent of total advertising spend.

The sector continues to grow at a rate faster than the GDP, driven primarily by growth in subscription-based business models and India's attractiveness as a content production and post production destination.

The report states the rapid proliferation of mobile access is enabling on-demand, anytime-anywhere content consumption nationwide. With a population of 1.3 billion, a tele-density approaching 89 per cent of households, 688 million internet subscribers and nearly 400 million smartphone users, India's telecom industry is poised to become the primary platform for content distribution and consumption. India ranks as one of the fastest-growing app markets globally, where entertainment apps are driving significant consumer engagement.

Online gaming retained its position as the fastest growing segment on the back of transaction-based games mainly fantasy sports, increased in-app purchases and a 31 per cent growth in the number of online gamers to reach around 365 million.

Uday Shankar, vice president, FICCI and Chair, FICCI Media and Entertainment Division, said: "Riding the wave of exponential progress made towards digital accessibility and adoption, the M&E industry has been a forerunner of a dynamic and aspirational India. New products and business models are being imagined to capitalize on the rise in media consumption. Global players are recognizing the need to build India-centric offerings. The coming years are likely to usher in greater innovation in content formats, means of dissemination, and business models."

Ashish Pherwani, partner and media & entertainment leader, EY India, said:, "The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019. Driven by the ability to create direct-to-customer relationships, the sector firmly pivoted towards a B2C operating model, changing the way it measured itself. As entertainment and information options grew and choice increased the era of consumer Acquisition, Retention and Transaction (ART) redefined the media value chain leading to the emergence of many new trends and strategies across content, distribution, consumption and monetization."

However, Pherwani had a note of warning. "The coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector, the situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world, the scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately," he added.

According to the key findings of the report, the television industry grew from Rs 740 billion to Rs 788 billion in 2019, a growth of 6.5 per cent. TV advertising grew five per cent to Rs 320 billion while subscription grew by seven per cent to Rs 468 billion. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption increased by over 20 per cent in certain cases. General entertainment and movie channels led with 74 per cent of viewership. On the back of several key announcements by the central and state governments such as Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and a general election, the news genre witnessed a growth to almost nine per cent of total viewership, up from 7.3 per cent in 2018. In sports, cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80 per cent of the sports viewership, up from 70 per cent last year, due to the ICC World Cup.

Key insights provided by the report states that television will remain the largest earner of advertising revenues even in 2025, approaching Rs 570 billion. Viewership of regional language channels will continue to grow and reach 55% of total viewership in India as their content quality improves further. Content viewed on smart TV sets will begin to reflect that consumed on mobile phones, providing a window for user generated content companies and other non-broadcasters to serve content on the connected television screen.

The report on print media is that despite three per cent revenue degrowth at Rs 296 billion, print continued to retain the second largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues increased by two per cent to Rs 90 billion as newspaper companies tactically increased prices in certain markets. Advertising revenues fell five per cent to Rs 206 billion in 2019 as AdEX volumes fell by eight per cent. Margins improved as newsprint cost measures were implemented and companies benefited from the reduction of newsprint prices.

Key insights provided by the report on print medium suggests 2019 witnessed a significant growth in digital news consumers over 2018 when 300 million Indians consumed news online. Most large print companies had a defined digital business, with two companies crossing Rs 1 billion in digital revenues. Digital subscription, though nascent, has increased as several publications have put digital products behind a paywall.

The digital media meanwhile recorded a growth of 31 per cent in 2019 to reach the mark of Rs 221 billion. The sector is expected to grow at 23 per cent CAGR to reach Rs 414 billion by 2022. Digital advertising grew 24 per cent to Rs 192 billion driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers' preference to measure performance. SME and long tail advertisers increased their spends on digital media as well. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall. Consequently, subscription revenue grew 106 per cent to Rs 29 billion. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16 per cent, audio streamers by 33 per cent and news consumers by 22 per cent.

Key insights that the report provides about the digital sector suggest that by 2020, OTT subscription market will take approximate 10 per cent of the total TV subscription market (without, however, considering data charges). We estimate over 40 million connected TVs by 2025, which will provide a huge opportunity for content creators to reach family consumers. Better bandwidth will drive large screen consumption. By 2025, 750 million smart phone screens will also increase the demand for regional, UGC and short content, creating a short video ecosystem that can create significant employment. The battle for content discovery will intensity and move to the unified interface.

The film segment grew by 10 per cent in 2019 to reach Rs 191 billion driven by the growth in domestic theatrical revenues and both rates and volume of digital/ OTT rights sold. Domestic film revenues crossed INR 115 billion with gross box office collections for Hindi films at Rs 49.5 billion - the highest ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell by 10 per cent to Rs 27 billion despite more films being released abroad primarily, as films with superstars didn't perform as well in 2019. A total of 108 Hollywood films were released in 2019 as compared to 98 in 2018. The gross box office collections of Hollywood films in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed versions) grew 33 per cent to reach Rs 16 billion. As single screens continued to reduce, the total screen count decreased by 74 to 9,527.

Key Insights provided by the report on the film segment shows that digital rights of films have continued to grow in 2019 with an increase in revenues from Rs 13.5 billion in 2018 to Rs 19 billion in 2019. Digital release windows shortened with some movies releasing on OTT platforms even before their release on television. In-cinema advertising grew marginally to Rs 7.7 billion in 2019 as multiplexes and advertising aggregators started signing long-term deals with brands. Seventeen hindi films entered the coveted Rs 100 crore club in 2019, which is the highest ever. Interestingly, six movies made it to the Rs 200 crore club in 2019, as opposed to three in 2018. The future will be driven by immersive content (technology and VFX rich) experiences to drive theatrical footfalls and some genres of films could migrate to home viewership only. We can expect to see creation of a segmented Hindi-mass product for the heartland at low ticket prices.

While on mergers and Acquisitions in the M&E space, while the number of deals increased to 64 in 2019 from 41 in 2018, the overall deal value was much lower at Rs 101 billion as compared to Rs 192 billion in the previous year. This was largely due to the absence of big-ticket deals with only four deals crossing the US$100 million threshold. The highest amount of investment was made in television, followed by digital, radio and gaming. Deal activity was spearheaded by new media such as digital and gaming, which witnessed 54 of the 64 deals in 2019, however, in terms of deal value, the share of traditional media segments such as TV, radio and film exhibition was 63 per cent.

The 2020 estimates of the report, incidentally, do not reflect the likely impact on the industry arising from the coronavirus outbreak as the situation was still evolving rapidly at the time of going to press.

The Economic Times |

COVID-19: NPPA asks states, UTs to ensure unobstructed movement of stock, manpower

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has asked all states as well as union territories to ensure seamless movement of stock and manpower of pharma companies amid coronavirus-induced lockdown across the country.

In a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all states and union territories (UTs), NPPA chairperson Shubhra Singh has asked them to ensure unobstructed movement of raw material, packing material, finished products and manpower related to manufacturing and distribution of drugs and medical devices.

Referring to the guidelines issued by the home ministry to take effective measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country, it said that while industrial establishments were to remain closed, exception was made for manufacturing units of essential goods, including drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, raw materials and intermediates.

The letter has asked them (states and UTs) to pass instructions to the district administration /concerned authorities to facilitate the pharma companies and ensure smooth movement of stock and manpower during the lockdown period.

While as per the guidelines, all transport services will remain suspended exceptions were made for transportation of essential goods only. Exception was also made for petroleum products, LPG, food products and medical supplies, the letter said.

"The seamless functioning of pharma manufacturing and distribution units, both in public and private sector is essential in dealing with the emergent situation. It is learnt that pharma companies are facing problem in movement of stock and manpower, which may hamper production and supply of medicines and medical devices thereby impacting their availability in the market," it added.

The letter also enclosed the representation received from industry body FICCI in this regard.

In the letter Singh said NPPA is also operating a control room with a helpline number and complaints received on the number are also being referred to state drug controller for suitable intervention.

The Indian Express |

Coronavirus in Chandigarh: GMCH-32 equipped to test 70 samples per day

The Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32 (GMCH-32) is set to begin COVID 19 testing in its own laboratory. An official responsible for the testing process at the hospital says that the hospital already has a PCR testing machine and has availed yet another machine to increase the testing capacity of the hospital. A total of around seventy tests can now be conducted if needed in one round of testing. “If the two machines are operated simultaneously, at least seventy swabs can be tested at a time,” claimed the official.

More testing centers in Chandigarh

After clearing tertiary government medical institutions such as the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh, the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) approved a list of medical colleges as testing centers, and finally even extended the scope of testing to vetted private laboratories in order to increase the testing capacity in the country.

Increasing the number of testing kits and capacity for testing in India is crucial as the World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly advised affected countries to increase testing in order to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.Doctors from the PGIMER laboratory, which was the first to begin testing for COVID-19 in the city, state that they have received an average of 30 to 40 or more samples for testing every day.

After the government decided to allow government medical hospitals equipped with necessary testing machines to begin preparing for testing, GMCH-32 also began preparations to start testing for COVID-19. The hospital currently has six of the seven COVID 19 patients from Chandigarh admitted to its isolation ward, and has suspected patients sampled in its wards regularly.

FICCI circulated a list identifying SRL laboratory in Sector 11 in Chandigarh as one of the testing centre approved by the ICMR. However, an official from the local center claimed that testing will not be conducted at the Chandigarh SRL laboratory.

“We will take swabs of patients from Chandigarh and send it to our lab in Gurgaon for testing. But there is no clarity as of yet from the government as to how this process will work and when we can begin collecting swabs,” said the official.

Testing in private labs delayed due to the lockdown

According to an official from the Mumbai office of SRL diagnostics, the delay in commencing testing and swab collection in their labs across the country is due to the difficulties caused by the 21-day lockdown imposed by the government to enforce social distancing in the country.

“There are many delays in delivery of testing kits and equipment. Sending the swabs across from Chandigarh to Gurgaon will also take time, so we have to finalise everything with the administration before we begin the process. We need clearances for transportation etc, so it will probably take a week more before we begin collecting samples from our Chandigarh laboratory,” explained the official.

At GMCH-32 as well, a senior doctor explained the difficulties in beginning the testing process due to the lockdown, even though they have most of the equipment in place.“We need a software engineer to come and help us with the new machine and he has to come from Delhi. So we have to get a pass from ICMR so he has permission to travel. Before that we had to source other material such as testing reagents from Pune. There have been too many delays due to the lockdown which would have otherwise not occurred,” said the doctor.

Testing process

GMCH-32 already had a PCR testing machine for swine flu, which can now be used for testing samples for COVID-19. The PCR or polymerase chain reaction test remains the same for most viral diagnosis including for diagnosis of Influenza or the H1N1 virus.

However, the reagents used for each virus differ. Reagents refer to a chemical that amplifies the RNA or DNA sample of the virus and helps in a creating a chain of DNA or RNA which can be analysed or graphed to detect the presence of the virus in the sample. “We acquired our reagents from the Indian Institute of Virology in Pune,” said a doctor of the hospital.

The doctor added that the hospital has sourced latest version of PCR machine which has a higher testing capacity. While the first machine, which is a 2010 model, can test about 25 samples at a time, the second, which is the 2020 model, has a capacity to test 45 at a time. Both the testing machines will take 4.5 to 6 hours to produce the test results.

“If used simultaneously, we can test about 70 samples with twice the amount of reagents. And if we run two batches in one day, this can be doubled to 140 ideally,” said the doctor. The hospital has already conducted successful trials of the machines, and will begin testing from Friday.

The Education Diary |

FICCI welcomes the decisions announced by the Finance Minister

Complimenting the Finance Minister Ms Nirmala Sitharaman for a comprehensive package yesterday, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “The measures announced with regard to tax filings, statutory compliances, IBC and bank related compliances would greatly relieve the stress on members of corporate India and would enable them to focus their energies on maintaining business continuity while taking care of their employees and business associates.”

“We have also noted that with a view to reducing the pressure on bank staff, who are working tirelessly to provide the essential services and enhancing consumer convenience, the charges on withdrawal of money from ATMs though debit cards have been removed for three months. This would ensure that people don’t have to travel far to meet their cash requirements and the visits to bank branches will also be limited. Additionally, the announcement to remove the charges for non-maintenance of minimal balances in savings accounts will provide relief to the small businesses who have been adversely impacted due to the limitation on movement and lockdowns that have been enforced across the country,” said Dr Reddy.

The decision to reduce bank charges for digital trade transactions for trade finance consumers is also well noted and underscores the importance of digital trade that the government would like to promote.

“A key recommendation from FICCI in the present circumstances has been for the government to take out all stops towards promotion of digital payments. This mode of payment is safe as well as far more convenient for people, who may out of caution prefer to do transactions sitting at home in the current circumstances. Countries across the world are looking at measures to limit the use of cash and FICCI would urge the government to bring back the subsidy for digital transactions for amounts of less than Rs 2000 as well as announce status-quo ante on MDR to support proliferation of acquiring devices,” added Dr Reddy.

Research by FICCI members from the digital payments industry shows that in the current circumstances, it is certainly better if the government encourages the usage of contactless cards, increase limits on online usage of credit and debit cards, promote the usage of Bharat-QR code as well as launch a nationwide campaign highlighting the safety associated with usage of digital payments. FICCI would work with its members to promote digital payments across all sections and segments of society.

New Kerala |

FICCI hails Centre's Rs 1,70,000 cr package for COVID-19 hit poor

The Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Thursday welcomed the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), stating that the steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society in view of the immediate crisis arising out of the nationwide lockdown.

"The steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society through the immediate crisis. The government has also shown that it's determined to act with urgency and impact both to keep the citizens safe and also to mitigate their economic hardship," a release quoted Dr Sangita Reddy, president of FICCI as saying.

The Centre has announced a relief package of Rs 1,70,000 crore which includes five kg each of rice and wheat and one kg of pulses to every family free of cost during the coronavirus lockdown.

The president of FICCI said this was needed at this hour to assure the poor and vulnerable sections of society that the government and the country stand with them and would not let them suffer on account of want of food, healthcare or money to meet their daily requirements.

"The announcements offer relief to a very large section of society and we are encouraged to note that all the steps announced come into force with immediate effect," said Dr Reddy.

Reddy also stated that FICCI had suggested the need for such a nation-wide cash transfer programme and to take care of the people involved in the MGNREGA scheme.

BJP president JP Nadda had earlier said that the amount of the relief fund will be transferred via DBT fund to the needy.

"Farmers, labourers, poor women, disabled and senior citizens will be benefited and free gas cylinders will be provided for three months under the Ujjwala Scheme," said Nadda in a tweet.

SME Futures |

Coronavirus lockdown: Indian retail sector stares at loss of over 20 lakh jobs

Over past several quarters, the Indian economy has been experiencing a tumultuous downturn due to reasons such as trade wars, liquidity crisis, taxation woes. However, the country’s GDP showed a marginal recovery in the third quarter of the current fiscal at 4.7 per cent over 4.5 per cent in the previous quarter.

But looks like the worst is yet to come.

On March 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the country’s 1.3 billion people to stay home for 21 days. The world’s biggest coronavirus lockdown has brought the economic activity to a halt. The already struggling and fragile Indian economy may collapse.

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has created a stir across sectors. In just few days, it has caused severe impact on the demand and supply chain – derailing the growth.

The share market is bleeding with the Sensex falling nearly 35 per cent so far this year [as on 25th March morning] – making it the worst performing Asian market. The pandemic threatens to worsen India’s already bleak economy, languishing at multi-year lows due to a drop in consumption.

In Mumbai’s main stock indexes, financial shares were the worst hit with the NSE Bank index slipping over 2 per cent. “We are seeing weakness because there is fear about the impact of the 21-day shutdown on the economy,” said Deepak Jasani, head of retail research, HDFC Securities Ltd, told Reuters. “People will wait to buy for a few hours at least.”

Puts a big question mark on the retail growth story

Indian retail industry has been one of the most dynamic and fast paced economy generator industry in the country. Contributing 10 per cent to the GDP, the retail market was estimated to grow at a CAGR of 9 to 11 per cent to US$ 1.1-1.3 trillion by 2025, from US$0.7 trillion in 2019. The findings of a report of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Retail Association of India (RAI) revealed. The report states that India’s consumption is likely to outperform that of developed countries like the US and UK that will only grow at a CAGR of 3.6 per cent and 4.5 per cent respectively.

However, the widespread coronavirus fear and panic has also taken a toll on the Indian retail industry. The overall consumption has dropped significantly with mall shutdowns severely hurting business for all retailers. This could lead to major job losses as companies won’t be able to sustain this for too long.

“With the virus outbreak, these [estimated] figures are looking distorted. Due to closure of malls and stores retail industry will lose about half a billion dollars,” according to RAI. Indian retailers selling non-essential items like clothes and jewellery have already suffered a revenue loss of 75 per cent so far.

Shutdowns will cost India millions of jobs

The sector is likely to cause widespread job losses. Due to the mandatory closure of malls and retail stores across states, retailers face imminent financial crisis/insolvency. As a result, the livelihoods of millions employed in retail are in peril. 

Future Retail, which owns hypermarket Big Bazaar, said the pandemic has resulted in a “de-growth of revenue.” The country’s largest retail chain group, in a filing to the exchanges, added that the expected impact of COVID-19 as of now is hard to ascertain.

On the other hand, Gurgaon-based fashion retailer V-Mart Retailer has seen a 30% fall in revenue in the week of March 15-21 due to store closures. The retailer has shut about 116 of its 265 stores as of March 21.

In addition, people, who were relying on e-commerce platforms, will face difficulties as complying to the lockdown, e-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart have suspended their operations.

This is leading to small businesses also halting their operations. Apparel retail entrepreneur Yogesh Kabra, who is the founder and CEO of XYXX Apparels, is feeling the pinch of the lockdown. He claims that the company’s operations have drastically gone down in few days.

Entrepreneurs involving online platforms such as Kabra are facing number of challenges. “E-commerce, while on the front-end requires minimal human interaction and is tech-driven, the back-end heavy lifting is done by the ground force with technology taking the back seat. Warehousing and delivery remain the biggest challenges. The workers in the supply and delivery chain remain vulnerable and they need to be protected,” he adds.

Amid lockdown, retailers are also facing lots of problems – though essentials items are exempted from it – as Section 144 is imposed and authorities on the ground are preventing delivery personnel to service the customers. “Our staff is not able to reach the stores as police are driving them away when they are on the way to store. It is difficult to run a store in such,” Avenue Supermarts CEO and managing director Neville Noronha told PTI.

Meanwhile, automotive retail sales have also nosedived with pandemic outbreak. Following the past week there has been drastic drop in sales and customer walk-ins have reduced to a trickle as caution sets in due to fear of spreading of the virus. Counter sales has fallen by 60-70 per cent across the auto dealerships in past few days.

The last 14 months has seen the one of its toughest times in auto sales. As a relief measure, FADA has requested OEMs through Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) that any BS-IV Vehicle billed, which are not against specific customer orders, to be on returnable basis to avoid financial loss to the members.

Urgent need of relief measures

A survey by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) reveals that businesses are facing reduced cash flows due to slowdown in economic activities. The aftermath, in turn, is on payments to EMIs, loan repayments, employee salaries, interest and taxes. A significant 53 per cent of Indian businesses indicate the marked impact of the coronavirus pandemic on business operations even at early stages. On the other hand, nearly 42 per cent of the respondents feel that it could take up to 3 months for normalcy to return, the survey finds.

In view of 21-days lockdown, RAI  has called the government’s attention suggesting moratoriums on the payment of loans and on the payments of the goods and services tax (GST) and other government duties.

In its statement, RAI asked for moratorium of 120 days for payment of installments and the interest of term loans, short-term loans, corporate loans, securitized loans, bonds, mortgages, debentures and general-purpose loans effective from March 1 to June 30, 2020. It has also requested for wages subsidy, subsidy on utility bills, an extension of the due date of compliances and payment of statutory dues like advance tax, GST, ESIC, PF, etc. for payments falling due between March 1 and June 30, 2020.

RAI has also written to the Reserve Bank of India, the State Bank of India and the chief ministers of all the states urgently requesting an immediate economic stimulus to ensure continuity of retail businesses and consumption in India.

“Unless the government provides some relief, revenues will slide by 90% in the next six months,” says RAI – an apex body that represents 500,000 stores in India, including brands like V-Mart, Shopper’s Stop, Future Group and D-Mart-owner Avenue Supermarts.

In addition, FICCI has also suggested some more measures that can help revive the sector. These are:
  • Reduce GST on essential food and grocery items and waive off 0.1 per cent TCS provisions that will be effective April 1, 2020.
  • There should be a moratorium on TDS for all service providers
  • For consumer items to be readily available in the market, it is essential that the manufacturing facilities be kept open under the strictest of safety and hygiene guidelines. This will give some respite to organizations by easing cash flows at a time when business is on a steep downturn and also help avoid massive job cuts and closure of businesses.
The outbreak of coronavirus is having a severe impact on people, economy and business. As a responsible corporate, all retail players are adopting necessary preventive actions to ensure safety of their employees and customers. The end objective is to ensure easy and uninterrupted availability of essential food and grocery products at affordable prices so that people don’t panic.

Money Control |

COVID-19 impact: Private hospitals hit hard, steep drop in OPD footfalls

Bengaluru-based Sagar Hospitals is scrambling to marshal its resources ever since India's tech capital started seeing stream of COVID-19 positive cases.

With healthcare workers like doctors, nurses and allied staff at high risk of contracting the COVID-19 infection, Sagar has divided its doctors and support staff into small batches. Each batch is assigned a particular day of duty. This is to prevent each batch from meet other.

This was done to ensure that the hospital functions serving existing patients and attending emergency cases, while ensuring that its staff are protected.

"It is our responsibility to see that we maintain health our people, so that we continue our operations," said Dr Jagdish Chandra, Vice President, Medical Services at Sagar Hospitals.

Chandra said they have kept on hold outpatient department (OPD) services and stopped elective surgeries - two major revenue stream for hospitals.

Chandra says despite taking massive hit on operations and revenues, they have to pay wages to staff, rents, utility bills and interest on working capital.

If the current situation prevails beyond a month, Sagar Hospitals may even struggle to pay salaries to its workforce and may have to shut.

Sagar Hospitals has 200 doctors and more than double that number of allied staff on rolls.

The COVID-19 came like a bolt from the blue for private hospitals.

Fuelled by PE funds, many private hospital chains expanded aggressively in the last few years. But most of them are now struggling to stay afloat.

Even India's largest healthcare chains like Apollo Hospitals has warned about the "total crash of the system" if government doesn't step in .

"Hospital industry is going through trying times. There has been a deep fall in OPD volumes and planned surgeries. We might see a total crash of the system itself. We need basic support (from the government) on power, electricity, rentals and cost of capital," Preetha Reddy said.

Private hospitals have urged the government to provide six to nine months’ moratorium on all working capital, principal, interest payments on loans and overdrafts, bringing in liquidity and allowing for business continuity.

In a representation to the government - FICCI, AHPI, ASSOCHAM, Indian Chamber of Commerce, PhD Chamber of Commerce, PHANA Karnataka and NATHEALTH ahev sought deferment of advance tax payments at the Central Government level. A waiver of GST on input costs and services for 2 quarters.

The also asked at least 50 percent rebate on the current commercial rates of power currently being paid by hospitals, diagnostics centers, pathology labs and other healthcare service providers to ensure sustenance of business

"Subsidy of 25 percent of salary for healthcare staff for the next 3 months and reimbursement of employer’s contributions towards ESIC and PF and comprehensive medical and life insurance benefits for all public and private sector frontline workers, ensuring continuous availability of personal protection equipment (PPE) supplies," the industries bodies said.

Pharma Biz.com |

Healthcare bodies press govt for fiscal and non fiscal interventions

The healthcare industry, jointly represented by FICCI, AHPI, ASSOCHAM, Indian Chamber of Commerce, PhD Chamber of Commerce, PHANA Karnataka and NATHEALTH, has emphasised immediate need for fiscal and non-fiscal interventions from government required for the sector to deal with COVID-19 impact. The industry leaders recommended for hospitals, diagnostics, pathology labs, med tech, insurance, homecare and other healthcare service providers. “The services sector, which accounts for about 55% of India’s gross domestic product, is poised to be the worst hit due to actions such as mandatory and self-imposed curfew. The social distancing measures would lead to lower footfalls in the healthcare sector, the decline in elective procedure volume and sub-optimal operating efficiencies that will have a severe impact on the cash flows of companies in the capital intensive sector. The industry is also suffering from reduced availability & elevated pricing observed for certain essential consumable items,” the representation to the government pointed out. “Also, the global supply chains are in turmoil driving up shortages causing significant hike in the input costs which cannot be passed on to consumers as healthcare services are exempt from GST and many of the critical items are capped in prices. Apart from the healthcare facilities, medical devices, diagnostics and health insurance too have also been affected due to the supply-chain and demand disruptions,” it said. COVID-19 needs all health workers to be motivated and secured as a united front. Hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic labs and homecare, need immediate fiscal intervention. Industry leaders strongly recommended the government to ensure working capital that would help the hospitals continue to operate at near-normal levels and both COVID-19 and non COVID-19 patients can avail the services. The industry called for six to nine months’ moratorium on all working capital, principal, interest payments on loans and overdrafts, bringing in liquidity and allowing for business continuity. Dubbing it as a critical fiscal intervention, the sector sought short-term interest-free loans for augmenting capacity, and to ensure smooth hospital operations without supply-chain disruptions. The government also was requested to examine grant or subsidy to as an interim market support mechanism. To maintain operational expenditure including payment of salaries to health professionals on time, it suggested cash flow to the government should immediately release 100 per cent Central and state government dues to the sector under various schemes such as CGHC, ECHS, state schemes, GIPSA among other. The representation also seeks urgent release of income tax refunds and to allow a quarter's postponement on compliances, payment of insurance without the policies getting lapsed. The healthcare leaders said that a waiver of GST on input costs and services for two quarters would help enormously. “This would also ensure that hospitals are not forced to curtail the outsource services like house keeping, security and F&B (all of which have significant GST levies), in turn causing loss of jobs people employed in those sectors. Deferment of pre-payment of loan for 12 months should be allowed. Deferment of advance tax payments at the Central government level would also be a significant fiscal intervention,” they said in the unified representation. For medical devices industry, the representation calls for cut down on custom duty across the board for life-saving medical equipment and set up a credit window facility that can help augment infrastructure during this period of great turmoil. It also suggested withdrawal of health cess ad valorem from medical devices so that the health cess will apply only to basic customs duty. For the medical device industry also the healthcare emphasised that Government should clear all outstanding and make timely payment for upcoming procurements from government Institutions in the current crisis, which will go a long way in supporting med-tech companies.

India Education Diary |

Need for urgent fiscal and non-fiscal interventions to deal with COVID-19 impact: Healthcare Industry

While appreciating government’s efforts to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, FICCI, jointly with the healthcare industry, AHPI, ASSOCHAM, Indian Chamber of Commerce, PhD Chamber of Commerce, PHANA Karnataka and NATHEALTH, today emphasised on the immediate need for fiscal and non-fiscal interventions from government to support the healthcare sector to deal with COVID-19 impact.The Industry leaders recommended both fiscal and non-fiscal interventions for several sectors with focus on the service sector, especially Hospitals, Diagnostics, Pathology Labs, Med Tech, Insurance, Home Care and other healthcare service providers.

“The services sector, which accounts for about 55% of India’s GDP, is poised to be the worst hit due to actions such as mandatory and self-imposed curfew. The social distancing measures would lead to lower footfalls in the healthcare sector, the decline in elective procedure volume and sub-optimal operating efficiencies that will have a severe impact on the cash flows of companies in the capital-intensive sector. The industry is also suffering from reduced availability & elevated pricing observed for certain essential consumable items,” the Representation to the government pointed out.

“Also, the global supply chains are in turmoil driving up shortages causing significant hike in the input costs which cannot be passed on to consumers as healthcare services are exempt from GST and many of the critical items are capped in prices. Apart from the healthcare facilities, medical devices, diagnostics and health insurance too have also been affected due to the supply-chain and demand disruptions,” it said.

Covid-19 needs all health workers to be motivated and secured as a united front. Finance Minister’s announcement today to provide Rs 50 Lakh health insurance per health worker for 3 months due to Coronavirus is indeed the much needed encouragement and relief. Health Services including Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Diagnostic Labs and Homecare, need immediate fiscal intervention. Industry leaders strongly recommended the government to ensure working capital that would help the hospitals continue to operate at near-normal levels and both COVID-19 and non COVID 19 patients can avail the services. The industry called for six to nine months’ moratorium on all working capital, principal, interest payments on loans and overdrafts, bringing in liquidity and allowing for business continuity.

Dubbing it as a critical fiscal intervention, the healthcare industry sought short-term interest-free loans for augmenting capacity, and to ensure smooth hospital operations without supply-chain disruptions. The government also was requested to examine grant or subsidy as an interim market support mechanism.

To maintain operational expenditure including payment of salaries to health professionals on time, the Industry suggested cash flow to the government should immediately release 100 per cent Central and State Government dues to the sector under various schemes such as CGHC, ECHS, State Schemes, GIPSA among other. The Representation also seeks urgent release of Income Tax refunds and to allow a quarter’s postponement on compliances, payment of insurance without the policies getting lapsed.

The Healthcare leaders said that a waiver of GST on input costs and services for two quarters would help enormously. “This would also ensure that hospitals are not forced to curtail the outsource services like House Keeping, Security and F&B (all of which have significant GST levies), in turn causing loss of jobs people employed in those sectors. Deferment of pre-payment of loan for 12 months should be allowed. Deferment of advance tax payments at the Central Government level would also be a significant fiscal intervention,” the Representation said.

For Medical Devices industry, the Representation appealed for cut down on custom duty across the board for life-saving medical equipment and set up a credit window facility that can help augment infrastructure during this period of great turmoil. It also suggested withdrawal of Health Cess Ad Valorem from medical devices so that the health cess will apply only to basic customs duty. The Representation also emphasised that government should clear all outstanding and make timely payment for upcoming procurements from government Institutions in the current crisis, which will go a long way in supporting med-tech companies.

The industry leaders are of the view that along with fiscal incentives and support, non-fiscal interventions would be equally critical.

“Further to the Ministry of Health guidelines on home quarantine and telemedicine, the government should also issue standard guidelines for Home Healthcare Providers notifying them under ambit of Clinical Establishment act, as they can contribute by remote monitoring of cases by monitoring patients for symptoms in-home quarantine, patients in E-ICU beyond metros, cases recovering from COVID-19 and preventing or managing relapse,” the Representation paper said.

Key Recommendations:
  • Six to nine months’ moratorium on all working capital, principal, interest payments on loans and overdrafts, bringing in liquidity and allowing for business continuity. Deferment of advance tax payments at the Central Government level
  • A waiver of GST on input costs and services for 2 quarters.
  • At least 50% rebate on the current Commercial Rates of Power currently being paid by hospitals, diagnostics centers, pathology labs and other healthcare service providers to ensure sustenance of business
  • Subsidy @ 25% of salary for healthcare staff for the next 3 months
  • Reimbursement of employer’s contributions towards ESIC & PF
  • Comprehensive Medical and life insurance benefits for all public and private sector frontline workers, ensuring continuous availability of PPE/supplies.
  • Issue standard guidelines for Home Healthcare Providers, as they can contribute by remote monitoring of cases by monitoring patients for symptoms in home quarantine, patients in E-ICU beyond metros, cases recovering from COVID-19 and preventing or managing relapse recognizing their services under Clinical Establishment Act.
Other Key Recommendations
  • GST waiver for online education and interest subsidies
  • The impetus to online teaching & Support for setting up of skill labs and simulation centres at the medical college/ teaching hospital
  • Increase the number of healthcare professionals across the gamut in our country by Tripling the intake of nursing students from current levels
  • In medical colleges, some relaxations to be considered vide Standard Requirements Guidelines during this period
  • The system should be in place to ensure there are no blockages in Manufacturing Essential Pharmaceutical products including Hand Sanitizers, Face Masks etc. Also PHARMA testing
  • Laboratories should be rapidly expanded and made fully operational.
Critical Non-Fiscal Recommendations
  • Create a nodal department on a war footing for MSMEs where all the queries related to essential supplies for Covid19 can be directed to for immediate action.
  • Notification to be issued for procurement by the government on a direct basis, based on specifications and previous supply credentials, and not through HLL/tendering
  • Allow a preferential clearance of medical devices/ spare parts/ raw materials in airports and seaports. A very large backlog is expected post international flight landing restrictions which will result in delaying customs clearance.
  • Fast track regulatory approval for diagnostic kits and new drugs identified for COVID 19 (eq. hydroxy chloroquine is now approved by USFDA for COVID)
  • Explore other available testing technologies beyond RT PCR to enhance access in masses.
  • Health Insurance: Government to provide relief for GST payable and reduce it to 5% so that more people would be able to afford to buy Health Insurance especially the senior citizens aged 60 and above.

Radio and Music |

Media and entertainment industry hit Rs 1.82 trillion mark in 2019: FICCI-EY Report

The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector reached Rs 1.82 trillion (US$25.7 billion) in 2019, a growth of nine percent over 2018, states the FICCI EY report ‘The Era of Consumer A.R.T. –- Acquisition Retention and Transaction, which was unveiled today. With its current trajectory, the M&E sector in India is expected to cross the Rs 2.4 trillion-mark (US$34 billion) by 2022, at a CAGR of 10 percent.

While television and print retained their positions as the two largest segments, digital media overtook filmed entertainment in 2019 to become the third-largest segment of the M&E sector. Digital subscription revenues more than doubled from 2018 levels and digital advertising revenues grew to command 24 per cent of total advertising spend.

The sector continues to grow at a rate faster than the GDP, driven primarily by growth in subscription-based business models and India's attractiveness as a content production and post production destination.

The report states the rapid proliferation of mobile access is enabling on-demand, anytime-anywhere content consumption nationwide. With a population of 1.3 billion, a teledensity approaching 89 percent of households, 688 million internet subscribers and nearly 400 million smartphone users, India's telecom industry is poised to become the primary platform for content distribution and consumption. India ranks as one of the fastest-growing app markets globally, where entertainment apps are driving significant consumer engagement.

Online gaming retained its position as the fastest-growing segment on the back of transaction-based games mainly fantasy sports, increased in-app purchases and a 31 percent growth in the number of online gamers to reach around 365 million.

Uday Shankar, vice president, FICCI and Chair, FICCI Media and Entertainment Division, said: "Riding the wave of exponential progress made towards digital accessibility and adoption, the M&E industry has been a forerunner of a dynamic and aspirational India. New products and business models are being imagined to capitalize on the rise in media consumption. Global players are recognizing the need to build India-centric offerings. The coming years are likely to usher in greater innovation in content formats, means of dissemination, and business models."

Ashish Pherwani, partner and media & entertainment leader, EY India, said:, "The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019. Driven by the ability to create direct-to-customer relationships, the sector firmly pivoted towards a B2C operating model, changing the way it measured itself. As entertainment and information options grew and choice increased the era of consumer Acquisition, Retention and Transaction (ART) redefined the media value chain leading to the emergence of many new trends and strategies across content, distribution, consumption and monetization."

However, Pherwani had a note of warning. "The coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector, the situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world, the scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately," he added.

According to the key findings of the report, the television industry grew from Rs 740 billion to Rs 788 billion in 2019, a growth of 6.5 per cent. TV advertising grew five per cent to Rs 320 billion while subscription grew by seven per cent to Rs 468 billion. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption increased by over 20 per cent in certain cases. General entertainment and movie channels led with 74 per cent of viewership. On the back of several key announcements by the central and state governments such as Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and a general election, the news genre witnessed a growth to almost nine per cent of total viewership, up from 7.3 per cent in 2018. In sports, cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80 per cent of the sports viewership, up from 70 per cent last year, due to the ICC World Cup.

Key insights provided by the report states that television will remain the largest earner of advertising revenues even in 2025, approaching Rs 570 billion. Viewership of regional language channels will continue to grow and reach 55% of total viewership in India as their content quality improves further. Content viewed on smart TV sets will begin to reflect that consumed on mobile phones, providing a window for user-generated content companies and other non-broadcasters to serve content on the connected television screen.

The report on print media is that despite three percent revenue degrowth at Rs 296 billion, print continued to retain the second-largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues increased by two percent to Rs 90 billion as newspaper companies tactically increased prices in certain markets. Advertising revenues fell five percent to Rs 206 billion in 2019 as AdEX volumes fell by eight percent. Margins improved as newsprint cost measures were implemented and companies benefited from the reduction of newsprint prices.

Key insights provided by the report on print medium suggests 2019 witnessed a significant growth in digital news consumers over 2018 when 300 million Indians consumed news online. Most large print companies had a defined digital business, with two companies crossing Rs 1 billion in digital revenues. Digital subscription, though nascent, has increased as several publications have put digital products behind a paywall.

The digital media meanwhile recorded a growth of 31 per cent in 2019 to reach the mark of Rs 221 billion. The sector is expected to grow at 23 per cent CAGR to reach Rs 414 billion by 2022. Digital advertising grew 24 per cent to Rs 192 billion driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers' preference to measure performance. SME and long tail advertisers increased their spends on digital media as well. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall. Consequently, subscription revenue grew 106 per cent to Rs 29 billion. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16 per cent, audio streamers by 33 per cent and news consumers by 22 per cent.

Key insights that the report provides about the digital sector suggest that by 2020, OTT subscription market will take approximate 10 per cent of the total TV subscription market (without, however, considering data charges). We estimate over 40 million connected TVs by 2025, which will provide a huge opportunity for content creators to reach family consumers. Better bandwidth will drive large screen consumption. By 2025, 750 million smart phone screens will also increase the demand for regional, UGC and short content, creating a short video ecosystem that can create significant employment. The battle for content discovery will intensity and move to the unified interface.

The film segment grew by 10 per cent in 2019 to reach Rs 191 billion driven by the growth in domestic theatrical revenues and both rates and volume of digital/ OTT rights sold. Domestic film revenues crossed INR 115 billion with gross box office collections for Hindi films at Rs 49.5 billion –- the highest ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell by 10 per cent to Rs 27 billion despite more films being released abroad primarily, as films with superstars didn't perform as well in 2019. A total of 108 Hollywood films were released in 2019 as compared to 98 in 2018. The gross box office collections of Hollywood films in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed versions) grew 33 per cent to reach Rs 16 billion. As single screens continued to reduce, the total screen count decreased by 74 to 9,527.

Key Insights provided by the report on the film segment shows that digital rights of films have continued to grow in 2019 with an increase in revenues from Rs 13.5 billion in 2018 to Rs 19 billion in 2019. Digital release windows shortened with some movies releasing on OTT platforms even before their release on television. In-cinema advertising grew marginally to Rs 7.7 billion in 2019 as multiplexes and advertising aggregators started signing long-term deals with brands. Seventeen hindi films entered the coveted Rs 100 crore club in 2019, which is the highest ever. Interestingly, six movies made it to the Rs 200 crore club in 2019, as opposed to three in 2018. The future will be driven by immersive content (technology and VFX rich) experiences to drive theatrical footfalls and some genres of films could migrate to home viewership only. We can expect to see creation of a segmented Hindi-mass product for the heartland at low ticket prices.

While on mergers and Acquisitions in the M&E space, while the number of deals increased to 64 in 2019 from 41 in 2018, the overall deal value was much lower at Rs 101 billion as compared to Rs 192 billion in the previous year. This was largely due to the absence of big-ticket deals with only four deals crossing the US$100 million threshold. The highest amount of the investment was made in television, followed by digital, radio and gaming. Deal activity was spearheaded by new media such as digital and gaming, which witnessed 54 of the 64 deals in 2019, however, in terms of deal value, the share of traditional media segments such as TV, radio and film exhibition was 63 percent.

The 2020 estimates of the report, incidentally, do not reflect the likely impact on the industry arising from the coronavirus outbreak as the situation was still evolving rapidly at the time of going to press.

Devdiscourse |

Media, entertainment sector in India to cross Rs 240,000 cr by 2022

The Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector in India is expected to cross Rs 2.4 trillion (USD 34 billion) by 2022, with an annual growth rate of 10 per cent mainly driven by rapid proliferation of mobile access, according to a report. The M&E sector in India grew by 9 per cent to reach Rs 1.82 trillion (USD 25.7 billion) in 2019, according to the FICCI EY report 'The era of consumer A.R.T. – Acquisition Retention and Transaction,’ launched on Friday.

With its current trajectory, the M&E sector in India is expected to cross Rs 2.4 trillion (USD 34 billion) by 2022, at an annual growth of 10 per cent, the report said. “However, the coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector, the situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world, the scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately,” EY India Partner and M&E Leader Ashish Pherwani told reporters here.

This report was developed through primary and secondary research, discussions with several companies and industry stakeholders and cross referencing of available data points. While television and print retained their positions as the two largest segments, digital media overtook filmed entertainment in 2019 to become the third-largest segment of the sector.

Digital subscription revenues more than doubled from 2018 levels and digital advertising revenues grew to command 24 per cent of total advertising spend. The sector continued to grow at a rate faster than the GDP, driven primarily by growth in subscription-based business models and India’s attractiveness as a content production and post production destination.

The rapid proliferation of mobile access is enabling on-demand, anytime-anywhere content consumption nationwide. With a population of 1.3 billion, a tele-density approaching 89 per cent of households, 688 million internet subscribers and nearly 400 million smartphone users, India’s telecom industry is poised to become the primary platform for content distribution and consumption. India ranks as one of the fastest-growing app markets globally, where entertainment apps are driving significant consumer engagement.

Online gaming retained its position as the fastest growing segment on the back of transaction-based games mainly fantasy sports, increased in-app purchases and a 31 per cent growth in the number of online gamers to reach around 365 million. The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019, Pherwani said. The report revealed that the TV industry grew from Rs 74,000 crore to Rs 78,800 crore in 2019, a growth of 6.5 per cent. TV advertising grew 5 per cent to Rs 32,000 billion while subscription grew 7 per cent to Rs 46,800 billion. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption increased by over 20 per cent in certain cases. General entertainment and movie channels led with 74 per cent of viewership, it added.

The news genre witnessed a growth to almost 9 per cent of total viewership, up from 7.3 per cent in 2018. In sports cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80 per cent of the sports viewership, up from 70 per cent last year, due to the ICC World Cup.

Despite a 3 per cent revenue degrowth at Rs 29,600 crore, print continued to retain the second largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues increased by 2 per cent to Rs 9,000 crore as newspaper companies tactically increased prices in certain markets. Meanwhile, in 2019, digital media grew 31 per cent to reach Rs 22,100 crore and is expected to grow at 23 per cent annually to reach Rs 41,400 crore by 2022. Digital advertising grew 24 per cent to Rs 19,200 crore driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers’ preference to measure performance. SME and long tail advertisers increased their spends on digital media as well. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall. Consequently, subscription revenue grew 106 per cent to Rs 2,900 crore. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16 per cent, audio streamers by 33 per cent and news consumers by 22 per cent, it added.

CXO Today |

M&E Industry grows at 9% To Reach Rs 1.82 trillion: FICCI-EY

The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector reached INR1.82 trillion (US$25.7 billion) in 2019, a growth of ~9% over 2018 states the FICCI EY report ‘The era of consumer A.R.T. – Acquisition Retention and Transaction,’ launched today. With its current trajectory, the M&E sector in India is expected to cross INR2.4 trillion (US$34 billion) by 2022, at a CAGR of 10%*.

While television and print retained their positions as the two largest segments, digital media overtook filmed entertainment in 2019 to become the third largest segment of the M&E sector. Digital subscription revenues more than doubled from 2018 levels and digital advertising revenues grew to command 24% of total advertising spend.
The sector continues to grow at a rate faster than the GDP, driven primarily by growth in subscription-based business models and India’s attractiveness as a content production and post production destination.

The rapid proliferation of mobile access is enabling on-demand, anytime-anywhere content consumption nationwide. With a population of 1.3 billion, a tele-density approaching 89% of households, 688 million internet subscribers and nearly 400 million smartphone users, India’s telecom industry is poised to become the primary platform for content distribution and consumption. India ranks as one of the fastest-growing app markets globally, where entertainment apps are driving significant consumer engagement.

Online gaming retained its position as the fastest growing segment on the back of transaction-based games mainly fantasy sports, increased in-app purchases and a 31% growth in the number of online gamers to reach around 365 million.

Uday Shankar, Vice President, FICCI and Chair, FICCI Media and Entertainment Division, said, “Riding the wave of exponential progress made towards digital accessibility and adoption, the M&E industry has been a forerunner of a dynamic and aspirational India. New products and business models are being imagined to capitalize on the rise in media consumption. Global players are recognizing the need to build India-centric offerings. The coming years are likely to usher in greater innovation in content formats, means of dissemination, and business models.”

Ashish Pherwani, Partner and Media & Entertainment Leader, EY India, stated, “The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019. Driven by the ability to create direct-to-customer relationships, the sector firmly pivoted towards a B2C operating model, changing the way it measured itself. As entertainment and information options grew and choice increased the era of consumer Acquisition, Retention and Transaction (ART) redefined the media value chain leading to the emergence of many new trends and strategies across content, distribution, consumption and monetization.”

“The coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector, the situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world, the scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately,” he added.

Key findings
Television

The TV industry grew from INR 740 billion to INR 788 billion in 2019, a growth of 6.5%. TV advertising grew 5% to INR 320 billion while subscription grew 7% to INR 468 billion. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption increased by over 20% in certain cases. General entertainment and movie channels led with 74% of viewership. On the back of several key announcements by the central and state governments such as Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and a general election, the news genre witnessed a growth to almost 9% of total viewership, up from 7.3% in 2018. In sports cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80% of the sports viewership, up from 70% last year, due to the ICC World Cup.

Key insights – Television will remain the largest earner of advertising revenues even in 2025, approaching INR570 billion. Viewership of regional language channels will continue to grow and reach 55% of total viewership in India as their content quality improves further. Content viewed on smart TV sets will begin to reflect that consumed on mobile phones, providing a window for user generated content companies and other non-broadcasters to serve content on the connected television screen.

Print

Despite a 3% revenue degrowth at INR 296 billion, print continued to retain the second largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues increased by 2% to INR 90 billion as newspaper companies tactically increased prices in certain markets. Advertising revenues fell 5% to INR 206 billion in 2019 as AdEX volumes fell by 8%. Margins improved as newsprint cost measures were implemented and companies benefited from the reduction of newsprint prices.

Key insights – 2019 witnessed a significant growth in digital news consumers over 2018 when 300 million Indians consumed news online. Most large print companies had a defined digital business, with two companies crossing INR1 billion in digital revenues. Digital subscription, though nascent, has increased as several publications have put digital products behind a paywall.

Digital media

In 2019, digital media grew 31% to reach INR 221 billion and is expected to grow at 23% CAGR to reach INR 414 billion by 2022. Digital advertising grew 24% to INR 192 billion driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers’ preference to measure performance. SME and long tail advertisers increased their spends on digital media as well. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall. Consequently, subscription revenue grew 106% to INR 29 billion. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16%, audio streamers by 33% and news consumers by 22%.

Key insights: By 2020, OTT subscription market will approximate 10% of the total TV subscription market (without, however, considering data charges). We estimate over 40 million connected TVs by 2025, which will provide a huge opportunity for content creators to reach family consumers. Better bandwidth will drive large screen consumption. By 2025, 750 million smart phone screens will also increase the demand for regional, UGC and short content, creating a short video ecosystem that can create significant employment. The battle for content discovery will intensity and move to the unified interface.

Films

The Indian film segment grew 10% in 2019 to reach INR 191 billion driven by the growth in domestic theatrical revenues and both rates and volume of digital/ OTT rights sold. Domestic film revenues crossed INR 115 billion with Gross Box Office collections for Hindi films at INR 49.5 billion – the highest ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell 10% to INR 27 billion despite more films being released abroad primarily as films with superstars didn’t perform as well in 2019. 108 Hollywood films were released in 2019 as compared to 98 in 2018. The gross box office collections of Hollywood films in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed versions) grew 33% to reach INR 16 billion. As single screens continued to reduce, the total screen count decreased by 74 to 9,527.

Key Insights: Digital rights continued to grow in 2019 with an increase in revenues from INR13.5 billion in 2018 to INR 19 billion in 2019. Digital release windows shortened with some movies releasing on OTT platforms even before their release on television. In-cinema advertising grew marginally to INR 7.7 billion in 2019 as multiplexes and advertising aggregators started signing long-term deals with brands. Seventeen hindi films entered the coveted INR 100 crore club in 2019, which is the highest ever. Interestingly, six movies made it to the INR 200 crore club in 2019, as opposed to three in 2018. The future will be driven by immersive content (technology and VFX rich) experiences to drive theatrical footfalls and some genres of films could migrate to home viewership only. We can expect to see creation of a segmented Hindi-mass product for the heartland at low ticket prices.

Mergers and Acquisitions in M&E

While the number of deals increased to 64 in 2019 from 41 in 2018, the overall deal value was much lower at INR101 billion as compared to INR192 billion in the previous year. This was largely due to the absence of big-ticket deals with only four deals crossing the US$100 million threshold. The highest amount of investment was made in television, followed by digital, radio and gaming. Deal activity was spearheaded by new media such as digital and gaming, which witnessed 54 of the 64 deals in 2019, however, in terms of deal value, the share of traditional media segments such as TV, radio and film exhibition was 63%.

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

About the study

This report has been developed by conducting primary and secondary research, discussions with several companies and industry stakeholders, and cross referencing of available data points. To the extent possible, the data has been verified and validated. Sizing of various segments has been arrived at using various sources of data, primary research and proprietary EY research. The sizing has been further validated through industry discussions. 2020 estimates do not reflect the likely impact on the industry arising from the coronavirus outbreak as the situation was still evolving rapidly at the time of going to press.

Daiji World |

Media and entertainment industry hit Rs 1.82 trillion mark in 2019: FICCI-EY Report

The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector reached Rs 1.82 trillion (US$25.7 billion) in 2019, a growth of nine per cent over 2018, states the FICCI EY report ‘The Era of Consumer A.R.T. –- Acquisition Retention and Transaction, which was unveiled today. With its current trajectory, the M&E sector in India is expected to cross the Rs 2.4 trillion-mark (US$34 billion) by 2022, at a CAGR of 10 per cent.

While television and print retained their positions as the two largest segments, digital media overtook filmed entertainment in 2019 to become the third largest segment of the M&E sector. Digital subscription revenues more than doubled from 2018 levels and digital advertising revenues grew to command 24 per cent of total advertising spend.

The sector continues to grow at a rate faster than the GDP, driven primarily by growth in subscription-based business models and India's attractiveness as a content production and post production destination.

The report states the rapid proliferation of mobile access is enabling on-demand, anytime-anywhere content consumption nationwide. With a population of 1.3 billion, a tele-density approaching 89 per cent of households, 688 million internet subscribers and nearly 400 million smartphone users, India's telecom industry is poised to become the primary platform for content distribution and consumption. India ranks as one of the fastest-growing app markets globally, where entertainment apps are driving significant consumer engagement.

Online gaming retained its position as the fastest growing segment on the back of transaction-based games mainly fantasy sports, increased in-app purchases and a 31 per cent growth in the number of online gamers to reach around 365 million.

Uday Shankar, vice president, FICCI and Chair, FICCI Media and Entertainment Division, said: "Riding the wave of exponential progress made towards digital accessibility and adoption, the M&E industry has been a forerunner of a dynamic and aspirational India. New products and business models are being imagined to capitalize on the rise in media consumption. Global players are recognizing the need to build India-centric offerings. The coming years are likely to usher in greater innovation in content formats, means of dissemination, and business models."

Ashish Pherwani, partner and media & entertainment leader, EY India, said:, "The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019. Driven by the ability to create direct-to-customer relationships, the sector firmly pivoted towards a B2C operating model, changing the way it measured itself. As entertainment and information options grew and choice increased the era of consumer Acquisition, Retention and Transaction (ART) redefined the media value chain leading to the emergence of many new trends and strategies across content, distribution, consumption and monetization."

However, Pherwani had a note of warning. "The coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector, the situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world, the scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately," he added.

According to the key findings of the report, the television industry grew from Rs 740 billion to Rs 788 billion in 2019, a growth of 6.5 per cent. TV advertising grew five per cent to Rs 320 billion while subscription grew by seven per cent to Rs 468 billion. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption increased by over 20 per cent in certain cases. General entertainment and movie channels led with 74 per cent of viewership. On the back of several key announcements by the central and state governments such as Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and a general election, the news genre witnessed a growth to almost nine per cent of total viewership, up from 7.3 per cent in 2018. In sports, cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80 per cent of the sports viewership, up from 70 per cent last year, due to the ICC World Cup.

Key insights provided by the report states that television will remain the largest earner of advertising revenues even in 2025, approaching Rs 570 billion. Viewership of regional language channels will continue to grow and reach 55% of total viewership in India as their content quality improves further. Content viewed on smart TV sets will begin to reflect that consumed on mobile phones, providing a window for user generated content companies and other non-broadcasters to serve content on the connected television screen.

The report on print media is that despite three per cent revenue degrowth at Rs 296 billion, print continued to retain the second largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues increased by two per cent to Rs 90 billion as newspaper companies tactically increased prices in certain markets. Advertising revenues fell five per cent to Rs 206 billion in 2019 as AdEX volumes fell by eight per cent. Margins improved as newsprint cost measures were implemented and companies benefited from the reduction of newsprint prices.

Key insights provided by the report on print medium suggests 2019 witnessed a significant growth in digital news consumers over 2018 when 300 million Indians consumed news online. Most large print companies had a defined digital business, with two companies crossing Rs 1 billion in digital revenues. Digital subscription, though nascent, has increased as several publications have put digital products behind a paywall.

The digital media meanwhile recorded a growth of 31 per cent in 2019 to reach the mark of Rs 221 billion. The sector is expected to grow at 23 per cent CAGR to reach Rs 414 billion by 2022. Digital advertising grew 24 per cent to Rs 192 billion driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers' preference to measure performance. SME and long tail advertisers increased their spends on digital media as well. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall. Consequently, subscription revenue grew 106 per cent to Rs 29 billion. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16 per cent, audio streamers by 33 per cent and news consumers by 22 per cent.

Key insights that the report provides about the digital sector suggest that by 2020, OTT subscription market will take approximate 10 per cent of the total TV subscription market (without, however, considering data charges). We estimate over 40 million connected TVs by 2025, which will provide a huge opportunity for content creators to reach family consumers. Better bandwidth will drive large screen consumption. By 2025, 750 million smart phone screens will also increase the demand for regional, UGC and short content, creating a short video ecosystem that can create significant employment. The battle for content discovery will intensity and move to the unified interface.

The film segment grew by 10 per cent in 2019 to reach Rs 191 billion driven by the growth in domestic theatrical revenues and both rates and volume of digital/ OTT rights sold. Domestic film revenues crossed INR 115 billion with gross box office collections for Hindi films at Rs 49.5 billion –- the highest ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell by 10 per cent to Rs 27 billion despite more films being released abroad primarily, as films with superstars didn't perform as well in 2019. A total of 108 Hollywood films were released in 2019 as compared to 98 in 2018. The gross box office collections of Hollywood films in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed versions) grew 33 per cent to reach Rs 16 billion. As single screens continued to reduce, the total screen count decreased by 74 to 9,527.

Key Insights provided by the report on the film segment shows that digital rights of films have continued to grow in 2019 with an increase in revenues from Rs 13.5 billion in 2018 to Rs 19 billion in 2019. Digital release windows shortened with some movies releasing on OTT platforms even before their release on television. In-cinema advertising grew marginally to Rs 7.7 billion in 2019 as multiplexes and advertising aggregators started signing long-term deals with brands. Seventeen hindi films entered the coveted Rs 100 crore club in 2019, which is the highest ever. Interestingly, six movies made it to the Rs 200 crore club in 2019, as opposed to three in 2018. The future will be driven by immersive content (technology and VFX rich) experiences to drive theatrical footfalls and some genres of films could migrate to home viewership only. We can expect to see creation of a segmented Hindi-mass product for the heartland at low ticket prices.

While on mergers and Acquisitions in the M&E space, while the number of deals increased to 64 in 2019 from 41 in 2018, the overall deal value was much lower at Rs 101 billion as compared to Rs 192 billion in the previous year. This was largely due to the absence of big-ticket deals with only four deals crossing the US$100 million threshold. The highest amount of investment was made in television, followed by digital, radio and gaming. Deal activity was spearheaded by new media such as digital and gaming, which witnessed 54 of the 64 deals in 2019, however, in terms of deal value, the share of traditional media segments such as TV, radio and film exhibition was 63 per cent.

The 2020 estimates of the report, incidentally, do not reflect the likely impact on the industry arising from the coronavirus outbreak as the situation was still evolving rapidly at the time of going to press.

newsd |

Media and entertainment industry hit Rs 1.82 trillion mark in 2019: FICCI-EY Report

The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector reached Rs 1.82 trillion (US$25.7 billion) in 2019, a growth of nine per cent over 2018, states the FICCI EY report ‘The Era of Consumer A.R.T. –- Acquisition Retention and Transaction, which was unveiled today. With its current trajectory, the M&E sector in India is expected to cross the Rs 2.4 trillion-mark (US$34 billion) by 2022, at a CAGR of 10 per cent.

While television and print retained their positions as the two largest segments, digital media overtook filmed entertainment in 2019 to become the third largest segment of the M&E sector. Digital subscription revenues more than doubled from 2018 levels and digital advertising revenues grew to command 24 per cent of total advertising spend.

The sector continues to grow at a rate faster than the GDP, driven primarily by growth in subscription-based business models and India’s attractiveness as a content production and post production destination.

The report states the rapid proliferation of mobile access is enabling on-demand, anytime-anywhere content consumption nationwide. With a population of 1.3 billion, a tele-density approaching 89 per cent of households, 688 million internet subscribers and nearly 400 million smartphone users, India’s telecom industry is poised to become the primary platform for content distribution and consumption. India ranks as one of the fastest-growing app markets globally, where entertainment apps are driving significant consumer engagement.

Online gaming retained its position as the fastest growing segment on the back of transaction-based games mainly fantasy sports, increased in-app purchases and a 31 per cent growth in the number of online gamers to reach around 365 million.

Uday Shankar, vice president, FICCI and Chair, FICCI Media and Entertainment Division, said: “Riding the wave of exponential progress made towards digital accessibility and adoption, the M&E industry has been a forerunner of a dynamic and aspirational India. New products and business models are being imagined to capitalize on the rise in media consumption. Global players are recognizing the need to build India-centric offerings. The coming years are likely to usher in greater innovation in content formats, means of dissemination, and business models.”

Ashish Pherwani, partner and media & entertainment leader, EY India, said:, “The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019. Driven by the ability to create direct-to-customer relationships, the sector firmly pivoted towards a B2C operating model, changing the way it measured itself. As entertainment and information options grew and choice increased the era of consumer Acquisition, Retention and Transaction (ART) redefined the media value chain leading to the emergence of many new trends and strategies across content, distribution, consumption and monetization.”

However, Pherwani had a note of warning. “The coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector, the situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world, the scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately,” he added.

According to the key findings of the report, the television industry grew from Rs 740 billion to Rs 788 billion in 2019, a growth of 6.5 per cent. TV advertising grew five per cent to Rs 320 billion while subscription grew by seven per cent to Rs 468 billion. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption increased by over 20 per cent in certain cases. General entertainment and movie channels led with 74 per cent of viewership. On the back of several key announcements by the central and state governments such as Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and a general election, the news genre witnessed a growth to almost nine per cent of total viewership, up from 7.3 per cent in 2018. In sports, cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80 per cent of the sports viewership, up from 70 per cent last year, due to the ICC World Cup.

Key insights provided by the report states that television will remain the largest earner of advertising revenues even in 2025, approaching Rs 570 billion. Viewership of regional language channels will continue to grow and reach 55% of total viewership in India as their content quality improves further. Content viewed on smart TV sets will begin to reflect that consumed on mobile phones, providing a window for user generated content companies and other non-broadcasters to serve content on the connected television screen.

The report on print media is that despite three per cent revenue degrowth at Rs 296 billion, print continued to retain the second largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues increased by two per cent to Rs 90 billion as newspaper companies tactically increased prices in certain markets. Advertising revenues fell five per cent to Rs 206 billion in 2019 as AdEX volumes fell by eight per cent. Margins improved as newsprint cost measures were implemented and companies benefited from the reduction of newsprint prices.

Key insights provided by the report on print medium suggests 2019 witnessed a significant growth in digital news consumers over 2018 when 300 million Indians consumed news online. Most large print companies had a defined digital business, with two companies crossing Rs 1 billion in digital revenues. Digital subscription, though nascent, has increased as several publications have put digital products behind a paywall.

The digital media meanwhile recorded a growth of 31 per cent in 2019 to reach the mark of Rs 221 billion. The sector is expected to grow at 23 per cent CAGR to reach Rs 414 billion by 2022. Digital advertising grew 24 per cent to Rs 192 billion driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers’ preference to measure performance. SME and long tail advertisers increased their spends on digital media as well. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall. Consequently, subscription revenue grew 106 per cent to Rs 29 billion. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16 per cent, audio streamers by 33 per cent and news consumers by 22 per cent.

Key insights that the report provides about the digital sector suggest that by 2020, OTT subscription market will take approximate 10 per cent of the total TV subscription market (without, however, considering data charges). We estimate over 40 million connected TVs by 2025, which will provide a huge opportunity for content creators to reach family consumers. Better bandwidth will drive large screen consumption. By 2025, 750 million smart phone screens will also increase the demand for regional, UGC and short content, creating a short video ecosystem that can create significant employment. The battle for content discovery will intensity and move to the unified interface.

The film segment grew by 10 per cent in 2019 to reach Rs 191 billion driven by the growth in domestic theatrical revenues and both rates and volume of digital/ OTT rights sold. Domestic film revenues crossed INR 115 billion with gross box office collections for Hindi films at Rs 49.5 billion –- the highest ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell by 10 per cent to Rs 27 billion despite more films being released abroad primarily, as films with superstars didn’t perform as well in 2019. A total of 108 Hollywood films were released in 2019 as compared to 98 in 2018. The gross box office collections of Hollywood films in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed versions) grew 33 per cent to reach Rs 16 billion. As single screens continued to reduce, the total screen count decreased by 74 to 9,527.

Key Insights provided by the report on the film segment shows that digital rights of films have continued to grow in 2019 with an increase in revenues from Rs 13.5 billion in 2018 to Rs 19 billion in 2019. Digital release windows shortened with some movies releasing on OTT platforms even before their release on television. In-cinema advertising grew marginally to Rs 7.7 billion in 2019 as multiplexes and advertising aggregators started signing long-term deals with brands. Seventeen hindi films entered the coveted Rs 100 crore club in 2019, which is the highest ever. Interestingly, six movies made it to the Rs 200 crore club in 2019, as opposed to three in 2018. The future will be driven by immersive content (technology and VFX rich) experiences to drive theatrical footfalls and some genres of films could migrate to home viewership only. We can expect to see creation of a segmented Hindi-mass product for the heartland at low ticket prices.

While on mergers and Acquisitions in the M&E space, while the number of deals increased to 64 in 2019 from 41 in 2018, the overall deal value was much lower at Rs 101 billion as compared to Rs 192 billion in the previous year. This was largely due to the absence of big-ticket deals with only four deals crossing the US$100 million threshold. The highest amount of investment was made in television, followed by digital, radio and gaming. Deal activity was spearheaded by new media such as digital and gaming, which witnessed 54 of the 64 deals in 2019, however, in terms of deal value, the share of traditional media segments such as TV, radio and film exhibition was 63 per cent.

The 2020 estimates of the report, incidentally, do not reflect the likely impact on the industry arising from the coronavirus outbreak as the situation was still evolving rapidly at the time of going to press.

Campaign India |

M&E industry in India grew by 8.9 percent in 2019: Report

The media and entertainment sector grew by 8.9 per cent to reach Rs 1,822 billion in 2019 according to the FICCI EY report.

The report was to be unveiled during FICCI Frames, but due to the event being rescheduled, it was revealed online. The report was written before Coronvirus hit the country.

TV viewership grew by 6.4 per cent. There was a five per cent growth in advertising income during the year, even though advertising volume reduced by four per cent. The growth came because of the volume of advertising on marquee events like the elections, the ICC World Cup and the IPL. Subscription income grew by 7.5 per cent largely because of the NTO making it more expensive for consumers.

The growth in advertising revenues for the year was Rs 4,000 crore. Rs 3,700 crore of this growth came from digital while Rs 300 crore was for TV in the incremental ad spends.

The print segment de-grew by 3.4 per cent which led to advertising income falling by five per cent. The Adex volume fell by eight per cent. The impact on English was higher than regional players as the former de-grew by 10 per cent and the latter de-grew by one or two per cent. English newspapers conducted more than 300 events last year, but with the coronavirus outbreak, those will reduce and could end up posing problems.

Subscription grew at 9.3 per cent. Digital growth was 111 per cent. Base was small but people are starting to pay for content and quality content when it comes online.

Digital media grew by 31 per cent. There was a growth of 20 per cent in broadband subscriptions. Ad income growth on digital was 24 per cent. Video subscription income grew by 111 per cent while audio was only at 18 per cent as people still access free streaming of music according to the report. More than 10 million individuals paid for video content. With the total number of internet users being at 661 million, the report states that there is still plenty of scope for growth.

Online gaming grew by 40 cent and online gamers crossed 365 million fueled by fantasy game revenues. Casual game revenues also grew by more than 20 per cent.

Outlook |

Media and entertainment industry hit Rs 1.82 trillion mark in 2019: FICCI-EY Report

The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector reached Rs 1.82 trillion (US$25.7 billion) in 2019, a growth of nine per cent over 2018, states the FICCI EY report ''The Era of Consumer A.R.T. - Acquisition Retention and Transaction, which was unveiled today. With its current trajectory, the M&E sector in India is expected to cross the Rs 2.4 trillion-mark (US$34 billion) by 2022, at a CAGR of 10 per cent.

While television and print retained their positions as the two largest segments, digital media overtook filmed entertainment in 2019 to become the third largest segment of the M&E sector. Digital subscription revenues more than doubled from 2018 levels and digital advertising revenues grew to command 24 per cent of total advertising spend.

The sector continues to grow at a rate faster than the GDP, driven primarily by growth in subscription-based business models and India's attractiveness as a content production and post production destination.

The report states the rapid proliferation of mobile access is enabling on-demand, anytime-anywhere content consumption nationwide. With a population of 1.3 billion, a tele-density approaching 89 per cent of households, 688 million internet subscribers and nearly 400 million smartphone users, India's telecom industry is poised to become the primary platform for content distribution and consumption. India ranks as one of the fastest-growing app markets globally, where entertainment apps are driving significant consumer engagement.

Online gaming retained its position as the fastest growing segment on the back of transaction-based games mainly fantasy sports, increased in-app purchases and a 31 per cent growth in the number of online gamers to reach around 365 million.

Uday Shankar, vice president, FICCI and Chair, FICCI Media and Entertainment Division, said: "Riding the wave of exponential progress made towards digital accessibility and adoption, the M&E industry has been a forerunner of a dynamic and aspirational India. New products and business models are being imagined to capitalize on the rise in media consumption. Global players are recognizing the need to build India-centric offerings. The coming years are likely to usher in greater innovation in content formats, means of dissemination, and business models."

Ashish Pherwani, partner and media & entertainment leader, EY India, said:, "The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019. Driven by the ability to create direct-to-customer relationships, the sector firmly pivoted towards a B2C operating model, changing the way it measured itself. As entertainment and information options grew and choice increased the era of consumer Acquisition, Retention and Transaction (ART) redefined the media value chain leading to the emergence of many new trends and strategies across content, distribution, consumption and monetization."

However, Pherwani had a note of warning. "The coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector, the situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world, the scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately," he added.

According to the key findings of the report, the television industry grew from Rs 740 billion to Rs 788 billion in 2019, a growth of 6.5 per cent. TV advertising grew five per cent to Rs 320 billion while subscription grew by seven per cent to Rs 468 billion. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption increased by over 20 per cent in certain cases. General entertainment and movie channels led with 74 per cent of viewership. On the back of several key announcements by the central and state governments such as Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and a general election, the news genre witnessed a growth to almost nine per cent of total viewership, up from 7.3 per cent in 2018. In sports, cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80 per cent of the sports viewership, up from 70 per cent last year, due to the ICC World Cup.

Key insights provided by the report states that television will remain the largest earner of advertising revenues even in 2025, approaching Rs 570 billion. Viewership of regional language channels will continue to grow and reach 55% of total viewership in India as their content quality improves further. Content viewed on smart TV sets will begin to reflect that consumed on mobile phones, providing a window for user generated content companies and other non-broadcasters to serve content on the connected television screen.

The report on print media is that despite three per cent revenue degrowth at Rs 296 billion, print continued to retain the second largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues increased by two per cent to Rs 90 billion as newspaper companies tactically increased prices in certain markets. Advertising revenues fell five per cent to Rs 206 billion in 2019 as AdEX volumes fell by eight per cent. Margins improved as newsprint cost measures were implemented and companies benefited from the reduction of newsprint prices.

Key insights provided by the report on print medium suggests 2019 witnessed a significant growth in digital news consumers over 2018 when 300 million Indians consumed news online. Most large print companies had a defined digital business, with two companies crossing Rs 1 billion in digital revenues. Digital subscription, though nascent, has increased as several publications have put digital products behind a paywall.

The digital media meanwhile recorded a growth of 31 per cent in 2019 to reach the mark of Rs 221 billion. The sector is expected to grow at 23 per cent CAGR to reach Rs 414 billion by 2022. Digital advertising grew 24 per cent to Rs 192 billion driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers'' preference to measure performance. SME and long tail advertisers increased their spends on digital media as well. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall. Consequently, subscription revenue grew 106 per cent to Rs 29 billion. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16 per cent, audio streamers by 33 per cent and news consumers by 22 per cent.

Key insights that the report provides about the digital sector suggest that by 2020, OTT subscription market will take approximate 10 per cent of the total TV subscription market (without, however, considering data charges). We estimate over 40 million connected TVs by 2025, which will provide a huge opportunity for content creators to reach family consumers. Better bandwidth will drive large screen consumption. By 2025, 750 million smart phone screens will also increase the demand for regional, UGC and short content, creating a short video ecosystem that can create significant employment. The battle for content discovery will intensity and move to the unified interface.

The film segment grew by 10 per cent in 2019 to reach Rs 191 billion driven by the growth in domestic theatrical revenues and both rates and volume of digital/ OTT rights sold. Domestic film revenues crossed INR 115 billion with gross box office collections for Hindi films at Rs 49.5 billion - the highest ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell by 10 per cent to Rs 27 billion despite more films being released abroad primarily, as films with superstars didn't perform as well in 2019. A total of 108 Hollywood films were released in 2019 as compared to 98 in 2018. The gross box office collections of Hollywood films in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed versions) grew 33 per cent to reach Rs 16 billion. As single screens continued to reduce, the total screen count decreased by 74 to 9,527.

Key Insights provided by the report on the film segment shows that digital rights of films have continued to grow in 2019 with an increase in revenues from Rs 13.5 billion in 2018 to Rs 19 billion in 2019. Digital release windows shortened with some movies releasing on OTT platforms even before their release on television. In-cinema advertising grew marginally to Rs 7.7 billion in 2019 as multiplexes and advertising aggregators started signing long-term deals with brands. Seventeen hindi films entered the coveted Rs 100 crore club in 2019, which is the highest ever. Interestingly, six movies made it to the Rs 200 crore club in 2019, as opposed to three in 2018. The future will be driven by immersive content (technology and VFX rich) experiences to drive theatrical footfalls and some genres of films could migrate to home viewership only. We can expect to see creation of a segmented Hindi-mass product for the heartland at low ticket prices.

While on mergers and Acquisitions in the M&E space, while the number of deals increased to 64 in 2019 from 41 in 2018, the overall deal value was much lower at Rs 101 billion as compared to Rs 192 billion in the previous year. This was largely due to the absence of big-ticket deals with only four deals crossing the US$100 million threshold. The highest amount of investment was made in television, followed by digital, radio and gaming. Deal activity was spearheaded by new media such as digital and gaming, which witnessed 54 of the 64 deals in 2019, however, in terms of deal value, the share of traditional media segments such as TV, radio and film exhibition was 63 per cent.

The 2020 estimates of the report, incidentally, do not reflect the likely impact on the industry arising from the coronavirus outbreak as the situation was still evolving rapidly at the time of going to press.

India TV |

Media and entertainment industry hit Rs 1.82 trillion mark in 2019: FICCI-EY Report

The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector reached Rs 1.82 trillion (US$25.7 billion) in 2019, a growth of nine per cent over 2018, states the FICCI EY report ‘The Era of Consumer A.R.T. –- Acquisition Retention and Transaction, which was unveiled today. With its current trajectory, the M&E sector in India is expected to cross the Rs 2.4 trillion-mark (US$34 billion) by 2022, at a CAGR of 10 per cent. While television and print retained their positions as the two largest segments, digital media overtook filmed entertainment in 2019 to become the third largest segment of the M&E sector. Digital subscription revenues more than doubled from 2018 levels and digital advertising revenues grew to command 24 per cent of total advertising spend.

The sector continues to grow at a rate faster than the GDP, driven primarily by growth in subscription-based business models and India's attractiveness as a content production and post production destination.

The report states the rapid proliferation of mobile access is enabling on-demand, anytime-anywhere content consumption nationwide. With a population of 1.3 billion, a tele-density approaching 89 per cent of households, 688 million internet subscribers and nearly 400 million smartphone users, India's telecom industry is poised to become the primary platform for content distribution and consumption. India ranks as one of the fastest-growing app markets globally, where entertainment apps are driving significant consumer engagement.

Online gaming retained its position as the fastest growing segment on the back of transaction-based games mainly fantasy sports, increased in-app purchases and a 31 per cent growth in the number of online gamers to reach around 365 million.

Uday Shankar, vice president, FICCI and Chair, FICCI Media and Entertainment Division, said: "Riding the wave of exponential progress made towards digital accessibility and adoption, the M&E industry has been a forerunner of a dynamic and aspirational India. New products and business models are being imagined to capitalize on the rise in media consumption. Global players are recognizing the need to build India-centric offerings. The coming years are likely to usher in greater innovation in content formats, means of dissemination, and business models."

Ashish Pherwani, partner and media & entertainment leader, EY India, said:, "The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019. Driven by the ability to create direct-to-customer relationships, the sector firmly pivoted towards a B2C operating model, changing the way it measured itself. As entertainment and information options grew and choice increased the era of consumer Acquisition, Retention and Transaction (ART) redefined the media value chain leading to the emergence of many new trends and strategies across content, distribution, consumption and monetization."

However, Pherwani had a note of warning. "The coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector, the situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world, the scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately," he added.

According to the key findings of the report, the television industry grew from Rs 740 billion to Rs 788 billion in 2019, a growth of 6.5 per cent. TV advertising grew five per cent to Rs 320 billion while subscription grew by seven per cent to Rs 468 billion. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption increased by over 20 per cent in certain cases. General entertainment and movie channels led with 74 per cent of viewership. On the back of several key announcements by the central and state governments such as Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and a general election, the news genre witnessed a growth to almost nine per cent of total viewership, up from 7.3 per cent in 2018. In sports, cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80 per cent of the sports viewership, up from 70 per cent last year, due to the ICC World Cup.

Key insights provided by the report states that television will remain the largest earner of advertising revenues even in 2025, approaching Rs 570 billion. Viewership of regional language channels will continue to grow and reach 55% of total viewership in India as their content quality improves further. Content viewed on smart TV sets will begin to reflect that consumed on mobile phones, providing a window for user generated content companies and other non-broadcasters to serve content on the connected television screen.

The report on print media is that despite three per cent revenue degrowth at Rs 296 billion, print continued to retain the second largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues increased by two per cent to Rs 90 billion as newspaper companies tactically increased prices in certain markets. Advertising revenues fell five per cent to Rs 206 billion in 2019 as AdEX volumes fell by eight per cent. Margins improved as newsprint cost measures were implemented and companies benefited from the reduction of newsprint prices.

Key insights provided by the report on print medium suggests 2019 witnessed a significant growth in digital news consumers over 2018 when 300 million Indians consumed news online. Most large print companies had a defined digital business, with two companies crossing Rs 1 billion in digital revenues. Digital subscription, though nascent, has increased as several publications have put digital products behind a paywall.

The digital media meanwhile recorded a growth of 31 per cent in 2019 to reach the mark of Rs 221 billion. The sector is expected to grow at 23 per cent CAGR to reach Rs 414 billion by 2022. Digital advertising grew 24 per cent to Rs 192 billion driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers' preference to measure performance. SME and long tail advertisers increased their spends on digital media as well. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall. Consequently, subscription revenue grew 106 per cent to Rs 29 billion. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16 per cent, audio streamers by 33 per cent and news consumers by 22 per cent.

Key insights that the report provides about the digital sector suggest that by 2020, OTT subscription market will take approximate 10 per cent of the total TV subscription market (without, however, considering data charges). We estimate over 40 million connected TVs by 2025, which will provide a huge opportunity for content creators to reach family consumers. Better bandwidth will drive large screen consumption. By 2025, 750 million smart phone screens will also increase the demand for regional, UGC and short content, creating a short video ecosystem that can create significant employment. The battle for content discovery will intensity and move to the unified interface.

The film segment grew by 10 per cent in 2019 to reach Rs 191 billion driven by the growth in domestic theatrical revenues and both rates and volume of digital/ OTT rights sold. Domestic film revenues crossed INR 115 billion with gross box office collections for Hindi films at Rs 49.5 billion –- the highest ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell by 10 per cent to Rs 27 billion despite more films being released abroad primarily, as films with superstars didn't perform as well in 2019. A total of 108 Hollywood films were released in 2019 as compared to 98 in 2018. The gross box office collections of Hollywood films in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed versions) grew 33 per cent to reach Rs 16 billion. As single screens continued to reduce, the total screen count decreased by 74 to 9,527.

Key Insights provided by the report on the film segment shows that digital rights of films have continued to grow in 2019 with an increase in revenues from Rs 13.5 billion in 2018 to Rs 19 billion in 2019. Digital release windows shortened with some movies releasing on OTT platforms even before their release on television. In-cinema advertising grew marginally to Rs 7.7 billion in 2019 as multiplexes and advertising aggregators started signing long-term deals with brands. Seventeen hindi films entered the coveted Rs 100 crore club in 2019, which is the highest ever. Interestingly, six movies made it to the Rs 200 crore club in 2019, as opposed to three in 2018. The future will be driven by immersive content (technology and VFX rich) experiences to drive theatrical footfalls and some genres of films could migrate to home viewership only. We can expect to see creation of a segmented Hindi-mass product for the heartland at low ticket prices.

While on mergers and Acquisitions in the M&E space, while the number of deals increased to 64 in 2019 from 41 in 2018, the overall deal value was much lower at Rs 101 billion as compared to Rs 192 billion in the previous year. This was largely due to the absence of big-ticket deals with only four deals crossing the US$100 million threshold. The highest amount of investment was made in television, followed by digital, radio and gaming. Deal activity was spearheaded by new media such as digital and gaming, which witnessed 54 of the 64 deals in 2019, however, in terms of deal value, the share of traditional media segments such as TV, radio and film exhibition was 63 per cent.

The 2020 estimates of the report, incidentally, do not reflect the likely impact on the industry arising from the coronavirus outbreak as the situation was still evolving rapidly at the time of going to press.

Best Media Info |

M&E growth may be flat in 2020 if the Covid-19 crisis ends in a month, says Ashish Pherwani of EY India

Amid the countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus, FICCI and EY India said that the growth of the M&E industry will depend on how soon the crisis ends.

“If the lockdown is over in a month, the year 2020 will witness a flat growth,” said Ashish Pherwani, Partner and Media & Entertainment Leader, EY India. “Any further lockdown may result in degrowth.”

An analysis before the countrywide lockdown predicted 7.8% growth in 2020. The industry grew by 9% in the previous year.

Sectorial break-up:

201820192020E2022E
CAGR2019-2022
Television7407877908824%
Print3052963013091%
Digital media16922127941423%
Filmed entertainment1751912072448%
Animation and VFX799511215618%
Live events75839412214%
Online gaming46659118743%
Out of Home media373941465%
Radio343133365%
Music1415172010%
Total1,6741,8221,9652,41610%

*All figures are gross of taxes (INR in billion) for calendar years | EY estimates

Uday Shankar, Vice-President, FICCI and Chair, FICCI Media and Entertainment Division, said, “Riding the wave of exponential progress made towards digital accessibility and adoption, the M&E industry has been a forerunner of a dynamic and aspirational India. New products and business models are being imagined to capitalise on the rise in media consumption. Global players are recognising the need to build India-centric offerings. The coming years are likely to usher in greater innovation in content formats, means of dissemination and business models.”

Pherwani said, “The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019. Driven by the ability to create direct-to-customer relationships, the sector firmly pivoted towards a B2C operating model, changing the way it measured itself. As entertainment and information options grew and choice increased the era of consumer acquisition, retention and transaction (ART) redefined the media value chain, leading to the emergence of many new trends and strategies across content, distribution, consumption and monetisation.”

“The coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector. The situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world. The scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately,” he said.

Key findings

Television

The TV industry grew from Rs 740 billion to Rs 788 billion in 2019, a growth of 6.5%. TV advertising grew 5% to Rs 320 billion while subscription grew 7% to Rs 468 billion. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption increased by over 20% in certain cases. General entertainment and movie channels led with 74% of viewership. On the back of several key announcements by the central and state governments such as Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and general election, the news genre witnessed a growth to almost 9% of total viewership, up from 7.3% in 2018. In sports, cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80% of the sports viewership, up from 70% last year, due to the ICC World Cup.

Key insights: Television will remain the largest earner of advertising revenues even in 2025, approaching Rs 570 billion. Viewership of regional language channels will continue to grow and reach 55% of total viewership in India as their content quality improves. Content viewed on smart TV sets will begin to reflect that consumed on mobile phones, providing a window for user generated content companies and other non-broadcasters to serve content on the connected television screen.

Print

Despite 3% revenue degrowth at $296 billion, print continued to retain the second largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues increased by 2% to Rs 90 billion as newspaper companies tactically increased prices in certain markets.

Advertising revenues fell 5% to Rs 206 billion in 2019 as AdEX volumes fell by 8%. Margins improved as newsprint cost measures were implemented and companies benefited from the reduction of newsprint prices.

Key insights: 2019 witnessed a significant growth in digital news consumers over 2018 when 300 million Indians consumed news online. Most large print companies had a defined digital business, with two companies crossing Rs 1 billion in digital revenues. Digital subscription, though nascent, has increased as several publications have put digital products behind a paywall.

Digital media

In 2019, digital media grew 31% to reach Rs 221 billion and is expected to grow at 23% CAGR to reach Rs 414 billion by 2022. Digital advertising grew 24% to Rs 192 billion driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers’ preference to measure performance. SME and long tail advertisers increased their spends on digital media as well. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall. Consequently, subscription revenue grew 106% to Rs 29 billion. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16%, audio streamers by 33% and news consumers by 22%.

Key insights: By 2020, OTT subscription market will approximate 10% of the total TV subscription market (without, however, considering data charges). We estimate over 40 million connected TVs by 2025, which will provide a huge opportunity for content creators to reach family consumers. Better bandwidth will drive large screen consumption. By 2025, 750 million smart phone screens will also increase the demand for regional, UGC and short content, creating a short video ecosystem that can create significant employment. The battle for content discovery will intensity and move to the unified interface.

Films

The Indian film segment grew 10% in 2019 to reach Rs 191 billion driven by the growth in domestic theatrical revenues and both rates and volume of digital/ OTT rights sold. Domestic film revenues crossed Rs 115 billion with Gross Box Office collections for Hindi films at Rs 49.5 billion — the highest ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell 10% to Rs 27 billion despite more films being released abroad primarily as films with superstars didn’t perform as well in 2019. 108 Hollywood films were released in 2019 as compared to 98 in 2018. The gross box office collections of Hollywood films in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed versions) grew 33% to reach Rs16 billion. As single screens continued to reduce, the total screen count decreased by 74 to 9,527.

Key insights: Digital rights continued to grow in 2019 with an increase in revenues from Rs 13.5 billion in 2018 to Rs 19 billion in 2019. Digital release windows shortened with some movies releasing on OTT platforms even before their release on television. In-cinema advertising grew marginally to Rs 7.7 billion in 2019 as multiplexes and advertising aggregators started signing long-term deals with brands. Seventeen Hindi films entered the coveted Rs 100-crore club in 2019, which is the highest ever.

Interestingly, six movies made it to the Rs 200-crore club in 2019, as opposed to three in 2018. The future will be driven by immersive content (technology and VFX rich) experiences to drive theatrical footfalls and some genres of films could migrate to home viewership only. We can expect to see creation of a segmented Hindi-mass product for the heartland at low ticket prices.

Mergers and acquisitions in M&E

While the number of deals increased to 64 in 2019 from 41 in 2018, the overall deal value was much lower at Rs 101 billion as compared to Rs 192 billion in the previous year. This was largely due to the absence of big-ticket deals with only four deals crossing the $100 million threshold. The highest amount of investment was made in television, followed by digital, radio and gaming. Deal activity was spearheaded by new media such as digital and gaming, which witnessed 54 of the 64 deals in 2019. However, in terms of deal value, the share of traditional media segments such as TV, radio and film exhibition was 63%.

Best Media Info |

M&E growth may be flat in 2020 if the Covid-19 crisis ends in a month, says Ashish Pherwani of EY India

Amid the countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus, FICCI and EY India said that the growth of the M&E industry will depend on how soon the crisis ends.

“If the lockdown is over in a month, the year 2020 will witness a flat growth,” said Ashish Pherwani, Partner and Media & Entertainment Leader, EY India. “Any further lockdown may result in degrowth.”

An analysis before the countrywide lockdown predicted 7.8% growth in 2020. The industry grew by 9% in the previous year.

Uday Shankar, Vice-President, FICCI and Chair, FICCI Media and Entertainment Division, said, “Riding the wave of exponential progress made towards digital accessibility and adoption, the M&E industry has been a forerunner of a dynamic and aspirational India. New products and business models are being imagined to capitalise on the rise in media consumption. Global players are recognising the need to build India-centric offerings. The coming years are likely to usher in greater innovation in content formats, means of dissemination and business models.”

Pherwani said, “The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019. Driven by the ability to create direct-to-customer relationships, the sector firmly pivoted towards a B2C operating model, changing the way it measured itself. As entertainment and information options grew and choice increased the era of consumer acquisition, retention and transaction (ART) redefined the media value chain, leading to the emergence of many new trends and strategies across content, distribution, consumption and monetisation.”

“The coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector. The situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world. The scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately,” he said.

Key findings

Television

The TV industry grew from Rs 740 billion to Rs 788 billion in 2019, a growth of 6.5%. TV advertising grew 5% to Rs 320 billion while subscription grew 7% to Rs 468 billion. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption increased by over 20% in certain cases. General entertainment and movie channels led with 74% of viewership. On the back of several key announcements by the central and state governments such as Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and general election, the news genre witnessed a growth to almost 9% of total viewership, up from 7.3% in 2018. In sports, cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80% of the sports viewership, up from 70% last year, due to the ICC World Cup.

Key insights: Television will remain the largest earner of advertising revenues even in 2025, approaching Rs 570 billion. Viewership of regional language channels will continue to grow and reach 55% of total viewership in India as their content quality improves. Content viewed on smart TV sets will begin to reflect that consumed on mobile phones, providing a window for user generated content companies and other non-broadcasters to serve content on the connected television screen.

Print

Despite 3% revenue degrowth at $296 billion, print continued to retain the second largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues increased by 2% to Rs 90 billion as newspaper companies tactically increased prices in certain markets. Advertising revenues fell 5% to Rs 206 billion in 2019 as AdEX volumes fell by 8%. Margins improved as newsprint cost measures were implemented and companies benefited from the reduction of newsprint prices.

Key insights: 2019 witnessed a significant growth in digital news consumers over 2018 when 300 million Indians consumed news online. Most large print companies had a defined digital business, with two companies crossing Rs 1 billion in digital revenues. Digital subscription, though nascent, has increased as several publications have put digital products behind a paywall.

Digital media

In 2019, digital media grew 31% to reach Rs 221 billion and is expected to grow at 23% CAGR to reach Rs 414 billion by 2022. Digital advertising grew 24% to Rs 192 billion driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers’ preference to measure performance. SME and long tail advertisers increased their spends on digital media as well. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall. Consequently, subscription revenue grew 106% to Rs 29 billion. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16%, audio streamers by 33% and news consumers by 22%.

Key insights: By 2020, OTT subscription market will approximate 10% of the total TV subscription market (without, however, considering data charges). We estimate over 40 million connected TVs by 2025, which will provide a huge opportunity for content creators to reach family consumers. Better bandwidth will drive large screen consumption. By 2025, 750 million smart phone screens will also increase the demand for regional, UGC and short content, creating a short video ecosystem that can create significant employment. The battle for content discovery will intensity and move to the unified interface.

Films

The Indian film segment grew 10% in 2019 to reach Rs 191 billion driven by the growth in domestic theatrical revenues and both rates and volume of digital/ OTT rights sold. Domestic film revenues crossed Rs 115 billion with Gross Box Office collections for Hindi films at Rs 49.5 billion — the highest ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell 10% to Rs 27 billion despite more films being released abroad primarily as films with superstars didn’t perform as well in 2019. 108 Hollywood films were released in 2019 as compared to 98 in 2018. The gross box office collections of Hollywood films in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed versions) grew 33% to reach Rs16 billion. As single screens continued to reduce, the total screen count decreased by 74 to 9,527.

Key insights: Digital rights continued to grow in 2019 with an increase in revenues from Rs 13.5 billion in 2018 to Rs 19 billion in 2019. Digital release windows shortened with some movies releasing on OTT platforms even before their release on television. In-cinema advertising grew marginally to Rs 7.7 billion in 2019 as multiplexes and advertising aggregators started signing long-term deals with brands. Seventeen Hindi films entered the coveted Rs 100-crore club in 2019, which is the highest ever. Interestingly, six movies made it to the Rs 200-crore club in 2019, as opposed to three in 2018. The future will be driven by immersive content (technology and VFX rich) experiences to drive theatrical footfalls and some genres of films could migrate to home viewership only. We can expect to see creation of a segmented Hindi-mass product for the heartland at low ticket prices.

Mergers and acquisitions in M&E

While the number of deals increased to 64 in 2019 from 41 in 2018, the overall deal value was much lower at Rs 101 billion as compared to Rs 192 billion in the previous year. This was largely due to the absence of big-ticket deals with only four deals crossing the $100 million threshold. The highest amount of investment was made in television, followed by digital, radio and gaming. Deal activity was spearheaded by new media such as digital and gaming, which witnessed 54 of the 64 deals in 2019. However, in terms of deal value, the share of traditional media segments such as TV, radio and film exhibition was 63%.

Orissadiary.com |

Media and entertainment industry in 2019 grew by almost 9% to reach INR 1.82 trillion: FICCI – EY Report 2020

The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector reached INR1.82 trillion (US$25.7 billion) in 2019, a growth of 9% over 2018 states the FICCI EY report ‘The era of consumer A.R.T. – Acquisition Retention and Transaction,’ launched today. With its current trajectory, the M&E sector in India is expected to cross INR2.4 trillion (US$34 billion) by 2022, at a CAGR of 10%*.

While television and print retained their positions as the two largest segments, digital media overtook filmed entertainment in 2019 to become the third largest segment of the M&E sector. Digital subscription revenues more than doubled from 2018 levels and digital advertising revenues grew to command 24% of total advertising spend.

The sector continues to grow at a rate faster than the GDP, driven primarily by growth in subscription-based business models and India’s attractiveness as a content production and post production destination.

The rapid proliferation of mobile access is enabling on-demand, anytime-anywhere content consumption nationwide. With a population of 1.3 billion, a tele-density approaching 89% of households, 688 million internet subscribers and nearly 400 million smartphone users, India’s telecom industry is poised to become the primary platform for content distribution and consumption. India ranks as one of the fastest-growing app markets globally, where entertainment apps are driving significant consumer engagement.

Online gaming retained its position as the fastest growing segment on the back of transaction-based games mainly fantasy sports, increased in-app purchases and a 31% growth in the number of online gamers to reach around 365 million.

Mr Uday Shankar, Vice President, FICCI and Chair, FICCI Media and Entertainment Division, said, “Riding the wave of exponential progress made towards digital accessibility and adoption, the M&E industry has been a forerunner of a dynamic and aspirational India. New products and business models are being imagined to capitalize on the rise in media consumption. Global players are recognizing the need to build India-centric offerings. The coming years are likely to usher in greater innovation in content formats, means of dissemination, and business models.”

Mr Ashish Pherwani, Partner and Media & Entertainment Leader, EY India, stated, “The M&E sector witnessed a surge in content consumption as digital infrastructure, quantum of content produced and per-capita income increased in 2019. Driven by the ability to create direct-to-customer relationships, the sector firmly pivoted towards a B2C operating model, changing the way it measured itself. As entertainment and information options grew and choice increased the era of consumer Acquisition, Retention and Transaction (ART) redefined the media value chain leading to the emergence of many new trends and strategies across content, distribution, consumption and monetization.”

“The coronavirus outbreak will have a significant adverse impact on the sector, the situation is still evolving both in India and many parts of the world, the scale of the impact cannot be estimated immediately,” he added.

Key findings

Television

The TV industry grew from INR 740 billion to INR 788 billion in 2019, a growth of 6.5%. TV advertising grew 5% to INR 320 billion while subscription grew 7% to INR 468 billion. Regional channels benefited from the New Tariff Order as their consumption increased by over 20% in certain cases. General entertainment and movie channels led with 74% of viewership. On the back of several key announcements by the central and state governments such as Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and a general election, the news genre witnessed a growth to almost 9% of total viewership, up from 7.3% in 2018. In sports cricket emerged as the big winner in 2019 as it accounted for over 80% of the sports viewership, up from 70% last year, due to the ICC World Cup.

Key insights – Television will remain the largest earner of advertising revenues even in 2025, approaching INR570 billion. Viewership of regional language channels will continue to grow and reach 55% of total viewership in India as their content quality improves further. Content viewed on smart TV sets will begin to reflect that consumed on mobile phones, providing a window for user generated content companies and other non-broadcasters to serve content on the connected television screen.

Print

Despite a 3% revenue degrowth at INR 296 billion, print continued to retain the second largest share of the Indian M&E sector. Circulation revenues increased by 2% to INR 90 billion as newspaper companies tactically increased prices in certain markets. Advertising revenues fell 5% to INR 206 billion in 2019 as AdEX volumes fell by 8%. Margins improved as newsprint cost measures were implemented and companies benefited from the reduction of newsprint prices.

Key insights – 2019 witnessed a significant growth in digital news consumers over 2018 when 300 million Indians consumed news online. Most large print companies had a defined digital business, with two companies crossing INR1 billion in digital revenues. Digital subscription, though nascent, has increased as several publications have put digital products behind a paywall.

Digital media

In 2019, digital media grew 31% to reach INR 221 billion and is expected to grow at 23% CAGR to reach INR 414 billion by 2022. Digital advertising grew 24% to INR 192 billion driven by increased consumption of content on digital platforms and marketeers’ preference to measure performance. SME and long tail advertisers increased their spends on digital media as well. Pay digital subscribers crossed 10 million for the first time as sports and other premium content were put behind a paywall. Consequently, subscription revenue grew 106% to INR 29 billion. Digital consumption grew across platforms where video viewers increased by 16%, audio streamers by 33% and news consumers by 22%.

Key insights: By 2020, OTT subscription market will approximate 10% of the total TV subscription market (without, however, considering data charges). We estimate over 40 million connected TVs by 2025, which will provide a huge opportunity for content creators to reach family consumers. Better bandwidth will drive large screen consumption. By 2025, 750 million smart phone screens will also increase the demand for regional, UGC and short content, creating a short video ecosystem that can create significant employment. The battle for content discovery will intensity and move to the unified interface.

Films

The Indian film segment grew 10% in 2019 to reach INR 191 billion driven by the growth in domestic theatrical revenues and both rates and volume of digital/ OTT rights sold. Domestic film revenues crossed INR 115 billion with Gross Box Office collections for Hindi films at INR 49.5 billion – the highest ever for Hindi theatricals. Overseas theatricals revenues fell 10% to INR 27 billion despite more films being released abroad primarily as films with superstars didn’t perform as well in 2019. 108 Hollywood films were released in 2019 as compared to 98 in 2018. The gross box office collections of Hollywood films in India (inclusive of all their Indian language dubbed versions) grew 33% to reach INR 16 billion. As single screens continued to reduce, the total screen count decreased by 74 to 9,527.

Key Insights: Digital rights continued to grow in 2019 with an increase in revenues from INR13.5 billion in 2018 to INR 19 billion in 2019. Digital release windows shortened with some movies releasing on OTT platforms even before their release on television. In-cinema advertising grew marginally to INR 7.7 billion in 2019 as multiplexes and advertising aggregators started signing long-term deals with brands. Seventeen hindi films entered the coveted INR 100 crore club in 2019, which is the highest ever. Interestingly, six movies made it to the INR 200 crore club in 2019, as opposed to three in 2018. The future will be driven by immersive content (technology and VFX rich) experiences to drive theatrical footfalls and some genres of films could migrate to home viewership only. We can expect to see creation of a segmented Hindi-mass product for the heartland at low ticket prices.

Mergers and Acquisitions in M&E

While the number of deals increased to 64 in 2019 from 41 in 2018, the overall deal value was much lower at INR101 billion as compared to INR192 billion in the previous year. This was largely due to the absence of big-ticket deals with only four deals crossing the US$100 million threshold. The highest amount of investment was made in television, followed by digital, radio and gaming. Deal activity was spearheaded by new media such as digital and gaming, which witnessed 54 of the 64 deals in 2019, however, in terms of deal value, the share of traditional media segments such as TV, radio and film exhibition was 63%.

Telangana Today |

RBI steps to help mitigate impact of coronavirus lockdown on biz: Industry

A slew of measures announced by the RBI on Friday would help mitigate the impact of coronavirus-related lockdown on businesses, the industry said. The industry said that the steps would help push lending rates down, encourage banks to infuse money into productive sectors, infuse liquidity and address the financial stress in the system.

The RBI on Friday allowed banks to put on hold EMI payments on all term loans for three months and cut interest rate by the steepest in more than 11 years as it joined the government efforts to rescue a slowing economy that has now got caught in coronavirus whirlwind. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut repo to 4.4 per cent, the lowest in at least 15 years. Also, it reduced the cash reserve ratio maintained by the banks for the first time in over seven years. CRR for all banks was cut by 100 basis points to release Rs 1.37 lakh crore across the banking system.

“The current situation in the economy and financial markets is extremely fragile and it required a massive dose of monetary stimulus to be injected at the earliest. The RBI has done just that. This should help lift the spirit of economy, ” FICCI President Sangita Reddy said. “This, together with a host of other measures to boost liquidity will address the financial stress in the system on account of the Covid-19 outbreak and the consequent lockdown. The substantial reduction in the CRR will help banks to reduce their lending rates and aid monetary transmission, ” CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said.

Assocham President Niranjan Hiranandani said these measures, including reducing the cost of borrowing and reduction in the CRR would ensure India’s financial stability at a time when there is heightened volatility in the global financial markets, with a desperate rush towards security.

Devdiscourse |

RBI steps to help mitigate impact of coronavirus lockdown on biz: Industry

A slew of measures announced by the RBI on Friday would help mitigate the impact of coronavirus-related lockdown on businesses, the industry said. The industry said that the steps would help push lending rates down, encourage banks to infuse money into productive sectors, infuse liquidity and address the financial stress in the system.

The RBI on Friday allowed banks to put on hold EMI payments on all term loans for three months and cut interest rate by the steepest in more than 11 years as it joined the government efforts to rescue a slowing economy that has now got caught in coronavirus whirlwind. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut repo to 4.4 per cent, the lowest in at least 15 years. Also, it reduced the cash reserve ratio maintained by the banks for the first time in over seven years. CRR for all banks was cut by 100 basis points to release Rs 1.37 lakh crore across the banking system.

“The current situation in the economy and financial markets is extremely fragile and it required a massive dose of monetary stimulus to be injected at the earliest. The RBI has done just that. This should help lift the spirit of economy, " FICCI President Sangita Reddy said. "This, together with a host of other measures to boost liquidity will address the financial stress in the system on account of the COVID-19 outbreak and the consequent lockdown. The substantial reduction in the CRR will help banks to reduce their lending rates and aid monetary transmission, " CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said.

Assocham President Niranjan Hiranandani said these measures, including reducing the cost of borrowing and reduction in the CRR would ensure India’s financial stability at a time when there is heightened volatility in the global financial markets, with a desperate rush towards security. Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas said: "The RBI has unleased a bazooka to deal with the economic pain and uncertainty prevailing in the wake of the COVID crisis. Acting swiftly and decisively, the RBI has used several levers to increase liquidity in the system".

PHD Chamber President D K Aggarwal said these measures will provide adequate liquidity in the system, bring down the cost of capital and mitigate the impact of pandemic COVID-19. The reverse repo rate was cut by 90 bps to 4 per cent, creating an asymmetrical corridor.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das predicted a big global recession and said India will not be immune. It all depends how India responds to the situation, he said. Global slowdown could make things difficult for India too, despite some help from falling crude prices, Das said, adding food prices may soften even further on record crop production.

Aggregate demand may weaken and ease core inflation further, he noted. After cutting policy rates five times in 2019, the RBI had been on a pause since December in view of high inflation.

The measures announced come a day after the government unveiled a Rs 1.7 lakh crore package of free foodgrains and cash doles to the poor to deal with the economic impact of the unprecedented 21-day nationwide lockdown. While the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI originally was slated to meet in the first week of April, it was advanced by a week to meet the challenge of coronavirus.

nyoooz |

We look forward to all relaxations being transmitted by banks in full and without delay Dr Sangita Reddy President FICCI

A massive liquidity, 3.2 percent of GDP has been added through these measures,” Dr Reddy added. The decision of the RBI to allow banks to hold their investments in these corporate instruments till maturity should provide a lot of comfort to banks as the current market conditions are quite volatile,” FICCI President said. “The decision to put a temporary stop on payment of term loans and interest rates on working capital loans will provide relief to the companies as their cash flows have been completely disrupted. We look forward to all relaxations being transmitted by banks in full and without delay,” said Dr Reddy. We are confident should the need arise some of these measures could be extended as well as other ones announced.

Business Standard |

Coronavirus impact: Movies, children's content dominate TV viewership

The domestic media and entertainment (M&E) sector has seen significant shifts in the past month as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak has forced people to stay indoors.

While news channels, gaming apps, movies and children’s content have gained since lockdowns began on March 16, segments such as radio, out-of-home, print and multiplexes have suffered, according to consultancies such as EY and the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).

EY estimates that a month-long lockdown will result in flat growth for this calendar year versus a forecast of 8 per cent growth made by the consultancy before the outbreak. Its M&E report, released on Friday along with the Federation of India Chambers of Commerce and Industry, has pegged the overall market size at Rs 1.96 trillion for 2020, which it said was undertaken before the outbreak. The 2019 M&E market size was Rs 1.82 trillion.

The scenario, said Ashish Pherwani, M&E sector leader, EY India, could get worse if the lockdown extends for two months, with overall growth declining by 10-12 per cent and the fall being sharper at 20-25 per cent if it extends to three months.

“These are unpredictable times and the full impact will be clear as we go forward,” Pherwani said. “But digital viewership has a bright future and broadcasters will adjust to the new normal in the months ahead. They are already repackaging nostalgic content as fresh content dies out (on TV) and repurposing over-the-top content for TV,” he said.

BARC data, also released Friday, shows a 6 per cent increase in television reach between March 14 and 20, when a phased lockdown began compared to the preceding weeks.

Also, average daily viewers grew by 32 million between March 14-20 versus the weeks before the lockdown, and viewers spent 3 hours and 51 minutes per day in the week watching TV, said BARC, led by movies, children’s programmes and news segments. BARC said digital consumption, too, grew sharply with news apps seeing 8 per cent more viewers and an increase of 17 per cent in time spent per user. Gaming apps saw an increase of 2 per cent in users during the week under review, with an 11 per cent increase in time spent per user.

Industry experts said the trend of growing television viewership would continue in the medium term. “Overall, general entertainment channels (GECs) have seen some impact in terms of viewership as no fresh content is being produced, but once the crisis is over, the dedicated audience would return to GECs, and so would advertisers,” said a senior official of a media company.

As such, niche channels such as Sab TV (comedy), NDTV Goodtimes (travel and lifestyle), food and infotainment channels (such as Food Food, Fox Life, Sony BBC Earth) have traditionally thrived on repeat telecasts of popular shows, said experts.

BARC also says that people are spending more time chatting and networking on social media platforms, growing 23-25 per cent between March 14 and 20 versus earlier. Almost all social networking apps, said BARC saw significant increase not only in time spent per user in the week under review, but also in the sessions per user. Shopping, travel, and food apps, by contrast, saw a huge drop in both users per week and time spent per user.

Analysts say multiplexes are staring at dark times. ICICI Securities said that it expected the lockdown to continue till May and multiplexes’ operations to resume only from June.

“Our interaction with managements and disclosures made by them reveal that multiplexes are going to invoke the force majeure clause to shield themselves from critical costs of rentals (that form 44-45 per cent of fixed costs), while closure of malls and multiplexes will also mean savings on other fixed costs such as manpower, maintenance and power,” the brokerage said.

Pherwani says digital releases of films will grow, especially by small producers, though large production houses will continue to count on theatrical releases for business.

The Economic Times |

RBI steps to help mitigate impact of coronavirus lockdown on biz: Industry

A slew of measures announced by the RBI on Friday would help mitigate the impact of coronavirus-related lockdown on businesses, the industry said.

The industry said that the steps would help push lending rates down, encourage banks to infuse money into productive sectors, infuse liquidity and address the financial stress in the system.

The RBI on Friday allowed banks to put on hold EMI payments on all term loans for three months and cut interest rate by the steepest in more than 11 years as it joined the government efforts to rescue a slowing economy that has now got caught in coronavirus whirlwind.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut repo to 4.4 per cent, the lowest in at least 15 years. Also, it reduced the cash reserve ratio maintained by the banks for the first time in over seven years. CRR for all banks was cut by 100 basis points to release Rs 1.37 lakh crore across the banking system.

“The current situation in the economy and financial markets is extremely fragile and it required a massive dose of monetary stimulus to be injected at the earliest. The RBI has done just that. This should help lift the spirit of economy, " FICCI President Sangita Reddy said.

"This, together with a host of other measures to boost liquidity will address the financial stress in the system on account of the COVID-19 outbreak and the consequent lockdown. The substantial reduction in the CRR will help banks to reduce their lending rates and aid monetary transmission, " CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said.

Assocham President Niranjan Hiranandani said these measures, including reducing the cost of borrowing and reduction in the CRR would ensure India's financial stability at a time when there is heightened volatility in the global financial markets, with a desperate rush towards security.

Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas said: "The RBI has unleased a bazooka to deal with the economic pain and uncertainty prevailing in the wake of the COVID crisis. Acting swiftly and decisively, the RBI has used several levers to increase liquidity in the system".

PHD Chamber President D K Aggarwal said these measures will provide adequate liquidity in the system, bring down the cost of capital and mitigate the impact of pandemic COVID-19.

The reverse repo rate was cut by 90 bps to 4 per cent, creating an asymmetrical corridor.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das predicted a big global recession and said India will not be immune. It all depends how India responds to the situation, he said.

Global slowdown could make things difficult for India too, despite some help from falling crude prices, Das said, adding food prices may soften even further on record crop production.

Aggregate demand may weaken and ease core inflation further, he noted.

After cutting policy rates five times in 2019, the RBI had been on a pause since December in view of high inflation.

The measures announced come a day after the government unveiled a Rs 1.7 lakh crore package of free foodgrains and cash doles to the poor to deal with the economic impact of the unprecedented 21-day nationwide lockdown.

While the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI originally was slated to meet in the first week of April, it was advanced by a week to meet the challenge of coronavirus.

Business Standard |

RBI steps to help mitigate impact of coronavirus lockdown on biz: Industry

A slew of measures announced by the RBI on Friday would help mitigate the impact of coronavirus-related lockdown on businesses, the industry said.

The industry said that the steps would help push lending rates down, encourage banks to infuse money into productive sectors, infuse liquidity and address the financial stress in the system.

The RBI on Friday allowed banks to put on hold EMI payments on all term loans for three months and cut interest rate by the steepest in more than 11 years as it joined the government efforts to rescue a slowing economy that has now got caught in coronavirus whirlwind.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut repo to 4.4 per cent, the lowest in at least 15 years. Also, it reduced the cash reserve ratio maintained by the banks for the first time in over seven years. CRR for all banks was cut by 100 basis points to release Rs 1.37 lakh crore across the banking system.

The current situation in the economy and financial markets is extremely fragile and it required a massive dose of monetary stimulus to be injected at the earliest. The RBI has done just that. This should help lift the spirit of economy, " FICCI President Sangita Reddy said.

"This, together with a host of other measures to boost liquidity will address the financial stress in the system on account of the COVID-19 outbreak and the consequent lockdown. The substantial reduction in the CRR will help banks to reduce their lending rates and aid monetary transmission, " CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said.

Assocham President Niranjan Hiranandani said these measures, including reducing the cost of borrowing and reduction in the CRR would ensure India's financial stability at a time when there is heightened volatility in the global financial markets, with a desperate rush towards security.

Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas said: "The RBI has unleased a bazooka to deal with the economic pain and uncertainty prevailing in the wake of the COVID crisis. Acting swiftly and decisively, the RBI has used several levers to increase liquidity in the system".

PHD Chamber President D K Aggarwal said these measures will provide adequate liquidity in the system, bring down the cost of capital and mitigate the impact of pandemic COVID-19.

The reverse repo rate was cut by 90 bps to 4 per cent, creating an asymmetrical corridor.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das predicted a big global recession and said India will not be immune. It all depends how India responds to the situation, he said.

Global slowdown could make things difficult for India too, despite some help from falling crude prices, Das said, adding food prices may soften even further on record crop production.

Aggregate demand may weaken and ease core inflation further, he noted.

After cutting policy rates five times in 2019, the RBI had been on a pause since December in view of high inflation.

The measures announced come a day after the government unveiled a Rs 1.7 lakh crore package of free foodgrains and cash doles to the poor to deal with the economic impact of the unprecedented 21-day nationwide lockdown.

While the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI originally was slated to meet in the first week of April, it was advanced by a week to meet the challenge of coronavirus.

The Hindu |

India Inc. welcomes repo rate cut

‘Current economy requires massive dose of monetary stimulus, RBI has done it’

The Reserve Bank’s rate cut of 75 bps will bring down the cost of borrowing and the CRR cut of 100 bps will help in infusing the desired liquidity requirement in the system, corporates and industry associations have said.

The three-month moratorium on EMIs will reduce the repayment pressure on the borrower during this crisis period, they felt.

“All in all, it is a very welcoming policy. The government has announced corrective measures to combat the current pandemic situation which would help in bringing financial stability into the system.” Umesh Revankar, MD & CEO, Shriram Transport Finance.

Welcoming the slew of measures announced by the RBI, Sangita Reddy, president, FICCI, said, “This has been a very comprehensive set of announcements and highlights action in all the key areas that were expected.”

Extremely fragile

“The current situation in the economy and financial markets is extremely fragile. It required a massive dose of monetary stimulus to be injected at the earliest and the RBI has done just that.”

Commenting on the rate cut Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, said the substantial reduction in the CRR will help banks to reduce their lending rates and aid monetary transmission.

He said given that the current lockdown is expected to have a negative impact on the cash flows of firms, the moratorium on repayments of term loans for a period of 3 months will help companies tide over this period.

Murthy Nagarajan, head, Fixed Income, Tata Asset Management, said: “This is the RBI response to the adverse macro economic situation due to coronavirus. The RBI Governor has promised more conventional and unconventional measures, in the coming days. This may see RBI cutting rates further by 50 to 75 basis points in the current financial year,”

Gautam Hari Singhania, CMD, Raymond Ltd., said, “The moves announced by the RBI are decisive and a comprehensive package to ensure stability of financial markets.”

D.K. Aggarwal, president, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, “These measures will provide adequate liquidity in the system, bring down the cost of capital and mitigate the impact of pandemic COVID-19.”

Rajiv Agarwal, MD & CEO, Essar Ports, said, “RBI’s move to reduce interest rates and infuse liquidity is a welcome move. More steps might be needed once the government comes out with the much-needed stimulus package to overcome the economic crisis arising from COVID 19.”

The Tribune |

RBI measures to help mitigate impact of lockdown: Industry

A slew of measures announced by the RBI on Friday would help mitigate the impact of coronavirus-related lockdown on businesses, the industry said.

The industry said the steps would help push lending rates down, encourage banks to infuse money into productive sectors, infuse liquidity and address the financial stress in the system.

The RBI on Friday allowed banks to put on hold EMI payments on all term loans for three months and cut interest rate by the steepest in more than 11 years as it joined the government efforts to rescue a slowing economy that has now got caught in coronavirus whirlwind.

The RBI cut repo rate to 4.4%, the lowest in at least 15 years. Also, it reduced the cash reserve ratio maintained by the banks for the first time in over seven years. CRR for all banks was cut by 100 basis points to release Rs 1.37 lakh crore across the banking system.

“The current situation in the economy and financial markets is extremely fragile and it required a massive dose of monetary stimulus to be injected at the earliest. The RBI has done just that. This should help lift the spirit of economy,” FICCI President Sangita Reddy said.

“This, together with a host of other measures to boost liquidity will address the financial stress in the system on account of the COVID-19 outbreak and the consequent lockdown. The substantial reduction in the CRR will help banks to reduce their lending rates and aid monetary transmission,” CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said.

Assocham president Niranjan Hiranandani said these measures, including reducing the cost of borrowing and reduction in the CRR would ensure India’s financial stability at a time when there is heightened volatility in the global financial markets, with a desperate rush towards security.

Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas said: “The RBI has unleased a bazooka to deal with the economic pain and uncertainty prevailing in the wake of the Covid crisis. Acting swiftly and decisively, the RBI has used several levers to increase liquidity in the system”.

PHD Chamber president DK Aggarwal said these measures will provide adequate liquidity in the system, bring down the cost of capital and mitigate the impact of pandemic Covid-19.

The reverse repo rate was cut by 90 bps to 4%, creating an asymmetrical corridor.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das predicted a big global recession and said India will not be immune. It all depends how India responds to the situation, he said.

Global slowdown could make things difficult for India too, despite some help from falling crude prices, Das said, adding food prices may soften even further on record crop production.

Aggregate demand may weaken and ease core inflation further, he noted.

After cutting policy rates five times in 2019, the RBI had been on a pause since December in view of high inflation.

The measures announced come a day after the government unveiled a Rs 1.7 lakh crore package of free foodgrains and cash doles to the poor to deal with the economic impact of the unprecedented 21-day nationwide lockdown.

Business Today |

Coronavirus impact: FICCI lauds RBI's monetary stimulus, urges banks to pass on benefits

Apex industry body FICCI has welcomed the massive dose of monetary stimulus announced by the Reserve Bank of India, while urging banks to pass on the full benefits to businesses without delay. Given the fragile condition of the economy amid coronavirus outbreak, the rate cut announcement by the central bank would help lift the spirit of the financial markets, it said.

Lauding the measures announced by the RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, FICCI President, Sangita Reddy, said, "This has been a very comprehensive set of announcements made by RBI and highlights action in all the key areas that were expected. The current situation in the economy and financial markets is extremely fragile and it required a massive dose of monetary stimulus to be injected at the earliest. The RBI has done just that. This should help lift spirit of economy."

In the seventh bi-monthly policy meeting, the RBI on Friday cut repo rate by 75 basis points (bps), reverse repo rate by 90 bps, and cash reserve ratio (CRR) by 100 bps to mitigate the impact of coronavirus pandemic on the economy. Besides, all banks, lending institutions have been given authority to allow a three-month moratorium on all loans. The policy measures are likely to inject Rs 3.74 lakh crore liquidity in the system and will provide big stimulus for banks to lend aggressively.

"The sizable reduction in the repo rate by 75 basis points coupled with a reduction in the reverse repo rate by 90 basis points should enable lowering of lending rates as well as encourage banks to move money into the productive sectors of the economy through on-lending and not look at parking money with the RBI," Reddy said.

By announcing targeted long term repo operations, reducing the CRR and permitting banks to draw a larger amount under the marginal standing facility window of the RBI, the central bank has ensured that the dislocations in the financial markets get addressed to a great extent, she said.

A massive liquidity, 3.2 per cent of the GDP, has been added through these measures, she added.

"Our companies today need liquidity for survival. If the money released into the system reaches the corporates through greater lending, investments in commercial paper, non-convertible debentures and corporate bonds, we will be able to see through this difficult phase whose different facets are still getting uncovered. The decision of the RBI to allow banks to hold their investments in these corporate instruments till maturity should provide a lot of comfort to banks as the current market conditions are quite volatile," FICCI President said.

Besides a deep cut in the lending rate and providing liquidity support, the RBI has also offered succour by way of allowing a moratorium on payment of installments of term loans and deferring payment of interest rates on working capital loans for a period of 3 months, she said. None of these measures would call of asset reclassification at the end of financial institutions and would also have no bearing on the default credit history of the borrowers.

"The decision to put a temporary stop on payment of term loans and interest rates on working capital loans will provide relief to the companies as their cash flows have been completely disrupted. We hope that RBI will do a continuous review of the situation as it evolves and will revisit the announcements for any further extension and relaxations that may be required in this period of uncertainty. We look forward to all relaxations being transmitted by banks in full and without delay," said Reddy.

The industry body said that it would continue to update the RBI and the Finance Ministry on the concerns being faced by Indian industry and hopes to see all support being rendered by the central bank for keeping Indian industry and economy moving.

Outlook |

RBI steps to help mitigate impact of coronavirus lockdown on biz: Industry

A slew of measures announced by the RBI on Friday would help mitigate the impact of coronavirus-related lockdown on businesses, the industry said.

The industry said that the steps would help push lending rates down, encourage banks to infuse money into productive sectors, infuse liquidity and address the financial stress in the system.

The RBI on Friday allowed banks to put on hold EMI payments on all term loans for three months and cut interest rate by the steepest in more than 11 years as it joined the government efforts to rescue a slowing economy that has now got caught in coronavirus whirlwind.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut repo to 4.4 per cent, the lowest in at least 15 years. Also, it reduced the cash reserve ratio maintained by the banks for the first time in over seven years. CRR for all banks was cut by 100 basis points to release Rs 1.37 lakh crore across the banking system.

“The current situation in the economy and financial markets is extremely fragile and it required a massive dose of monetary stimulus to be injected at the earliest. The RBI has done just that. This should help lift the spirit of economy, " FICCI President Sangita Reddy said.

"This, together with a host of other measures to boost liquidity will address the financial stress in the system on account of the COVID-19 outbreak and the consequent lockdown. The substantial reduction in the CRR will help banks to reduce their lending rates and aid monetary transmission, " CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said.

Assocham President Niranjan Hiranandani said these measures, including reducing the cost of borrowing and reduction in the CRR would ensure India’s financial stability at a time when there is heightened volatility in the global financial markets, with a desperate rush towards security.

Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas said: "The RBI has unleased a bazooka to deal with the economic pain and uncertainty prevailing in the wake of the COVID crisis. Acting swiftly and decisively, the RBI has used several levers to increase liquidity in the system".

PHD Chamber President D K Aggarwal said these measures will provide adequate liquidity in the system, bring down the cost of capital and mitigate the impact of pandemic COVID-19.

The reverse repo rate was cut by 90 bps to 4 per cent, creating an asymmetrical corridor.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das predicted a big global recession and said India will not be immune. It all depends how India responds to the situation, he said.

Global slowdown could make things difficult for India too, despite some help from falling crude prices, Das said, adding food prices may soften even further on record crop production.

Aggregate demand may weaken and ease core inflation further, he noted.

After cutting policy rates five times in 2019, the RBI had been on a pause since December in view of high inflation.

The measures announced come a day after the government unveiled a Rs 1.7 lakh crore package of free foodgrains and cash doles to the poor to deal with the economic impact of the unprecedented 21-day nationwide lockdown.

While the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI originally was slated to meet in the first week of April, it was advanced by a week to meet the challenge of coronavirus.

United News of India |

RBI measures a welcome relief for Industry: FICCI

Welcoming the slew of measures announced by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry on Friday said it looked forward to all relaxations being transmitted by banks in full and without delay.

FICCI President Dr Sangita Reddy said, "This has been a very comprehensive set of announcements made by RBI and highlights action in all the key areas that were expected. The current situation in the economy and financial markets is extremely fragile and it required a massive dose of monetary stimulus to be injected at the earliest. The RBI has done just that."

This should help lift spirit of economy, she maintained.

Bio Voice News |

COVID-19: Healthcare industry submits joint recommendations to deal with impact

Recommendations on behalf of the Healthcare Industry jointly represented by FICCI, AHPI, ASSOCHAM, Indian Chamber of Commerce, PhD Chamber of Commerce, PHANA Karnataka and NATHEALTH emphasize the immediate need for Fiscal and Non-Fiscal Interventions from Government required for the Sector to deal with COVID-19 impact.

While greatly appreciating government’s efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, the healthcare industry leaders cutting across the entire industry spectrum have urged upon the government to come forward with fiscal intervention to arrest the adverse impact on the economy and thereby on human lives. The Industry leaders recommended both fiscal and non-fiscal interventions for several sectors that focus on the Service sector, especially Hospitals, Diagnostics, Pathology Labs, MedTech, Insurance, Home Care and other healthcare service providers.

“The services sector, which accounts for about 55% of India’s gross domestic product, is poised to be the worst hit due to actions such as mandatory and self-imposed curfew. The social distancing measures would lead to lower footfalls in the healthcare sector, the decline in elective procedure volume and sub-optimal operating efficiencies that will have a severe impact on the cash flows of companies in the capital intensive sector. The industry is also suffering from reduced availability & elevated pricing observed for certain essential consumable items,” the representation to the government pointed out.

“Also, the global supply chains are in turmoil driving up shortages causing significant hike in the input costs which cannot be passed on to consumers as healthcare services are exempt from GST and many of the critical items are capped in prices. Apart from the healthcare facilities, medical devices, diagnostics and health insurance too have also been affected due to the supply-chain and demand disruptions,” it said.

COVID-19 needs all health workers to be motivated and secured as a united front. Health Services including Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Diagnostic Labs and Homecare, need immediate fiscal intervention. Industry leaders strongly recommended the government to ensure working capital that would help the hospitals continue to operate at near-normal levels and both COVID-19 and non COVID 19 patients can avail the services. The industry called for six to nine months’ moratorium on all working capital, principal, interest payments on loans and overdrafts, bringing in liquidity and allowing for business continuity.

Dubbing it as a critical fiscal intervention, the healthcare industry sought short-term interest-free loans for augmenting capacity, and to ensure smooth hospital operations without supply-chain disruptions. The government also was requested to examine Grant or Subsidy to as an interim market support mechanism.

To maintain operational expenditure including payment of salaries to health professionals on time, the Industry suggested cash flow to the government should immediately release 100 per cent Central and State Government dues to the sector under various schemes such as CGHC, ECHS, State Schemes, GIPSA among other. The Representation also seeks urgent release of Income Tax refunds and to allow a quarter’s postponement on compliances, payment of insurance without the policies getting lapsed.

The Healthcare leaders said that a waiver of GST on input costs and services for two quarters would help enormously. “This would also ensure that hospitals are not forced to curtail the outsource services like House Keeping, Security and F&B (all of which have significant GST levies), in turn causing loss of jobs people employed in those sectors. Deferment of pre-payment of loan for 12 months should be allowed. Deferment of advance tax payments at the Central Government level would also be a significant fiscal intervention,” they said in the unified representation.

For the Medical Devices industry, the representation calls for cutting down on custom duty across the board for life-saving medical equipment and set up a credit window facility that can help augment infrastructure during this period of great turmoil. It also suggested the withdrawal of Health Cess Ad Valorem from Medical Devices so that the Health Cess will apply only to Basic Customs Duty. For the Medical Device industry also the healthcare emphasized that the Government should clear all outstanding and make timely payment for upcoming procurements from government Institutions in the current crisis, which will go a long way in supporting med-tech companies.

The industry leaders are of the view that along with fiscal incentives and support, non-fiscal interventions would be equally critical.

“Further to the Ministry of Health guidelines on home quarantine and telemedicine, the government should also issue standard guidelines for Home Healthcare Providers notifying them under ambit of Clinical Establishment act, as they can contribute by remote monitoring of cases by monitoring patients for symptoms in-home quarantine, patients in E-ICU beyond metros, cases recovering from COVID-19 and preventing or managing relapse,” the representation paper said.

Outlook |

COVID-19: NPPA asks states, UTs to ensure unobstructed movement of stock, manpower

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has asked all states as well as union territories to ensure seamless movement of stock and manpower of pharma companies amid coronavirus-induced lockdown across the country.

In a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all states and union territories (UTs), NPPA chairperson Shubhra Singh has asked them to ensure unobstructed movement of raw material, packing material, finished products and manpower related to manufacturing and distribution of drugs and medical devices.

Referring to the guidelines issued by the home ministry to take effective measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country, it said that while industrial establishments were to remain closed, exception was made for manufacturing units of essential goods, including drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, raw materials and intermediates.

The letter has asked them (states and UTs) to pass instructions to the district administration /concerned authorities to facilitate the pharma companies and ensure smooth movement of stock and manpower during the lockdown period.

While as per the guidelines, all transport services will remain suspended exceptions were made for transportation of essential goods only. Exception was also made for petroleum products, LPG, food products and medical supplies, the letter said.

"The seamless functioning of pharma manufacturing and distribution units, both in public and private sector is essential in dealing with the emergent situation. It is learnt that pharma companies are facing problem in movement of stock and manpower, which may hamper production and supply of medicines and medical devices thereby impacting their availability in the market," it added.

The letter also enclosed the representation received from industry body FICCI in this regard.

In the letter Singh said NPPA is also operating a control room with a helpline number and complaints received on the number are also being referred to state drug controller for suitable intervention.

Outlook |

COVID-19: NPPA asks states, UTs to ensure unobstructed movement of stock, manpower

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has asked all states as well as union territories to ensure seamless movement of stock and manpower of pharma companies amid coronavirus-induced lockdown across the country.

In a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all states and union territories (UTs), NPPA chairperson Shubhra Singh has asked them to ensure unobstructed movement of raw material, packing material, finished products and manpower related to manufacturing and distribution of drugs and medical devices.

Referring to the guidelines issued by the home ministry to take effective measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country, it said that while industrial establishments were to remain closed, exception was made for manufacturing units of essential goods, including drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, raw materials and intermediates.

The letter has asked them (states and UTs) to pass instructions to the district administration /concerned authorities to facilitate the pharma companies and ensure smooth movement of stock and manpower during the lockdown period.

While as per the guidelines, all transport services will remain suspended exceptions were made for transportation of essential goods only. Exception was also made for petroleum products, LPG, food products and medical supplies, the letter said.

"The seamless functioning of pharma manufacturing and distribution units, both in public and private sector is essential in dealing with the emergent situation. It is learnt that pharma companies are facing problem in movement of stock and manpower, which may hamper production and supply of medicines and medical devices thereby impacting their availability in the market," it added.

The letter also enclosed the representation received from industry body FICCI in this regard.

In the letter Singh said NPPA is also operating a control room with a helpline number and complaints received on the number are also being referred to state drug controller for suitable intervention.

The Times of India |

Inter-state goods movement off to a crawl

After the nationwide lockdown brought inter-state movement of goods to a grinding halt, Thursday saw an easing of movement of trucks carrying essential goods into the state.

“Till yesterday, we had several complaints from our members across the country about their goods being stuck at borders of various states, but today the movement seems to have eased up a bit. We have been working with the government on the issue,” FICCI national president Sangita Reddy told TOI.

But transporters complained about long queues of trucks stuck outside the state’s borders at checkposts due to lack of clearance by local authorities. The Hyderabad Goods Transport Association (HGTA) has also written to the Telangana government seeking resolution of the issue at the earliest.

“There are about 150-200 trucks each stuck outside Telangana’s borders. The orders passed by the central and state government are not reaching the staff at checkposts. Police are stopping vehicles and in panic many drivers have abandoned vehicles at checkposts. Others are still stranded without food or water at checkposts,” HGTA president Sandip Guppta said.

However, Additional DGP (Law & Order) Jitender said all vehicles from neighbouring states carrying essential goods are being allowed into Telangana without any hassle. “Union cabinet secretary also held a meeting with state governments and gave directions to allow free movement of transport vehicles,” Jitender said.

Orissadiary.com |

We look forward to all relaxations being transmitted by banks in full and without delay: Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI

Welcoming the slew of measures announced by Governor, RBI, earlier today, including many of FICCI suggestions, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI said, “This has been a very comprehensive set of announcements made by RBI and highlights action in all the key areas that were expected. The current situation in the economy and financial markets is extremely fragile and it required a massive dose of monetary stimulus to be injected at the earliest. The RBI has done just that. This should help lift spirit of economy.”

“The sizable reduction in the repo rate by 75 basis points coupled with a reduction in the reverse repo rate by 90 basis points should enable lowering of lending rates as well as encourage banks to move money into the productive sectors of the economy through on-lending and not look at parking money with the RBI,” she said.

“Of course, what was even more critical at this juncture was the need to infuse a large amount of liquidity in the market and by announcing targeted long term repo operations, reducing the cash reserve ratio by 100 basis points and permitting banks to draw a larger amount under the marginal standing facility window of the RBI, the central bank has ensured that the dislocations in the financial markets get addressed to a great extent. A massive liquidity, 3.2 percent of GDP has been added through these measures,” Dr Reddy added.

“Our companies today need liquidity for survival. If the money released into the system reaches the corporates through greater lending, investments in commercial paper, non-convertible debentures and corporate bonds, we will be able to see through this difficult phase whose different facets are still getting uncovered. The decision of the RBI to allow banks to hold their investments in these corporate instruments till maturity should provide a lot of comfort to banks as the current market conditions are quite volatile,” FICCI President said.

Besides a deep cut in the lending rate and providing liquidity support, the RBI has also offered succour by way of allowing a moratorium on payment of instalments of term loans and deferring payment of interest rates on working capital loans for a period of 3 months. None of these measures would call of asset reclassification at the end of financial institutions and would also have no bearing on the default credit history of the borrowers.

“The decision to put a temporary stop on payment of term loans and interest rates on working capital loans will provide relief to the companies as their cash flows have been completely disrupted. We hope that RBI will do a continuous review of the situation as it evolves and will revisit the announcements for any further extension and relaxations that may be required in this period of uncertainty. We look forward to all relaxations being transmitted by banks in full and without delay,” said Dr Reddy.

FICCI would continue to update the RBI and the Finance Ministry on the concerns being faced by Indian industry and we hope to see all support being rendered by the central bank for keeping Indian industry and economy moving, during this difficult period. We are confident should the need arise some of these measures could be extended as well as other ones announced.

Business Standard |

PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme will take care of the poor and vulnerable, Says FICCI

The government came out with a comprehensive Rs 1.7 lakh crore PM Gareeb Kalyan package to support the most vulnerable and needy sections of the society who are facing the brunt of situations created by the spread of coronavirus. "The steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society through the immediate crisis. The government has also shown that it's determined to act with urgency and impact both to keep the citizens safe and also to mitigate their economic hardship. FICCI also supports the government's approach to start the relief measure with the bottom of the pyramid as they are the ones who need it most urgently both in urban and rural India," said Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI.

"Once again we see the government being swift in its actions and extremely responsive to the requirements of the day. The crisis facing the nation not just relates to health, but it is a larger economic and humanitarian crisis and requires the kind of response we saw today from the Finance Minister. We needed at this hour to assure the poor and vulnerable sections of society that the government and the country stands with them and would not let them suffer on account of want of food, healthcare or money to meet their daily requirements. The announcements offer relief to a very large section of society and we are encouraged to note that all the steps announced come into force with immediate effect," said Dr Reddy.

"The disruptions caused by covid-19 and its spread are massive. We see dislocations across sectors. There is a large-scale movement of people taking place as economic activity comes to a halt. Amidst this, it was important to highlight that by staying back at home, one's economic and social needs will be catered to by the government. Through the large- scale cash transfer program announced by the government, we will see this intended impact. The government has tried to utilise the infrastructure of bank accounts and DBT created over time and is putting it to good use," she said.

Meanwhile, FICCI looks forward to the next set of announcements by the Finance Minister aimed at the corporate sector that is also essential to keep the economic fabric of the country intact and we are hopeful that same will be announced in quick succession.

All India Radio |

Steps announced by FM Nirmala Sitharaman are critical for vulnerable sections: FICCI

Industry body group, FICCI has said that the steps announced by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society through the immediate crisis. FICCI President Dr Sangita Reddy welcomed Prime Minister's Gareeb Kalyan Scheme saying it will take care of the poor and vulnerable, women and MSME workers, effectively.

She said, the government has also shown that it’s determined to act with urgency and impact both to keep the citizens safe and also to mitigate their economic hardship. Ms Reddy said, FICCI is looking forward to the next set of announcements by the Finance Minister aimed at the corporate sector.

APN News |

Steps announced by FM Nirmala Sitharaman are critical for vulnerable sections: FICCI

Industry body group, FICCI has said that the steps announced by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society through the immediate crisis. FICCI President Dr Sangita Reddy welcomed Prime Minister’s Gareeb Kalyan Scheme saying it will take care of the poor and vulnerable, women and MSME workers, effectively.

She said, the government has also shown that it’s determined to act with urgency and impact both to keep the citizens safe and also to mitigate their economic hardship. Ms Reddy said, FICCI is looking forward to the next set of announcements by the Finance Minister aimed at the corporate sector.

SME Future |

Coronavirus Lockdown: Sitharaman announces 1.7 lakh crore relief package for poor

In the wake of an unprecedented nation-wide lockdown, to control novel coronavirus (Covid-19) infections, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, today, announced a Rs. 1.76 Trillion economic package. It aims to benefit more than 80 Crore migrant workers, urban and rural poor hit by lockdown.

The relief measures for the country has come as a ray of hope that is grappling with mitigating deadly Coronavirus spread and is in a 21-day lockdown.

The economic relief package will be made available under existing Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan Yojana. It will be delivered both through cash transfer and food security. The package will come into immediate effect.

Earlier this week, the finance minister announced measures related to statutory compliance and regulatory.

Here are the key highlights of the relief package announced by FM, Nirmala Sitharaman:
  • PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme will entail Rs 1.7 lakh crore. It will include both cash transfer and food security.
  • 3 Months medical insurance cover worth Rs 50 lakhs for each corona warriors (sanitation workers, ASHA workers, doctors, nurses, paramedics) who are on the frontlines of the corona battle
  • 80 crore poor people will be given an additional 5kg of rice/wheat per person to the existing 5kg per month per person. An Additional 1kg pulse (as per regional preference) also will be given free per household.
Direct cash transfers which is mainly under DBT :

Ten specific group of people will be addressed under DBT. These will include farmers, MGNREGA beneficiaries, senior citizens, poor widows, poor Divyang (handicapped), women having Jan Dhan Yojana accounts and women under Ujjwala Yojana, women in SHGs, construction workers.
  • Farmers: The first instalment of Rs 2,000 out of annual Rs Six thousand allocated of PM Kisan Yojna will get transferred by the first week of April 2020. Through this scheme, 8.69 crore farmers will get an immediate benefit.
  • MGNREGA: Increase in wage rate from Rs 182 to Rs 202 amounting to increase of Rs 2000 per worker. It will benefit over five crore people.
  • Senior Citizens/ Widows/Divayangs: An additional Ex gratia amount of Rs 1,000 for the next three months will be available in two instalments. It will benefit over three crore divayangs, widows and senior citizens.
  • Women Jan Dhan account holders: Ex gratia of Rs 500 per month for the next three months. This is likely to benefit 20 crore women. Women Ujjawala Scheme: Beneficiaries under the scheme will get free cylinders for the next three months. This is likely to benefit 8.3 crore BPL families.
  • Women Self Help Groups: Under the Deen Dayal National Livelihood Mission, collateral-free loan will be given up to Rs 20 lakh from existing Rs 10 lakh. This scheme will have an impact on seven crore households through 63 lakh SHGs.
  • Construction workers: The state governments have been directed to use the welfare fund for building and construction workers.
  • The fund already has around Rs 31,000 crore. It can be utilised to help those who are facing financial hardships because of the Covid-19 lockdown. The funds available under the district mineral fund will be utilised for testing activities, medical screening, providing health attention needed to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Organised sector:
  • Government will pay the EPF contribution of both the employer and the employee, put together of 24 per cent for the next three months. Those establishments with up to 100 employees, 90 per cent of them earning less than Rs 15,000 will be eligible.
  • EPFO regulation would get amended; workers can now withdraw up to 75% of the PF balances or three months of wages whichever is less as non-refundable advance. It is likely to benefit 4.8 crore workers.

Devdiscourse |

FICCI hails Centre's Rs 1,70,000 cr package for COVID-19 hit poor

The Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Thursday welcomed the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), stating that the steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society in view of the immediate crisis arising out of the nationwide lockdown. "The steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society through the immediate crisis. The government has also shown that it's determined to act with urgency and impact both to keep the citizens safe and also to mitigate their economic hardship," a release quoted Dr Sangita Reddy, president of FICCI as saying.

The Centre has announced a relief package of Rs 1,70,000 crore which includes five kg each of rice and wheat and one kg of pulses to every family free of cost during the coronavirus lockdown. The president of FICCI said this was needed at this hour to assure the poor and vulnerable sections of society that the government and the country stand with them and would not let them suffer on account of want of food, healthcare or money to meet their daily requirements.

"The announcements offer relief to a very large section of society and we are encouraged to note that all the steps announced come into force with immediate effect," said Dr Reddy. Reddy also stated that FICCI had suggested the need for such a nation-wide cash transfer programme and to take care of the people involved in the MGNREGA scheme.

BJP president JP Nadda had earlier said that the amount of the relief fund will be transferred via DBT fund to the needy. "Farmers, labourers, poor women, disabled and senior citizens will be benefited and free gas cylinders will be provided for three months under the Ujjwala Scheme," said Nadda in a tweet.

Lokmat English |

FICCI hails Centre's Rs 1,70,000 cr package for COVID-19 hit poor

The Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Thursday welcomed the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), stating that the steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society in view of the immediate crisis arising out of the nationwide lockdown.

"The steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society through the immediate crisis. The government has also shown that it's determined to act with urgency and impact both to keep the citizens safe and also to mitigate their economic hardship," a release quoted Dr Sangita Reddy, president of FICCI as saying.

The Centre has announced a relief package of Rs 1,70,000 crore which includes five kg each of rice and wheat and one kg of pulses to every family free of cost during the coronavirus lockdown.

The president of FICCI said this was needed at this hour to assure the poor and vulnerable sections of society that the government and the country stand with them and would not let them suffer on account of want of food, healthcare or money to meet their daily requirements.

"The announcements offer relief to a very large section of society and we are encouraged to note that all the steps announced come into force with immediate effect," said Dr Reddy.

Reddy also stated that FICCI had suggested the need for such a nation-wide cash transfer programme and to take care of the people involved in the MGNREGA scheme.

BJP president JP Nadda had earlier said that the amount of the relief fund will be transferred via DBT fund to the needy.

"Farmers, labourers, poor women, disabled and senior citizens will be benefited and free gas cylinders will be provided for three months under the Ujjwala Scheme," said Nadda in a tweet.

Nyoooz |

FICCI welcomes PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme it will take care of the Poor and vulnerable Women MSME workers effectively

FICCI has been demanding this kind of support and the chamber welcomes the government's approach in dealing with the situation. “The steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society through the immediate crisis. “Once again we see the government being swift in its actions and extremely responsive to the requirements of the day. Through the large- scale cash transfer program announced by the government, we will see this intended impact. “FICCI had suggested the need for such a nation-wide cash transfer program and to take care of people involved in the MGNREGA scheme and those in the informal segment of society.

Newsjizz |

The industry appreciates the stimulus measures for the poor and vulnerable sectors; hopes of encouragement for distressed businesses

India Inc welcomed the 1.70 rupee lakh rupee relief package for the poor and most vulnerable sections and said it is time for the government to take action to ease the pain of distressed businesses affected by the outbreak of coronavirus.

The Center includes free food grains and cooking gas for the poor for the next three months, one-time benefits for poor women and seniors, higher wages for workers, and measures to increase liquidity for employees, as the Centro seeks to contain the unprecedented impact of the entire country. confinement

The entire package is expected to alleviate the difficulties currently facing the poor and distressed. However, the government could be more aggressive in its spending with a general fiscal stimulus of 2.5-3 percent of GDP if the disruptions continue for the next 3 months, the IIC director general Chandrajit Banerjee said.

The chamber of industry awaits some measures to address the needs of struggling companies, especially in the small and medium-scale sector, which have very little cash flow under current circumstances.

The government needs to excuse them from making legal payments like utilities and GST payments for the next three months. Special support is also needed for severely affected sectors such as tourism and hospitality, Banerjee said.

FICCI President Sangita Reddy said the disruptions caused by Covid-19 and its spread are massive and dislocations are seen in all sectors.

FICCI is looking forward to the next set of announcements from the finance minister targeting the corporate sector, which is also essential in keeping the country's economic fabric intact and we look forward to it being announced in quick succession, he added.

Assocham general secretary Deepak Sood said the industry expects similar measures for businesses and commerce in sync with the RBI with the utmost urgency for general bank loan benefits.

The Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan (economy package) will certainly provide relief to people who have been affected by the economic disruption due to the Coronavirus outbreak. This is certainly a step in the right direction and will provide emergency aid for those affected by the blockade, said Rumki Majumdar, economist, Deloitte India.

According to Partha Chatterjee, head of the economics department at Shiv Nadar University, the government should think of more steps to help the organized sector and, in turn, encourage formalization of the economy.

They can waive interest rates on loans and provide bridging loans, particularly for operating cost, since in the current situation they may be closed and have no income inflows, he said.

With companies closed during closure, the government will contribute employees as well as the employer contribution to the provident fund for the next three months from companies with up to 100 employees with 90 percent earning no more than Rs 15,000. The contribution will be a total of 24 percent of eligible wages.

For people who are members of the provident fund, relaxing the withdrawal conditions under the EPF Scheme will help them overcome the short-term cash crisis. However, the withdrawal process will need to be quickly streamlined so that members can withdraw their accumulation of provident funds expeditiously, said Richa Mohanty Rao, a partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.

Bio Spectrum |

Immediate need for fiscal intervention for COVID-19 impact: healthcare industry

Healthcare Industry jointly represented by FICCI, AHPI, ASSOCHAM, Indian Chamber of Commerce, PhD Chamber of Commerce, PHANA Karnataka and NATHEALTH has announced some key recommendations that emphasizes on the immediate need for Fiscal and Non-Fiscal Interventions from Government required for the Sector to deal with COVID-19 impact.

While greatly appreciating Government’s efforts to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, the healthcare industry leaders cutting across entire industry spectrum have urged upon the government to come forward with fiscal intervention to arrest the adverse impact on the economy and thereby on human lives. The Industry leaders recommended both fiscal and non-fiscal interventions for several sectors which focus on the Service sector, especially Hospitals, Diagnostics, Pathology Labs, Med Tech, Insurance, Home Care and other healthcare service providers.

“The services sector, which accounts for about 55% of India’s gross domestic product, is poised to be the worst hit due to actions such as mandatory and self-imposed curfew. The social distancing measures would lead to lower footfalls in the healthcare sector, the decline in elective procedure volume and sub-optimal operating efficiencies that will have a severe impact on the cash flows of companies in the capital-intensive sector. The industry is also suffering from reduced availability & elevated pricing observed for certain essential consumable items,” the Representation to the government pointed out.

“Also, the global supply chains are in turmoil driving up shortages and a significant hike in input costs which cannot be passed on to consumers as healthcare services are exempt from GST and many of the critical items are capped in prices, resulting in a body blow to this sector which will now be pivotal for a turnaround in the fight against COVID-19. Apart from the healthcare facilities, medical devices, diagnostics and health insurance have also been affected due to the supply-chain and demand disruptions,” it said.

Covid -19 needs all health workers to be motivated and secured as a united front. Health Services including Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Diagnostic Labs and Homecare, these segments need immediate fiscal intervention. Industry leaders strongly recommended the government to ensure working capital and that would the hospitals continue to operate at near-normal levels and patients - both void-19 and others can avail the services. The industry called for six to nine months’ moratorium on all working capital, principal, interest payments on loans and overdrafts, bringing in liquidity and allowing for business continuity.

Dubbing it as a critical fiscal intervention, the healthcare industry sought short-term interest-free loans for augmenting capacity, and to ensure smooth hospital operations without supply-chain disruptions. The government also was requested to examine Grant or Subsidy to as an interim market support mechanism.

To maintain operational expenditure including payment of salaries to health professionals on time, the Industry suggested cash flow to the government should immediately release 100 per cent Central and State Government dues to the sector under various schemes such as CGHC, ECHS, State Schemes, GIPSA among other. The Representation also seeks urgent release of Income Tax refunds and to allow a quarter's postponement on compliances, payment of insurance without the policies getting lapsed.

The Healthcare leaders said that a waiver of GST on input costs and services for two quarters would help enormously.

“This would also ensure that hospitals are not forced to curtail the outsource services like House Keeping, Security and F&B (all of which have significant GST levies), in turn causing loss of jobs people employed in those sectors. Deferment of pre-payment of loan for 12 months should be allowed. Deferment of advance tax payments at the Central Government level would also be a significant fiscal intervention,” they said in the unified representation.

For Medical Devices industry, the Representation calls for cut down custom duty across the board for life-saving medical equipment and set up a credit window facility that can help us augment infrastructure during this period of great turmoil. It also suggested withdrawal of Health Cess Ad Valorem from Medical Devices so that the Health Cess will apply only to Basic Customs Duty. For the Medical Device industry also the healthcare emphasised that Government should clear all outstanding and make timely payment for upcoming procurements from government Institutions in the current crisis, which will go a long way in supporting med-tech companies.

The industry leaders are of the view that along with fiscal incentives and support, non-fiscal interventions would be equally critical.

“Further to the Ministry of Health guidelines on home quarantine and telemedicine, the government should also issue standard guidelines for Home Healthcare Providers notifying them under ambit of Clinical Establishment act, as they can contribute by remote monitoring of cases by monitoring patients for symptoms in-home quarantine, patients in E-ICU beyond metros, cases recovering from COVID-19 and preventing or managing relapse,” the Representation paper said.

The Industry Representation also provided a comprehensive roadmap for incentives and promotional policies for Skill Development, Medical Education, Pharma and E-learning.

Other Key Recommendations
  • GST waiver for online education and interest subsidies
  • The impetus to online teaching & Support for setting up of skill labs and simulation centres at the medical college/ teaching hospital
  • Increase the number of healthcare professionals across the gamut in our country by Tripling the intake of nursing students from current levels
  • In medical colleges, some relaxations to be considered vide Standard Requirements Guidelines during this period
  • The system should be in place to ensure there are no blockages in Manufacturing Essential Pharmaceutical products including Hand Sanitizers, Face Masks etc. Also PHARMA testing
  • Laboratories should be rapidly expanded and made fully operational.
Other Critical Non-Fiscal Recommendations
  • Create a nodal department on a war footing for MSMEs where all the queries related to essential supplies for Covid19 can be directed to for immediate action.
  • Notification to be issued for procurement by the government on a direct basis, based on specifications and previous supply credentials, and not through HLL/tendering
  • Allow a preferential clearance of medical devices/ spare parts/ raw materials in airports and seaports. A very large backlog is expected post international flight landing restrictions which will result in delaying customs clearance.
  • Fast track regulatory approval for diagnostic kits and new drugs identified for COVID 19 (eq. hydroxy chloroquine is now approved by USFDA for COVID
  • Explore other available testing technologies beyond RT PCR to enhance access in masses.
  • Health Insurance: Government to provide relief for GST payable and reduce it to 5% so that more people would be able to afford to buy Health Insurance especially the senior citizens aged 60 and above.

Outlook |

Industry welcomes stimulus measures for poor, vulnerable sections; now hopes for stimulus to ease pain of distressed businesses

India Inc welcomed the Rs 1.70 lakh crore relief package for the poor and most vulnerable sections and said now it is high time that the government take measures to ease pain of distressed businesses hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

The Centre's economic package involves free foodgrains and cooking gas to the poor for the next three months, one-time doles to women and poor senior citizens, higher wages to workers and measures to boost liquidity of employees as the Centre looks to contain the impact of unprecedented nationwide lockdown.

"The entire package is expected to alleviate the difficulties currently being faced by the poor and the distressed. However, the government could be more aggressive in its spending with an overall fiscal stimulus at 2.5-3 per cent of GDP if the disruptions continue for the next 3 months," CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said.

The industry chamber expects some measures for addressing the needs of distressed businesses, especially in the small and medium scale sector, which have very little cash flows in the current circumstances.

"The government needs to excuse them from making statutory payments such as utility and GST payments for the next three months. Special support is also needed for severely affected sectors such as tourism and hospitality," Banerjee said.

FICCI President Sangita Reddy said the disruptions caused by covid-19 and its spread are massive and dislocations are seen across sectors.

"FICCI looks forward to the next set of announcements by the Finance Minister aimed at the corporate sector that is also essential to keep the economic fabric of the country intact and we are hopeful that same will be announced in quick succession, " she added.

Assocham Secretary General Deepak Sood said, the industry expects similar measures for the businesses and trade in sync with the RBI with the foremost urgency for across-the-board forebearances on bank loans.

"The Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan (Economic Package) will certainly provide relief to the people who have been impacted by the economic disruption due to the Coronavirus outbreak. This is certainly a step in the right direction and will provide emergency relief to those impacted by the lockdown," said Rumki Majumdar, Economist, Deloitte India.

According to Partha Chatterjee, Head of the Economics Department, Shiv Nadar University, the government should think about more steps to help the organised sector, and in turn encourage formalization of the economy.

"They can waive off interest rates on loans and provide bridge loans, particularly for operational cost since in the current situation they may be shut off and have no inflows of revenues," he said.

With businesses closed during the lockdown, the government will contribute employees as well as employer's contribution to the provident fund for the next three months of companies with up to 100 employees with 90 per cent earning not more than Rs 15,000. The contribution will be a total of 24 per cent of eligible wages.

"For individuals who are members of the provident fund, the relaxation on withdrawal conditions under the EPF Scheme will help them tide over short-term cash crunch. However, the withdrawal process will need to be quickly streamlined in order for members to be able to withdraw their provident fund accumulation in an expeditious manner, " Richa Mohanty Rao, Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas said.

Yahoo News |

FICCI hails Centre's Rs 1,70,000 cr package for COVID-19 hit poor

The Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Thursday welcomed the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), stating that the steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society in view of the immediate crisis arising out of the nationwide lockdown.

"The steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society through the immediate crisis. The government has also shown that it's determined to act with urgency and impact both to keep the citizens safe and also to mitigate their economic hardship," a release quoted Dr Sangita Reddy, president of FICCI as saying.

The Centre has announced a relief package of Rs 1,70,000 crore which includes five kg each of rice and wheat and one kg of pulses to every family free of cost during the coronavirus lockdown.

The president of FICCI said this was needed at this hour to assure the poor and vulnerable sections of society that the government and the country stand with them and would not let them suffer on account of want of food, healthcare or money to meet their daily requirements.

"The announcements offer relief to a very large section of society and we are encouraged to note that all the steps announced come into force with immediate effect," said Dr Reddy.

Reddy also stated that FICCI had suggested the need for such a nation-wide cash transfer programme and to take care of the people involved in the MGNREGA scheme.

BJP president JP Nadda had earlier said that the amount of the relief fund will be transferred via DBT fund to the needy.

"Farmers, labourers, poor women, disabled and senior citizens will be benefited and free gas cylinders will be provided for three months under the Ujjwala Scheme," said Nadda in a tweet.

ANI News |

FICCI hails Centre's Rs 1,70,000 cr package for COVID-19 hit poor

The Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Thursday welcomed the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), stating that the steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society in view of the immediate crisis arising out of the nationwide lockdown.

"The steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society through the immediate crisis. The government has also shown that it's determined to act with urgency and impact both to keep the citizens safe and also to mitigate their economic hardship," a release quoted Dr Sangita Reddy, president of FICCI as saying.

The Centre has announced a relief package of Rs 1,70,000 crore which includes five kg each of rice and wheat and one kg of pulses to every family free of cost during the coronavirus lockdown.

The president of FICCI said this was needed at this hour to assure the poor and vulnerable sections of society that the government and the country stand with them and would not let them suffer on account of want of food, healthcare or money to meet their daily requirements.

"The announcements offer relief to a very large section of society and we are encouraged to note that all the steps announced come into force with immediate effect," said Dr Reddy.

Reddy also stated that FICCI had suggested the need for such a nation-wide cash transfer programme and to take care of the people involved in the MGNREGA scheme.

BJP president JP Nadda had earlier said that the amount of the relief fund will be transferred via DBT fund to the needy.

"Farmers, labourers, poor women, disabled and senior citizens will be benefited and free gas cylinders will be provided for three months under the Ujjwala Scheme," said Nadda in a tweet.

Orissadiary.com |

FICCI welcomes PM Gareeb Kalyan Scheme, it will take care of the Poor and vulnerable, Women, MSME workers, effectively

Soon after the announcements made to offer relaxations with regard to statutory and regulatory compliances for companies, the government today came out with a comprehensive Rs 1.7 lakh crore PM Gareeb Kalyan package to support the most vulnerable and needy sections of the society who are facing the brunt of situations created by the spread of coronavirus.

FICCI has been demanding this kind of support and the chamber welcomes the government’s approach in dealing with the situation.

“The steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society through the immediate crisis. The government has also shown that it’s determined to act with urgency and impact both to keep the citizens safe and also to mitigate their economic hardship. FICCI also supports the government’s approach to start the relief measure with the bottom of the pyramid as they are the ones who need it most urgently both in urban and rural India,” said Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI.

“Once again we see the government being swift in its actions and extremely responsive to the requirements of the day. The crisis facing the nation not just relates to health, but it is a larger economic and humanitarian crisis and requires the kind of response we saw today from the Finance Minister. We needed at this hour to assure the poor and vulnerable sections of society that the government and the country stands with them and would not let them suffer on account of want of food, healthcare or money to meet their daily requirements. The announcements offer relief to a very large section of society and we are encouraged to note that all the steps announced come into force with immediate effect,” said Dr Reddy.

“As an expression of deep gratitude on behalf of all Indians for the frontline soldiers of the healthcare community that are leading India’s war against covid-19, the government has announced a health insurance coverage of Rs 50 lakh. This is extremely praiseworthy, and FICCI has suggested the same as we need to think not just of our patients but also of the people who are treating them in our hospitals and clinics,” added Dr Reddy.

“The disruptions caused by covid-19 and its spread are massive. We see dislocations across sectors. There is a large-scale movement of people taking place as economic activity comes to a halt. Amidst this, it was important to highlight that by staying back at home, one’s economic and social needs will be catered to by the government. Through the large- scale cash transfer program announced by the government, we will see this intended impact. The government has tried to utilise the infrastructure of bank accounts and DBT created over time and is putting it to good use,” she said.

“FICCI had suggested the need for such a nation-wide cash transfer program and to take care of people involved in the MGNREGA scheme and those in the informal segment of society. We had also suggested front-loading of the amounts due under the PM-KISAN scheme. While the transfer of money into the bank accounts will be the easy part, government will have to ensure that the supply chains of all kinds of commodities of daily use remain intact so that essential goods get delivered at the last mile across the length and breadth of the country,” added Dr Reddy.

The announcement to contribute both the employer and employee share to the PF accounts for the next three months for enterprises with upto 100 workers and having 90% of the staff earning upto Rs 15000/- will provide a lot of comfort the micro and small enterprises. This measure is in line with what we are seeing in other parts of the world where small businesses are being supported by way of liquidity management tools.

FICCI looks forward to the next set of announcements by the Finance Minister aimed at the corporate sector that is also essential to keep the economic fabric of the country intact and we are hopeful that same will be announced in quick succession.

The Free Press Journal |

Corporates continue to wait for FM’s announcement aimed at businesses

Once again the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has left corporates wondering. While they were hopeful about an economic package coming their way, it has not happened. But as these corporates welcome the package basically for marginalised Indians, they continue to be hopeful for an economic package for the private sector.

Appreciating the FM for taking care of poor, women and workers with the special economic package, industry body FICCI, said, “FICCI looks forward to the next set of announcements by the Finance Minister aimed at the corporate sector that is also essential to keep the economic fabric of the country intact and we are hopeful that same will be announced in quick succession.”

Echoing the same sentiments, CII, stated the body expects some measures for addressing the needs of distressed businesses, especially in the small and medium scale sector, which have very little cash flows in the current circumstances. “The government needs to excuse them from making statutory payments such as utility and GST payments for the next three months. Special support is also needed for severely affected sectors such as tourism and hospitality, etc. CII hopes that the RBI will soon bring in relief measures for distressed businesses including a moratorium on debt repayments and redefinition of non-performing assets.”

The announcement of EPF contribution by the government for small business was also lauded. Corporates appreciated this liquidity tool used to provide relief to small businesses. Niranjan Hiranandani, President, Assocham and NAREDCO said, “ For the organised sector, EPF contribution by the Government for some segments of workers will play an important role in ensuring that the bottom of the pyramid is able to handle the challenges of the lockdown.”

Supporting the FM on the announcement, IMC, President, Ashish Vaid, said, “IMC is fully confident that the FM's announcement of today (Thursday) will help in streamlining compliances and provide relief to the poor, daily wage earners, and to the lower sections of the society who have been badly affected due to this disruption. However, businesses are eagerly awaiting the fiscal stimulus needed to overcome these difficult times.”

Business Standard |

FICCI hails Centre's Rs 1,70,000 cr package for COVID-19 hit poor

The Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Thursday welcomed the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), stating that the steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society in view of the immediate crisis arising out of the nationwide lockdown.

"The steps announced by the government are critical and substantial to help the most vulnerable sections of the society through the immediate crisis. The government has also shown that it's determined to act with urgency and impact both to keep the citizens safe and also to mitigate their economic hardship," a release quoted Dr Sangita Reddy, president of FICCI as saying.

The Centre has announced a relief package of Rs 1,70,000 crore which includes five kg each of rice and wheat and one kg of pulses to every family free of cost during the coronavirus lockdown.

The president of FICCI said this was needed at this hour to assure the poor and vulnerable sections of society that the government and the country stand with them and would not let them suffer on account of want of food, healthcare or money to meet their daily requirements.

"The announcements offer relief to a very large section of society and we are encouraged to note that all the steps announced come into force with immediate effect," said Dr Reddy.

Reddy also stated that FICCI had suggested the need for such a nation-wide cash transfer programme and to take care of the people involved in the MGNREGA scheme.

BJP president JP Nadda had earlier said that the amount of the relief fund will be transferred via DBT fund to the needy.

"Farmers, labourers, poor women, disabled and senior citizens will be benefited and free gas cylinders will be provided for three months under the Ujjwala Scheme," said Nadda in a tweet.

Financial Express |

Coronavirus relief package: India Inc welcomes govt's help for poor, expects measures for distressed businesses

India Inc welcomed the Rs 1.70 lakh crore relief package for the poor and most vulnerable sections and said now it is high time that the government take measures to ease pain of distressed businesses hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

The Centre’s economic package involves free foodgrains and cooking gas to the poor for the next three months, one-time doles to women and poor senior citizens, higher wages to workers and measures to boost liquidity of employees as the Centre looks to contain the impact of unprecedented nationwide lockdown.

“The entire package is expected to alleviate the difficulties currently being faced by the poor and the distressed. However, the government could be more aggressive in its spending with an overall fiscal stimulus at 2.5-3 per cent of GDP if the disruptions continue for the next 3 months,” CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said.

The industry chamber expects some measures for addressing the needs of distressed businesses, especially in the small and medium scale sector, which have very little cash flows in the current circumstances. “The government needs to excuse them from making statutory payments such as utility and GST payments for the next three months. Special support is also needed for severely affected sectors such as tourism and hospitality,” Banerjee said.

FICCI President Sangita Reddy said the disruptions caused by covid-19 and its spread are massive and dislocations are seen across sectors. “FICCI looks forward to the next set of announcements by the Finance Minister aimed at the corporate sector that is also essential to keep the economic fabric of the country intact and we are hopeful that same will be announced in quick succession, ” she added.

Assocham Secretary General Deepak Sood said, the industry expects similar measures for the businesses and trade in sync with the RBI with the foremost urgency for across-the-board forebearances on bank loans. “The Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan (Economic Package) will certainly provide relief to the people who have been impacted by the economic disruption due to the Coronavirus outbreak. This is certainly a step in the right direction and will provide emergency relief to those impacted by the lockdown,” said Rumki Majumdar, Economist, Deloitte India.

According to Partha Chatterjee, Head of the Economics Department, Shiv Nadar University, the government should think about more steps to help the organised sector, and in turn encourage formalization of the economy. “They can waive off interest rates on loans and provide bridge loans, particularly for operational cost since in the current situation they may be shut off and have no inflows of revenues,” he said.

With businesses closed during the lockdown, the government will contribute employees as well as employer”s contribution to the provident fund for the next three months of companies with up to 100 employees with 90 per cent earning not more than Rs 15,000. The contribution will be a total of 24 per cent of eligible wages.

“For individuals who are members of the provident fund, the relaxation on withdrawal conditions under the EPF Scheme will help them tide over short-term cash crunch. However, the withdrawal process will need to be quickly streamlined in order for members to be able to withdraw their provident fund accumulation in an expeditious manner, ” Richa Mohanty Rao, Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas said.

Financial Express |

MSMEs welcome govt's decision to bear EPF contribution; to help small businesses in these key areas

Ease of Doing Business for MSMEs: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s decision on Thursday for the government to bear the 24 per cent contribution of both employee and employer combined to the Employees’ Provident Fund for the coming three months is welcoming for small businesses, said MSME sector experts. The move will help MSMEs in terms of better cash flows and liquidity. “This is good in terms of cash flows for MSMEs. Also since one doesn’t know whether this lockdown would continue beyond April 14, MSME would not be worried about the deadline of payments. Hence, there would be no violation on account of missing the deadline even as they won’t have to worry about interest or penalty for late payments,” Sanjay Bhatia, President, FICCI-CMSME told Financial Express Online. The announcement will be applicable from April 1, 2020.

EPF rules mandate a 12 per cent contribution by both employee and employer from the monthly salary. “This comes as a huge relief to the SMEs at a time when the companies in the sector are witnessing cash flow crunch on account of slower business movement and payment delay from the customers. In addition, the scheme puts additional money in the hands of employees in these tough times, as the scheme comes with the option to withdraw a part of their EPFO balances,” Shachindra Nath, Executive Chairman, UGRO Capital (small business lender) told Financial Express Online. However, this relief isn’t for every MSME. Businesses having up to 100 employees and 90 per cent of them earning less than Rs 15,000 per month would be able to avail this benefit.

“The move will provide some relief in these tough times to MSMEs. Those employees on wages below Rs 15,000 would take home a little more. But even with this, it is going to be very difficult for these SMEs to survive this downturn,” Akash Gehani, COO and Co-founder, Instamojo (payment gateway for MSMEs) told Financial Express Online. Moreover with the said criteria, it “will not allow the announced benefits to have a far-reaching effect,” Raunak Singh, Founding Partner, Avitr Legal told Financial Express Online. Nonetheless, “it may be said to be a welcome move at a time when the employer fraternity in India has been looking forward to such initiatives from the government,” Singh added.

The Hindu Business Line |

FCI stocks come in handy

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcement of giving 15 kg of wheat or rice free to 80-crore people over the next three months would require additional 12 million tonnes (mt) of grains.

This would be over and above the 5 kg foodgrains they already get through the public distribution system (PDS).

This move will not only help households that are impacted by the lockdown, but also liquidate foodgrain stocks available with public procurement agencies.

Liquidate foodgrain stocks

“This is a good decision by the government. It will help the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to clear a good part of the huge foodgrain stock it is currently saddled with,” said Siraj Chaudhry, MD and CEO of National Collateral Management Services Limited. “It will help procurement agencies to make space for fresh wheat stocks which, if everything goes well, will start coming in from the second half of April.

On the flip side, it may hit farmers who would sell in the open market, with prices going down owing to lower demand, Chaudhry added.

Nearly a third of wheat is sold in the open market by farmers. The government should also be careful to ensure that the bulk of grains being given away is not sold back to the FCI, the NCML official said.

Liquidating stocks is a good idea as it would bring down the carrying stock of these foodgrains, Chaudhary said.

As on March 1, the FCI had 30.97 mt of rice and 27.52 mt of wheat, totalling 58.49 mt. The FCI also has unmilled paddy stock of 28.70 mt.

The current stocks are close to three times the stipulated buffer and strategic reserves.

Assocham Secretary-General Deepak Sood lauded the package and said free ration for three months over and above the existing quantity under PDS, and making available cooking gas to the beneficiaries of the Ujwala scheme will help the poor.

FICCI President Sangita Reddy said the government will have to ensure last-mile connectivity of essential goods.

She also welcomed the announcement front-loading first PM Kisan Samman Nidhi instalment of ₹2,000 to 8.69-crore farmers.

Even though directives have been given to allow inter-State movement of essential goods, they are not clearly transmitted to check-points and, as a result, vehicles carrying essential goods continue to be held up in many places.

The Times of India |

Industry welcomes stimulus measures for poor, vulnerable sections; hopes for stimulus for distressed businesses

India Inc welcomed the Rs 1.70 lakh crore relief package for the poor and most vulnerable sections and said now it is high time that the government take measures to ease pain of distressed businesses hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

The Centre's economic package involves free foodgrains and cooking gas to the poor for the next three months, one-time doles to women and poor senior citizens, higher wages to workers and measures to boost liquidity of employees as the Centre looks to contain the impact of unprecedented nationwide lockdown.

"The entire package is expected to alleviate the difficulties currently being faced by the poor and the distressed. However, the government could be more aggressive in its spending with an overall fiscal stimulus at 2.5-3 per cent of GDP if the disruptions continue for the next 3 months," CII director general Chandrajit Banerjee said.

The industry chamber expects some measures for addressing the needs of distressed businesses, especially in the small and medium scale sector, which have very little cash flows in the current circumstances.

"The government needs to excuse them from making statutory payments such as utility and GST payments for the next three months. Special support is also needed for severely affected sectors such as tourism and hospitality," Banerjee said.

FICCI president Sangita Reddy said the disruptions caused by Covid-19 and its spread are massive and dislocations are seen across sectors.

"FICCI looks forward to the next set of announcements by the finance minister aimed at the corporate sector that is also essential to keep the economic fabric of the country intact and we are hopeful that same will be announced in quick succession," she added.

Assocham secretary general Deepak Sood said, the industry expects similar measures for the businesses and trade in sync with the RBI with the foremost urgency for across-the-board forebearances on bank loans.

"The Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan (economic package) will certainly provide relief to the people who have been impacted by the economic disruption due to the Coronavirus outbreak. This is certainly a step in the right direction and will provide emergency relief to those impacted by the lockdown," said Rumki Majumdar, economist, Deloitte India.

According to Partha Chatterjee, head of the economics department, Shiv Nadar University, the government should think about more steps to help the organised sector, and in turn encourage formalization of the economy.

"They can waive off interest rates on loans and provide bridge loans, particularly for operational cost since in the current situation they may be shut off and have no inflows of revenues," he said.

With businesses closed during the lockdown, the government will contribute employees as well as employer's contribution to the provident fund for the next three months of companies with up to 100 employees with 90 per cent earning not more than Rs 15,000. The contribution will be a total of 24 per cent of eligible wages.

"For individuals who are members of the provident fund, the relaxation on withdrawal conditions under the EPF Scheme will help them tide over short-term cash crunch. However, the withdrawal process will need to be quickly streamlined in order for members to be able to withdraw their provident fund accumulation in an expeditious manner, " Richa Mohanty Rao, partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas said.

The Economic Times |

Covid-19 pandemic: Finmin writes to RBI on relief measures

The finance ministry has asked the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to consider implementing a series of emergency measures aimed at helping borrowers cope with the economic havoc wreaked by the Covid-19 pandemic, said a person aware of the development.

Department of financial services secretary Debashish Panda wrote to the RBI on Tuesday suggesting a moratorium of a few months on the payment of equated monthly installments (EMIs), interest and loan repayments and a relaxation in the classification of nonperforming assets (NPAs), according to the person cited above. Panda also underscored the importance of maintaining liquidity in the system.

The letter highlighted the need for relief measures as individuals and businesses face loss of income arising from the coronavirus outbreak. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown starting Wednesday to slow the spread of the outbreak.

Businesses and individuals may not be able to service loans due to the lockdown and risk adverse action by banks and damage to their credit profile.

Package Likely in 2-3 Days

Under RBI rules, any default in payments has to be recognised within 30 days and these accounts are to be classified as special mention accounts.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had on Tuesday announced relief from compliances under several laws and raised the threshold for insolvency filings to Rs 1 crore from Rs 1 lakh. She also said the government was working out a package to counter the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and that this would be announced "sooner than later."

Another government source said the economic package could be unveiled over the next two-three days and it was being finalised between the Prime Minister’s Office and the finance ministry. Top officials from the finance ministry have held several rounds of discussions with the PMO and RBI on the package, the person said.

Asked about a likely pause on loan repayments, EMIs and credit card payments, and classification of NPAs, Sitharaman had said: “We will come back soon.”

She had said discussions were on with the RBI on various issues. "We will do whatever it takes to support... at this stage."

Industry groupings have called for a moratorium on all loans.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) lobby group, which has sought a stimulus of about 1% of the GDP or Rs 2 lakh crore, has sought a three-month moratorium on all loans and said all repayment obligations should be suspended for this period. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has suggested a two-quarter moratorium.

The CII emphasised that there is an immediate need to facilitate and enable advances for ways and means to industry across sectors.

Though these relaxations will hurt lenders, experts feel that the immediate concern is to ensure that businesses survive. Care Ratings said India’s GDP growth could slump to 1.5-2.5% in the fourth quarter as the usual ramping up of production ahead of the March fiscal year-end deadline won’t happen due to the shutdown.

The Economic Times |

Covid-19: Goods locked, delivery down, relief in transit

Retailers in many cities across the country said on Wednesday that staff were stopped and manhandled by police, even as the central government reiterated that essential services should not face disruption from local authorities. "On the ground, the interpretation and the reaction is very different from what the centre and the state governments have specified," said Mohit Kampani, deputy managing director of More Retail, which operates supermarkets across India.

In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown, in the country's biggest measure to fight the Covid-19 virus outbreak that has so far affected more than 300,000 people worldwide.

On Wednesday, retailers were busy video conferencing or meeting with police, municipal authorities in states and even calling on home ministry officials in New Delhi to find solutions to increasing incidents of alleged harassment, including forced closure of outlets and warehouses, and preventing retail staff from reaching stores. "Many of our employees are unable to reach stores as authorities have restricted their travel despite authorisation letters. In fact, there are a few markets where local authorities have asked stores to shut shop," said a Future Group spokesperson.

For example, the Big Bazaar hypermarket in Faridabad had to shut on Wednesday as police prevented staff from reaching the store. “In some states like Uttar Pradesh, even kirana (corner) stores were not allowed to open. So did Punjab which is very baffling,” said Arvind Mediratta, managing director of Metro Cash and Carry India. About eight Metro wholesale stores out of its total 28 were shut in many states.

“About 30% of our business comes from delivery, especially to the kiranas, but deliveries have been shut for the last 2-3 days because vehicles are either impounded or sent back by police,” Mediratta, who is also the head of industry chamber FICCI’s retail and internal trade committee, said. Food and grocery retail chain More said it was able to open 80% of its stores nationally on Wednesday. Stores in Punjab, however, were shut due to either difficulty in staff movement or because local authorities were not allowing to open outlets.

“The biggest issue is supply from our distribution centres to the store, with the trucks getting stopped by the police,” said Kampani. More has stopped selling all nonfood items and is currently focusing on 650 products for hypermarkets and 400 for supermarkets, which include packaged food, dairy, grocery, fruits and vegetables. The Retailers Association of India said incidents of manhandling of store staff by police were reported from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Gujarat. RAI has requested chief ministers and DGPs of these states to intervene to make sure essential goods are accessible.

Meanwhile, officials in Noida conducted conference calls with retailers and representatives from e-commerce companies, while the Gurugram Police tweeted on Wednesday that its officers had been directed to allow representatives of various companies, including Zomato, Flipkart, Amazon, Big Bazaar, Swiggy, Grofers, BigBasket and Milkbasket to operate.

The Economic Times |

Covid-19 lockdown: On day 1, government moves to fix supply chain hiccups

Central and state authorities were forced to step in to ensure that the supply of essentials such as food and medicines didn’t come to a complete halt after police enforcing the Covid-19 lockdown stopped trucks and delivery staff amid complaints of physical intimidation.

The country began the first day of a 21-day lockdown that was called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a disruption in the supply chain across the country. Following government assurances, ecommerce platforms such as Flipkart and Amazon are expected to resume delivery of groceries and essentials late on Wednesday or early Thursday to people dependent almost solely on home deliveries amid the shutdown.

The home ministry set up a control room to monitor the situation, while states were asked to allow the movement of goods and staff so that essentials reached consumers. States will draw up standard operating procedures and start helplines. Ecommerce companies said they would supply essential goods with minimum human contact. Governments also announced subsidised and free food supplies to the poor, many of whom have no source of livelihood.

Delhi lieutenant governor Anil Baijal appointed two nodal officials - representing the police and the local government - to address problems faced by goods and services, including interstate movement.

Fruit, Veggie Traders Seek Passes for Trucks

The Gurgaon police said on Wednesday that they would allow the representatives of companies such as Zomato, Flipkart, Amazon, Big Bazaar, Swiggy, Grofers, BigBasket and Milkbasket to operate. Noida authorities discussed the matter with retailers and ecommerce executives to arrive at a resolution.

In major fruit and vegetable markets, traders were in talks with authorities to issue passes for trucks and workers in the vital hubs that connect farmers with consumers. Traders in Delhi’s Azadpur Mandi said fruit and vegetable sales had fallen sharply but was expected to pick up in a day.

Information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters after a cabinet meeting that the Centre and states will ensure the supply of essential goods to people. He also said the government will give 7 kg of foodgrains to every poor person a month at a concessional rate of Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 3 per kg for rice.

Ecommerce deliveries will be ramped up to full capacity in another two-three days, executives said.

“We have been assured of the safe and smooth passage of our supply chain and delivery executives by local law enforcement authorities and are resuming our grocery and essentials services later today,” Flipkart Group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy said.

Reports throughout the day spoke of police and municipal indiscriminately obstructing all movement, including that of medicines, prompting the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists to issue a warning about stocks running low. Also hit was the supply of hydroxycholoroquine tablets that have been recommended for healthcare workers dealing with Covid-19 patients. It took two days for IPCA Labs to get permission to airlift the tablets for use by the central government.

Himachal Pradesh authorities had even asked Wallace Labs, another manufacturer of hydroxychloroquine tablets, to shut its plant although many states had called for supplies, said managing director Vinay Pinto.

Retailers in many cities reported that their workers were stopped and handled roughly by the police. “On the ground, the interpretation and the reaction is very different than what the Centre and the state governments have specified,” said Mohit Kampani, deputy managing director of More Retail, which operates supermarkets in various parts of India. More could not open 80% of its stores on Wednesday.

A Future Group spokesperson said many employees could not reach its stores as authorities restricted travel despite permission letters. For example, the Big Bazaar hypermarket in Faridabad had to stay closed on Wednesday as police prevented staff from getting to work.

“In some states like Uttar Pradesh, even kirana stores were not allowed to open…. So (also in) Punjab, which is very baffling,” said Arvind Mediratta, managing director of Metro Cash and Carry India and also the head of FICCI’s retail and internal trade committee. Eight Metro wholesale stores out of the total 28 across the country were shut.

Transportation was a key bottleneck as trucks struggled to get past state borders and police pickets.

“Our warehouses are stocked up but 90% of them are shut and we are not able to move the goods out,” said the CEO of an online retail company. “We are also facing a big issue of workers not coming in as they are scared of action by local authorities.”

The Retailers Association of India said manhandling of store staff by police was reported on Wednesday from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Gujarat. It has urged chief ministers and police chiefs of these states to intervene.

By Wednesday evening, there were signs of a change in the situation. A senior executive at a leading ecommerce company said things had started moving on the ground and with the support of central and state governments and local police he expected supplies to improve in two-three days.

Ecommerce companies Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal said they will prioritise delivery of essentials and non-essential orders will be fulfilled only after April 15.

“We will prioritise processing of essentials, like orders relating to personal and home hygiene, safety, among others,” said a Snapdeal spokesperson. “We will continue to accept other orders too and we will inform buyers that these will be delivered once movement restrictions are lifted.”

Online grocers BigBasket and Grofers expressed optimism with warehouses being allowed to stay open. However, they continued with their policy of declining fresh orders as they await full clarity before doing so, people aware of the matter told ET.

Flipkart was optimistic that deliveries would commence late Wednesday in Bengaluru followed by Delhi and NCR on Thursday morning. A senior executive said talks were going on with local authorities in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad as well to kickstart delivery of groceries over the next few days.

Companies still want some clarity from government agencies on what goods will be termed as essentials as they look to service a larger range of items than just “food, pharmaceuticals and medical devices” that the Ministry of Home Affairs March 24 order said they’d be allowed to deliver.

Hindustan Times |

Recovering real estate sector slumps again amid lockdown to curb Covid-19 spread

The three-week lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) will delay residential and commercial properties by three to 12 months depending on the scale, mainly due to acute shortage of labourers in the post-virus era. This would result in real estate developers evoking the ‘force majeure’ clause, experts and developers said.

Developers apprehend an acute financial crunch due to disruptions in payment cycles. They are expecting the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to reduce interest rates, the government to give fiscal incentives and the sector regulator to condone construction delays, said executives working with leading developers, requesting anonymity.

This is bad news at two levels.

One, it adds to the number of stalled projects. In November, while announcing a Rs 25,000 crore alternative investment fund to help such projects, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman put their number at around 1600 and the number of housing units involved at 458,000.

Two, it depresses consumer sentiment. Many of the consumers who have bought apartments in these units have invested a substantial amount of savings or taken out loans against them.

A recent “Report on COVID-19”, prepared by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), said the pandemic had hit the real estate sector hard at a time when it was hoping to recover from a prolonged slowdown. “The health contagion of COVID-19 disease, however, has the potential to put some brakes on India’s real estate market, given the anticipated slump in demand,” it said.

“The real estate sector was already languishing because of delayed projects, inventory overhang, liquidity issues and a trust deficit between builders and customers. Now, construction activity has come to a halt across the country and sales have virtually dried up. Many small and mid-size [real estate] companies will face challenges in servicing debt and managing cash-flows,” an executive working for a leading developer said requesting anonymity.

Developers will take resort to the “force majeure” clause of the buyers-seller agreement and the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) will have no option but to condone it because the reason for the delay is genuine, he added. RERA is the real estate sector regulator and the “force majeure” clause permits deviation from the agreed contract, particularly from the timeline.

“Reorganising construction sites will be done from scratch. Getting labourers will be difficult as most of them have fled to villages. And, getting credit for construction materials will be also difficult,” he added.

National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) president, Niranjan Hiranandani, said that with the lockdown in place, home seekers were facing the prospect of delayed possession, work had stopped at construction sites, workers were worried about their financial future, and companies, already facing economic challenges, had to deal with ‘no fresh inflow’ of funds, with sales having dropped to almost zero. “The regulatory aspect of RERA will see developers citing ‘force majure’ as the reason, and ensuring no action on delayed possession,” he said.

According to a CRISIL report, the fallout of Covid-19, weak orders spanning the last quarter of 2019-20 and the first quarter of 2020-21, and diversion of state funds towards healthcare, will weigh on demand growth, especially in the first half of the next financial year that would start from April 1. “Weak business sentiment and some issue of labour availability can also derail execution, especially on the urban side during Q1 fiscal 2021,” it said.

Gaurav Karnik, National Leader-Real Estate, EY India said that projects would be delayed depending on the level of completion. “RERA authorities need to look at the ongoing situation on projects and evaluate providing an extension for projects in view of current lockdown and the fact that workers at sites may have gone back to their homes and would take time to come back once lockdown lifts,” he said.

He added that there would be a host of other issues - from buyers deferring plans to buy houses till confidence returned in the economy to existing buyers, who had taken loans, facing difficulties in meeting their loan commitments. “RBI should also relook at classification of non-performing assets (NPAs) for the sector to tide over this crisis and restart the cycle,” he said.

According to FICCI, while the sector was taking all possible measures to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on business such as deferring the house registrations and moderating sales targets, it needed government support, including concessions on taxes.

Global real estate consultant CBRE India, South East Asia, Middle East and Africa chairman Anshuman Magazine, however, said the impact of Covid-19 could be short-lived provided that the virus remains relatively contained in India. “Office leasing demand as of now has been unaffected due to a sustained appetite amongst US and EU based corporates for India as an outsourcing destination. However, the global impact could potentially result into delayed decision-making, curtailed capital expenditures, thereby slowing down portfolio decisions in the short term,” he said.

“On the positive side, health and wellness of employees could take centre stage for majority of the corporates; with greater focus on workplace hygiene, remote working policies and increased adoption of flexible space options,” Magazine said.

There are some developers who are undeterred by the temporary crisis due to pandemic, one of the experts mentioned above, said giving the example of Godrej Properties Ltd, which on Friday announced its entry into the Faridabad market with its residential plotted development.

Ankush Kaul, president-sales and marketing, Ambience Group said there is opportunity for buyers even in this crisis. “Past and current challenges so far have kept the prices under check. This has prompted the smart, discerning buyers and investors to go out in the market and seek deals and reap gains from the offers.”

“Amidst these challenges, looking from an investor’s perspective, this is a moment to ponder. Among asset classes, we have real estate as the optimum alternative: real estate still provides the ideal opportunity to grab good investment deals in a tangible asset,” Hiranandani said.

Times Now |

FICCI releases full list of all NABL-accredited private labs for Covid-19 tests

Five days after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) allowed private labs to conduct tests for Covid-19, FICCI released a list of all such of all NABL-accredited diagnostic labs which have the capacity for the same.

ICMR, the country’s apex health research body, in its guidelines for same had said all private laboratories which have NABL accreditation for real-time PCR SA for RNA virus will be allowed to conduct COVID-19 tests.

The central government recommended that the maximum charge for such tests by private entities should not exceed Rs 4,500. The cost may include Rs 1,500 as a screening test for suspect cases and an additional Rs 3,000 for the confirmation test, as per ICMR guidelines said.

"The ICMR encourages free or subsidised testing in this hour of a national public health emergency," the guidelines noted. An order by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said failure to comply with these guidelines may attract legal action.

As per ICMR’s testing guidelines, appropriate biosafety and biosecurity precautions must be ensured while collecting respiratory samples (oropharyngeal and nasal swab) from a patient.

In a bid to ramp up testing, the ICMR has also invited quotations from manufacturers for supply of testing kits for the novel coronavirus disease on Thursday. A total number of infected persons in India as per Heath Ministry’s update on March 26 stands at 647 including 42 who have either been cured or discharged and 13 reported deaths.

Sr. NoSate/UTName of labsTotal number of labs (pvt.)
1Andaman & NicobarNIL
2Andhra PradeshNIL
3Arunachal PradeshNIL
4Assam

1. SRL Diagnostics- Skylab Assam

2. SRL Limited-Magpins Diagnostics, Paltan Bazar, Dibrugarh, Assam

2
5Bihar1. SRL Reach Limited, Sadar Hospital Campus, At Court More, Dhanbad1
6Chandigarh1. SRL Limited, S.C.O-24, Sector-11 D, Chandigarh1
7Chhattisgarh

1. Dr Lal Path lab, Raipur

2. SRL Diagnostics lab, Raipur

2
8Dadra & Nagar HaveliNIL
9Daman & DiuNIL
10Delhi

1. Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi

2. Dang Lab

3. Dr Lal Path Lab

4. SRL Limited ,74, Paschimi Marg, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi

5. Max Lab, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket

6. SRL Limited, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Okhla Road, New Delhi

7. Fortis Hospital, A Block Shalimar Bagh, Delhi

8. SRL Ltd, Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi

9. Lifeline Diagnostics, Green Park, Delhi

10. Oncquest Laboratories Ltd, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi-110029.

11. Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, Mohan Co-operative Industrial Estate, Mathura Road, New Delhi (Will be ready by 23 March 2020)

11
11GoaNIL
12Gujarat

1. Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad

2. Neuberg Supratech, Ahmedabad

3. Desai Metropolis Health Services Pvt. Ltd., Near Mahavir Cardiac Hospital, Athwagate, Surat (Will be ready by 1 April 2020)

4. Sanjeevani Metropolis, Safal - 3, Swami Vivekanand Road, Opp. Commissioner Bunglow, Rajkot (Will be ready by 1 April 2020)

4
13Haryana

1. SRL Limited, Clinical Reference Lab, Udyog Vihar, Sector-18, Gurgaon

2. SRL Limited, FEHRC, Neelam Bata Road, NIT, Faridabad

3. Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI), Sector 44, Gurgaon

4. SRL Limited416, Ashoka Colony, Opposite Kalpana Chawla Medical College, Karnal- 132001

4
14Himachal Pradesh

1. SRL Ltd, Zonal hospital, Mandi, Room No 813, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh

2. SRL Ltd, OPD NO. 3, Dr RPGMC, Tanda, Dist Kangra, Himachal Pradesh

3. SRL Ltd. Indira Gandhi Medical College IGMC Shimla Dist Shimla, HP- 171001

4. SRL Ltd. C/o Regional Hospital Hamirpur, Dist Hamirpur-177001 H.P

4
15Jammu & KashmirDr Lal Path Lab, B C Road Jammu1
16JharkhandNIL
17Karnataka

1. SRL Limited, Bangalore Reference lab, Next to Jal Bhavan, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore

2. SRL Limited, Fortis Hospital Limited, 14, Cunningham Road, Bangalore, Karnataka

3. SRL Limited, Fortis Hospitals Limited, 154/9, Bannerghatta Road, Opp. IIM, Bangalore

4. SRL Ltd, FortisHospital, #23, Gurukrupa Layout ,800 feet road, Nagarbhavi, Bangalore

5. SRL Diagnostics Private Limited for its facilities at 51, Chintal Plaza, 10th Main Road, 33rd Cross, IV Block, Jayanagar, Bangalore

6. NEUBERG ANAND Lab, Shivaji Nagar, Bangalore

7. RV Metropolis Main Lab, 76/10, 15th Cross. 4th Main. Malleshwaram, Bengaluru (Will be ready by 1 April 2020)

7
18Kerala

1. DDRC – SRL Diagnostics Private Limited, Gandhi Nagar, Kottayam-686008, Kerala & Amalagiri P.O., Ammencherry, Kottayam, Kerala

2. DDRC SRL Diagnostics Private Limited, Ground Floor, Aster Square, Medical College P.O., Trivandrum-695011, Kerala

3. DDRC SRL Diagnostics Private Limited., Ernakulam G 131, DDRC SRL Tower Ernakulam - 682036 Kerala

4. EI LAB Metropolis,

4
19LakshadweepNIL
20Madhya Pradesh1. SRL Ltd, 34/2 New Palasia, Behind Industry House, Indore1
21Maharashtra

1. SRL Religare Laboratory, Gaiwadi Industrial Estate, S.V. Road, Goregaon (W) Mumbai

2. Dr Lal Path Lab

3. Metropolis Healthcare Ltd – Global Reference Laboratory, Vidyavihar, Mumbai (Will be ready by 23 March 2020)

4. Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, Bhandarkar Institute Road, Pune (Will be ready by 23 March 2020)

5. SRL Dignostic Laboratory, Dr Avinash Phadake Laboratory, Mahim, Mumbai

6. AG. Dignostic Lab Pvt. Ltd. Pune

7. Apollo Hospital, Nashik 31. Apollo Hospital, Navi Mumbai

8. SRL Limited, Sector-4, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai

9. SRL Ltd-CoE Histopath Mahim

10. SRL Limited, Hiranandani Fortis Hospital, 5th Floor, Mini Seashore Road, Sector-10, Vashi, Navi Mumbai

11. SRL Ltd, Fortis Hospital, Mulund-Goregaon Link Road, Mulund, Mumbai

12. SRL Diagnostics – Dr. Avinash Phadke (SRL Diagnostics Private Limited), for its facilities at Dadar,Mahim & Andheri

13. N M Medical Centre, Mumbai

13
22Manipur Nil
23MeghalayaNil
24MizoramNil
25NagalandNil
26OdishaApollo Hospitals, Bhubaneswar
27PondicherryNil
28Punjab

1. SRL Ltd, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Majitha Verka Byepass Road, Amritsar

2. SRL Limited, STREET Mundian, C/O Radhaswamysatsang, Beas, Fortis Hospital Building, Chandigarh Road, city Ludhiana, Punjab - 141001

3. Fortis Hospital, Sector-62, Phase-8, Mohali, Punjab

3
29Rajasthan

1. SRL Limited, Fortis Escorts Hospital, J.L.N. Marg, Malviya Nagar, Jaipur

2. Dr Lal Path Lab

2
30Sikkim Nil
31Tamil Nadu

1. Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai

2. Apollo Greams Lane, Chennai

3. Apollo Hospitals, Madurai

4. SRL Limited, AB-46, First Street, 6th Main Road,Anna Nagar Chennai

5. Neuberg Ehrlich Lab, Royapettah, Chennai

6. Lister Metropolis Nungambakam, Chennai (will be ready by 23 March)

6
32

1. Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad

2. Apollo Hyderguda, Hyderabad

3. SRL Ltd. Legend Crystal Shop No.06, Ground Floor, Plot No.1-7-79/A&B, Prenderghast Road, Secunderabad,500003

4. SRL Limited/o Ambicare Clinics Kondapur Hyderabad 5. Medics Labs, New Bowenpally, Secunderabad

5. Medics Labs, New Bowenpally, Secunderabad

5
33TripuraNil
34UttarakhandNil
35 Uttar Pradesh1. SRL Ltd, B1/12, Vipul Khand, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow 2. SRL Limited, Fortis Hospital, B-22, Sector- 62, Noida2
36

1. Apollo Gleneagles Hospital

2. SRL Limited Reference laboratory, Salt Lake City, Kolkata, West Bengal

3. SRL Limited, Fortis Hospital, 730, Anandapur, E.M. Bypass Road, Kolkata

4. Suraksha Diagnostics, New Town, Kolkata

5. Medica Super Specialty Hospital, Kolkata

5
Total 79

International Business Times |

Citizens plea to govt for temporary break on EMI, loan repayments in its economic relief package

With the slowdown in economic activity witnessed across the globe as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, Indian citizens took to Twitter and other social media platforms pleading to the government to impose a temporary pause on loan repayments and EMIs for the next three months as a part of the economic relief package.

Plea to govt seeking temporary relief on loan repayments

The coronavirus outbreak has disrupted business workings to impact profits, with many employers considering layoffs, delayed payment of salaries in the next month and some asking staffers to go on unpaid leaves. The crisis situation has made it extremely difficult for employees of smaller firms, businesses, and corporates to manage loan repayments on time. To be able to tide over the current situation, citizens took to Twitter pleading to the government seeking temporary relief on loan and credit card repayments until there is further clarity on the situation.

According to a report in Deccan Chronicle, earlier this week on March 24, the auto and taxi drivers have requested the government to issue a moratorium on interest payment on vehicle loans. Also two leading app-based cab services, Ola and Uber have suspended services owing to the lockdown, which will result in many drivers defaulting on loan repayments now.

Taking note of the current situation, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya in a letter to the RBI governor Shaktikanta Das pleaded to declare a three-month moratorium for EMIs and loan repayment, as monthly income of businesses is affected owing to the nationwide lockdown.

Debashish Panda, secretary for Department of Financial Services in a letter to the RBI suggested a moratorium of a few months on loan repayments and a relaxation in the classification of non-performing assets (NPAs), as businesses may not be in a position to service the EMIs on account of salary cuts and unwarranted layoffs. If businesses are unable to service loans during the lockdown period, they fear adverse action by the RBI and impact on their credit profile ratings. Industry lobbying groups, CII and FICCI support a three-month moratorium on loans to be declared by the government as well.

Awaiting the final call by the RBI and govt

A Reuters report suggested a bailout package of Rs 1.5 lakh crore or $19.6 billion should be announced by the government to provide economic relief for the common man. However, we need to wait and watch if the RBI, finance ministry and the government join forces and consider the suggestions made in favour of businesses, individuals and MSMEs, to take better control of the crisis by offering temporary relief on EMIs and loan repayments in its economic relief package, to be announced soon.

No final decision or announcement has been made yet by the Government, if a pause will be declared for the next three-months on EMIs, credit card payments, and loans with the coronavirus pandemic crippling the loan repayment capacity of individuals and businesses across the globe. A banker said on the condition of anonymity that the RBI is actively considering delayed EMI (equated monthly installment) payment by customers.

In a recent economic relief announcement by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the loan default threshold on Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) has been raised from the current Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1 crore now.

Amazon and eBay pause loan repayment for sellers

Meanwhile, the largest online ecommerce platform Amazon has paused repayment of loans under the Amazon Lending programme to its merchants, on account of declining sales because of the coronavirus pandemic, beginning March 26 until April 30. This move by the world's largest online retail platform is intended to provide relief to sellers with no interest on loans accrued during the period.

Under the programme, Amazon has offered loans between $1,000 and $750,000 to merchants seeking capital to expand their product lines, advertise on the platform and acquire more inventory. The loan repayments will begin on May 1, 2020 and the sellers will have to make the same number of remaining payments, once the state of normalcy in business operations resumes. The interest rate on loans provided for a period anywhere between three months to year by Amazon range from 6% to 19.9%.

Another online marketplace, eBay Inc said it will be deferring selling fees for most merchants for the next one month (30 days).

Peple Matters |

Impact of COVID-19 on the Indian economy & workforce

With COVID-19 coming into the picture, the Indian economy is going through a major slowdown, which was evident over the recent quarters even before the crisis struck. In the third quarter of the current financial year, the economy grew at a six-year low rate of 4.7%. With all these problems hitting the world of work from multiple directions, companies are finding it difficult to sustain in this environment. They are forced to take tough decisions such as cutting down the salaries, giving pink slips to employees and opting for other cost-cutting measures. The outbreak has presented new roadblocks for the Indian workforce and especially for the daily wage and contractual workers.

Slowdown in demand & supply

Coronavirus has disrupted the demand and supply chain across the country and with this disruption, it can be seen that the tourism, hospitality, and aviation sectors are among the worst affected sectors that are facing the maximum impact of the current crisis. Closing of cinema theatres and declining footfall in shopping complexes has affected the retail sector by impacting the consumption of both essential and discretionary items. As the consumption of any product or services goes down, it leads to an impact on the workforce. In the current scenario, with all the retailers closing down their services, the jobs of the employees are at a huge risk.

The financial market has experienced uncertainty about the future course and repercussions of COVID-19. An estimated Rs 10 lakh crore of market cap was reportedly wiped off due to the fall of sensex in the second week of March 2020. The fall has continued till date as investors resorted to relentless selling amid rising cases of coronavirus.

The supply-side impact of shutting down of factories resulted in a delay in supply of goods from China which has affected a huge number of manufacturing sectors which source their intermediate and final product requirements from China. Some sectors like automobiles, pharmaceuticals, electronics, chemical products etc were impacted big time.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), has suggested that India’s trade impact due to the COVID-19 outbreak could be around US$ 348 million. India is among the top 15 countries that have been affected most as a result of manufacturing slowdown in China that is disrupting world trade. For India, the overall trade impact is estimated to be the most for the chemicals sector at 129 million dollars, textiles and apparel at 64 million dollars, the automotive sector at 34 million dollars, electrical machinery at 12 million dollars, leather products at 13 million dollars, metals and metal products at 27 million dollars and wood products and furniture at 15 million dollars. As per UNCTAD estimates, exports across global value chains could decrease by US$ 50 billion during the year in case there is a 2% reduction in China’s exports of intermediate inputs.

According to a survey by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), the immediate impact of COVID-19 reveals that besides the direct impact on demand and supply of goods and services, businesses are also facing reduced cash flows due to slowing economic activity which in turn is having an impact on all payments including to those for employees, interest, loan repayments and taxes.

Major survey results
  • A significant 53 per cent of Indian businesses indicate the marked impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on business operations even at early stages.
  • The pandemic has significantly impacted the cash flow at organizations with almost 80 percent reporting a decrease in cash flow.
  • The pandemic has had a major impact on the supply chains as more than 60 per cent respondents indicate that their supply chains were affected. The companies also highlighted that they are closely monitoring the situation and expect the impact of the pandemic on the supply chain to worsen further.
  • Organizations have brought in a renewed focus on hygiene aspects concerning the pandemic. Almost 40 per cent have put in place stringent checks on people entering their offices and disinfection. Nearly 30 per cent organizations have already put in place Work-from-Home policies for their employees.
  • Nearly 42 per cent of the respondents feel that it could take upto 3 months for normalcy to return.
For some of the sectors, the work-from-home proposition is posing implementation challenges as it has a direct bearing on the business operations. This is particularly true for manufacturing units where workers are required to be physically present at the production sites, and services sectors like banking and IT where a lot of confidential data is used and remote working can enhance security threats. Hence, companies operating in these sectors are finding it difficult to implement work-from-home facilities without compromising on their day to day operations.

The industry members have also shared suggestions on possible actions that the government and RBI can take to contain the spread of coronavirus in India and mitigate the immediate concerns of the Indian companies.

Implications on the workforce

Job losses and salary cuts are likely in the high-risk services sector, including airlines, hotels, malls, multiplexes, restaurants, and retailers, which have seen a sharp fall in demand due to lockdowns across the country. If the current global and domestic economic slowdown persists, it will impact demand and realization.

Undoubtedly, with this crisis impacting the business around the country, it will create very challenging situations for the workforce. Companies are not meeting the revenue targets hence, forcing employers to cut down their workforce. The World Travel & Tourism Council has predicted 50 million tourism jobs getting eliminated because of the pandemic. Not only the employees of multinational companies, but daily wage workers have been impacted the most during this crisis.

The International Labor Organization has called for urgent, large-scale and coordinated measures across three pillars - protecting workers in the workplace, stimulating the economy and employment, and supporting jobs and incomes.

According to a preliminary assessment report, nearly 25 million jobs could be lost worldwide due to the coronavirus pandemic, but an internationally coordinated policy response can help lower the impact on global unemployment.

While on one hand, Indian employees are losing their jobs and receiving a salary cut, there is also an assumption that the majority of expats have gone back from India and they will take time to return. Different sectors such as automobile, banking and manufacturing employ a large number of expats. Indian companies need expats for several industry verticals and job functions such as after-sales services, business development and market audits.

Need for policy intervention

There is an urgent need to take instant steps to not only contain the spread of the virus, but also to address the key pain areas of the industry which can help in minimising the impact of the outbreak on the Indian economy and businesses. The Indian Government & RBI need to support the Indian industry and economy at this juncture in different ways:
  • Maintain liquidity at surplus levels and provide special liquidity support for any companies / NBFCs / banks that come under strain due to intensifying risk aversion in financial markets or due to large demand shock.
  • Increase credit limits for all regular banking accounts by 25 percent across the board. Also, Increase overdraft facility to state governments from the RBI. Pay the pending GST compensation immediately.
  • IBC to be suspended for a short period for the aviation and hospitality sectors as they are the worst affected.
Since a large number of people will stand to lose their jobs especially in the retail, hospitality, travel, construction sector, the government can consider giving incentives for employers to keep the workers, while the coronavirus problem tides over.

On March 24th, 2020 the Finance Minister extended the filing dates of ITR, GST, linking of PAN and Aadhar and other reliefs for the big and small enterprises. The finance ministry is already working on an economic package to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on the Indian economy.

The government is taking necessary steps that will not damage the economy further but the damage that has been done in the previous few months will definitely last for a longer period of time. As the country is locked down for the coming three weeks, India Inc has to stretch themselves to sustain the situation and face the challenge. The Indian government has also urged employers to not cut jobs and salaries. Many CEOs and management teams are taking pay cuts to ensure their workforce does not have to bear the brunt.

Money Control |

Economic package: A beginning has been made. More needs to be done.

The finance minister has announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore relief package for the poor who are increasingly getting hurt by the coronavirus. Let’s get one thing clear. Any relief for those at the bottom of the pyramid is welcome in these troubled times. However, while a beginning has been made, more needs to be done.

The relief package is around 0.8 percent of nominal GDP and will be shared by the Centre and the states. That is just not enough when we are staring at a deep recession that threatens to break the back of an economy that was already hobbled by a slowdown. This compares to around 10 percent of GDP for the US and 4 percent for New Zealand to name two examples. While comparison with developed countries might not be appropriate, the small relief package seems to suggest the government seems confident that the pandemic will blow over soon or that it will follow up with another package.

Moreover, today’s package is fiendishly complicated. A laundry list of government schemes and yojanas has been invoked. When the Prime Minister himself has compared the pandemic to World War II, why not go for an aggressive cash transfer instead of making things needlessly complicated? Putting money into the hands of the people and ensuring that the supply of food and other essentials is unrestricted would have been simpler and more elegant solution.

While the direct benefits transfer and the Jan Dhan Yojana aren’t flawless, a simple cash transfer would still have been a better alternative to some of the proposals announced today. Take for instance, the proposal to contribute to the provident fund of workers in the organised sector. A narrow set of conditions – those with less than 100 workers, 90 percent of whom are earning less than Rs 15,000 per month – is likely to make the implementation go awry and embroiled in red tape.

The decision to raise the wages of MGNREGA workers is unlikely to do much if there is no work at all. In any case, aren’t MGNREGA wages raised every year as a matter of course?

As far as the cash transfers that have been announced go – like Rs 500 per month to women in the Jan Dhan scheme and Rs 1000 to senior citizens and widows – they too are inadequate. Allowing people to withdraw from their provident fund is not of much help when people are unsure about their future and prefer to save rather than spend. Remember, even FICCI and CII suggested to the Prime Minister that a direct transfer of Rs 5,000 to each worker and Rs 10,000 to senior citizens be made.

The additional food grains under the food security scheme is welcome, but we need more details on implementation. Most if not all parts of the country has been on lockdown since Sunday, but the record of local governments in many places to ensure supplies of essential goods and services leaves much to be desired.

While the immediate task was to provide relief to the poor, it doesn’t fully address all issues. Many migrant workers are stranded on the road without food, water and transport. The government could have announced measures to provide resources for community kitchens so that they don’t suffer from hunger.

Moreover, it should have gone ahead and addressed the concerns of MSMEs and industry too. Loan forbearance, announcing a freeze on payments etc. would have addressed the cash flow problems of many and would give them the confidence to retain employees more than say 3 months’ s PF contributions. A large stimulus package is the need of the hour. One hopes that there is more to come.

Telangana Today |

Retail industry to face financial crisis: Experts

The short-term impacts of Covid-19 are significant and continue to evolve along with the development of the disease. Public health concerns and travel restrictions have seriously impacted consumption activity and prompted consumers to avoid crowds and stick to daily necessities, thus impacting the retail sector.

Anshuman Magazine, chairman & CEO, India, South East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE, told Telangana Today, “The recent rise in Covid cases could impact retail consumption as people avoid crowded areas, especially food and beverage areas, entertainment centres, shopping malls, amongst others.”

CBRE expects the outbreak to strengthen the importance of property management in shopping malls and retail stores in the coming years. Hygiene and other measures to ensure facilities are safe and clean for employees and customers will be top of mind.

Sharing the plight, Indraneel Majumdar, Head of Mall, Sarath City Capital Mall, said, “Owing to the lockdown, several of our member brands have written to us already saying that they will not be able to pay the rentals or revenue shares as the case may be, not for a month or two, but for a term. Terms may differ from brand to brand. Some are going up to September while others are going up to December. Compared to small retail stores, malls are taking a bigger hit. Economic crisis due to Covid could affect the retail sector till next year.”

Looking at the crisis, Retailers Association of India (RAI) has sought all the State governments to allow food and grocery stores within malls or outside, air-conditioned or not air-conditioned, small or large stores and online or offline to stay open during the lockdown period. RAI said that most of the State governments have agreed with its view that shutting of stores selling essential daily need items will cause inconvenience to citizens and may set off panic buying of daily need items, thereby creating a shortage for the needy.

Economic stimulus

The association observes that due to the mandatory closure of malls and retail stores across the country, retailers face imminent financial crisis/insolvency. As a result, the livelihoods of millions employed in retail are in peril.

RAI has also sought an immediate economic stimulus to ensure continuity of retail businesses and consumption in India and fiscal supports such as moratorium of 120 days for payment of installments and the interest of term loans, short-term loans, corporate loans, securitised loans, bonds, mortgages, debentures and general-purpose loans. It has also requested for wage subsidy and subsidy on utility bills.

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry notes shutting down of malls has severely hurt business for all retailers. The industry body has sought reduction of GST on essential food and grocery items and waiving off 0.1 per cent tax collected at source (TCS) provisions that will be effective April 1 till the nation tides over the current crisis. It emphasised that for consumer products to be readily available in the market, it is essential that the manufacturing facilities be kept open under the strictest of guidelines.

The Hitavada |

FICCI welcomes relief measures announced by Finance Minister

“FICCI welcomes the relief measures announced by the Finance Minister with respect to the tax and statutory compliances amid the lockdown imposed to contain Covid19,” said Dr Sangita Reddy, President of FICCI. Moratorium of six months to companies for filing of disclosures on MCA portal and extension of time for holding board/independent directors meeting within prescribed timelines will bring relief to corporates, all of which are facing complete disruption in functioning.

“Taking cognizance of the liquidity issues being currently faced by corporates, deferment of deposit reserve and statutory investment for debenture redemption is a welcome step,” she added. Announcements on the tax front will give reprieve on compliance front. “MSME sector, which is precariously reeling under the impact of Covid19, would greatly benefit from the increase in the threshold for triggering IBC against delay in payments. FM’s assurance that if situation prolongs, Government may consider suspending IBC is a welcome announcement,” said Dr Reddy.

FICCI has represented many other issues to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs over the past few days and would like to re-iterate the following for immediate action: Corporates are finding it extremely challenging to ensure compliance with the requirement of Companies Act 2013 and rules framed thereunder and are at a risk of non-compliance for no fault of theirs. Examples include timely conduct of board evaluation, discharge of CSR obligation, transfer to IEPF, addressing shareholders’ requests for demat etc. on a time bound basis. Allowing an additional period of 3 months to companies to ensure timely compliance without any penalties being imposed would be very encouraging in the current situation. Extension of financial year to a period of 15 months will also enable companies to close the books as on June 30, 2020 instead of March 31, 2020.

Mumbai News Network |

FICCI on Recommendations on behalf of Healthcare Industry to deal with COVID-19 impact

Recommendations on behalf of Healthcare Industry jointly represented by FICCI, AHPI, ASSOCHAM, Indian Chamber of Commerce, PhD Chamber of Commerce, PHANA Karnataka and NATHEALTH emphasises immediate need for Fiscal and Non-Fiscal Interventions from Government required for the Sector to deal with COVID-19 impact.
  • Recommends steps for improvement in working capital condition and moratorium in loan service obligations to improve liquidity
  • Urges release of Income tax, GST Refunds and payment arrears (CGHS, ECHS, GIPSA Central & State Opex/Capex payables) to allocate capital to this vital sector which is now a National Priority
  • Expresses solidarity and commitment to Government and citizens that private sector will stand with all its experience, expertise and commitment spanning all components of healthcare provisioning, supplies, diagnostics, technology, financing, homecare and human resources
Key Recommendations
  • Six to nine months’ moratorium on all working capital, principal, interest payments on loans and overdrafts, bringing in liquidity and allowing for business continuity. Deferment of advance tax payments at the Central Government level
  • A waiver of GST on input costs and services for 2 quarters.
  • At least 50% rebate on the current Commercial Rates of Power currently being paid by hospitals, diagnostics centers, pathology labs and other healthcare service providers to ensure sustenance of business
  • Subsidy @ 25% of salary for healthcare staff for the next 3 months
  • Reimbursement of employer’s contributions towards ESIC & PF
  • Comprehensive Medical and life insurance benefits for all public and private sector frontline workers, ensuring continuous availability of PPE/supplies.
  • Issue standard guidelines for Home Healthcare Providers, as they can contribute by remote monitoring of cases by monitoring patients for symptoms in home quarantine, patients in E-ICU beyond metros, cases recovering from COVID-19 and preventing or managing relapse recognizing their services under Clinical Establishment Act.
While greatly appreciating Government’s efforts to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, the healthcare industry leaders cutting across entire industry spectrum have urged upon the government to come forward with fiscal intervention to arrest the adverse impact on the economy and thereby on human lives. The Industry leaders recommended both fiscal and non-fiscal interventions for several sectors which focus on the Service sector, especially Hospitals, Diagnostics, Pathology Labs, Med Tech, Insurance, Home Care and other healthcare service providers .

“The services sector, which accounts for about 55% of India’s gross domestic product, is poised to be the worst hit due to actions such as mandatory and self-imposed curfew. The social distancing measures would lead to lower footfalls in the healthcare sector, the decline in elective procedure volume and sub-optimal operating efficiencies that will have a severe impact on the cash flows of companies in the capital intensive sector. The industry is also suffering from reduced availability & elevated pricing observed for certain essential consumable items,” the Representation to the government pointed out.

“Also, the global supply chains are in turmoil driving up shortages causing significant hike in the input costs which cannot be passed on to consumers as healthcare services are exempt from GST and many of the critical items are capped in prices. Apart from the healthcare facilities, medical devices, diagnostics and health insurance too have also been affected due to the supply-chain and demand disruptions,” it said.

Covid -19 needs all health workers to be motivated and secured as a united front. Health Services including Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Diagnostic Labs and Homecare, need immediate fiscal intervention. Industry leaders strongly recommended the government to ensure working capital that would help the hospitals continue to operate at near-normal levels and both COVID-19 and non COVID 19 patients can avail the services. The industry called for six to nine months’ moratorium on all working capital, principal, interest payments on loans and overdrafts, bringing in liquidity and allowing for business continuity.

Dubbing it as a critical fiscal intervention, the healthcare industry sought short-term interest-free loans for augmenting capacity, and to ensure smooth hospital operations without supply-chain disruptions. The government also was requested to examine Grant or Subsidy to as an interim market support mechanism.

To maintain operational expenditure including payment of salaries to health professionals on time, the Industry suggested cash flow to the government should immediately release 100 per cent Central and State Government dues to the sector under various schemes such as CGHC, ECHS, State Schemes, GIPSA among other. The Representation also seeks urgent release of Income Tax refunds and to allow a quarter's postponement on compliances, payment of insurance without the policies getting lapsed.

The Healthcare leaders said that a waiver of GST on input costs and services for two quarters would help enormously. “This would also ensure that hospitals are not forced to curtail the outsource services like House Keeping, Security and F&B (all of which have significant GST levies), in turn causing loss of jobs people employed in those sectors. Deferment of pre-payment of loan for 12 months should be allowed. Deferment of advance tax payments at the Central Government level would also be a significant fiscal intervention,” they said in the unified representation.

For Medical Devices industry, the Representation calls for cut down on custom duty across the board for life-saving medical equipment and set up a credit window facility that can help augment infrastructure during this period of great turmoil. It also suggested withdrawal of Health Cess Ad Valorem from Medical Devices so that the Health Cess will apply only to Basic Customs Duty. For the Medical Device industry also the healthcare emphasised that Government should clear all outstanding and make timely payment for upcoming procurements from government Institutions in the current crisis, which will go a long way in supporting med-tech companies.

The industry leaders are of the view that along with fiscal incentives and support, non-fiscal interventions would be equally critical.

“Further to the Ministry of Health guidelines on home quarantine and telemedicine, the government should also issue standard guidelines for Home Healthcare Providers notifying them under ambit of Clinical Establishment act, as they can contribute by remote monitoring of cases by monitoring patients for symptoms in-home quarantine, patients in E-ICU beyond metros, cases recovering from COVID-19 and preventing or managing relapse,” the Representation paper said.

Annexure:

The Industry has also urged the Central and State Government to strictly implement availability of supplies at fair prices under list of essential drugs and disposables.
The Industry Representation also provided a comprehensive roadmap for incentives and promotional policies for Skill Development, Medical Education, Pharma and E-learning.

Other Key Recommendations
  • GST waiver for online education and interest subsidies
  • The impetus to online teaching & Support for setting up of skill labs and simulation centres at the medical college/ teaching hospital
  • Increase the number of healthcare professionals across the gamut in our country by Tripling the intake of nursing students from current levels
  • In medical colleges, some relaxations to be considered vide Standard Requirements Guidelines during this period
  • The system should be in place to ensure there are no blockages in Manufacturing Essential Pharmaceutical products including Hand Sanitizers, Face Masks etc. Also PHARMA testing
  • Laboratories should be rapidly expanded and made fully operational.
Other Critical Non-Fiscal Recommendations
  • Create a nodal department on a war footing for MSMEs where all the queries related to essential supplies for Covid19 can be directed to for immediate action.
  • Notification to be issued for procurement by the government on a direct basis, based on specifications and previous supply credentials, and not through HLL/tendering
  • Allow a preferential clearance of medical devices/ spare parts/ raw materials in airports and seaports. A very large backlog is expected post international flight landing restrictions which will result in delaying customs clearance.
  • Fast track regulatory approval for diagnostic kits and new drugs identified for COVID 19 (eq. hydroxy chloroquine is now approved by USFDA for COVID
  • Explore other available testing technologies beyond RT PCR to enhance access in masses.
  • Health Insurance: Government to provide relief for GST payable and reduce it to 5% so that more people would be able to afford to buy Health Insurance especially the senior citizens aged 60 and above.

The Economic Times |

Govt support required to restore supply chains immediately; or India could run out of stocks in 7-10 days: Britannia MD Varun Berry

Government support and intervention is required to restore supply chains immediately or the country could run out of stocks of packaged foods in the next 7-10 days, biscuits and dairy giant Britannia Industries managing director Varun Berry said on Thursday, as supply chain disruptions continue to be crippled amidst the Covid-19 outbreak.

“If even one link in supply chain is broken, India could run out of stocks of packaged foods in the next 7-10 days. The Centre has issued permissions but we need support at district level,” Berry said.

While the Central government has issued all necessary permissions, Berry said the immediate need of the hour is that it be percolated down to district level authorities. “This will help us kick start production and ensure uninterrupted supply of essential packaged foods throughout the country,” he added.

Stating that the food industry supply chain is disaggregated and dependent on inter-state movement of goods, he said owing to the nature of the raw materials, inventories across the chain are low. He added while Britannia factories are primed to manufacture products at this time with all hygiene and social distancing protocols in place, the company also needs support from district authorities in allowing factory workers to travel to the premises with appropriate safeguards.

Over the past two days, foods and beverages makers, agri products companies, ingredient suppliers and their packaging partners have escalated concerns of supply disruptions to the Prime Minister’s office, Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Food Processing Ministry, with representations through industry bodies PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and All India Food Processors’ Association (AIFPA) and the US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).

Financial Express |

Coronavirus blow: SpiceJet returns wet-lease aircraft; cash reserves burn for airlines as demand slumps

Budget carrier SpiceJet has returned five wet-leased Boeing 737 aircraft to Turkey’s Corendon Airlines as the aviation sector continues to remain under the firing line of the coronavirus outbreak. While the airline said that the return is a part of the airline’s efforts to cut costs, sources hinted at financial crunch. “The suspension of international operations and the weakening of domestic demand due to COVID-19 outbreak earlier this month provided an opportunity to SpiceJet to cut high-cost expenses and focus our resources on running a lean and profitable operation. As part of the cost cutting exercise, wide-ranging measures have been taken including returning some wet-lease aircraft,” a SpiceJet spokesperson said, The Indian Express reported.

SpiceJet has ruled out cash crunch as a reason behind the return and said that due to reduced operations, the airline no longer needed the aircraft. Aviation is one of the worst hit sectors due to coronavirus as governments across the globe have imposed travel restrictions in the wake of coronavirus. India also recently announced the suspension of domestic and international flights to contain the virus.

The situation is dire for the airline industry and according to an aviation consultancy firm, the impact is “so severe that even the stronger carriers may not be immune,” CAPA said in a report recently. The losses to India’s two listed carriers alone - IndiGo and SpiceJet - could be to the tune of $1.25-1.50 billion across Q4FY20 to Q1FY21, the report added.

In the wake of burning cash reserves, airlines have also started to announce pay cuts and recently, GoAir also said that its employees will get lesser salaries for the month of March. India’s largest carrier IndiGo also announced pay cuts for its top level management with CEO Ronojoy Dutta taking a 25% cut in his salary.

The coronavirus outbreak has delivered a severe blow to several industries and aviation is one of the biggest sufferers, according to a FICCI report. The nation remains under a 21-day lockdown as the country races to contain the spread of the virus.

Business Standard |

FICCI welcomes relief measures with respect to tax and statutory compliances

"FICCI welcomes the relief measures announced by the Finance Minister with respect to the tax and statutory compliances amid the lockdown imposed to contain Covid19," said Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI. Moratorium of six months to companies for filing of disclosures on MCA portal and extension of time for holding board/Independent Directors meeting within prescribed timelines will bring relief to corporates, all of which are facing complete disruption in functioning. "Taking cognizance of the liquidity issues being currently faced by corporates, deferment of Deposit Reserve and statutory investment for debenture redemption is a welcome step," she added. Announcements on the tax front will give reprieve on compliance front. "MSME sector, which is precariously reeling under the impact of Covid19, would greatly benefit from the increase in the threshold for triggering IBC against delay in payments. FM's assurance that if situation prolongs, government may consider suspending IBC is a welcome announcement," said Dr Reddy. We look forward to further announcements by FM on economic package and further relief measures to keep the economic engine going, said Dr Sangita Reddy.

The Times of India |

Flipkart hits temporary pause, Amazon's grocery service down too

E-commerce operations came to a grinding halt on Wednesday morning as two of the largest e-commerce platforms Flipkart and Amazon India virtually shut operations here due to on-ground difficulties to source products from warehouses and deliver them to consumers. This comes at a time when India is in its day one of 21-day lockdown and people are in panic to secure adequate essentials.

Flipkart, which is owned by US-based retailer Walmart, told its users on its platform that it is temporarily suspending its services on Wednesday. “Flipkart has temporarily suspended orders as we assess the possibilities of operating in the lockdown. We are prioritising the safety of our delivery executives and seeking the support of the local governments & police authorities to meet the needs of our customers as they stay home during this lockdown,” a spokesperson of Flipkart said.

Amazon India had told TOI on Monday that it was prioritising delivery of essential goods like household staples, health and hygiene products, sanitisers, baby formula, and medical supplies. It has disabled purchase of other products temporarily on its platform.

Incidentally, two of the most critical services of Amazon that deliver essentials---Pantry and Amazon Fresh, aren’t working either. An Amazon India spokesperson did not immediately respond to TOI’s query on the matter.
Online grocer Bigbasket also tweeted saying it was not operational due to restrictions imposed by local authorities on movement of goods in spite of clear guidelines provided by central authorities to enable essential services.

In the Wednesday edition, TOI reported saying the top executives of e-commerce firms, along with help of industry bodies like FICCI and CII escalated these issues to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and state governments, with hopes that operations will start stabilising and orders will get fulfilled in the next 24 hours. These companies have had to reschedule or cancel lakhs of orders in the last 48 hours.

“Practically, it looks like it might be another two days before our staff could deliver normally, across the country,” a person aware of the goings-on said.

TOI has been reporting on how delivery executives have been beaten up with serious injuries while delivering essentials across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speech to the nation on Tuesday night, said essential services should be allowed to continue but platforms are facing issues forcing them to stop operations altogether as it puts safety of the delivery staff at serious risk.

ET Tech |

India stares at a crippling supply crisis

Will the lockdown create a supply shock that India simply can’t afford? On the very first day after administrations and security personnel around the country doubled down on keeping streets crowd-free, arbitrary police and district authority action and lack of staff created huge supply disruptions for consumers and even businesses deemed essential.

And it may get worse, unless clear directions are sent down to police and district authorities on the ground. ET reporters spoke to businesses and consumers across major metro cities to capture what is already looking like a major crisis.

The problem of availability of essential goods across offline and online channels is getting worse, according to consecutive surveys conducted by community platform LocalCircles.

The data shows that percentage of customers unable to buy essential goods through ecommerce services between March 20 and March 22 was 35%, and it shot up to 79% in the March 23-24 period. And 17% of customers were unable to buy essential goods at retail stores on March 20-22, and 32% on March 23-24.

Grofers CEO Albinder Dhindsa said in a tweet on Tuesday: “Our @grofers warehouse in Faridabad was closed by local law enforcement today. While we understand they are doing their duty, essential items will be denied to 20,000+ households in Faridabad and Delhi every day. We need help in sorting this out.”

A senior executive of a leading ecommerce firm said, “The only thing that can save us from a complete shutdown is a directive from the Prime Minister himself. We’ve tried everything from reaching out to all state secretaries, Director Generals of Police in states, but things don’t seem to be looking up.”

Vegetables, the key food group for Indians after grains and pulses, were in short supply in many retail outlets across cities. And many wholesale vegetable traders in key markets plan to stop operations for a few days from Wednesday even though mandis may remain formally open.

Traders say local authorities have held long discussions with them, and supplies are certainly slowing down. Retail traders who go to the mandis will face labour shortage and sharp fall in market arrivals of vegetables. This will likely worsen today’s situation when police in many places shut down vegetable retailers saying there was too much crowding.

Fish and meat processes have already been hit. Secretary of Howrah fish market in Bengal Syed Anwar Maqsood said loading of fish from Andhra Pradesh has completely stopped. “Scarcity is being felt in the market and from Wednesday fish prices will go up by 10-20%. If the state borders are sealed then fish arrival will stop completely. We will have to close down the market.”

Poultry Production Halved

In Kerala, there is a shortage of popular fish varieties like sardine and mackerel. Many fishing boats are idling. Poultry production had halved in the past month to 40 million birds. Now poultry feed is not available, so production can fall further.

Only big companies are processing poultry. The local governments that are not allowing transportation of poultry are the weakest link, says industry. Rajasthan - a major producer of mutton - isn’t sending any supplies. Prices in metros have risen from ₹400-500 per kg to over ₹700 now.

Bigger retailers faced worse problems. They reported cases of manhandling of store staff on Tuesday from many states. Several incidents of police crackdown on retail staff and closure of warehouses were reported in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Mumbai and many cities in Punjab.

Ahmedabad-based Osia Hypermarts said five of its stores have been shut by the police classifying them “malls”. Its owner said he was unable to convince the cops that his outlets were hypermarkets and not malls. “It is very difficult for staff to come to the store. They have been harassed and beaten up by police in various states,” said Arvind Mediratta, MD of Metro Cash and Carry India whose seven stores in Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have been closed due to police action.

He also said transporters supplying goods from Metro stores to their kirana clients have not been allowed to operate. “Even though the central government has issued advisory that food and grocery is an essential service, local police is behaving in a very high-handed fashion.”

Retailers said supplies of various essential products have come to a standstill as many states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Union Territory of Delhi among others have sealed their borders and are hampering movement of trucks. Thousands of small and medium units dealing in flour, rice, dal, oils and sugar have also closed due to the high-handedness of the local authorities, they said.

“The inventory for basic commodities is running very low with most of the retailers,” said Mediratta, who is also the head of FICCI’s retail and internal trade committee.

Dairy firms are facing similar challenges in supply of milk and other dairy products, with several smaller vans getting stopped by police. Milk in tetra packs is sold out in several markets. India’s largest dairy firm Amul’s managing director RS Sodhi said the firm is working with the authorities to sort out the issues.

Ahead of the lockdown announcements by many states, ecommerce saw sharp spike in orders but started facing logistical difficulties in meeting the sudden surge in demand. Such platforms witnessed massive increase in absenteeism among the on-ground staff, as high as 75-80% for some large etailers.

Staffers were unable to come to work due to transport problems. And blockades at state borders led to new supplies being cut off and huge delays in deliveries to customers. Warehouses of ecommerce companies have been shut and even logistics providers like Delhivery, Amazon and Flipkart have halted offering their services to their sellers.

Online food delivery startups Swiggy and Zomato are operating with very few restaurants available on their platforms. Many consumers reported that police stopped delivery agents and asked them to return. Egrocer BigBasket has suspended operations temporarily in Mumbai and Delhi-NCR. The firm said local authorities imposed curbs on movement of goods despite clear guidelines from the Centre on allowing essential services. It’s no better for the pharma industry. Drugmakers are already facing disruption in their manufacturing supply chain and distribution channels within the country.

Cadila Healthcare chairman Pankaj Patel said the whole purpose of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video conference with the industry on Sunday was to ensure that there are no disruptions in the supply chain.

Yet days later, Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) had to write to all chief secretaries in states to facilitate smooth inter-state travel of workers and treat pharma activities as essential services. Pharma companies are requesting the Indian government to ease up lockdown for critical goods as they are stuck in transit due to curfew imposed in most parts of India.

A person who is a leading generic player in India said that restrictions on transportation within the country will lead to huge unavailability of medicines in days to come. “It is becoming difficult to transport these products from one place to another. There should be some clarity on this,” he said. The problem is not just the movement of medicines or active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) per say, but even the ancillary goods —chemicals, blister packaging material, caps, bottles and cartons which are materials intended for making finished product - required for medicine production.

Printers that manufacture packaging for medicines are shut, vehicles of suppliers of packaging materials are getting detained and the flight shutdown has led to goods being stuck in different parts of India that need to be airlifted. The problem is acute in hubs such as Baddi in Himachal Pradesh where many plants are located. “Several MNCs and local firms are trying to get the cabinet secretary to intervene. There is a last-mile disconnect that is hampering the trade,” said a lawyer representing several pharma associations.

Though firms are sitting on raw materials that can produce 10 crore tablets, lockdowns are making final production of these essentials difficult to complete.

The Economic Times |

Covid-19: Retailers say staff manhandled by police amid lockdown

Retailers in many cities said on Wednesday that staff were stopped and manhandled by police, even as the central government reiterated that essential services should not face disruption from local authorities.

“On the ground, the interpretation and the reaction is very different from what the centre and the state governments have specified,” said Mohit Kampani, deputy managing director of More Retail, which operates supermarkets across India.

In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown, in the country’s biggest measure to fight the Covid-19 virus outbreak that has so far affected more than 300,000 people worldwide.

On Wednesday, retailers were busy video conferencing or meeting with police, municipal authorities in states and even calling on home ministry officials in New Delhi to find solutions to increasing incidents of alleged harassment, including forced closure of outlets and warehouses, and preventing retail staff from reaching stores.

"Many of our employees are unable to reach stores as authorities have restricted their travel despite authorisation letters. In fact, there are a few markets where local authorities have asked stores to shut shop," said a Future Group spokesperson.

For example, the Big Bazaar hypermarket in Faridabad had to shut on Wednesday as police prevented staff from reaching the store.

“In some states like Uttar Pradesh even kirana stores were not allowed to open…. So did Punjab… which is very baffling,” said Arvind Mediratta, MD of Metro Cash and Carry India. About eight Metro wholesale stores out of the total 28 were shut in many states. “About 30% of our business comes from delivery especially to the kiranas but deliveries have been shut for the last two-three days because vehicles are either impounded or sent back by police,” said Mediratta who is also the head of FICCI’s retail and internal trade committee.

Food and grocery retail chain More said it was able to open 80% of its stores nationally on Wednesday. Stores in Punjab, however, were shut due to either difficulty in staff movement or because local authorities were not allowing to open outlets.

“The biggest issue is supply from our distribution centres to the store, with the trucks getting stopped by the police,” said Kampani.

More has stopped selling all non-food items and is currently focusing on 650 products for hypermarkets and 400 for supermarkets, which include packaged food, dairy, grocery, fruits and vegetables.

The Retailers Association of India said incidents of manhandling of store staff by police were reported from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Gujarat. RAI has requested chief ministers and DGPs of these states to intervene to make sure essential goods are accessible.

Meanwhile, officials in Noida conducted conference calls with retailers and representatives from e-commerce companies, while the Gurugram Police tweeted on Wednesday that its officers had been directed to allow representatives of various companies, including Zomato, Flipkart, Amazon, Big Bazaar, Swiggy, Grofers, BigBasket and Milkbasket to operate.

Business Standard |

Pvt security cos to back PM's call to support govt machinery; ensure wages during lockdown: FICCI

The private security industry, which employs 50 lakh people, has resolved to fully back Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to support government machinery during the lockdown period triggered by Covid-19 outbreak, and has urged its customers to have empathy towards the staff.

The Union Home Ministry has asked private security agencies not to lay off guards or deduct their salaries during the 21-day lockdown period announced to combat the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Over 50 lakh strong private security industry shall fully back PM's call to support government machinery in the lockdown period as an essential service, said Rituraj Sinha, Chair, FICCI Committee on Private Security Industry.

He further requested customers to cooperate in payment to all agencies as per full contracted value and on time.

"This will ensure compliance with Labour Ministry and Home Ministry directives related to payment of full wages of all private security, cash logistics and cleaning services and other such contracted workers for lockdown period," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said "in this time of crisis, I appeal to all business and the high-income section of the society to be sensitive towards the economic interests of all those whose services you take. It is possible that in the coming few days, these people may not be able to attend work, and in this situation, please do not cut their wages. Decide humanely and sensitively," he said.

There are mounting concerns that companies, including in India, could resort to retrenchment due to sluggish demand and various restrictions are in place to curb spreading of the coronavirus infection.

As per to the latest Union Health ministry update the number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 562, while the death toll due to this viral infection was revised down to nine from 10 after the second death in Delhi turned out to be negative.

The Hindu Business Line |

MSMEs are in the ICU; a bandaid will not help, say industry representatives

MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) say it is going to be a nightmare for them for the next 3-6 months even if things get better by next month, which is still a big question.

Industry representatives feel that the battle against the Covid-19 outbreak could take longer than expected and there is no clarity on how to tackle the situation as this is a crisis like no other.

“With the Coronavirus outbreak and consequent shutdown for 21 days, MSMEs are in uncharted territory and they don’t see any early revival prospects,” X Arokianathan, Co-Convenor, MSME Panel, Confederation of Indian Industry,Tamil Nadu, told BusinessLine.

MSMEs are the backbone of this country’s economy and social well-being of a large section of the society. The government has been seeking solutions to mitigate the situation from representative associations, including CII and FICCI.

Several representations and suggestions have been offered to the Union Government and many of these have been addressed. But they are first-aid solutions to a grave disease.

“After the lockdown, it is going to take a very long time for businesses to resume normality. All major companies will relook into their priorities and change their business models, product lines, and may take a new avatar. To restart under this new era will take some time before orders start trickling down to Tier 2 and 3 smaller companies. Presuming it takes six or more months to receive new orders and cash flow resumes it will be almost a year to come back to normalcy, he pointed out.

Can MSMEs survive that long without cash flow? Apart from all statutory compliances, rentals, power and utility bills, financial debt services outstanding bills etc without inward cash flow how can the wages and salaries be paid, he wondered.

Arokianathan felt that the relief offered to defer payments up to June 30 is only first-aid, not a cure. MSMEs have to be brought out of ICU and treated to regain health.

Possible measures

An extended line of credit at very low cost for another year overruling all NPA norms with strict monitoring to restore them to health could be an answer.

Special incentives and tax holidays for MSMEs who retain their workforce and with a good past track record will also be required. All unpaid bills due to MSMEs by governments, PSU, and large companies must be paid immediately before April 30. This will go a long way to prevent healthy companies closing down, he added.

C Babu, Past President, TANSTIA (Tamil Nadu Small and Tiny Industries Association), said that unless more liberal measures relating to banks is extended it would be very difficult for MSMEs to survive.

“Even if the virus is contained by April 15, it will take a couple of quarters for us to revive. While the FM’s measures are a big relief, we would require support from bank side too. We need to pay salaries to the staff without any revenues. At least 25 per cent increase in working capital loans from banks without demanding documents would give a much-needed relief in addition to relaxation of repayment and NPA norms during this crisis period,” he said.

OBN |

FICCI suggested the federal government

Industrial group FICCI estimates that the electronics, sea meals, petrochemicals and jewelery industries have suffered immediately attributable to China's closure. The fisheries trade alone has suffered a lack of Rs 1,300 crore attributable to a lower in exports.

India exports solely about 36 p.c of the overall manufacturing of its diamond trade to China. Similarly, about 34 p.c of the petrochemical merchandise are exported to China.

But attributable to Corona, this export is totally stalled. Orders canceled between February and April alone resulted in a direct lack of eight to 10 thousand crores.

Sections associated to building, tourism, handicraft merchandise, agricultural merchandise, and the chemical compounds sector are anticipated to decelerate and deepen. At the identical time, some development can be anticipated attributable to corona within the pharmaceutical sector, medical gear sector and chemical medicinal sector, however this improve is just not believed to have a adverse impression on the complete financial system attributable to not even being a fraction of the overall loss.

The Northlines |

Pvt security agencies should consider their workforce 'on duty': MHA

The government on Wednesday sent an advisory to all private security agency companies asking them to consider their staff “on duty”, as a humane gesture for the next 21 days of countrywide lockdown and do not cut their salaries for the period.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which will be monitoring the lockdown on a daily basis, said India is facing an “unprecedented situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic” and the agencies are likely to be impacted in the coming days due to closure of shops, malls, and establishments.

Accepting that the pandemic has affected economic activity, MHA urged the agencies to exercise empathy with its workforce.

“This is the time for the private security industry to adopt a humane approach and protect its workers and staff members from lay-offs and consequent decrease in earnings. I would, therefore, urge the industry for empathy with its workforce, vital to its functioning and ensure that these workers continue to be treated on duty and paid accordingly,” the MHA said in the advisory.

The advisory has also been communicated to the industry bodies like CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM and others.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown in the country to combat the outbreak.

Inc42 |

#StartupsVsCovid19: BigBasket, Grofers back on track after PMO meet

After cases of delivery-partners from BigBasket and Grocers being halted by law-enforcement agencies, citing the nationwide lockdown, online grocery selling platforms are now seeking help from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and state governments.

According to an ET report, top officials of these companies along with industry bodies such as the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have requested PMO and other authorities to bring clearer directives for law enforcement agencies to restart their operations amid the nation-wide lockdown.

The companies are expecting the government to take effective measures from Wednesday (March 25). Prior to this, both Grofers and BigBasket have reported that law enforcement agencies were harassing delivery-partners leading to the cancellation of lakhs of orders.

Additionally, police departments in various states even temporarily locked down the warehouses of these companies. While six warehouses of Grofers were shut down, BigBasket’s warehouses were locked down by local authorities in Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Patna, Pune, and Kochi. As a result, Grofers had to rescheduled over 260K orders. On the other hand, over 100K orders of BigBasket were also impacted because of the lockdown situation.

Inc42 |

Amazon cancels non-priority orders to deliver essentials on time

As India entered the 21-day lockdown period to prevent the spread of coronavirus, ecommerce players are temporarily suspending their operations or limiting it to only essential items. Amazon India has also notified consumers that it’ll only process orders which are essential in these times.

In a blog post, Amazon India said that the company is working to provide essential products and services that its customers need at this time. Amazon said that it is getting increased demand for priority products and important services so it prioritising its operations to deliver products such as household staples, packaged food, health care, hygiene, personal safety and other high priority products.

With less workforce working to meet the demand for essential products, the decision will also help Amazon to protect its employees from the deadly virus. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for a 21-day lockdown, Amazon didn’t clarify when it will start processing non-essential orders.

On the website, the company is currently selling products listed under categories like personal hygiene, grocery, home cleaning, health and fitness, and books. It is processing mobile and DTH recharges as well. For existing orders, Amazon is contacting its customers to avail a full refund on the order.

Amazon’s competitor Walmart-owned Flipkart, previously, temporarily suspended all operations and services. But after hours of the announcement, the company said that it is restarting its grocery delivery service Supermart in Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad.

Not able to deliver essentials

Amid this lockdown situation, most of the ecommerce players are facing disruptions in the delivery of even essential items. BigBasket and Grofers have reported that their delivery partners were stopped at beaten by law enforcement agencies, citing lockdown, in many cities across the country.

Also, police departments in many cities also temporarily locked down many warehouses of these companies. This led to postponement or cancellation of lakhs of online grocery orders placed of BigBasket and Grofers.

Both these companies have raised this issue to many central and state governments. Recently, BigBasket and Grofers also held discussions with the officials of the Prime Minister office. Besides them, industry bodies like FICCI and CII have also reached out to government offices so that these companies don’t face any disruptions in the delivery of essential goods.

As a result, some state and city departments have come up with unique solutions to facilitate the delivery of online grocery orders. For instance, the Delhi government has launched electronic curfew passes to allow these delivery-partners to easily pass through police checkpoints.

Business Insider |

Pvt security cos to back PM's call to support govt machinery; ensure wages during lockdown: FICCI

The private security industry, which employs 50 lakh people, has resolved to fully back Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to support government machinery during the lockdown period triggered by Covid-19 outbreak, and has urged its customers to have empathy towards the staff.

The Union Home Ministry has asked private security agencies not to lay off guards or deduct their salaries during the 21-day lockdown period announced to combat the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

"Over 50 lakh strong private security industry shall fully back PM's call to support government machinery in the lockdown period as an essential service, said Rituraj Sinha, Chair, FICCI Committee on Private Security Industry.

He further requested customers to cooperate in payment to all agencies as per full contracted value and on time.

"This will ensure compliance with Labour Ministry and Home Ministry directives related to payment of full wages of all private security, cash logistics and cleaning services and other such contracted workers for lockdown period," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said "in this time of crisis, I appeal to all business and the high-income section of the society to be sensitive towards the economic interests of all those whose services you take.

"It is possible that in the coming few days, these people may not be able to attend work, and in this situation, please do not cut their wages. Decide humanely and sensitively," he said.

There are mounting concerns that companies, including in India, could resort to retrenchment due to sluggish demand and various restrictions are in place to curb spreading of the coronavirus infection.

As per to the latest Union Health ministry update the number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 562, while the death toll due to this viral infection was revised down to nine from 10 after the second death in Delhi turned out to be negative.

The Quint |

MHA tells Pvt Security Agencies not to lay off Guards or cut salaries

The Union Home Ministry also asked private security agencies not to lay off guards or deduct their salaries during the 21-day lockdown period.

In a letter to the Central Association of Private Security Industry, CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM and others, the Home Ministry said India was facing an unprecedented situation arising out of the COVID-19 outbreak.

This has also affected economic activity and it is possible that private security agencies may be impacted due to closure of shops, malls, and other establishments.

"I would, therefore, urge the industry for empathy with its workforce, vital to its functioning, and ensure that these workers continue to be treated on duty and paid accordingly," it added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced the lockdown to combat the outbreak. After Modi's announcement, the Union Home Ministry issued strict guidelines for the enforcement of the nationwide lockdown.

The guidelines listed several services, including government and private offices, that would be out of bounds during the period, while exempting establishments such as hospitals, ration shops, dairies, banks, insurance offices, and print and electronic media.

Delivery of all essential goods, including food, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment, through e-commerce, has also been exempted from the purview of the lockdown, it said.

"All enforcing authorities to note that these strict restrictions fundamentally relate to the movement of people, but not to that of essential goods," it said.

Money Control |

Pvt security cos to back PM Modi's call to support govt machinery; ensure wages during lockdown: FICCI

The private security industry, which employs 50 lakh people, has resolved to fully back Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to support government machinery during the lockdown period triggered by COVID-19 outbreak, and has urged its customers to have empathy towards the staff.

The Union Home Ministry has asked private security agencies not to lay off guards or deduct their salaries during the 21-day lockdown period announced to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Over 50 lakh strong private security industry shall fully back PM's call to support government machinery in the lockdown period as an essential service, said Rituraj Sinha, Chair, FICCI Committee on Private Security Industry.

He further requested customers to cooperate in payment to all agencies as per full contracted value and on time.

"This will ensure compliance with Labour Ministry and Home Ministry directives related to payment of full wages of all private security, cash logistics and cleaning services and other such contracted workers for lockdown period," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said "in this time of crisis, I appeal to all business and the high-income section of the society to be sensitive towards the economic interests of all those whose services you take.

“It is possible that in the coming few days, these people may not be able to attend work, and in this situation, please do not cut their wages. Decide humanely and sensitively," he said.

There are mounting concerns that companies, including in India, could resort to retrenchment due to sluggish demand and various restrictions are in place to curb spreading of the coronavirus infection.

As per to the latest Union Health ministry update the number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 562, while the death toll due to this viral infection was revised down to nine from 10 after the second death in Delhi turned out to be negative.

Business Standard |

MSMEs to greatly benefit from increase in threshold for triggering IBC against delay in payments

FICCI has welcomed the relief measures announced by the Finance Minister with respect to the tax and statutory compliances amid the lockdown imposed to contain Covid19. Taking cognizance of the liquidity issues being currently faced by corporates, deferment of Deposit Reserve and statutory investment for debenture redemption is a welcome step.

MSME sector, which is precariously reeling under the impact of Covid19, would greatly benefit from the increase in the threshold for triggering IBC against delay in payments. FM's assurance that if situation prolongs, government may consider suspending IBC is a welcome announcement. FICCI also noted that Corporates are finding it extremely challenging to ensure compliance with the requirement of Companies Act 2013 and Rules framed thereunder and are at a risk of non-compliance for no fault of theirs.

India Education Diary |

FICCI welcomes relief measures announced by Finance Minister, it is a good first step

"FICCI welcomes the relief measures announced by the Finance Minister with respect to the tax and statutory compliances amid the lockdown imposed to contain Covid19," said Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI.

Moratorium of six months to companies for filing of disclosures on MCA portal and extension of time for holding board/Independent Directors meeting within prescribed timelines will bring relief to corporates, all of which are facing complete disruption in functioning. "Taking cognizance of the liquidity issues being currently faced by corporates, deferment of Deposit Reserve and statutory investment for debenture redemption is a welcome step," she added.

Announcements on the tax front will give reprieve on compliance front.

"MSME sector, which is precariously reeling under the impact of Covid19, would greatly benefit from the increase in the threshold for triggering IBC against delay in payments. FM’s assurance that if situation prolongs, government may consider suspending IBC is a welcome announcement," said Dr Reddy.

FICCI has represented many other issues to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs over the past few days and would like to re-iterate the following for immediate action:

Corporates are finding it extremely challenging to ensure compliance with the requirement of Companies Act 2013 and Rules framed thereunder and are at a risk of non-compliance for no fault of theirs. Examples include timely conduct of board evaluation, discharge of CSR obligation, transfer to IEPF, addressing shareholders’ requests for demat etc. on a time bound basis. Allowing an additional period of 3 months to companies to ensure timely compliance without any penalties being imposed would be very encouraging in the current situation.

Extension of financial year to a period of 15 months will also enable companies to close the books as on 30th June 2020 instead of 31st March 2020. Financial Statements as on 30th June 2020 would reflect a true and fair value of the affairs of reporting entities as compared to the books drawn on 31st March 2020.

Holding of General Meetings in the absence of physical quorum should also be allowed uptil 30th September 2020.

We look forward to further announcements by FM on economic package and further relief measures to keep the economic engine going, said Dr Sangita Reddy.

ET Retail |

Retailers facing disruption in service as local authorities creating hurdles

Retailers in many cities said on Wednesday that staff were stopped and manhandled by police, even as the central government reiterated that essential services should not face disruption from local authorities.

“On the ground, the interpretation and the reaction is very different from what the centre and the state governments have specified,” said Mohit Kampani, deputy managing director of More Retail, which operates supermarkets across India.

In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown, in the country’s biggest measure to fight the Covid-19 virus outbreak that has so far affected more than 300,000 people worldwide.

On Wednesday, retailers were busy video conferencing or meeting with police, municipal authorities in states and even calling on home ministry officials in New Delhi to find solutions to increasing incidents of alleged harassment, including forced closure of outlets and warehouses, and preventing retail staff from reaching stores.

"Many of our employees are unable to reach stores as authorities have restricted their travel despite authorisation letters. In fact, there are a few markets where local authorities have asked stores to shut shop," said a Future Group spokesperson.

For example, the Big Bazaar hypermarket in Faridabad had to shut on Wednesday as police prevented staff from reaching the store.

“In some states like Uttar Pradesh even kirana stores were not allowed to open…. So did Punjab… which is very baffling,” said Arvind Mediratta, MD of Metro Cash and Carry India. About eight Metro wholesale stores out of the total 28 were shut in many states. “About 30% of our business comes from delivery especially to the kiranas but deliveries have been shut for the last two-three days because vehicles are either impounded or sent back by police,” said Mediratta who is also the head of FICCI’s retail and internal trade committee.

Food and grocery retail chain More said it was able to open 80% of its stores nationally on Wednesday. Stores in Punjab, however, were shut due to either difficulty in staff movement or because local authorities were not allowing to open outlets.

“The biggest issue is supply from our distribution centres to the store, with the trucks getting stopped by the police,” said Kampani.

More has stopped selling all non-food items and is currently focusing on 650 products for hypermarkets and 400 for supermarkets, which include packaged food, dairy, grocery, fruits and vegetables.

The Retailers Association of India said incidents of manhandling of store staff by police were reported from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Gujarat. RAI has requested chief ministers and DGPs of these states to intervene to make sure essential goods are accessible.

Meanwhile, officials in Noida conducted conference calls with retailers and representatives from e-commerce companies, while the Gurugram Police tweeted on Wednesday that its officers had been directed to allow representatives of various companies, including Zomato, Flipkart, Amazon, Big Bazaar, Swiggy, Grofers, BigBasket and Milkbasket to operate.

The Times of India |

E-grocers approach PMO for clearance to operate

Consumers are seeing delays or cancellations in online orders of essential goods amid the lockdown as delivery companies face issues with local authorities and their delivery staff fear for their safety.

Top executives at these firms, along with the help of industry bodies like FICCI and CII, escalated issues to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and state governments, with hopes that operations will start stabilising and orders will get fulfilled from Wednesdays.

Grofers said it had to reschedule orders to over 2.6 lakh households and its six warehouses were shut down, Bigbasket saw about 45,000 orders getting cancelled on Monday, and 65,000-70,000 orders on Tuesday. “A lot of work has happened (in the past 12 hours), we should be done with all the clearances in a day and then it’s just clearing the backlog. Mumbai finally got sorted, while Bengaluru - our largest city - is almost clear now. Telangana is work-in-progress but things are moving fast now,” said Bigbasket CEO Hari Menon. Bigbasket was clocking 2.8-3 lakh orders per day owing to the unprecedented rise in demand.

Bigbasket’s operations were shut in Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Patna, Pune, and Kochi on Tuesday upon being asked to do so by local authorities, while delivery boys were roughed up in Kolkata and Ahmedabad. Menon said all of these are set to open cities will open soon. Among its six warehouses, Grofers saw its Faridabad centre shutdown impacting 20,000 households. “Local administration has responded to our request about opening the Faridabad warehouse. We think we may be able to sort that by midnight. Otherwise, the number of impacted households because of the delay in deliveries would rise to 3 lakh,” he said.

“The top government officials, including the PMO, were updated on the issues on the ground through associations like FICCI, CII. Owing to that, the centre is issuing notices to states to adhere to the orders and treat online platforms delivering goods as essential service,” said a person aware of the matter. The ministry of electronics and IT also issued a circular to state governments on Tuesday to allow e-commerce companies to operate.

About 79% of consumers were not able to find essential goods on online delivery platforms over the last two days, as compared to 35% on March 20-22, according to a survey of 12,500 consumers on Local Circles. Even offline retail stores are running out of stock as unavailability of essentials increased to 32% from 17% during the same period. This comes as retail stores across the country have seen lines of people as items like bread, dairy products and noodles go out of stock.

On Friday, the consumer affairs ministry had urged all state and local governments to exempt e-commerce operations, including their warehousing and logistics facilities and services, from shutdown but these companies have been facing issues in delivering essential goods local authorities stop delivery personnel and shut down fulfillment centres throughout the country.

Financial Express |

Auto sector braces for hard times under COVID-19

The auto industry, which has already been battling a severe slowdown, will suffer a per day loss in turnover of Rs 2,300 crore, if the plants operated by auto original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and components remain shut as they are currently. These estimates collated by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam).

Most auto manufacturers have announced temporary closure of their factories starting Monday and these will remain unoperational either till March 31 or till further notice due to COVID-19 outbreak. Several state governments have announced a total lockdown forcing auto companies and their ancilaries to halt operations.

Ashish Kale, president of FADA, said: “We are yet to ascertain the full impact of the lockdown as it started five days back. Right now, dealers are holding on and following government orders hoping to break the chain (of COVID-19 transmission)”. He added that this was a dynamic situation and as more states announce full lockdowns the number of shut dealership outlets will rise. Kale also said that as of now there was no pay cuts or jobs lost for the staff in these dealerships.

Meanwhile, Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) told FE that nearly 60% of dealer outlets are shut in India as of Monday. There are 26,000 outlets belonging to around 15,500 dealers in FADA’s network. Most auto manufacturers both two-wheelers and four-wheelers - Tata Motors, Hyundai, Bajaj Auto, M&M, Hero MotoCorp, Maruti Suzuki, Honda 2Wheelers, Suzuki Motorcycle, Toyota Kirloskar Motors - have announced temporary shutting of their factories.

Rakesh Sharma, executive director, Bajaj Auto, said: “Since dealerships have closed in almost 60% of the geographic areas, demand in the immediate term will also be proportionately impacted.”

The Pune-based two-wheeler company has decided to close down the operations at its plants located at Waluj, Chakan and Pantnagar from Monday till further notice. Bajaj Auto employs 10,700 people and about 5,000 contract or temporary workers. Sharma said that at this point of time it was their “resolve” to not let salaries and wages get adversely impacted.

Industry players said that they were preparing for longer shut-down period as it would take almost two months for the operations to become normal post the time when such activity resumes. For now, the closures are till March 31, however, experts believe that it would take at least three to four weeks for operations to begin and then another four weeks for operations to come back to normalcy.

Meanwhile, in an analysis made by FICCI, China accounts for 27% of India’s automotive part imports and with closure of the factories of major global auto part makers-Robert Bosch GmbH, Valeo AS and ZF Friedrichshafen AG there has been a delay in the production and delivery of vehicles in Bharat Stage Four (BS-IV) compliant models.

“Moreover, the situation has become more precarious after the decision of the Chinese government to limit all shipments by sea until further notice. Since air shipments are not suitable for auto components and forging industries, the Indian OEMs are finding it difficult to plan production beyond the available inventory,” FICCI has observed.

While the Indian auto sector was already reeling under pressure from lack of demand and piling up inventories, the COVID-19 outbreak may make the recovery more prolonged. In a recent report by Fitch, vehicle production in India is likely to contract by 8.3% in 2020 following an estimated 13.2% decline in 2019. Also, COVID-19 will also make the transition to Bharat Stage VI (BS VI) emission norms difficult which is schedule from April 1, 2020, FICCI said.

India TV |

National Lockdown: MHA tells pvt security agencies not to lay off guards or cut salaries

The Union Home Ministry has asked private security agencies not to lay off guards or deduct their salaries during the 21-day lockdown period announced to combat the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter to the Central Association of Private Security Industry, CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM and others, the Home Ministry said India was facing an unprecedented situation arising out of the COVID-19 outbreak. This has also affected economic activity and it is possible that private security agencies may be impacted due to closure of shops, malls and other establishments.

"This is the time for the private security industry to adopt a humane approach and protect its workers and staff members from lay-offs and consequent decrease in earnings.

"I would, therefore, urge the industry for empathy with its workforce, vital to its functioning, and ensure that these workers continue to be treated on duty and paid accordingly," the ministry said in its letter.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown in the country to combat the outbreak.

Outlook |

MHA tells pvt security agencies not to lay off guards or cut salaries

The Union Home Ministry has asked private security agencies not to lay off guards or deduct their salaries during the 21-day lockdown period announced to combat coronavirus.

In a letter to the Central Association of Private Security Industry, CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM and others, the Home Ministry said India was facing an unprecedented situation arising out of the COVID-19 outbreak.

This has also affected economic activity and it is possible that private security agencies may be impacted due to the closure of shops, malls and other establishments.

"This is the time for the private security industry to adopt a humane approach and protect its workers and staff members from lay-offs and consequent decrease in earnings.

"I would, therefore, urge the industry for empathy with its workforce, vital to its functioning, and ensure that these workers continue to be treated on duty and paid accordingly," the ministry said in the letter.

Kunwar Vikram Singh, chairman of the Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI), welcomed the central government''s appeal.

"It is a welcoming decision by the government. It will ensure that private security guards are able to cope with the financial challenges being faced by them due to the coronavirus outbreak," he told PTI.

Singh said the government''s move will further encourage the private security industry to work with more dedication for the society and the country.

Private security guards are doing a commendable job by putting their lives at risk and trying to contribute to the government''s and all other people''s efforts to ensure safety of others, he said.

The CAPSI had recently sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi''s intervention in saving the livelihood of its members, fearing that private security guards might lose pay and jobs due to the coronavirus outbreak.

With a workforce of over 85 lakh and an annual growth rate of 22 per cent, the private security industry is one of the largest employment-providing sectors in the country and one of the largest contributors to corporate and social security taxes (GST, PF, ESI, income tax etc.), the CAPSI said.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown in the country to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

Outlook |

Pvt security cos to back PM's call to support govt machinery; ensure wages during lockdown: FICCI

The private security industry, which employs 50 lakh people, has resolved to fully back Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to support government machinery during the lockdown period triggered by Covid-19 outbreak, and has urged its customers to have empathy towards the staff.

The Union Home Ministry has asked private security agencies not to lay off guards or deduct their salaries during the 21-day lockdown period announced to combat the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

“Over 50 lakh strong private security industry shall fully back PM's call to support government machinery in the lockdown period as an essential service, said Rituraj Sinha, Chair, FICCI Committee on Private Security Industry.

He further requested customers to cooperate in payment to all agencies as per full contracted value and on time.

"This will ensure compliance with Labour Ministry and Home Ministry directives related to payment of full wages of all private security, cash logistics and cleaning services and other such contracted workers for lockdown period," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said "in this time of crisis, I appeal to all business and the high-income section of the society to be sensitive towards the economic interests of all those whose services you take.

“It is possible that in the coming few days, these people may not be able to attend work, and in this situation, please do not cut their wages. Decide humanely and sensitively," he said.

There are mounting concerns that companies, including in India, could resort to retrenchment due to sluggish demand and various restrictions are in place to curb spreading of the coronavirus infection.

As per to the latest Union Health ministry update the number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 562, while the death toll due to this viral infection was revised down to nine from 10 after the second death in Delhi turned out to be negative.

The Tribune |

Private security agencies should consider their workforce 'on duty' during lockdown: MHA

The government on Wednesday sent an advisory to all private security agency companies asking them to consider their staff “on duty”, as a humane gesture for the next 21days of countrywide lockdown and do not cut their salaries for the period.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which will be monitoring the lockdown on a daily basis, said India is facing an “unprecedented situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic” and the agencies are likely to be impacted in the coming days due to closure of shops, malls, and establishments.

Accepting that the pandemic has affected economic activity, MHA urged the agencies to exercise empathy with its workforce.

“This is the time for the private security industry to adopt a humane approach and protect its workers and staff members from lay-offs and consequent decrease in earnings. I would, therefore, urge the industry for empathy with its workforce, vital to its functioning and ensure that these workers continue to be treated on duty and paid accordingly,” the MHA said in the advisory.

The advisory has also been communicated to the industry bodies like CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM and others.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown in the country to combat the outbreak.

Deccan Herald |

Private security companies to back PM Narendra Modi's call to support govt machinery; ensure wages during lockdown: FICCI

The private security industry, which employs 50 lakh people, has resolved to fully back Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to support government machinery during the lockdown period triggered by COVID-19 outbreak, and has urged its customers to have empathy towards the staff.

The Union Home Ministry has asked private security agencies not to lay off guards or deduct their salaries during the 21-day lockdown period announced to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Over 50 lakh strong private security industry shall fully back PM's call to support government machinery in the lockdown period as an essential service, said Rituraj Sinha, Chair, FICCI Committee on Private Security Industry.

He further requested customers to cooperate in payment to all agencies as per full contracted value and on time.

"This will ensure compliance with Labour Ministry and Home Ministry directives related to payment of full wages of all private security, cash logistics and cleaning services and other such contracted workers for lockdown period," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said "in this time of crisis, I appeal to all business and the high-income section of the society to be sensitive towards the economic interests of all those whose services you take.

“It is possible that in the coming few days, these people may not be able to attend work, and in this situation, please do not cut their wages. Decide humanely and sensitively," he said.

There are mounting concerns that companies, including in India, could resort to retrenchment due to sluggish demand and various restrictions are in place to curb spreading of the coronavirus infection.

As per to the latest Union Health ministry update the number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 562, while the death toll due to this viral infection was revised down to nine from 10 after the second death in Delhi turned out to be negative.

The Hindu |

MHA tells pvt security agencies not to lay off guards or cut salaries

The Union Home Ministry has asked private security agencies not to lay off guards or deduct their salaries during the 21-day lockdown period announced to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter to the Central Association of Private Security Industry, CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM and others, the Home Ministry said India was facing an unprecedented situation arising out of the COVID-19 outbreak.

This has also affected economic activity and it is possible that private security agencies may be impacted due to closure of shops, malls and other establishments.

“This is the time for the private security industry to adopt a humane approach and protect its workers and staff members from lay-offs and consequent decrease in earnings.

“I would, therefore, urge the industry for empathy with its workforce, vital to its functioning, and ensure that these workers continue to be treated on duty and paid accordingly,” the ministry said in its letter.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown in the country to combat the outbreak.

Hindustan Times |

Govt asks private security agencies to pay workers during coronavirus lockdown

With reports of a large number of private companies, cinema halls and hotels terminating private security guards or keeping skeletal staff, the government has written to several industry bodies associated with private security asking them to adopt a “humane approach” and protect its workers amid layoffs during the lockdown across the country.

The ministry of home affairs wrote to the Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) , Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), International Institute of Security and Safety Management (IISSM) and Security Association of India (SAI).

PC Guite, deputy secretary, said in his letter on March 23 to these bodies that the private security agencies may have been hit after malls, shops and other such establishments were closed.

“I would, therefore, urge the industry for empathy with its workforce, vital to its functioning and ensure that these workers continued to be treated on duty and paid accordingly,” Guite said.

CAPSI chairperson Kunwar Vikram Singh had shot off a letter to the Prime Minister in this regard, saying it would be unethical on part of private companies to lay off their security guards hired through private security agencies as it may lead up to the tremendous amount of restlessness and frustration.

“Despite notifications and guidelines issued by the home ministry and department of labour, security guards are being terminated. For example, if a mall had 200 guards, they are now just keeping five to six for outer periphery security,” Singh said while speaking to HT.

“The security providing companies are being threatened that if they will terminate the contract with them if they don’t listen and remove them. But these guards need to run their households. Private security agencies cannot take the burden alone,” he said.

“Subsequently, the police are stopping the guards if they aren’t in uniform. A guard usually goes to his duty in civilian clothes. They are facing a lot of harassment,” added Singh.

India has been put under a 21-day complete lockdown across the country to stop the deadly coronavirus from spreading and closed down several public and private organisations. Among them are commercial, industrial and private establishments with certain exemptions.

Private security agencies have been exempted but with the closure of malls, shops and other places where private security is deployed, several people have been asked to stay home or even fired.

The government has made several such requests to companies to continue paying their staff throughout the lockdown period.

Sandeep Kumar, a security guard who was deployed in a mall in Ghaziabad, said he has been lucky so far.

“I am still here but a lot of my colleagues have been removed from the job for now without pay. I don’t know when will this end. I cannot go to my home in Allahabad also because there are no trains or buses,” Kumar said while speaking to HT.

According to FICCI, there are around 8.9 million private security guards in India managed by over 22000 private security agencies who are engaged in a range of public or private sector entities and residential complexes.

The Free Press Journal |

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s steps meant to meet legal compliances: Experts

Industry bodies and experts said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s relief measures are extension of dates for complying with various mandatory procedures and give time to meet various regulatory compliances at all levels.

However, they expect much more in the economic revival package the FM has said she will announce soon.

Indian Merchants Chamber deputy director general Sanjay Mehta said the measures were announced as March 31 is round the corner and businesses needed that extension for if it is GST or tax-related or company related compliance for 2018-19. “About economic package, FM said it would soon be announced.

However, there is no strategic announcement to rescue economy from the present crisis,’’ he added. FICCI Pesident Sangita Reddy welcomed the FM’s relief measures amid the lockdown imposed to contain Covid 19.

“We look forward to announcements on economic package and more relief steps to keep the economic engine going,’’ she noted. Credit rating agency CARE has listed some measures the FM may announce to revive economy.

Some include cash transfers to the poor, expediting projects once the epidemic is over, interest rate subvention on retail loans to be funded by budget, approach to NPAs for non-SME loans, distribution of medicines.

CARE said the govt may announce lowering of drug prices, compensation for job loss - where private sector doesn’t heed the govt advice not to layoff workers, free movement of good across states as this has created the beginnings of shortages in this period of shutdown.

The Economic Times |

Coronavirus: will the lockdown create a supply shock that India simply can’t afford?

On the very first day after administrations and security personnel around the country doubled down on keeping streets crowd-free, arbitrary police and district authority action and lack of staff created huge supply disruptions for consumers and even businesses deemed essential.

And it may get worse, unless clear directions are sent down to police and district authorities on the ground. ET reporters spoke to businesses and consumers across major metro cities to capture what is already looking like a major crisis.

The problem of availability of essential goods across offline and online channels is getting worse, according to consecutive surveys conducted by community platform LocalCircles. The data shows that percentage of customers unable to buy essential goods through ecommerce services between March 20 and March 22 was 35%, and it shot up to 79% in the March 23-24 period. And 17% of customers were unable to buy essential goods at retail stores on March 20-22, and 32% on March 23-24.

Grofers CEO Albinder Dhindsa said in a tweet on Tuesday: “Our @grofers warehouse in Faridabad was closed by local law enforcement today. While we understand they are doing their duty, essential items will be denied to 20,000+ households in Faridabad and Delhi every day. We need help in sorting this out.”

A senior executive of a leading ecommerce firm said, “The only thing that can save us from a complete shutdown is a directive from the Prime Minister. We’ve tried everything from reaching out to all state secretaries, Director Generals of Police in states, but things don’t seem to be looking up.”

Vegetables, the key staple for Indians after grains and pulses, were in short supply at many retail outlets across cities. And many wholesale vegetable traders in key markets plan to stop operations for a few days from Wednesday even though mandis may remain formally open.

Traders say local authorities have held long discussions with them, and supplies are certainly slowing down. Retail traders who go to the mandis will face labour shortage and sharp fall in market arrivals of vegetables. This will likely worsen today’s situation when police in many places shut down vegetable vendors to prevent any gathering of too many people.

Fish and meat processes have already been hit. Secretary of Howrah fish market in Bengal Syed Anwar Maqsood said loading of fish from Andhra Pradesh has completely stopped. “Scarcity is being felt in the market and from Wednesday fish prices will go up by 10-20%,” he said.

Poultry Production Hit, Warehouses Of Ecommerce Companies Shut

“If the state borders are sealed then fish arrival will stop completely. We will have to close down the market,” Maqsood said.

In Kerala, there is a shortage of popular fish varieties like sardine and mackerel. Many fishing boats are idling.

Poultry production had halved in the past month to 40 million birds. Now poultry feed is not available, so production can fall further. Only big companies are processing poultry.iThe local governments that are not allowing transportation of poultry are the weakest link , says industry. Rajasthan — the major producer of mutton — isn’t sending any supplies. Prices in metros have increased from Rs 400-500 per kg to over Rs 700 now.

WORRIES FOR RETAILERS

Bigger retailers faced worse problems. They reported cases of manhandling of store staff on Tuesday from many states.

Several incidents of police crackdown on retail employees and closure of warehouses were reported in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Mumbai and many cities in Punjab.

Ahmedabad-based Osia Hypermarts said five of its stores have been shut by the police classifying them “malls”. Its owner said he was unable to convince the cops that his outlets were hypermarkets and not malls.

“It is very difficult for staff to come to the store. They have been harassed and beaten up by police in various states,” said Arvind Mediratta, managing director of Metro Cash and Carry India whose seven stores in Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have been closed due to police action.

He also said transporters supplying goods from Metro stores to their kirana clients have not been allowed to operate. “Even though the central government has issued advisory that food and grocery is an essential service, the local police is behaving in a very high-handed fashion,” said Mediratta.

Retailers said supplies of various essential products have come to a standstill as many states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Union Territory of Delhi among others have sealed their borders and are hampering movement of trucks.

Thousands of small and medium units dealing in flour, rice, dal, oils and sugar have also closed due to the high-handedness of the local authorities, they said.

“The inventory for basic commodities is running very low with most of the retailers,” said Mediratta, who is also the head of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry’s (FICCI) retail and internal trade committee.

DAIRY CHALLENGES

Dairy companies are facing similar challenges in supply of milk and other dairy products, with several smaller vans getting stopped by police. Milk in tetra packs is sold out in several markets. India’s largest dairy firm Amul’s managing director RS Sodhi said the company is working with the authorities to sort out the issues.

Ahead of the lockdown announcements by many states, ecommerce saw sharp spike in orders but started facing logistical difficulties in meeting the sudden surge in demand. Such platforms witnessed massive increase in absenteeism among the on-ground staff, as high as 75-80% for some large etailers. Staffers were unable to come to work due to transport problems.

ECOMM DELIVERY DELAYS

And blockades at state borders led to new supplies being cut off and huge delays in deliveries to customers. Warehouses of ecommerce companies have been shut and even logistics providers like Delhivery, Amazon and Flipkart have halted offering their services to their sellers.

Moreover, Flipkart has stopped taking any orders till there is clarity from the local authorities, sources in the know said. The Walmartowned etailer is likely to restart its grocery delivery business across five cities over the next few days.

Online food delivery startups Swiggy and Zomato are operating with very few restaurants available on their platforms. Many consumers reported that police stopped delivery agents and asked them to return.

Egrocer BigBasket has suspended operations temporarily in Mumbai and Delhi-NCR. The company said local authorities have imposed restrictions on movement of goods despite clear guidelines from the Centre on allowing essential services.

PHARMA DISRUPTION

It’s no better for the pharma industry. Drugmakers are already facing disruption in their manufacturing supply chain and distribution channels within the country.

Cadila Healthcare chairman Pankaj Patel said the whole purpose of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video conference with the industry on Sunday was to ensure that there are no disruptions in the supply chain.

Yet days later, Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) had to write to all chief secretaries in states to facilitate smooth inter-state travel of workers and treat pharma activities as essential services.

Pharma companies are requesting the Indian government to ease up lockdown for critical goods as they are stuck in transit due to curfew imposed in most parts of India.

A person who is a leading generic player in India said that restrictions on transportation within the country will lead to huge unavailability of medicines in days to come. “It is becoming difficult to transport these products from one place to another. There should be some clarity on this,” he said.

The problem is not just the movement of medicines or active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) per say, but even the ancillary goods — chemicals, blister packaging material, caps, bottles and cartons which are materials intended for making finished product — required for medicine production.

Printers that manufacture packaging for medicines are shut, vehicles of suppliers of packaging materials are getting detained and the flight shutdown has led to goods being stuck in different parts of the country that need to be airlifted.

The problem is acute in hubs such as Baddi in Himachal Pradesh where several plants are located. “Several MNCs and local companies are trying to get the cabinet secretary to intervene. There is a last-mile disconnect that is hampering the trade,” said a lawyer representing several pharma associations.

Even hydroxycholorine is facing the brunt. Ipca Labs which were supposed to deliver five lakh blisters of hydroxycholorine tablets to Central government by Tuesday had to wait two days to get permission to airlift its products from Siliguri. Though the companies are sitting on raw materials that can produce 10 crore tablets, the lockdowns are making the final production of these essentials difficult to complete.

There is no shortage of drugs at retail level yet as dealers have inventory that can last for 40 days but the problem could arise if the lockdown continues beyond March 31, pharma companies that ET spoke to said. The firms have been negotiating with local level officials in state governments, customs departments to relax paper work required for the passage of drugs.

On Tuesday, Swiss drug and diagnostic company Roche which said it can manufacture 1 million test kits for Covid-19 has asked governments to ensure the free flow of vital goods across national borders to keep manufacturing and supply running.

“The problem is transportation within the country,” said Mankind’s chairman and manging director RC Juneja. “Supply chains are already under stress. And there is shortage of workforce and on top of that the police is making it difficult to transport medicines.”

HANDSETS OUT OF STOCK

And that lifeline of India - mobile phones - could soon disappear. A Xiaomi spokesperson said that phone deliveries could take 12-15 days due to transportation issues.

A Realme spokesperson said everything is shut from factories and warehouses to transport and shops. “Distribution channels could be shut until factories reopen.” Many fast-moving models are out of stock on ecommerce websites.

The Economic Times |

F&B companies want 'essential' pass to clear checkposts, reach you

Large foods and beverages companies including Britannia, Parle, PepsiCo, Dabur, Hindustan Unilever, Coca-Cola, ITC, Nestle, Mondelez and Perfetti Van Melle have written to the government on Tuesday through three separate industry bodies, asking for immediate exemption from movement restrictions.

They also want the sector to be termed as an “essential service”, to avoid shortages on retail shelves and prevent consumer panic. “Central and state authorities are issuing different advisories and notifications on a daily basis, local administrations are enforcing shutdowns of factories and creating ambiguity at the ground level and leading to unnecessary enforcement,” the companies said in one of the letters to the government.

The letters, addressed to the consumer affairs and food processing ministries, have been sent through the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), All India Foods Processors’ Association and the US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). The companies have sought clear guidelines to enforcement officials and a mechanism to balance essential and non-essential items.

“To maintain regular supplies, it is necessary that this sector is not put under any work and movement restrictions. Along with the food and beverage sector, food ingredients companies should also be allowed to operate smoothly,” the FICCI letter said. It said many companies are facing challenges from local administrations who are asking them to shut down operations.

It also warned that these restrictions would have a direct impact on farmers and their produce. The companies said they were restricting entry of visitors to all plants, monitoring hygiene conditions at warehouses and distributors, undertaking extensive sanitisation in factory premises and cutting done on shifts. The foods market is estimated to be worth about Rs. 2.3 lakh crore, or roughly 55% of the country’s FMCG industry. Following the lockdown across the country in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, only essential services are being allowed to operate, bringing the economy to a grinding halt.

The USISPF, whose members include ITC, Deloitte, Adobe Systems, APCO, Cognizant and FedEx said in a letter addressed to consumer affairs secretary Pawan Aggarwal that the food processing industry and nutraceuticals be classified under essential services. “Supply chains for food are highly integrated; disruption to any one part will have a ripple effect and the impact would be felt back to the agriculture sector,” it said.

The letter called for all transport vehicles, refrigerated trucks, and those carrying raw material including that meant for packaging be permitted interstate movement and also within cities.

The Wire |

With three-week lockdown, Auto and Aviation sectors face crippling loss in revenue

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing a national lockdown for the next three weeks, India’s automobile and aviation industries now stare at steep losses.

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has said in a statement that the closure of most manufacturing plants by the industry and their component makers could lead to a collective loss in revenue of more than Rs 2,000 crore per day.

“As per quick estimates by SIAM, it is expected that plant closure of auto OEMs and components will lead to loss of more than Rs 2,300 crore in turnover for each day of closure,” SIAM president Rajan Wadhera said in a statement.

A three-week full shutdown of the whole automotive industry would translate into a loss in revenue of nearly Rs 48,000 crore.

Most major automakers like Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai, Honda, Mahindra, Toyota Kirloskar Motor and Tata Motors have either announced a temporary shutdown of their plants or will do so in the next few days.

Two-wheeler makers like Hero MotoCorp, Honda Motorcycle, TVS Motor Company, Bajaj Auto, Yamaha and Suzuki Motorcycle have also suspended production.

Several firms, like the Bajaj Group, have promised not to cut salaries or fire their employees during the shutdown period.

“I will cut my salary to zero before a single employee is laid off,” Rajiv Bajaj, managing director and CEO of Bajaj Auto, said in a recent TV interview.

Besides auto manufacturers, tyre makers and other major auto component makers too have shut down most of their manufacturing activities due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Red skies

The outlook for India’s aviation industry is also extremely dire. Capa India recently estimated that Indian airlines could ground over 150 planes in the coming days; these projections do not take into account the new three-week lockdown announced by Modi.

A recent report put out by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said that some domestic airlines have reported a more than a 30% drop in domestic travel this summer, compared with last year, while fares on popular domestic routes have plunged 20-25%.

“According to the data available with the ministry of civil aviation, nearly 585 international flights have been cancelled to and from India between 1 February and 6 March because of the outbreak of coronavirus. Cash reserves of airline companies are running low and many are almost at the brink of bankruptcy,” the report said.

The worst-case scenario, projected by ICICI Securities, says that IndiGo and SpiceJet may report losses worth Rs 5,494 crore and Rs 1,412 crore respectively in the quarter ended June if there is a complete business shutdown.

“If operations normalise from the second quarter (July-September), the airlines would be able to recoup most of their losses on account of lower fuel costs,” ICICI Securities said. The pace of recovery for SpiceJet, however, may be slower than IndiGo because of its higher fixed costs and less fuel efficient aircraft.

FnB News |

Eco slowdown and Covid-19 double jolt for Indian agri & allied sectors

The Indian economy has been experiencing a significant slowdown over the past few quarters. In the third quarter of the current fiscal, the economy grew at a six-year low rate of 4.7 per cent. Further, the new coronavirus epidemic has made the recovery extremely difficult in the near to medium term, according to a FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) report released here on the impact of Covid-19 pandemic.

“The outbreak has presented fresh challenges for the Indian economy now, causing severe disruptive impact on both demand and supply side elements, which have the potential to derail India’s growth story,” the report stated, and added that the impact could be visible on demand, financial market, supply, and international trade.

Key findings of FICCI’s industry survey to assess impact of Coronavirus
FICCI has attempted to assess the immediate impact of Coronavirus on businesses across the country through conducting interactive sessions and survey amongst the industry members.

The survey revealed that besides the direct impact on demand and supply of goods and services, businesses are also facing reduced cash flows due to slowing economic activity, which, in turn, is having an impact on all payments, including those for employees, interest, loan repayments and taxes.

Agriculture and food processing

The report suggested that the agriculture and allied activities sector is likely to be adversely hit by the Coronavirus scare.

In fact, the poultry sector is already being affected severely. It is the fastest growing sub-sector of the Indian agriculture eco-system and where the country has created a foothold at the global level (India is the third largest producer of eggs and fifth largest producer of broilers). It is already facing losses to the tune of Rs 150-200 crore each day.

Furthermore, the prices of several commodities, including soybean, maize and chana have fallen. Once the rabi crop will start arriving in the market from the second week of April, mandis are going to see large gatherings of farmers. There is a need to ensure preventive measures to avoid the spread of virus in rural areas.

Suggestions
  • The government should mount an enthusiastic media campaign to counter the rumours being spread on social media regarding consumption of poultry products
  • Government may also consider giving direct assistance to poultry farmers through direct benefit transfer so that they are compensated to some extent for the losses incurred by them
  • Given the extensive interactions and concentration of people in agri-mandis, steps must be taken to regulate the entry and exit of people in agriculture mandis
  • Given the good rabi season, the supply of agri products in the markets is expected to be sizeable and the government must ensure that the agri-products are procured and stored well in time. The bhawantar scheme can be used for this purpose more effectively.
  • Payments due to various agencies dealing with Central and State Governments should be released on a priority basis. This will help ensure liquidity in the trading system in rural areas

ICIS |

India industries scale back operations on lockdown amid pandemic

Key manufacturing industries in India are either shutting down and scaling back operations as a full-country lockdown was implemented to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic in the south Asian nation.

There are fears that the global coronavirus crisis could endanger recovery in Asia’s second-biggest emerging economy.

“The Indian economy which has already been facing a slowdown since the past few quarters saw growth slowing down to 4.7% in the third quarter of 2019-20,” the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said in a report.

“There was a strong hope of recovery in the last quarter of the fiscal but the epidemic has made the recovery extremely difficult in the near to medium term,” it said.

At 04:30 GMT, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India stood at 482.

On 23 March, the country imposed a total lockdown across 75 districts spanning 31 states, with transportation and movement of people restricted and only essential services are being allowed to operate.

Under the countrywide lockdown, manufacturing plants across the auto, smartphone, consumer electronics industries were ordered shut, while some fertilizer, chemicals and plastics firms will need to run at reduced capacity until the end of the month.

“A significant 53% of Indian businesses indicate the marked impact of the coronavirus pandemic on business operations even at early stages,” the FICCI said in a market survey released on 20 March, citing immediate impact seen in the tourism, hospitality and aviation sectors.

Manufacturing operations in India were affected by China’s pandemic-containment measures since late January as these caused delays supply of necessary raw materials for production, it said.

In India, some sectors like automobiles, pharmaceuticals, electronics, chemical products, etc are facing an imminent raw material and component shortage. This is hampering business sentiment and affecting investment and production schedules of companies.

In the auto industry, Maruti Suzuki, Hero MotoCorp, and Bajaj Auto have stopped operations at their factories until 31 March, while India’s largest tractor maker Mahindra & Mahindra suspended all operations on Monday. Other auto makers also announced suspension of operations by late Monday.

The shutdowns are expected to hit the component industry, with vendors being forced to halt operations for the same duration.

Almost three-fourth of the businesses in our survey indicate big reduction in orders. Of these almost 50% indicate a 20% and more decrease in orders,” the FICCI report said.

FICCI is the oldest industry body in India with a membership of over 250,000 companies.

Many companies that announced the closure of operations have mentioned that they would wait for government orders and assess the situation before restarting production.

The Indian auto industry has been facing a severe slowdown over the past year due to weak demand, which will worsen amid the pandemic.

The FICCI report said that cash flow at organisations had also been impacted with almost 80% of companies surveyed reporting a decrease in cash flow.

The pandemic has also had a major impact on the supply chains of around 63% of the respondents who said that they were closely monitoring the situation and expected the situation to worsen further, according to the report.

A report by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on 4 March had estimated that the slowdown of manufacturing in China due to the coronavirus impact would have a trade impact of $348m on India, with around a $129m expected hit on its chemical sector.

The novel coronavirus emerged in China's central city of Wuhan late last year and has since spread to more than 180 countries/areas/territories, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

China has been a major market for many Indian products, including petrochemicals, and the pandemic had adversely impacted exports of these items to Asia’s biggest economy and the world’s second largest.

India also exports 34% of its petrochemicals to China. Due to export restrictions to China, petrochemical products are expected to see a price reduction, the FICCI stated.

Media Nama |

E-commerce delivery of essential goods exempted from 21-day COVID-19 curfew: Home Ministry

The Ministry of Home Affairs has exempted delivery of all essential goods through e-commerce from the 21-day curfew that will go into effect at midnight on March 25. This includes delivery of food, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment. This 21-day curfew has been imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in India.

You’re reading it here first: Treat e-commerce functions, such as delivery, warehouse operations, shipping and logistics, as essential functions, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) told all state governments in an advisory to permit IT/ITeS industry to carry out essential functions. To plausibly ensure that delivery personnel and other associated employees are carrying out these functions, the Ministry advised the state governments to treat “copy of orders, way bills, invoices” as evidence. The advisory, dated March 24, has been issued by Rajiv Kumar, the joint secretary at MEITY. Kumar’s office confirmed the authenticity of the attached document

Earlier today, Reuters had reported that e-commerce and online grocery delivery services were being disrupted across the country as multiple states have locked down to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Section 144 has also been imposed in multiple parts of the country, making it harder for delivery personnel to operate, and for warehouse employees to get to work. Flipkart and Amazon temporarily suspended logistics services for sellers across regions, according to an Economic Times report. The problem that e-commerce companies are facing right now is that different states have come out with different guidelines on their operations during the pandemic. For instance, the Tamil Nadu government has banned home deliver services such as Zomato and Swiggy as the state goes into a lockdown, but the Maharashtra government exempted food delivery as delivery of an “essential good”.

Certain IT/ITeS services cannot be deployed from home

MEITY also asked state governments to let people who are critical to the functioning of IT/ITES services to operate out of office, and give others in the industry three days to shift from office to home.

Dilip Chenoy, the Secretary General of FICCI, told MediaNama that the issue of treating certain IT/ITeS services as essential services had been brought up in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video conference with ASSOCHAM, FICCI, CII, and a number of representatives of different industries that was held yesterday evening. Chenoy, who was part of the conference, told us that certain CEOs, from healthcare and insurance companies, “who need to provide services” during the pandemic needed to work from office. “Earlier, the Department of Telecommunications had allowed other service providers to work from home, but certain people had to be allowed to [provide] service [to] their customers from sites,” he said.

According to ANI’s tweet, some of the industry participants included Uday Kotak (MD of Kotak Mahindra Bank), Ajay Piramal (chairperson of Piramal Group), Hari S. Bhartia (co-chairperson of Jubilant Bhartia Group), Venu Srinivasan (chairperson of TVS Group), Sangita Reddy (MD of Apollo Hospitals and president of FICCI), N. Chandrasekar (chairperson of TATA Sons), Navas Meeran (chairperson of Eastern Condiments) and Dr Naresh Trehan (chairperson and MD of Medanta). FICCI Delhi, ASSOCHAM Mumbai, and CII’s Chandrajit Banerjee and Vikram Kirloskar were also part of the conference.

Subject: Advisory to State Governments to permit IT/ITES industry to carry out essential functions.
  1. In view of the prevailing situation due to COVID 19, the Government of India has issued several advisories regarding management of pandemic. The Department of Telecom has also relaxed provisions of OSP licencing enabling IT/ITES industry employees to work from home. However, in view of the lockdown, certain IT/ITES services are being hampered.

  2. This Ministry has received representations/suggestions from various IT/ITES Industry Associations requesting to being uniformity across India, through a suitable advicory, with regard to essential functions that are undertaken by the IT-ITES industry amidst the Corona epidemic related restrictions.

  3. Some of the State Governments like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharasthra and Telnagana have notified the essential nature of IT-ITES industry in their policy itself, with suitable enabling provisions in their respective Essential Services Maintenance Acts. The IT-ITES industry provides dollowing key essential services:

    *Government Services (tax administration, e-governance, cloud operation, passport services etc.)

    *Healthcare and Insurance related processing (prior approval of treatment etc.)

    *Provision and support to utilities customers (gas, electricity, mobile network, broadband etc.)

    *Maintenance and support of communication infrastructure (cell network support, ISP equipment support etc.)

    *Transportation related logistics support (support to trucking, shipping, air cargo services etc., including for getting essential aid/medicines supplied in a pandemic).

    *Support to banking services/payment services (KYC/AML support, KYC database updating without which, suspicious transactions might go undetected by the banking system)

    *E-commerce services and their warehouses and agents working for delivery of essential items.

  4. In order to deal with the crisis situation emerging from the corona pandemic and related lockdown being announced by various State Governments, it is important that the following requests are suitably considered by the State Governments:

    *Employees who are certified as ‘Mission Critical’ and associated with ‘Essential Services’ by the top management of the Company may be permitted to operate from the company offices on the basis of such certificate issued; and

    *A reasonable time of three days may be given to persons who will operate from home, to enable shifting of necessary equipment, computers etc. from the office to home.

    *E-commerce services (delivery warehouse operations, shipping logistics), on the basis of evidence like copy of orders, way bills, invoices etc. particularly in respect of essential items.

  5. In view of above, State Governments are requested to take measures to ensure uninterrupted IT/ITES services. A copy of advisory issued in this regard by the State Government of Karnataka is also attached for your kind reference.

The Economic Times |

FICCI FLO to organize online Hackathon to find non-medical solutions for Covid-19

Do you have a non-medical solution to contain the spread of Covid 19? If yes, the Pune chapter of FICCI FLO is giving you the opportunity to register on their online hackathon. The idea behind the concept ``Create while you isolate’’ is to try and seek non medical solutions to contain COVID-19.

FICCI FLO Pune chapter said it conceived this idea and that the hackathon has now garnered support from the Ministry of Electronics and IT, MEITY Startup Hub (MSH) (Govt of India), Maharashtra State Innovation Society (MSIS) & Ministry of Skill and Entrepreneurship, Garage48, Accelerate Estonia, Science and Technology Park, Pune (Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt of India initiative) and APJ Abdul Kalam Centre, Robotex International (India Initiative)

Interested candidates need to think of all the problems caused by COVID-19 that they would like to solve, put together a team or play solo.

Participation is open to all Indians staying in India or overseas and one can participate solo or form a team. The idea submission link is active for 72 hours up to Wednesday 25th March, 2020.

The top 300 teams will be mentored by an expert Indian and an EU panel at every step online over a 48-hour Hackathon from 27th – 29th March. The top 3 ideas will get a cash prize up to Rs one lakh and the top 15 finalists will represent India at the global ‘Hack the Crisis – World’.

The Science and Technology Park, India & Startup + Accelerate Estonia will incubate winner models as working prototype implemented globally as an effective solution for helping combat this pandemic.

"A sincere reach out to all responsible citizens, let us awake our ideating spirit, promote and be innovative and use our time effectively," said Ritu Chhabria, chairperson, FLO Pune chapter and the person behind the hackathon.

Express Healthcare |

FICCI FLO Pune Chapter to organise online Hackathon

Do you have a non-medical solution to contain the spread of COVID-19? If yes, we are giving you the opportunity to register on our online Hackathon. The idea behind the concept ‘Create while you isolate’ is to try and seek answers to this critical question.

FICCI FLO Pune Chapter conceived this idea and it is supported by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, MEITY Startup Hub (MSH) (Govt of India), Maharashtra State Innovation Society (MSIS) & Ministry of Skill and Entrepreneurship, Garage48, Accelerate Estonia, Science and Technology Park, Pune (Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt of India initiative) and APJ Abdul Kalam Centre, Robotex International (India Initiative) who have whole heartedly come forward to support this unique concept.

Ritu Chhabria, Chairperson, FLO Pune Chapter and the brain behind this innovative competition said, “Citizens should contribute to this online mission by taking part in this competition. A timely challenge where creative minds can surely help take a step forward as a community in the fight against this global epidemic. I’m grateful to Payal Rajpal, Head, Robotex, South Asia, Pune Flo member for leading this and glad to have the support of Harjinder Kaur, President, FICCI Flo. A sincere reach out to all responsible citizens, let us awake our ideating spirit, promote and be innovative and use our time effectively. Let’s create history together to help solve the crisis the world is facing today and be the change makers of tomorrow.”

All you need to do
  • Think of all the problems caused by COVID-19 you would like to solve
  • Put together a team or play solo.
  • Register www.hackacause.in www.garage48.org
Participation is open to all Indians staying in India or overseas and one can participate solo or form a team. The idea submission link is active for 72 hours up to March 25, 2020 23:59 hours.

The top 300 teams will be mentored by an expert Indian and an EU panel at every step online over a 48-hour Hackathon from March 27-29. The top three ideas will get a cash prize up to Rs 1 lakh and the top 15 finalists will represent India at the global ‘Hack the Crisis – World’.

The Science and Technology Park, India & Startup + Accelerate Estonia will incubate winner models as working prototype implemented globally as an effective solution for helping combat this epidemic.

It’s an invitation to be part of this online mission and if you succeed you may even go down in history.

Yahoo News |

Coronavirus crisis: Modi’s Jan Dhan accounts can be used to help daily wage workers, suggests FICCI

Industry body FICCI has suggested the government to use Jan Dhan accounts to facilitate a one time payment to daily wage workers as over 500 districts in the country have been put under lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. "One-time payment by transfer of Rs 5,000 to daily wage earners' Jan Dhan accounts (below the poverty line) to meet the daily needs in view of loss of wages due to lock down," FICCI said in a report on Monday. Among its other suggestions to protect the interest of daily wage laborers, the body said that the government can also look into handing cash to low income earners. This will be in line with other developed economies as they have also moved to help workers in these testing times.

For those who are employed under MNREGA, FICCI suggests that the government can consider special provisions. "With harvesting season about to start, the government may consider special provisions to support MNREGA workers[through upfront payments] and other extension services including agri machinery providers," it said. Also, since there has been a lockdown, employers may consider laying off workers in sectors such as restaurants and hospitality and this will lead to serious problems for these employees. To avoid such a scenario, FICCI suggests that the government must provide some incentive to employers to not churn out the workers. "Since a large number of informal workers could lose their jobs especially in the retail, hospitality, travel, construction sector, the government can consider giving incentives for employers to keep the workers, while the coronavirus problem tides over." Restaurant industry has already warned that it may have to let go of staff to keep costs minimum.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation today as the scare of the coronavirus outbreak continues. The virus has so far claimed nine lives in the country and the infected cases are nearing 500 mark.

KNN |

FICCI suggests measures to govt for MSMEs

In order to ensure health safety of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) workforce amid coronavirus outbreak, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) has suggested a slew of measures to the government.

"It is extremely important to ensure the flow of money into the working capital of such enterprises otherwise there will be a risk to the survival of these enterprises," FICCI said in its report on Monday.

FICCI in its suggestion urged the government to clear all pending dues including GST refunds to MSMEs at the earliest, interest rate subvention at 3 per cent instead of 2 per cent on loans that are healthy and not NPAs etc.

FICCI also sought that all the receivables of MSMEs either from the government or from third parties should be converted into one-year commercial paper to be subscribed by banks under special refinancing window of RBI.

"MoF, through RBI, should give directive to the Banks for continued support to SME sector, especially service sector, for automatic renewal for a year of credit limit sanctions being processed from March onwards, till present scenario improves, without change in commercial terms," the body further suggested.

The other suggestions of the FICCI are: SEBI to issue Advisory to the Rating Agencies not to downgrade SME sector from March onwards, till present scenario improves. Those downgraded by one notch, should be restored to original ratings, which should be reassessed after one year. In UK, authorities have agreed to consider the rating just before the COVID impact, Provide a Wage Subsidy to MSMEs, especially in the Manufacturing sector, to the extent of 50 per cent for all registered workers for a period of 9 months, Cash grant be provided to small businesses (like in Australia). In UK also small businesses will be provided with a one-time grant of 10000 Pounds to meet the ongoing business costs.

In lockdown situation, MSMEs will be the worst sufferers if the lockdown continues for a longer duration in wake of the Coronavirus epidemic. A large number of MSMEs could incur business losses and also face severe cash flow disruption, which in all likelihood will have an adverse effect on the livelihood of several people working in this sector.

The Bridge |

Coronavirus: FICCI urges government to lend support to sports sector

Impact of coronavirus has a deep impact on different working sectors but most of all sports. While other sectors are also adversely affected, sports has been one of the most affected with all the events getting canceled and players are left due with the cancelation charges if they refuse to attend.

Indian Premier League is also postponed and given the current circumstance, the picture of it taking place from mid April seems far-fetched. IPL brings in a lot of revenue to the nation and if this event does not take place, it will certainly be a huge blow for the country.

FICCI has released a report that quantifies the impact of coronavirus on different industries in India and sports is one of the major sectors to be affected by it. The report points out that the Indian Sports sector has suffered substantially due to the inevitable impact of the coronavirus. Event cancellations raise a host of practical considerations, such as potential refunds, exchanges etc., particularly in relation to interested parties like sponsors, broadcasters, and ticket holders who may have committed significant money to events now subject to cancellation due to the coronavirus.

A lot of leagues have been affected by it and especially when it comes to the sponsors, governing bodies, athletes, manufacturers and broadcasters have been the most affected. Take IPL for example, valued at INR 514 billion in 2019 will see a value erosion of INR 15,124-26,467 million if the BCCI goes in for a truncated tourney with empty galleries and INR 52935-75,622 million if the season is cancelled.

Apart from commercial activities, fitness also comprises the general public. Stepping out is a risk at this point and physical inactivity will be cause of concern for a lot of patients which are advised for some or the other physical work out and other fitness enthusiasts.

SME Street |

MSMEs may not endure if cash issue happens in the midst of lockdown, FICCI tells government

As MSMEs gaze at a greater income issue ahead if the present lockdown proceeds by the administration, there is additionally a chance of them being presented to an existential emergency. To guarantee MSMEs have enough liquidity and working capital, industry body FICCI proposed the administration a huge number of measures including clearing all installments and levy including GST discounts to MSMEs at the most punctual, financing cost subvention at 3 percent rather than 2 percent on credits that are sound and not NPAs and so on.

“It is critical to guarantee the progression of cash into the working capital of such ventures in any case there will be a hazard to the endurance of these endeavors,” FICCI said in a report on difficulties and proposals to battle COVID-19. As per the MSME service’s FY19 yearly report, India has 6.33 crore MSMEs out of which 6.30 crore are miniaturized scale organizations. A week ago Assocham in a comparative proposal report to the legislature had requested concessional working capital advances “proportional to one to multi month (depends on the degree of interruption) normal turnover of a year ago” and another concessional money “at a pace of 5 percent for a quarter of a year through SIDBI,” to help SMEs.

“Without solid money related upgrade, residential enterprises are probably going to enter a log jam cycle in the coming weeks, and this will have an unmistakable negative effect on India’s fare abilities in the medium to long haul,” Pushkar Mukewar, Co-author of exchange financing organization Drip Capital disclosed to Financial Express Online. FICCI likewise requested MSMEs receivables from the administration or outsiders to be changed over into “one-year business paper to be bought in by banks under uncommon renegotiating window of RBI,” to help MSMEs tide over the working capital test.

Among other key recommendations included money awards, wage sponsorship up to 50 percent for every single enrolled specialist for nine months, and programmed restoration of “credit limit sanctions being handled from March onwards” for a year with no adjustment in business terms. FICCI mentioned SEBI to ask rating offices not to downsize SME part from March onwards. It likewise looked to reestablish those downsized by one indent to the appraisals before the Coronavirus flare-up.

rediff.com |

Coronavirus: India Inc's 5-point wishlist for Modi

Top India Inc representatives, in an unusual video-conference meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, sought a fiscal stimulus for industry to battle the coronavirus crisis that has forced factories and offices to shut down indefinitely.

The business leaders, including Hindustan Unilever chairman and managing director Sanjeev Mehta, TVS chairman Venu Srinivasan, and Piramal group chairman Ajay Piramal, also told the PM that monetary incentives must be given to the vulnerable sections.

Modi had called the virtual meeting to discuss possible solutions to the rapidly declining industrial production after the government decided to shut down around 80 coronavirus-hit districts, with further plans to introduce similar steps for other major urban centres.

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) president Sangita Reddy, as well as her counterpart in the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Vikram Kirloskar, attended the meeting, along with other members.

They were united in the idea of direct cash benefit transfers to the economically vulnerable population.

Both industry bodies have called for cash transfers of Rs 5,000 each to workers and those earning below Rs 5 lakh as well as a one-time payment of Rs 10,000 for senior citizens.

The PM was keen on knowing the details of the proposed cash transfer which may boost the stagnating consumer demand, multiple people present in the meeting said.

Overall, industry has sought relaxed loan provisions and measures to boost liquidity.

“All borrowers should be given a three-month moratorium on all loans and all repayment obligations should be suspended for this period.

"The CII also emphasised that there is an immediate need to facilitate and enable advances for ways and means for industry across sectors and the government could perhaps explore options of a moratorium on interest and principal for the next three months,” Kirloskar said.

He added the government’s priority should be on 'flattening the curve’ or reducing the number of new infections as soon as possible.

The CII has also called for dollar-liquidity swap as India is in a comfortable position as far as its dollar reserves are concerned.

Similarly, FICCI has suggested that the government must take a 200-basis point hit to the fiscal deficit target, which can bring about Rs 4 trillion worth of liquidity in the system.

“No further accounts should be considered as non-performing assets from March 16 onwards, while the payment of standard loans should be deferred by two quarters.

"Aside from bank loans, liquidity should also be maintained for commercial papers and corporate bonds,” Reddy said.

FICCI has also argued that no new cases should be opened under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code at the National Company Law Tribunal for companies affected by coronavirus.

The chambers reiterated that none of the moves being sought by them would have any major negative financial implication for the government.

At the meeting, Modi stressed that supply of essential items should not be impacted, while black marketing and hoarding must be prevented.

However, TVS Group's Venu Srinivasan pointed out that clarifying what constitutes an essential item remains a problem.

"Now, a lot of stocks are trading at less than 50 per cent of two years ago. When the bulls come back, it will be a 'V' shaped recovery," he added.

Heeding the government's call to burden more responsibility, business leaders have also assured the PM that workers will not be laid off casually and firms would try to guarantee the financial safety of the most vulnerable.

For instance, CII members will dedicate their plant facilities to help scale up manufacturing and availability of essential equipment needed to deal with the medical emergency linked to ventilators, sanitisers, essential drugs, medical services, on a no-profit basis.

FICCI members plan to support up to 5,000 new medical beds by converting hotel rooms into medical facilities.

The industry body is working with Niti Aayog to produce beds and ventilators for isolation and quarantine, and is sharing data for virus testing practices.

Besides Mehta, Srinivasan and Piramal, other business leaders to log into the meeting included Rajan Bharti Mittal, Uday Kotak, Pankaj Patel and Harsh Pati Singhania.

Biz wish list
  • Rate cut of 50 to 100 basis points to boost lending and liquidity
  • Dollar-liquidity swap since dollar reserves remain comfortable
  • A moratorium on interest and principal for the next three months
  • Deferment of payment of standard loans and interests by 2 quarters
  • All EMIs should be back-ended and deferred

Telangana Today |

Analysts warn of volatile market ahead

The Indian stock market suffered worst-ever single-day crash on Monday, with the benchmark indices plunging about 13.15 per cent, eroding Rs 14.22 lakh crore of investor wealth. Sensex climbing 692 points on Tuesday hints at volatile times, not ruling out the negative sentiment prevailing in the market over the rising Covid-19 cases worldwide, point out experts.

Presenting the near-term outlook, Institute for Advanced Studies in Complex Choices (IASCC) co-founder Anil K Sood told Telangana Today, “It is likely to be a volatile week, as we are still uncertain about the economic impact of Covid-19 and how the governments globally would respond to the need for economic stimulus. We are faced with an unprecedented health crisis, which has serious economic consequences. If the governments see it as a problem of financial market which can be solved through monetary policy instruments, they will be solving the wrong problem. It will not help if the governments resort to cut interest rates and not provide enough support to families that have lost work or SMEs that have lost business. We have seen that in the US, where the emergency rate cuts have not helped at all.”

“I expect the volatility in the Indian market to be high, as we are impacted not only by the Indian government’s response but also how the governments in advanced countries respond and how global investors view the opportunity in India. While these investors see India as a long-term investment opportunity, they tend to liquidate their positions at the margin (a small percentage of their total investment), which sets the market for a roller coaster ride,” he added.

Continuing wealth erosion

According to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), greater uncertainty about the future course and repercussion of Covid-19 has made the financial market extremely volatile, leading to huge crashes and wealth erosion, which in turn is impacting consumption levels. With equity markets likely to remain volatile in future, further wealth erosion of investors is expected.

When asked if the government should consider temporarily shutting down the stock market as the investor wealth is eroding over the last few weeks, Sood said, shutting down a market is the last resort and is likely to be effective only when we know that the investors would stay invested in their positions once the market opens. If the investors see that the problem has been resolved or is likely to be resolved in the short-run, the selling pressure will ease and the market will stabilise.

One of the reasons for market volatility is the leverage buying that takes place through derivative (commodities, precious metals, currency, bonds and stocks) markets. There is a need for regulation of derivatives markets, where the institutional investors build large speculative positions for trading gains.

Sood noted, “We are currently seeing a large unwinding of foreign portfolio investor (FPI) positions in India and many emerging markets. I am not surprised at the pace of selling in India, as the Indian market, like many global markets, had got ahead of itself.”

Rupee vulnerability

On the currency front, rupee is vulnerable largely as a result of FPIs taking out money from India, out of fear. It puts pressure as India still runs on large trade deficit. The currency gains arising from lower oil prices is being negated by liquidating of positions by the international financial investors who are rushing to bail out of the market. Emerging market currencies will also experience greater volatility till there is higher visibility into economic impact of the crisis.

Fitch projects rupee will average 77 per US dollar this year and 80 in 2021 amid ongoing global risk-off sentiment.

Gold prices too will remain volatile. It is a financial asset and the price volatility depends on how many financial investors are chasing gold for the so called ‘safe haven’ returns. It is hard to see gold being a safe-haven with so much economic uncertainty around.

Aditi Nayar, principal economist, ICRA, says, “We expect a sharp downturn in various indicators of the manufacturing and services sectors, particularly those catering to domestic discretionary activities, such as travel, tourism and recreation, labour intensive sectors such as construction and transport activities as well as exports from March onwards, which could intensify in April, if the prevailing near-lockdown situation in several States persists.”

Inc42 |

Govt says no layoffs, salary cuts as businesses bear brunt of Coronavirus lockdowns

As the country goes into lockdown due to the spread of coronavirus and Covid-19, the government has now advised private and public companies against salary cuts or layoffs during the pandemic. Further, at present, 70K companies have expressed readiness to deal with the coronavirus.

In a notification, the ministry of labour and employment said that all employers of the public/private establishments are advised not to terminate their employees, especially casual or contractual workers, or reduce their wages. The ministry said that there may be incidents where services of employees or workers may be dispensed with on the pretext of the disease or employees may be forced to go on leave without pay.

Workers taking leave should be deemed to be on duty without any consequential deduction in wages and if the place of employment is made non-operational due to Covid-19, the employees of such organisations shall be deemed to be on duty, the ministry said. The termination of an employee or a cut in salary will only “further deepen” the crisis and will not only weaken their financial condition but also hamper their morale to combat this epidemic, the advisory said.

The similar rules have been put in place for government employees too in a new order on March 23.

Further, as a result of the government directive, more than 70K firms told the ministry of corporate affairs that they are ready to deal with coronavirus crisis. The companies, which have filled a compliance form issued by the ministry, reportedly include most large corporations.

“Reporting compliance on readiness to deal with the Covid-19 crisis is only meant as a confidence-building measure. There is no enforcement action or penalty. The response from businesses has been overwhelming,” the official said.

A survey by FICCI had said that over 50% of Indian companies see an impact on their operations and nearly 80% have witnessed a decline in cash flows due to the pandemic. Besides the direct impact on demand and supply of goods and services, businesses are also facing reduced cash flows due to slowing economic activity, which in turn is having an impact on all payments including to those for employees, interest, loan repayments and taxes,” it said.

It said a combination of monetary, fiscal and financial market measures is needed to help the businesses and people cope with the crisis.

At present, discussions among startups in chat groups and on social media are now more about coronavirus, ensuring business continuity, planning for contingencies and also chalking out the broad conundrums of managing the cash reserves with doubts on future fundraising.

The investors have been advising startups to conserve cash by cutting down costs, which may include human capital. There are already market speculations of upcoming layoffs as businesses need to plan for the runway for almost next 1 year and that would entail severe cost-cutting.

Orissadiary |

FIA Global's Bank Mitras spreading awareness on Coronavirus in Rural India

FIA Global, a leading fintech company in digital payment & distribution systems for the last-mile financial inclusion in Indian and Nepal, is dedicated to serving people in rural India during the coronavirus outbreak. While the lockdown persists, FIA Global, with the help of its star Bank Mitras, is reaching out to different villages in India and providing access to essential financial services in the areas.

While Bank Mitras are continuously safeguarding the financial safety of their customers, FIA Global has ensured care of their Bank Mitras so that people feel secure and safe while visiting the centre.

While the company is focusing on continuous banking services, Bank Mitras are also spreading awareness about the #CoronavirusPandemic in these areas to help people informed about the situation.

The initiative was appreciated by FICCI-Tech through their twitter handle.

The Better India |

COVID-19: FICCI offers free management course online for all

With the rising number of cases in India testing positive for Covid-19, the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has launched a free online course on how to manage coronavirus. The course which is being offered in association with Medvarsity, an online medical certification and training platform, hopes to help build a workforce if the situation deteriorates in the country.

The course – ‘COVID-19 Certificate on Awareness and Management’ is open for all.

The Topics to be Covered
  • How COVID-19 emerged and was identified
  • How COVID-19 spreads
  • Public health measures for COVID-19 worldwide
  • What is needed to address COVID-19 going forward
Things to know
  • This course is absolutely free of any charge and can be taken up by anyone and everyone who shows an interest in learning.
  • The course material will be uploaded online and can be accessed from anywhere.
  • The course material, besides theoretical content, will also contain videos related to treatment of COVID-19, prevention of a corona outbreak and case management.
  • The content will also contains a PDF file with information on the do’s and don’ts in the case of an outbreak in a region.
  • The programme has nine modules, which consists of eight videos, a PDF file, an online quiz and a file associated with assessment of the participant.
  • The course has no fixed time or schedule so you can go through the material at your own pace.
To enrol click here and once you fill in your details, you will be able to access the material.

With several states in India being placed under lockdown, enrolling for this course to understand what Covid-19 is might be useful. If you decide to take this course, do write in and tell us what you learnt.

Business Standard |

IndiGo, SpiceJet hit lower circuit after govt suspends domestic flights

Aviation stocks including SpiceJet and InterGlobe Aviation-run IndiGo crash landed at the bourses today after the central government announced suspension of the domestic flights beginning the 23:59 hours of March 24 in the wake of coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. While SpiceJet was locked in the 5 per cent lower circuit at Rs 31.85 apiece on the BSE, IndiGo hit its 10 per cent lower limit at Rs 765.05 before recovering maerginally to trade 8.6 per cent lower at Rs 776.50.

"The operation of all scheduled domestic flights (except all-cargo flights) by any aircraft operator holding an air operator certificate issued by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) shall cease with effect from 23:59 hrs. IST on 24 March, 2020. The restriction shall remain in force till 23:59 hrs IST on 31 March 2O2O," a government notification said.

Besides, the notification added that the operation of flights by the holders of Non-scheduled operator permit (except all-cargo flights, off-shore helicopter operations, medical evacuation flights or flights specifically approved by DGCA) and flights by private aircraft operators shall also cease with effect from 23:59 hrs. IST on 24 March, 2O2O. "Such operators shall plan their operations in such a way that their flights land at the destination latest by 23:59 hrs. IST on 24 March, 2020," it said.

The move is part of the nationwide lockdown that the government has imposed to stem the spread of coronavirus that threatens Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attempts to revive the economy, which has already been expanding at the slowest pace in more than a decade. Earlier, India had banned international flights for a week on March 20.

PM Modi joined chief ministers in urging people to take the lockdown in 30 states and Union Territories seriously, even as 75 new cases of Covid-19 were dectected on Monday, taking India's total number of cases to 492 - more than double the number on March 20.

Studying the impact, analysts at JP Morgan said the airspace closure may persist for even longer basis the situation which may lead to a sharp decline in IndiGo June and September quarter earnings.

In the backdrop of the outbreak of coronavirus we revisit our air traffic growth estimates. Our base case is a sharp slowdown in Q1FY21 and recovery starting Q2FY21 leading us to estimate 9.2 per cent/4.2 per cent domestic/international pax growth for Indian airlines in FY21E, wrote analysts at Centrum Broking in a note.

While the analysts expect IndiGo's Q4FY20E earnings to be impacted by fx MTM loss of Rs 5.7bn (at Rs73.5/USD), they it’s robust balance sheet and competitive cost structure to put it in a position of strength once growth recovers. The brokerage has 'Buy' rating on the stoock with a revised target of Rs 1,505.

Aviation is one of the worst affected sectors amid the Covid-19 crisis that has taken the scale of a pandemic. "According to the International Air Transport Association, airlines globally can lose in passenger revenues of up to $ 113 billion due to this crisis. Airfares have also come under pressure due to nearly 30 per cent drop in bookings to virus affected destinations. As a result, airfares to such destinations have fallen by 20-30 per cent," industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) said in its latest report.

"According to the data available with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, nearly 585 international flights have been cancelled to-and-from India between February 1 and March 6 because of the outbreak of coronavirus. Cash reserves of airline companies are running low and many are almost at the brink of bankruptcy," the report said.

Financial Express |

Coronavirus crisis: Modi's Jan Dhan accounts can be used to help daily wage workers, suggests FICCI

Industry body FICCI has suggested the government to use Jan Dhan accounts to facilitate a one time payment to daily wage workers as over 500 districts in the country have been put under lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. “One-time payment by transfer of Rs 5,000 to daily wage earners’ Jan Dhan accounts (below the poverty line) to meet the daily needs in view of loss of wages due to lock down,” FICCI said in a report on Monday. Among its other suggestions to protect the interest of daily wage laborers, the body said that the government can also look into handing cash to low income earners. This will be in line with other developed economies as they have also moved to help workers in these testing times.

For those who are employed under MNREGA, FICCI suggests that the government can consider special provisions. “With harvesting season about to start, the government may consider special provisions to support MNREGA workers[through upfront payments] and other extension services including agri machinery providers,” it said. Also, since there has been a lockdown, employers may consider laying off workers in sectors such as restaurants and hospitality and this will lead to serious problems for these employees. To avoid such a scenario, FICCI suggests that the government must provide some incentive to employers to not churn out the workers. “Since a large number of informal workers could lose their jobs especially in the retail, hospitality, travel, construction sector, the government can consider giving incentives for employers to keep the workers, while the coronavirus problem tides over.” Restaurant industry has already warned that it may have to let go of staff to keep costs minimum.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation today as the scare of the coronavirus outbreak continues. The virus has so far claimed nine lives in the country and the infected cases are nearing 500 mark.

Financial Express |

Startups, MSMEs having queries on Covid-19? Invest India sets up one-stop shop for all your questions

Ease of Doing Business for MSMEs: The government’s investment promotion and facilitation body Invest India on Tuesday announced a partnership with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to set up a Covid-19 helpdesk for “responding and resolving queries for MSMEs,” Commerce Ministry said in a statement. Invest India also set-up a similar help desk to assist and resolve queries of startups in tie-up with TiE Delhi NCR. The partnerships are part of the Invest India Business Immunity Platform launched on Tuesday for providing the latest information on Coronavirus in India, steps taken by the government against it and also resolving queries on a real-time basis for businesses and investors.

The platform will track “developments with respect to the virus, provides the latest information on various central and state government initiatives, gives access to special provisions, and answers and resolves queries through emails and on WhatsApp,” the ministry said. “This platform also provides the ability to join the dots to find matching suppliers with required supplies and for innovators, startups and MSMEs to showcase their solutions,” said Deepak Bagla, MD and CEO, Invest India.

Setting up a one stop-platform for businesses and investors to get updated information around Covid-19 gains importance as MSMEs and small businesses are likely to take maximum hit amid possible working capital challenges, broken supply chain, and blocking of export finance etc. Industry body FICCI had on Monday asked the government for clearing all payments and dues including GST refunds to MSMEs at the earliest and interest rate subvention at 3 per cent instead of 2 per cent on loans that are healthy and not NPAs etc.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday gave respite to MSMEs from “being forced into insolvency proceedings amid Coronavirus outbreak,” according to a press note issued by the Finance Ministry. The minister announced raising the threshold of default under section 4 of the IBC 2016 to Rs 1 crore from the existing limit of Rs 1 lakh to “prevent triggering of insolvency proceedings against MSMEs.” The government may also suspend section 7, 9 and 10 of the IBC 2016 for six months to avoid businesses from insolvency proceedings if the current situation continues beyond April 30, 2020. Sitharaman also extended the last date of filing GST return due in March, April and May 2020 by the last week of June 2020 without any penalty charged.

The Times of India |

Mumbai, Delhi property purchases see huge drop

The Covid-19 is yet another black swan moment in India’s residential real estate market which will lead to further dip in sales and postponement of launches, brokerage firm ICICI Securities said. “Since early March 2020, the Covid-19 scare has led to buyer footfalls falling off dramatically in the largest markets of MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan Region) and NCR and to a lesser extent across South India. The prospect of falling sales in ongoing projects and deferment of upcoming launches threatens to become the next Black Swan for an already weak residential market,” it wrote in a report last week.

The report said the impact has been most drastic in Mumbai and Delhi, while the situation in Bengaluru is slightly better. And it is expected to be further exacerbated now as the country is asking citizens to avoid stepping out to prevent the spread of the pandemic.

“The slowdown since end-February is apparent; and while site visits are marginally down, the decision-making process is hugely delayed,” said National Real Estate Development Council president Niranjan Hiranandani. The sector has been down for nearly six years now as buyers stay away from a tepid market. Demonetisation, the RERA Act, GST and the NBFC funding crisis has dealt a body blow to the industry. Many developers have changed track and are focusing on commercial office space, which have been yielding better returns.

Following the coronavirus crisis, developers with strong balance sheets will be best placed to weather the storm. “With residential real estate typically being a ‘touch and feel’ high ticket purchase, any extended spell of social distancing owing to Covid-19 may lead to cash flow management issues in ongoing projects where a fall in collections may lead to a drop off in construction activity. Further, new launches planned in April-May 2020 will be pushed back till at least September 2020 to coincide with the festive season,” ICICI Securities said.

“The industry was hoping to recover from this prolonged slowdown in 2020. The health contagion of Covid-19 disease, however, has the potential to put some brakes on India’s real estate market, given the anticipated slump in demand,” industry chamber FICCI said.

People Matters |

Finance Minister extends ITR, GST filing dates

Earlier today, Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, announced as the government she will be addressing the media specifically on statutory and regulatory compliance matters. She also mentioned that the ministry is already working on an economic package to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on the Indian economy.

The minister announced that the last date for Income Tax return for 2018-19 has been extended till June 30 amid the coronavirus pandemic. It can also be recalled that the ministry has clarified that the spending of(Corporate Social Responsibility) CSR funds for COVID-19 is eligible CSR activity. Investments relating to the promotion of health care, including preventive health care and sanitation, and disaster management will be considered under CSR.

Major announcements by the Finance Minister
  • The ministry is working on an economic package, and the announcement will follow up soon.
  • For newly incorporated companies: 6 more months to file commencement of business report.
  • Aadhaar-PAN linking deadline extended to June 30.
  • For larger companies, only interest but no late fee and no penalty for GST.
  • For companies with less than ₹5 crore turnover, no interest, late fee, or penalty will be charged.
  • Deadline for filing March, April, May GST returns extended to June 30:
  • The ministry will announce a relief related to tax return filing.
  • Vivad se Vishwas tax dispute resolution scheme will be extended by three months to June 30. Those availing the scheme by the extended deadline will not have to pay 10 per cent interest on the principal amount.
Various industry bodies such as CII, FICCI, and ASSOCHAM requested the government to extend the deadlines of filing the returns and GST. It will help them to pass on the benefits to their employees and won't lead to slashing their jobs or salaries.

Law 360 |

India defers taxes, vows more relief to Counter Pandemic

India’s government announced deferred tax filing deadlines Tuesday while extending a taxpayer amnesty program and introducing other, nonspending relief measures to gird the economy from damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman promised further fiscal measures but insisted that India, which has the world’s seventh-biggest gross domestic product, was not on the verge of economic catastrophe.

Individuals will be allowed to file their annual tax returns by June 30, a three-month extension, for the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2019, Sitharaman said via videoconference from New Delhi, the Indian capital.

“We are very close to coming up with an economic package which will be announced sooner rather than later,” she said.

However, concerns among Indian citizens and businesses about the pandemic’s immediate impact prompted the government to respond quickly with a set of statutory and regulatory compliance measures, the minister said.

“There have been several calls for us to respond to in terms of deadlines that people are struggling to keep. So therefore, today, we have come up with a comprehensive and detailed announcement,” she said.

Nonetheless, the government will not declare a financial emergency, according to Sitharaman.

The other measures she announced include reducing the interest rate on delayed tax payments to 9% from 12% for fiscal 2019, extending to June 30 - from March 31 - the deadline to link government-issued Aadhaar and PAN cards for tax payments, and extending the application deadline for India’s tax amnesty program to June 30.

In addition, the government relaxed rules that trigger insolvency cases against micro-sized, small and medium-sized enterprises, loosened norms for the conduct of corporate board meetings, extended the final date for return of goods-and-services tax for March, April and May to June 30, and provided for around-the-clock customs clearances through June 30.

Across India on Sunday, residents observed what was described as a voluntary curfew, hours after the country’s borders were temporarily closed to international flights in an attempt to contain the spread of the coronavirus. As of Tuesday, the country had reported 536 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, including 10 deaths.

Sudhir Kapadia, national tax leader of EY India, called Sitharaman’s tax announcements “significant” in light of business disruptions from COVID-19.

He said extending last year’s indirect tax scheme and this year’s customs-related direct tax resolution program to June 2020 - without the usual 10% tax surcharge for direct taxes - will give Indian businesses “breathing room to assess and carefully evaluate these options and allow for liquidity to make the necessary tax payments under these schemes.”

In a note to clients, Kapadia called the interest rate cut to 9% for delayed tax payments “welcome relief.” But he said it would have been better if the government had allowed a three-month deferral for paying income taxes without any interest.

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, a leading business lobby, welcomed the minister’s announcement.

Sangita Reddy, FICCI president, said in a statement the “extensive measures” to relax regulatory and tax compliance rules to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 were “a good first step.”

The Quint |

Ensure no impact on production of essential Items: PM to India Inc

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 23 March, asked captains of India Inc to ensure that the production of essential items is not impacted in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and there is no hoarding and black marketing.

During his interaction with leaders of India Inc, the prime minister also asked them to allow employees to work from home, said an official release.

"The impact on the economy will be felt for some time to come," said Modi as he exhorted India Inc to adopt a humanitarian approach and not to cut down on the workforce in spite of the COVID-19 negative impact on their businesses.

The prime minister said that while the government was working on giving fillip to the pace of growth in the country, an unforeseen hurdle in the form of COVID-19 came in front of the economy.

"He said that the challenge posed by the pandemic is graver than what was posed by the World Wars and we need to be on constant vigil to prevent its spread," the release said.

Industry representatives from Assocham, FICCI, CII and several local chambers from 18 cities across the country participated in the interaction with the prime minister through video-conferencing.

Modi asked the industry "to allow employees to work from home" wherever doing so is feasible through using technology, the release said. He exhorted them to adopt a humanitarian approach and not to cut down on workforce in spite of the negative impact on their businesses.

The prime minister further said the fulcrum of the economy is trust.

"Trust has a unique yardstick – it is earned or lost in difficult and challenging times. The parameters of trust are at a critical juncture in various sectors of the economy," the release said.

Modi said several sectors such as tourism, construction, hospitality and daily life engagements including the informal sector have been hit due to the coronavirus outbreak. The impact on the economy will be felt for some time to come.

Meanwhile, FICCI said that the government should not worry about fiscal deficit target as it made a case for increasing it by 200 basis points, which in turn can bring almost Rs. 4 lakh crore of liquidity into the system. The government aims to restrict the fiscal deficit to 3.8 percent of the gross domestic product.

CII said its member companies will dedicate their plant facilities to help scale up the manufacture and availability of essential goods and equipment needed to deal with the medical emergency like ventilators sanitisers, essential drugs, medical services, on a no-profit basis, and build a cadre of volunteers for public service.

The Print |

8 steps to make Indian systems work smoothly in a coronavirus lockdown

India is at the cusp of an exponential pandemic crisis. But like any crisis, bold action can help reduce the impact. Here are eight of them.

First, recognise and accept realities at the earliest possible stage. Risk experts have a different take on the adage - hope for the best but prepare for the worst. It is “hope is not a strategy, and the reality is always worse than scenarios”. If we are alarmist, then at the most, we may waste some resources, but if not, preparation would save countless lives. Now is not the time to be hiding bad news from stakeholders. Instead, it is the time to advocate worst-case scenarios unblemished, without fear or favour.

Second, scenarios have to be planned in ‘Horizons’. For instance, Horizon One would be the exponential increase of patients, the unprecedented strain on medical infrastructure and the economic impact of the lockdown. Horizon Two, is picking up the pieces and limping back to normalcy accepting that a certain percentage of our population, especially the elderly, including critical leadership in political, administrative and corporates may not be available. These horizon planning teams have to be separate so that each can focus on their objective. Loading all the planning and execution on the same officials of administration and police who are already in firefighting mode will overwhelm the system.

Third, and most importantly, work out the value chain of essential services in microscopic detail. Just keeping the food and medicine shops open, is meaningless if the people supplying those are locked up. Communication, Power, fuel and gas are four critical lifelines that have to be kept going at all costs. The first two are vital for the government to govern and the last two to deliver relief where needed. Which means that the lockdown will have to ease far more, accepting the accompanying risks. Else, unintended consequences will manifest shortly. These will be, failures of telecommunication networks including the internet (engineers have to repair the systems, technicians have to fuel the generators. Gas cylinders and kerosene have to be supplied for cooking. And fuel is required for all of this). If the communication channels break, everything else including food supply will unravel rapidly.

Ironically, lockdown increases loads because data streaming explodes in fragmented networks. Here is why. When office-goers and students are in office/school, networks transport data up to the office complex from where the internal networks distribute that link. Now that data is being streamed directly to homes, through far more fragmented systems, swamping the infrastructure which is not designed for such loads, and with no IT team to maintain them.

These four critical commodities have very long value chains, starting from the refineries, power plants and import hubs, right up to the last mile delivery and everything in between. For instance, consider the implication if your router, fridge or cooking stove gets broken. Where is the supply chain to replenish it? Also factor in the human angle. If a technician, policeman, administrator or politician or someone in his family falls sick, that resource is unavailable. Similarly, if restaurants and hostels shut down, then how do last-mile personnel sustain. We must also factor that frontline personnel in medical fraternity, police and administration will have disproportionate attrition soon.

Fourth, leverage national capacity. While some conglomerates have stepped forward, their resources need to be coordinated and channelized for maximum impact. If there was ever an occasion for a national emergency, it is this. Tasking for other quasi-government and social organisations such as NCC, Rotary, Entrepreneurs forums, CII, FICCI, RWAs etc. must be designed and coordinated intelligently. These could range from developing awareness videos in vernacular, creating and manning of ham radios for when the cellular networks start faltering or private doctors taking on the responsibility of conducting testing within residential complexes and surrounding slums. This will require managerial bandwidth and domain knowledge way beyond current government capacity, and hence services of key retired military personnel, civil servants, administrators must be solicited to augment it. There is precedence for this in the form of an Emergency commission of army officers during the 1962 war and precisely why all retiring military personnel are kept on a two-year reserve list. That concept has to be expanded and implemented.

Fifth, assign the best people for the job crossing ideology and party lines. Abraham Lincoln built a team with three of his rivals; Churchill had two adversaries in his war cabinet. Closer home, PM Narasimha Rao sent the leader of the opposition to advocate India’s case in the UN, simply because the AB Vajpayee was the best Indian to do the job. Now is the time to focus on the ability of the individual, not the alignment to the ideology.

Sixth, set up a communication strategy which tells the truth in simple terms. Nature abhors a vacuum, and fake news will fill the void in the absence of honest official communication, causing incalculable damage. The government must dominate that space by earning credibility, and the only way to do that is, to tell the truth, frequently.

Fibre2Fashion |

Indian PM interacts with industry chamber representatives

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday interacted with representatives from the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and several local industry chambers from 18 cities via a video conference to discuss growth and the COVID-19 crisis.

Modi said while the government is working on giving fillip to the pace of growth in the country, an unforeseen hurdle in the form of COVID-19 has arrived.

The challenge posed by the pandemic is graver than even that posed by the World Wars and the country needs to be on a constant vigil to prevent its spread, he said.

Several sectors like tourism, construction, hospitality and daily life engagements in the formal and informal sector have been hit due to COVID-19 and its impact on the economy will be felt for some time to come, an official release quoted the prime minister as saying.

The industry representatives apprised Modi of the steps being taken by them to maintain supply lines of essential items and medical equipment, assistance in creating isolation wards, utilisation of corporate social responsibility funds for combating COVID-19 and provision of assistance to migrant labourers.

livemint |

Coronavirus impact: Govt bans all passenger flights from 25 March

India will ban passenger flights on all domestic routes from Tuesday midnight in a desperate bid to arrest the spread of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic in the world’s second-most populous nation.

“Domestic scheduled commercial airlines shall cease operations with effect from 25 March," a senior government official said on Monday. Dedicated cargo airlines would be exempted from the suspension, the official said.

The official said all airlines will have to plan operations in such a way so that they are able to land by 23.59 hours on 24 March.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in a circular late Monday that the ban will remain in force until 31 March midnight.

The Union government’s decision follows requests by several states, including Bihar and West Bengal, asking the Centre to suspend flights in a bid to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The ongoing pandemic has resulted in significantly reduced global travel demand, accelerated by border closures, travel bans and country lock-downs, which has impacted global businesses adversely.

Globally, over 14,717 people have died due to the deadly virus, while the number of infected crossed 339,645, according to the latest data by Johns Hopkins University.

Many governments, including the US, have implemented a temporary travel ban.

The Indian government has also imposed a temporary ban on foreigners entering the country.

The aviation and travel sector has been one of the worst hit by the Covid-19 outbreak, which has led to travel restrictions. Most Indian airlines have already suspended international operations or reduced it to a bare minimum.

India has also banned all international flights from midnight on Sunday for a week.

The timing and resumption of services is entirely in the control of the government but it will most likely be beyond 31March, CAPA India said in a statement on Monday. “As a result, the entire Indian commercial fleet of 650 planes lies grounded" it said.

According to a survey by industry chamber FICCI titled Impact of Covid-19 on Indian Economy, some domestic airlines have reported a more than a 30% drop in domestic travel this summer, compared with last year, while airfare on popular domestic routes have fallen by 20-25%.

“According to the data available with the ministry of civil aviation, nearly 585 international flights have been cancelled to and from India between 1 February and 6 March because of the outbreak of coronavirus. Cash reserves of airline companies are running low and many are almost at the brink of bankruptcy," the FICCI report said, adding that the industry needs an urgent bailout from the government.

Globally, airlines are likely to cut capacity by 40-60% for the second quarter of 2020 and, in some instances, over 75% year-on-year, according to Moody’s Investors Service. “On a full-year basis, we expect global industry capacity to fall 25% to 35%, assuming the spread of the virus slows by the end of June and, subsequently, passenger demand returns," it added.

While large airlines have adequate liquidity “to manage through a fairly significant short-term disruption through June, and a continuing but more moderate disruption through the third quarter", the rating agency said smaller airlines with limited cash reserves “will be more exposed, and there is potential for some airlines to collapse within a short period without additional support from shareholders and central governments".

The aviation industry lobby group, The International Air Transport Association (IATA), has warned that the Covid-19 outbreak, if not contained, could cost airlines $113 billion.

“IATA now sees 2020 global revenue losses for the passenger business of between $63 billion (in a scenario where Covid-19 is contained in current markets) and $113 billion (in a scenario with a broader spreading of Covid-19)."

Business Standard |

IndiGo, SpiceJet hit lower circuit after govt suspends domestic flights

Aviation stocks including SpiceJet and InterGlobe Aviation-run IndiGo crash landed at the bourses today after the central government announced suspension of the domestic flights beginning the 23:59 hours of March 24 in the wake of coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. While SpiceJet was locked in the 5 per cent lower circuit at Rs 31.85 apiece on the BSE, IndiGo hit its 10 per cent lower limit at Rs 765.05 before recovering maerginally to trade 8.6 per cent lower at Rs 776.50.

"The operation of all scheduled domestic flights (except all-cargo flights) by any aircraft operator holding an air operator certificate issued by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) shall cease with effect from 23:59 hrs. IST on 24 March, 2020. The restriction shall remain in force till 23:59 hrs IST on 31 March 2O2O," a government notification said.

Besides, the notification added that the operation of flights by the holders of Non-scheduled operator permit (except all-cargo flights, off-shore helicopter operations, medical evacuation fliBhts or flights specifically approved by DGCA) and flights by private aircraft operators shall also cease with effect from 23:59 hrs. IST on 24 March, 2O2O. "Such operators shall plan their operations in such a way that their flights land at the destination latest by 23:59 hrs. IST on 24 March, 2020," it said.

The move is part of the nationwide lockdown that the government has imposed to stem the spread of coronavirus that threatens Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attempts to revive the economy, which has already been expanding at the slowest pace in more than a decade. Earlier, India had banned international flights for a week on March 20.

PM Modi joined chief ministers in urging people to take the lockdown in 30 states and Union Territories seriously, even as 75 new cases of Covid-19 were dectected on Monday, taking India's total number of cases to 492 - more than double the number on March 20.

Studying the impact, analysts at JP Morgan said the airspace closure may persist for even longer basis the situation which may lead to a sharp decline in IndiGo June and September quarter earnings.

In the backdrop of the outbreak of coronavirus we revisit our air traffic growth estimates. Our base case is a sharp slowdown in Q1FY21 and recovery starting Q2FY21 leading us to estimate 9.2 per cent/4.2 per cent domestic/international pax growth for Indian airlines in FY21E, wrote analysts at Centrum Broking in a note.

While the analysts expect IndiGo's Q4FY20E earnings to be impacted by fx MTM loss of Rs 5.7bn (at Rs 73.5/USD), they it’s robust balance sheet and competitive cost structure to put it in a position of strength once growth recovers. The brokerage has 'Buy' rating on the stoock with a revised target of Rs 1,505.

Aviation is one of the worst affected sectors amid the Covid-19 crisis that has taken the scale of a pandemic. "According to the International Air Transport Association, airlines globally can lose in passenger revenues of up to $ 113 billion due to this crisis. Airfares have also come under pressure due to nearly 30 per cent drop in bookings to virus affected destinations. As a result, airfares to such destinations have fallen by 20-30 per cent," industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) said in its latest report.

"According to the data available with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, nearly 585 international flights have been cancelled to-and-from India between February 1 and March 6 because of the outbreak of coronavirus. Cash reserves of airline companies are running low and many are almost at the brink of bankruptcy," the report said.

The New Indian Express |

Ensure production of essential items not impacted amid coronavirus: PM tells India Inc

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked captains of India Inc to ensure that production of essential items is not impacted in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and there is no hoarding and black marketing.

During his interaction with leaders of India Inc, the prime minister also asked them to allow employees to work from home, said an official release.

"The impact on the economy will be felt for some time to come," said Modi as he exhorted India Inc to adopt a humanitarian approach and not to cut down on workforce in spite of the COVID-19 negative impact on their businesses.

"Prime Minister said that while the government was working on giving a fillip to the pace of growth in the country, an unforeseen hurdle in the form of COVID-19 came in front of the economy.

"He said that the challenge posed by the pandemic is graver than even that posed by the World Wars and we need to be on constant vigil to prevent its spread," the release said.

Industry representatives from Assocham, FICCI, CII and several local chambers from 18 cities across the country participated in the interaction with the prime minister through video-conferencing.

Modi asked the industry "to allow employees to work from home" wherever doing so is feasible through using technology, the release said.

He exhorted them to adopt a humanitarian approach and not to cut down on the workforce in spite of the negative impact on their businesses.

The prime minister stressed that while the government was working on giving fillip to the pace of growth in the country, an unforeseen hurdle in the form of COVID-19 came in front of the economy.

The prime minister further said the fulcrum of the economy is trust.

"Trust has a unique yardstick -- it is earned or lost in difficult and challenging times. The parameters of trust are at a critical juncture in various sectors of the economy," the release said.

Modi said several sectors such as tourism, construction, hospitality and daily life engagements including the informal sector have been hit due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The impact on the economy will be felt for some time to come.

Meanwhile, FICCI said that the government should not worry about fiscal deficit target as it made a case for increasing it by 200 basis points, which in turn can bring almost Rs 4 lakh crore of liquidity into the system.

The government aims to restrict the fiscal deficit to 3.8 per cent of the gross domestic product.

CII said its member companies will dedicate their plant facilities to help scale up manufacture and availability of essential goods and equipment needed to deal with the medical emergency like ventilators sanitisers, essential drugs, medical services, on a no-profit basis and build a cadre of volunteers for public service.

Bhaskar Live |

PM interacts with industry on mitigating economic impact of COVID-19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday interacted with industry representatives through video conference on measures to curb and mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Indian economy.

Representatives from industry chambers such ASSOCHAM, FICCI, CII and several local chambers from 18 cities across the country took part in the video conferencing, said an official statement. Principal Secretary, Cabinet Secretary and Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) also participated in the interaction.

The discussion involved specific issues being faced by sectors like banking, finance, hospitality, tourism, infrastructure and requested for help to overcome these challenges through financial and fiscal assistance. Industry representatives also appreciated the importance of instituting a lockdown, irrespective of economic losses, to prevent the spread of the virus, said the statement.

Among several suggestions, industry chambers have reportedly sought cash transfer as a one-time temporary measure to boost demand, increase in fiscal deficit by 200 basis points to infuse liquidity and deferment of interest payments and standard loan repayment by two quarters.

Speaking to the representatives, Prime Minister said that while the government was working on giving fillip to the pace of growth in the country, an unforeseen hurdle in the form of COVID-19 came in front of the economy.

He said that the challenge posed by the pandemic is graver than even that posed by the World Wars and we need to be on constant vigil to prevent its spread.

The Prime Minister noted that several sectors like tourism, construction, hospitality and daily life engagements including the informal sector have been hit due to COVID-19. The impact on the economy will be felt for some time to come, he said.

Along with asking the industry leaders to allow employees to work from home, Modi exhorted them to adopt a humanitarian approach and not to cut down on workforce in spite of the negative impact on their businesses, the statement said.

He said it is imperative that production of essential items should not be impacted at this time, and black marketing and hoarding be prevented. He also requested them to use their CSR funding for humanitarian causes related to the pandemic at this critical juncture.

The industry representatives informed the Prime Minister about the steps being taken by them to maintain supply lines of essential items and medical equipment including ventilators, assistance in creation of isolation wards, utilization of CSR funds for combating COVID-19 and provision of assistance to migrant labour.

DT Next |

Ensure production of essential items not impacted: PM tells India Inc

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked captains of India Inc to ensure that production of essential items is not impacted in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and there is no hoarding and black marketing.

During his interaction with leaders of India Inc, the prime minister also asked them to allow employees to work from home, said an official release.

"The impact on the economy will be felt for some time to come," said Modi as he exhorted India Inc to adopt a humanitarian approach and not to cut down on workforce in spite of the COVID-19 negative impact on their businesses.

"Prime Minister said that while the government was working on giving fillip to the pace of growth in the country, an unforeseen hurdle in the form of COVID-19 came in front of the economy.

"He said that the challenge posed by the pandemic is graver than even that posed by the World Wars and we need to be on constant vigil to prevent its spread," the release said.

Industry representatives from Assocham, FICCI, CII and several local chambers from 18 cities across the country participated in the interaction with the prime minister through video-conferencing.

Modi asked the industry "to allow employees to work from home" wherever doing so is feasible through using technology, the release said.

He exhorted them to adopt a humanitarian approach and not to cut down on workforce in spite of the negative impact on their businesses.

The prime minister stressed that while the government was working on giving fillip to the pace of growth in the country, an unforeseen hurdle in the form of COVID-19 came in front of the economy.

The prime minister further said the fulcrum of the economy is trust.

"Trust has a unique yardstick -- it is earned or lost in difficult and challenging times. The parameters of trust are at a critical juncture in various sectors of the economy," the release said.

Modi said several sectors such as tourism, construction, hospitality and daily life engagements including the informal sector have been hit due to the coronavirus outbreak. The impact on the economy will be felt for some time to come.

Meanwhile, FICCI said that the government should not worry about fiscal deficit target as it made a case for increasing it by 200 basis points, which in turn can bring almost Rs 4 lakh crore of liquidity into the system. The government aims to restrict the fiscal deficit to 3.8 per cent of the gross domestic product.

CII said its member companies will dedicate their plant facilities to help scale up manufacture and availability of essential goods and equipment needed to deal with the medical emergency like ventilators sanitisers, essential drugs, medical services, on a no-profit basis, and build a cadre of volunteers for public service.

The Free Press Journal |

Coronavirus in Mumbai: Industry bodies press for stimulus to overcome losses

Leading industry bodies including CII, FICCI, Assocham, IMC on Monday have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a slew of steps to alleviate economic distress for businesses and less privileged individuals due to COVID-19.

They have pressed for a stronger stimulus rather than a more modest one to help stressed businesses and individuals tide over the current economic situation and progress towards recovery. They insisted that the measures should be implemented on a war footing by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and by the Central Government.

The industry bodies have suggested that the RBI needs to cut CRR by 1%, reduce repo rate by 1% and reverse repo rate by 1.50% to discourage banks from lazy banking by putting deposits with RBI. They viewed that reduction in CRR by 1% will make available Rs 1.39 lakh crore to banks to lend and improve profits.

Further, the cut in SLR by 2% will free up about Rs 2.78 lakh crore. These demands were made when the Centre has set up a panel headed by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to suggest measures to tide over the present situation.

IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Ashish Vaid told FPJ,’’ The Government needs to reduce GST rate on autos, cement to 12% from 28% and on hotels to 12% from 18%. Additional depreciation on automobiles for FY 2021 may be allowed.

The dividend tax should be maximum 20% for the recipient, or a lower rate if the recipient is in a lower bracket.’’ He said all losses should be allowed set off against any income and business establishments should be advised not to resort to lay off or retrenchment.

Two months’ salary can be provided as a loan at the Repo Rate to be paid off in one year. Further, the industries bodies urged the government to provide income support on the lines of PM Kisan Yojana. They have suggested an amount of Rs1,500 to everyone identified and credited through Jan Dhan Bank account

Hindustan Times |

Needed: A national economic recovery plan

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s call for a first-of-its-kind “janata curfew” on March 22 was by the people, for the people. It was symbolic of India’s resolve to fight the deadly coronavirus disease (Covid-19) which has thrown global social life and the economy out of kilter. With a rising number of cases in India, we must be prepared to tackle a burgeoning social and economic crisis.

While the public health care system, both at the central and the state level, is dealing with the challenge, the private sector is also fully geared up to assist and support the State in testing, making beds and quarantine facilities for treatment available, training health care workers as well as providing 24x7 helplines and spreading awareness through social media and other such tools.

With the government allowing testing and issuing guidelines for testing in private laboratories, it is necessary to step up capabilities in testing and treatment. The private sector has been in close touch with the government on private-public partnerships (PPP) relating to Covid-19. A powerful ecosystem will soon evolve through PPP to address the medical concerns of this crisis.

There is no room for complacency. The public’s adherence to self-isolate is extremely critical. Also, a combination of health responses, larger public discipline and timely identification of vulnerability, both relating to health care and the economy, is vital in dealing with the challenges thrown up by the spread of the disease.

On the economic front, while companies have been requested not to retrench employees, we must also focus on the unorganised sector, where daily wage earners will be severely affected. A methodology to directly transfer money into their accounts is critical.

Industry has been an active participant in supporting the government in collecting and submitting data and analysing the impact of Covid-19 across sectors and the country at large. In particular, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has developed a guide for organisations based on best practices globally. A survey conducted by FICCI shows that there has been a major impact on companies even in the early stages of the crisis. Hence, going forward, with containment measures, it is important to work on a national reconstruction plan to address the damage to the economy.

Over the past few quarters, the Indian economy has experienced a significant slowdown, and is in serious danger of recording growth of below 4% in the coming quarters. To make matters worse, the pandemic has severely impacted efforts that were being made towards economic recovery and has derailed several significant sectors — tourism, hospitality, aviation, financial markets, manufacturing and information technology. There is an urgent need to address the pain points of the industry that could help minimise the impact on economy in general, and Indian businesses in particular. Indisputably, this calls for a combination of monetary, fiscal and financial market measures.

The role of the task force constituted by the PM and led by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be pivotal in framing a national reconstruction plan.

The foremost requirement in the rebuilding exercise is to relax the mandatory filing norms and defer/waive the interest payment and tax liabilities of the companies impacted heavily by the outbreak. Additionally, maintaining liquidity at surplus levels and special liquidity support for companies, non-banking financial companies and banks that come under strain due to the intensifying risk aversion in the financial markets or due to large demand shock will also be crucial.

All payments towards the service of principal, interest and taxes should be deferred by two quarters at this point. These two quarters should not be considered for the calculation of non-performing assets.

As the industry body, several recommendations are being submitted by FICCI to the government to consider including as part of this exercise. In crisis resolution, it is important to look for a silver lining. We must look for potential opportunities even now. Businesses including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, solar power, electric vehicles are facing disruption in supply chains due to the impact of the virus in China. A concerted strategy must be developed for them along with special considerations for manufacturing critical items in the health care sector.

At one end, social distancing, work-from-home and public curfews are keeping people apart. Yet, in innumerable ways, they are bringing the world’s largest democracy together as a collective force. In response to the PM’s address, several people and organisations have come forward to help the vulnerable; some by reducing their salaries, others by paying wages to their staff and supporting workers during self-quarantine. There is a long list of sacrifices being made. We need to get into mission-mode to defeat the spread of Covid-19 and build a new, stronger and healthier India. Together, let’s make this happen.

Sangita Reddy is Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group and President, FICCI

livemint |

Coronavirus impact: Govt to announce relief on tax return filing

The Centre is weighing the option of extending compliance deadline of filing goods and services tax (GST) and income tax returns to provide relief to businesses struggling amid lockdowns across the country, a senior government official said on Tuesday.

As many as 30 states and union territories have imposed complete lockdown covering a total of 548 districts in the country. Only essential services are allowed to function.

The government is also working out a way to ensure how it can facilitate uninterrupted supply of food grains and essentials to the poor, the official told Mint.

Corporates are required to file their annual returns with the Registrar of Companies by end of September. They are also required file their income tax returns by end of September.

Individuals and Associations of Persons have to file their personal income tax returns by end of July. Businesses also have to file monthly GST returns about their sales. Small businesses that have signed up for a flat tax (composition) scheme have to file quarterly returns. Besides these, businesses also have to report compliance about various provisions in the Companies Act.

“Our immediate concern is to ensure that essential supplies reach the poor. We will also have to give relief on compliance related to taxation," the official said.

Measures for businesses hit by the coronavirus outbreak are also in the offing.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address the nation at 2pm.

“Even as we are readying an economic package to help us through the corona lockdown (on priority, to be announced soon), I will address the media at 2 pm today, specifically on statutory and regulatory compliance matters via video conference," the minister said in a tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 8pm on coronavirus outbreak. As many as 499 people have been diagnosed with the infection in India, with death toll at nine.

The pandemic has disrupted business activities, led to factory shutdowns, closure of schools and colleges and has prompted the government to set up a task force to examine measures required to offset its adverse impact on the economy. The spread of the virus could delay a recovery in India’s growth, which has in recent months been battling a slump in consumption.

Industry chamber Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Friday said, quoting a survey done between 15 --19 March, that 47% of the 317 companies surveyed indicated the pandemic was having moderate-to very high impact on business even at early stages. The impact is seen on new orders, inventory and cash flow.

At a meeting of central and state officials on Sunday, it was decided that there was an urgent need to extend curbs on movement of non-essential passenger transport--bus, metro, rail-- till the end of the month.

livemint |

More Indian airlines could be facing collapse as travel curbs worsen headwinds

Barely a year after the grounding of Jet Airways (India) Ltd, more airlines in India are staring at a potential collapse in the aftermath of the Covid-19 outbreak, according to industry officials.

The pandemic has caused a sudden squeeze in demand for air travel, accentuated by a week-long ban on domestic flights by the government.

Though the government has said that the suspension, which starts from Wednesday, would be reviewed on 31 March, it could be extended further as the pandemic is continuing to spread across the country.

Even if the suspension is lifted, the fear of travel that has gripped people in wake of the deadly disease would likely mean planes would fly near empty.

“Just as things were looking better, just as fares were beginning to pick up, the Covid-19 pandemic has hit the sector," said an official with a low-cost carrier, requesting anonymity.

“At present, with all aircraft grounded, airlines are losing money," the official said, adding that airlines don’t make money when their planes are grounded.

Earnings of domestic carriers were impacted in the December quarter-traditionally considered a robust period for air travel-because of a price war caused by excess capacity and sluggish demand in a slowing economy.

Things began to improve from the start of this year as airlines embraced better pricing discipline, leading to higher fares. But with the outbreak of Covid-19, the scenario has turned grim.

“The chances of everyone emerging unscathed is very low," said another airline official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“Even if the government supports a bail-out for the aviation industry, at least one airline could be in a difficult position to continue with their operations. And if the government doesn’t support a bailout, more than one airline could be gasping for their lives," the official said.

Aviation consultancy Capa India estimates that Indian airlines could be forced to ground as many as 150 planes in the coming days as government restrictions on air travel amid the pandemic may not end soon. The estimates did not take into account the government’s decision on Monday to suspend domestic flights until March-end.

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said in a report titled Impact Of Covid-19 On Indian Economy that some domestic airlines have reported a more than a 30% drop in domestic travel this summer, compared with last year, while fares on popular domestic routes have plunged 20-25%.

“According to the data available with the ministry of civil aviation, nearly 585 international flights have been cancelled to and from India between 1 February and 6 March because of the outbreak of coronavirus. Cash reserves of airline companies are running low and many are almost at the brink of bankruptcy," the FICCI report said.

Globally, over 16,767 people have died due to Covid-19, while the number of infected crossed 387,382, according to the latest data by Johns Hopkins University.

The only way to check the spread so far is through social distancing, which is tough to maintain for any airline.

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation has come out with safety guidelines such as leaving the middle seat empty and maintaining a one-metre distance between flyers and check-in executives at airport counters. These would involve significant additional cost burden, over and above other steps such as sanitizing planes, airline executives said.

A recent ICICI Securities report on two listed airlines, IndiGo and SpiceJet, forecast IndiGo to post a loss of ₹ 230 crore and SpiceJet to report losses of up to ₹ 525 crore in FY21.

“Our assumptions lead to ₹ 2.3 bn loss for IndiGo with net cash of ₹ 91 bn as at FY21- end," the report said. “Our assumptions lead to Rs 5.25 bn loss for SpiceJet with net debt of Rs 26.5 bn as at the same date," it added.

Financial Express |

IndiGo employees to get full salary even when domestic flights remain suspended due to coronavirus

Even while aviation remains one of the most affected sectors due to the coronavirus outbreak, budget carrier IndiGo has said that its employees will get their full salaries. “For those who don’t have to be working during this temporary suspension of operations, we will make no deduction of salaries or leaves,” Ronojoy Dutta, CEO, IndiGo, said in an email to employees, PTI reported. While international flights have already been grounded, the government also decided to suspend domestic flights and the same will come into effect from midnight Tuesday, as the government races to contain the virus.

IndiGo has also said that while the airline has a “reasonable” level of advanced bookings for April, it was “anxious” to fly again albeit with a reduced capacity. The airline has also acknowledged that the coronavirus has dealt a severe blow to the aviation industry and the situation will remain concerning for the coming weeks as well. “Clearly for the next few weeks our revenues will be well below our costs and we will have to make our efforts to penny-pinch and preserve cash,” Ronojoy Dutta said. The airline will use its cash reserves to continue paying salaries and benefits, which the domestic carrier hopes to revive once the outbreak is contained and normal services resume.

Meanwhile, a FICCI report has said that the current crisis has affected aviation and tourism sector the most. “Tourism, Hospitality and Aviation are among the worst affected sectors that are facing the maximum brunt of the present crisis,” the report said. Another report has pegged the total losses to airline at $ 113 billion, according to a report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). “Airfares have also come under pressure due to nearly 30% drop in bookings to virus affected destinations. As a result, airfares to such destinations have fallen by 20-30%,” the report said. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to address the nation as fear grips amid coronavirus. In India, the total number of cases have reached over 500 with at least 10 deaths.

Zee News |

PM Narendra Modi allocates Rs 15,000 crore to tackle coronavirus COVID-19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (March 24) announced to allocate Rs 15,000 crore for Coronavirus COVID-19 testing facilities, Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs), ICUs, ventilators and for the training of medical workers while declaring a nationwide three-week lockdown starting from Tuesday midnight. The lockdown will also include all states and union territories.

The prime minister said the government has made a provision of Rs 15,000 crore for strengthening the country's health infrastructure for the treatment of coronavirus-infected patients.

He said that he has also requested the state governments that their only priority at this time should be health services, asking people to stay away from superstitions, rumours and everyone must follow only credible medical advice.

Notably, a financial package was also expected for various sectors, including civil aviation and tourism, to deal with the fall-out of the coronavirus pandemic that has impacted the economy.

Many businesses have suffered irreparable losses due to shutdown and restrictions in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic and thousands of jobs have also been lost.

PM Modi warned, if we don`t follow a complete lockdown for the coming 21 days, the nation will go back 21 years and many families will be devastated.

He said that many powerful countries in the world have become helpless, regardless of their efforts, and reiterated that social distancing is the only way to deal with this deadly coronavirus that has infected more than 500 in India, so far.

In his address to the nation, "Some people are under the misconception that social distancing is only for those infected with coronavirus... but they should understand that this for everyone because it is important to break the cycle."

This is his second address to the nation regarding coronavirus. In his first address, he urged Indians to observe `Janata Curfew`.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister also interacted with doctors through video conferencing over coronavirus COVID19 outbreak. Besides doctors, medical professionals also participated in the meeting.

On Monday, Modi asked captains of India Inc to ensure that the production of essential items is not impacted in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and there is no hoarding and black marketing. During his interaction with leaders of India Inc, he also asked them to allow employees to work from home, according to an official release.

Exhorting India Inc to adopt a humanitarian approach, he asked them not to cut down on the workforce in spite of the COVID-19 negative impact on their businesses.

Industry representatives from Assocham, FICCI, CII and several local chambers from 18 cities across the country had participated in the interaction with the prime minister through video-conferencing.

The Indian Express |

Unorganised workers have been hit hard, need direct payments, India Inc tells PM Modi

At least six top corporate leaders are said to have recommended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the government should make payments to unorganised sector workers since they bear the brunt of the severe lockdown measures to arrest the spread of Covid-19 disease.

N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, who spoke first after the Prime Minister’s 15-minute opening remarks, called for a relaxation of the fiscal deficit target by at least one percentage point of GDP. He strongly advocated DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) of funds to the lowest rung of the society.

Uday Kotak, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Kotak Mahindra Bank, had a more specific suggestion. Given the exceptional circumstances, the government must, as a one-off measure, immediately transfer Rs 5,000 into the bank accounts of all those who are over 25 years. For those over 65, he advocated a one-time payment of Rs 10,000.

Sanjeev Goenka, Chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, also said DBT for unorganised sector workers was critical at this hour. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, and Ketan Desai, President, Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, too, spoke in favour of financial support to workers at the bottom of the pyramid.

The Economic Times |

Next 10-15 days crucial in dealing with coronavirus and its economic impact: Dr Sangita Reddy

As Covid-19 continues to spread, we speak to FICCI President Dr Sangita Reddy about the steps that corporates should take to contain this pandemic.

In his address to the nation, PM Narendra Modi has suggested steps to deal with coronavirus. How do you think corporate India can help?

Prime Minister Modi has outlined the best path to be followed by us as a nation. The onus is on us as responsible citizens to contain the virus and we need to help by being well aware of the facts of this contagious infection. FICCI has come out with a guideline for organisations to deal with the safety and business issues. They can be accessed on ficci.in.

How do you think we’ll be able to prevent this from spreading further in India?

India should certainly be able to successfully manage with the help of containment measures. We need to get one step ahead when it comes to our awareness and prevention steps. The response of public hospitals has been very good so far. Private healthcare sector is on alert and will swing into action in full force to provide beds, manpower and equipment.

The economic impact of Covid-19 is set to be huge. How to deal with it?

The PM has set up a task force under Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to assess the situation.

We are providing all support to the government by submitting economic analysis and suggesting steps. FICCI has conducted a survey among member companies and associations between March 15 and March 19, 2020, which has shown 53 per cent of businesses witnessing marked impact on operations even at early stages of the coronavirus.

What should be the way forward?

A combination of appropriate health response, collective public discipline, and acknowledgment of the economic crisis with policy measures is the need of the hour. The immediate steps to support the vulnerable, whether it is on the health side or the economy side, are necessary.

The next 10-15 days are crucial in terms of dealing with the virus and its economic impact. Both monetary policy and fiscal policy support, including relief in loan repayment, cut in interest rates, relaxation and relief in mandatory tax payment and return filing will be required. It’s a tough situation but I am sure we will overcome it together.

The Economic Times |

Covid-19 outbreak: PM Modi exhorts industry bosses not to cut workforce

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has exhorted industry stakeholders and companies not to cut down on workforce in spite of the hit on their business from the Covid-19 outbreak. In a videoconference on Monday, he also told them that the impact of the outbreak would be felt on the economy for some time to come.

Modi interacted with industry representatives from Assocham, Ficci, CII and several local business chambers from 18 cities. Uday Kotak, Anil Agrawal, Sangita Reddy, Naresh Trehan, Venu Srinivasan and Vikram Kirloskar were among the top businesspeople who attended it.

The PM termed Covid-19 as an “unforeseen hurdle” in front of the economy, at a time when the government was working on giving a fillip to the pace of growth. He asked industry stakeholders to allow employees to work from home wherever doing so is feasible by using technology, and exhorted them to adopt a humanitarian approach.

Ficci president Sangita Reddy suggested relaxing the fiscal deficit target by 2% of GDP to make Rs 4 lakh crore available, easing of rules over non-performing loans as well as deferring of repayments of standard loans, EMIs and interest payments by two quarters. Reddy sought relaxation from lockdown for some continuous process industries where starting and stopping of operations take a long time. Ficci also suggested Rs 5,000 of direct-benefit transfer to informal sector workers and liquidity support to industry.

Ficci said it was working with the Niti Aayog on projects including those on beds for isolation and quarantine, ventilators, testing, data sharing and ensuring credible information. The business chamber said it would support conversion of 5,000 hotel beds to treat patients.

Elaborating on the interventions required from the Reserve Bank of India, CII president-designate Uday Kotak said it was important that a rate cut of 50-100 basis points was announced immediately. He also called for dollar liquidity swap as India was in a comfortable position as far as its dollar reserves were concerned.

The CII has suggested that all working population above the age of 25, but with an income of less than Rs 5 lakh a year, be given a direct cash transfer of Rs 5,000 each. For the elderly, it has suggested Rs 10,000 each because of likely higher medical expenses.

The CII has developed and advocated a Covid-19 CODE to its members to help their workers and the society at large from the impact of disruptions caused by the outbreak, its president, Vikram Kirloskar, said.

“Our initiatives to help the economically deprived people, particularly our commitment to not retrench any workers including blue collar and contract workers, resonated well with PM Modi who appreciated industry’s efforts,” Kirloskar said.

CII members will dedicate their plant facilities to help scale up manufacture and availability of essential goods and equipment needed to deal with the medical emergency, like ventilators, sanitisers, essential drugs and medical services, on a no-profit basis, and build a cadre of volunteers for public service the CII CODE advocates, it said.

Kotak also spoke about a Covid Rehabilitation Fund and said it was important to look at the micro and small industry which would need special hand-holding and help to rehabilitate their business. “The CII Covid Rehabilitation and Relief Fund will be an industry-led initiative to work with the MSME sector,” Kotak said.

The CII said all borrowers should be given a three-month moratorium on all loans and all repayment obligations should be suspended for this period. It also emphasised that there was an immediate need to facilitate and enable advances for ways and means for businesses across sectors. It may also be important to suspend insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings while redefining the rules for non-performing assets as several companies would be unable to meet their payment obligations, it said.

Companies also discussed the specific issues being faced by sectors like banking, finance, hospitality, tourism and infrastructure, and requested for help to overcome these challenges through financial and fiscal assistance.

The Prime Minister thanked the industry representatives for speaking in one voice on the needs of the unorganised sector and said this marked a new dawn of economic integration. He said it was imperative that production of essential items should not be impacted at this time, and black marketing and hoarding should be prevented. Modi requested industry stakeholders to use their CSR funding for humanitarian causes related to the pandemic.

“The fulcrum of the economy is trust. Trust has a unique yardstick — it is earned or lost in difficult and challenging times. The parameters of trust are at a critical juncture in various sectors of the economy. Several sectors like tourism, construction, hospitality and daily life engagements including the informal sector have been hit due to COVID-19,” Modi said at the video-conference.

Industry representatives appreciated the importance of instituting a lockdown, irrespective of economic losses, to prevent the spread of the virus, as per a PMO statement. They also informed the Prime Minister about the steps being taken by them to maintain supply lines of essential items and medical equipment including ventilators, assistance in creation of isolation wards, utilisation of CSR funds and provision of assistance to migrant labour.

The Times of India |

Ensure there are no supply hiccups: PM Modi tells India Inc

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked Indian companies to ensure that there are no supply disruptions during the coronavirus crisis, which has led to lockdown and curfew in several parts of the country, while promising to act on industry’s suggestions in the coming days.

During an interaction with industry representatives through a video link, Modi said the impact of the pandemic will be felt on the economy for some time to come as several sectors are adversely impacted. At the same time, industry leaders said, Modi complimented them for showing concern for their workers, vendors and small businesses.

Modi recalled his meeting with corporate chiefs before the Budget and said Monday’s meeting came at a time when the world was facing a situation which was comparable with the World Wars.

Several industry leaders who were present in the meeting committed to a host of things - from ensuring adequate supply of goods to a guarantee of no job losses - before making a pitch for a series of steps. As the PM underlined the need to ensure that the vulnerables are protected, some of the CEOs from CII suggested that for those living in cities, the government could immediately think of giving Rs 5,000 each to those earning below Rs 5 lakh annual and Rs 10,000 for those above 65 years through the direct benefit transfer route.

But a bulk of the suggestions focused on concessions for industry, especially rollover of loans for businesses and individuals as their repayment capacity has been impacted, while suspending action under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

“No further accounts should be considered NPAs beginning 16 March 2020. Deferment of payment of standard loans by two quarters should also be allowed. This can be back ended and added to the tenor of the loan,” said FICCI president Sangita Reddy.

Business Standard |

Maintain production line of essential commodities, PM Modi tells India Inc

Top India Inc representatives, in an unusual video-conference meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, sought a fiscal stimulus for industry to battle the coronavirus crisis that has forced factories and offices to shut down indefinitely.

The business leaders, including Hindustan Unilever Chairman and Managing Director Sanjeev Mehta, TVS Chairman Venu Srinivasan, and Piramal group Chairman Ajay Piramal, also told the PM that monetary incentives must be given to the vulnerable sections.

Modi had called the virtual meeting to discuss possible solutions to the rapidly declining industrial production after the government decided to shut down around 80 coronavirus-hit districts, with further plans to introduce similar steps for other major urban centres.

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) President Sangita Reddy, as well as her counterpart in the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Vikram Kirloskar, attended the meeting, along with other members. They were united in the idea of direct cash benefit transfers to the economically vulnerable population.

Both industry bodies have called for cash transfers of Rs 5,000 each to workers and those earning below Rs 5 lakh as well as a one-time payment of Rs 10,000 for senior citizens. The PM was keen on knowing the details of the proposed cash transfer which may boost the stagnating consumer demand, multiple people present in the meeting said.

Overall, industry has sought relaxed loan provisions and measures to boost liquidity. “All borrowers should be given a three-month moratorium on all loans and all repayment obligations should be suspended for this period. The CII also emphasised that there is an immediate need to facilitate and enable advances for ways and means for industry across sectors and the government could perhaps explore options of a moratorium on interest and principal for the next three months,” Kirloskar said. He added the government’s priority should be on 'flattening the curve’ or reducing the number of new infections as soon as possible. The CII has also called for dollar-liquidity swap as India is in a comfortable position as far as its dollar reserves are concerned.

Similarly, FICCI has suggested that the government must take a 200-basis point hit to the fiscal deficit target, which can bring about Rs 4 trillion worth of liquidity in the system. “No further accounts should be considered as non-performing assets from March 16 onwards, while the payment of standard loans should be deferred by two quarters. Aside from bank loans, liquidity should also be maintained for commercial papers and corporate bonds,” Reddy said. FICCI has also argued that no new cases should be opened under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code at the National Company Law Tribunal for companies affected by coronavirus.

The chambers reiterated that none of the moves being sought by them would have any major negative financial implication for the government.

At the meeting, Modi stressed that supply of essential items should not be impacted, while black marketing and hoarding must be prevented. However, TVS Group's Venu Srinivasan pointed out that clarifying what constitutes an essential item remains a problem. "Now, a lot of stocks are trading at less than 50 per cent of two years ago. When the bulls come back, it will be a 'V' shaped recovery," he added.

Heeding the government's call to burden more responsibility, business leaders have also assured the PM that workers will not be laid off casually and firms would try to guarantee the financial safety of the most vulnerable. For instance, CII members will dedicate their plant facilities to help scale up manufacturing and availability of essential equipment needed to deal with the medical emergency linked to ventilators, sanitisers, essential drugs, medical services, on a no-profit basis.

FICCI members plan to support up to 5,000 new medical beds by converting hotel rooms into medical facilities. The industry body is working with Niti Aayog to produce beds and ventilators for isolation and quarantine, and is sharing data for virus testing practices. Besides Mehta, Srinivasan and Piramal, other business leaders to log into the meeting included Rajan Bharti Mittal, Uday Kotak, Pankaj Patel and Harsh Pati Singhania.

Biz wish list
  • Rate cut of 50 to 100 basis points to boost lending and liquidity
  • Dollar-liquidity swap since dollar reserves remain comfortable
  • A moratorium on interest and principal for the next three months
  • Deferment of payment of standard loans and interests by 2 quarters.
  • All EMIs should be back-ended and deferred

Television Post |

Coronavirus impact: FICCI urges govt to lend helping hand to M&E, sports sectors

Industry body FICCI has come out with a report on COVID-19 and its impact on the Indian industry. The report also provides suggestions for the burning issues concerning the various sectors.

The report has also provided suggestions to the government for the media & entertainment (M&E) and sports industries.

For the radio sector, the report has suggested that the government should enhance spending on advertising on radio for spreading the messages and updates related to COVID-19. Further, the report states that the government must also defer statutory payments that radio companies must make to the government – quarterly license fees, Prasar Bharati fees.

For live events, the report suggests releasing with immediate effect all Tax refunds that are due including income tax and TDS to cover the cost of salaries/ daily wages etc. for those infected by COVID 19 and unable to return to work.

Among the other suggestions includes collateral-free line of credit to be used for employees’ salaries and statutory dues and a moratorium of payback on loans, interest for a period of 9-12 months.

The report also urges the government to pay all dues to companies who have executed work orders in this segment for the Government of India, the public sector and for State Governments. Further, zero or minimal-interest loans to be made available by the department of MSME for the financial year 2020.

In the report, FICCI has also stated that government-initiated projects should replace the need of Bank guarantees with Corporate guarantees. Loans to be provided for loss-making companies against future contractual work.

“Government may announce that insurance companies should come out with products that insure future events and activities against Covid 19 or similar medical/biological disasters in addition to existing to cover the cost of salaries/ daily wages of employees laid off for a period of 90 days at least natural disasters. South Korea has moved ahead in this direction,” the report stated.

For multiplexes, the report suggests providing interest-free loans for 3 years with a one-year moratorium to Multiplexes immediately to help it tide over this period of crisis and prevent any kind of default on Salaries, Electricity dues, loans & interest repayments etc. Based on the average annual operating expenditure of Rs. 1.5 Cr per screen, a loan amount of Rs. 25 Lakhs per screen may be the base for computing the total loan amount for all the impacted screens in the Industry, considering 2 months of complete shutdown/ disruption.

It has also exemptions on all taxes – including GST, Show Tax, Local Body Entertainment Taxes, and Property Taxes – for 1 year from the date of resumption of normal cinema operations. Considering Electricity is a major operational expense, the report has requested the government to consider a waiver on the Minimum Demand Charges and electricity duty on Electricity for a period of one year.

The government has also been requested to provide assistance to cinemas by reimbursements of Employee Salaries for the nonoperational period to the extent of 75% for the non-operational period.

In terms of the news broadcast, the report has stated that those catering to the news broadcasting services must be exempted from the general rules of quarantine and free movement and from restrictions in performing their duties and obligations in ensuring and enforcing citizen’s right to be informed and updated.

It noted that in the UK all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses will be exempt from paying business rates for the 2020/21 tax year, regardless of their size or rateable value. Additionally, a £25,000 grant will be provided to retail, hospitality and leisure businesses operating from smaller premises, with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000. Similar measures can be considered in India.

The report pointed out that the Indian Sports sector has suffered substantially due to the inevitable impact of the coronavirus. Event cancellations raise a host of practical considerations, such as potential refunds, exchanges etc., particularly in relation to interested parties like sponsors, broadcasters, and ticketholders who may have committed significant money to events now subject to cancellation due to the coronavirus.

According to the global advisory firm Duff & Phelps, the brand Indian Premier League (season 12) valued at INR 514 billion in 2019 will see a value erosion of INR 15,124-26,467 million if the BCCI goes in for a truncated tourney with empty galleries and INR 52935-75,622 million if the season is cancelled. Cancellation will incur a loss to the tune of 90000-100000 million INR to BCCI, broadcaster, franchises, players, etc.

India exports, nearly 60 percent, a major chunk of the domestic sports manufacturing to US and European nations. With these top destinations for exports being declared the new epicentre for the
COVID-19 pandemic, new and ongoing orders are bound to bear the brunt. Many stakeholders like Leagues/Teams, Governing Bodies, Athletes, Sponsors, Broadcasters, Manufacturers etc. will likely face issues relating to contracts, insurance, employment, sales, operations etc.

Apart from the economic impact, a lockdown situation leading to inactivity has a significantly negative impact on the nation’s physical activity levels.

In view of the above, the report has made the following suggestions.

Suggestions
  • Force Majeure, which may grant relief to a party from liability for failure due to the scenario beyond their control, should be given particular attention as the COVID-19 situation is somewhat unique that includes the naturally occurring component (the virus itself) and the government action components (including postponements, cancellations, and other measures put in place in response to the outbreak).
Contract Extension, the parties may continue to keep the contract in force for an additional year, with all of the same terms of the current contract agreement. The FICCI survey on Impact of Coronavirus on Indian Businesses states that the expected time to normalcy is six months. With the majority of the current season lost, extending the contract by a year may be desirable in order to continue a productive working arrangement, and overcome the negative impact borne by the outbreak.
  • A compensation package may be developed for the contracted sports professionals who are rendered jobless during the inactive period.

CNBC TV18 |

30 states, UTs announce complete lockdown to contain coronavirus spread

In the wake of coronavirus outbreak, 30 states and Union Territories on Monday announced a complete lockdown.

Three states and UTs have imposed lockdown in certain arrest the spread of the deadly virus as total number of cases in India reach to 467.

Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha have announced lockdowns in certain areas, while will have lockdown in certain activities.

The states and UTs that have announced complete lockdown are Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Ladakh, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Tripura, Telangana, Chattisgarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Megahlaya, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Haryana, Daman Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Puduchherry, Andaman & Nicobar ilands, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Assam.

The Delhi Commissioner of Police on Monday ordered sealing of Delhi's borders, as well as issuance of curfew passes to those wanting to travel, to ensure stricter compliance with Section 144 issued to prevent the outbreak of the COVID-19.

Maharashtra too has closed state borders and religious places, and limited public gatherings to 5.

The Centre on Monday suspended all domestic flights from Tuesday midnight in the wake of rising cases of the novel coronavirus or Covid-19 across India.

The Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC) has requested the government that businesses and individuals who have suffered losses as a fallout of the Coronavirus outbreak, be allowed to defer payment of equated monthly instalments.

Industry body FICCI has also requested the government to defer interest and EMI payments by two quarters as many businesses have been affected badly by coronavirus.

So far more than 15,000 deaths have been reported across the world, with Italy being the worst hits with over 5,000 deaths.

livemint |

How NIIT University pivoted to digital, minimized COVID-19 disruption

Sanya Kapoor, a third-year engineering student at NIIT University, was preparing for a presentation on March 13 when she received an e-mail from the university’s dean of student affairs. Academic and co-curricular activities were being suspended.

The sprawling university campus at Neemrana, Rajasthan, is surrounded by the Aravali hills. It is a residential school with 1000 B.Tech, M.Tech, M.Sc and MBA students. There are 48 teachers. Students were asked to leave for their home towns.

Sanya came back home, in Noida. “When we were asked to go home, there were not many COVID-19 cases in India. We were puzzled and it was an unexpected break," she said. “Three days into the break and we realised that the university was starting online classes. That was great because we would be on track once we get back on the campus," she added.

Around 13 March, India had reported about 83 confirmed cases — the count spiked to 415 by 23 March. The brick-and-mortar NIIT University acted fast and pivoted to a digital mode, minimising the disruption caused by the outbreak. The university is not only holding lectures through video conferencing, it is also tinkering with virtual labs where experiments can be demonstrated through video conferencing. Going ahead, if the outbreak prolongs, even examinations could be held remotely. The academic sessions end in May.

“The teachers and students took a couple of days to familiarise themselves with the video conferencing software," said Sanya. For online classes, the university uses software platforms such as Adobe Connect and Zoom. “Now, classes are running just as it did on the campus. We get daily timetables. We can un-mute and interact during the lectures or through chat," she added.

Professor V.S. Rao, President of the university said that almost 70% of the students are currently accessing the classes live. And now, the faculty, thus far lecturing from the university campus, is being enabled to teach from home. “We are allowing teachers to work from home. We have to ensure that the faculty has Internet connections in their home towns. We will reimburse the bills. We are shipping laptops and desktops to their houses too," Rao said.

Ensuring business continuity at the university has yet another dimension — admissions. The university follows its own processes that involves prospective students interacting with the faculty.

“The interactions with prospective students and the faculty is meant to understand compatibility; we want the faculty to judge the potential of the student," said Rao. In earlier years, prospective candidates reported at NIIT University’s regional offices in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. They took some tests before interacting with the faculty through Skype. This year, many candidates wouldn’t be able to reach these centres because of lockdowns. “We are allowing them to take the tests and interact with the faculty from their homes," Rao explained.

Many brick and mortar universities are laggards when it comes to adopting technology. But black swan events such as the COVID-19 outbreak would now accelerate things, industry watchers said. Education is headed for what is being called a ‘blended model’.

Ratnesh Jha, Chairman of industry body FICCI’s Publishing Committee and the India CEO of Burlington English, a publisher of educational material and digital content, explained that traditional universities rated the social angle to be very important in the development of a student — the people one studies and collaborate with. “Residential universities added value by bringing many of these aspects of social collaboration. What was not happening was the leveraging value of technology," Jha said.

A wide range of technology, which includes data science and facial recognition, can now map outcomes and track a student’s progression far better than humans ever can. Education technology start-ups such as the Bengaluru-based Vedantu have built online businesses leveraging such technology.

“Now, there will be a blend of online and offline education. People realise that existing standalone teaching is a problem in the kind of situations we have today," Jha added.

The Quint |

Pvt Labs allowed to begin COVID-19 Tests Under ICMR Guidelines

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has notified its guidelines on private labs that can test for the novel coronavirus. According to the notification, private laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) can provide COVID-19 tests if they have US FDA approved test kits.

This is how it will work. First, the test can only happen once a qualified doctor has prescribed the test following ICMR guidelines. You can read about who all can qualify for a test here.

Rules for Testing and Collection
  • Preferably, home collection of samples may be done by all the private labs.
  • Only real time PCR based assays are recommended.
  • All the lab staff involved in COVID-19 testing should be appropriately trained in Good Laboratory Practices and performing real-time PCR.
  • The positive sales to be transported to ICMR-NIV.
  • Appropriate biosafety and biosecurity precautions should be ensured while collecting samples from suspected coronavirus patients.
  • Importantly, the National Task Force recommends the maximum cost of testing sample should not exceed Rs 4500. But ICMR encourages free or subsidized testing in lieu of the national public health emergency.
Before testing can start, the labs must ensure real time reporting of test results to ICMR HQ database.

Each lab will be provided a registration number by the ICMR.

Importantly, while the ICMR has encouraged labs to provide free or subsidised testing, the cost of tests cannot go beyond Rs 4500. This includes Rs 1500 for screening tests and Rs 3000 for confirmation tests.

In an earlier presser, ICMR head Dr Balram Bhargava had appealed to the private players.

Following this, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) released a list of over 30 private labs which have the ‘capacity’ to conduct COVID-19 tests with reagents as per the guidelines by ICMR.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines for testing, laboratory tests for coronavirus at private labs should be offered when prescribed by a qualified physician.

"Private labs testing is to ensure real time reporting to Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and the ICMR headquarters for timely initiation of contact tracing and research activities," ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava had said.

In a notification issued on 21 March, some guidelines were laid out as follows (among others):

At present, the ICMR has equipped 72 of its laboratories to test for the pandemic. In addition to these labs, 49 more under organisations like Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Department of Biotechnology, and Defence Research, Development Organisation would be equipped to test for coronavirus by end of this week, Bhargava said.

Telangana Today |

Certificate course on Covid-19

As cases of Coronavirus (Covid-19) continue to rise, social media had given rise to a large amount of content that was factually incorrect and sometimes dangerous. A free online course designed by doctors to help individuals be better prepared for the disease and teach them steps to manage their health and of those dear to them, thereby ensuring their safety during this pandemic, is now on offer.

This 15-minute course on Covid-19 educates people about its mode of transmission, clinical presentation & diagnosis, preventive measures, and its management. The course was released in partnership with FICCI and NatHealth. The online course on awareness of Covid19 is a welcome step that will help contain the myths and panic around Covid19. For further details, log onto www.medvarsity.com.

Business Standard |

PM Modi urges industry leaders to continue working from home amid COVID-19 outbreak

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged industry leaders to continue following work from home as much as possible amid the coronavirus outbreak.

In a series of tweets, he said that the government is working to ensure economic stability.

"Called upon industry leaders to continue following work from home as much as possible in these times. Unless very very important, please do #StayHome," Modi tweeted.

"Spoke to those associated with the world of industry earlier this evening. In consultation with all the concerned stakeholders, the Government is working to ensure economic stability. #IndiaFightsCorona," the Prime Minister said.

Earlier today, Modi interacted with industry representatives from ASSOCHAM, FICCI, CII and several local chambers from 18 cities across the country via video conference in the backdrop of coronavirus outbreak and subsequent lockdown.

In one tweet, the Prime Minister said that the government and industry are conscious about the informal sector's well-being.

"We had extensive interactions on sectors like banking, finance, hospitality, tourism and infra. Government and industry are conscious about informal sector's well-being. Industry leaders highlighted steps towards maintaining supply lines of essential items and medical equipment," Modi said.

The Prime Minister asked them to allow employees to work from home wherever doing so and is feasible through using technology. He exhorted them to adopt a humanitarian approach and not to cut down on the workforce in spite of the negative impact on their businesses.

He also said that social distancing remains the biggest weapon in the fight against preventing the spread of coronavirus. He also requested them to use their CSR funding for humanitarian causes related to the outbreak at this critical juncture.

Principal Secretary, Cabinet Secretary, and Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade also participated in the meeting.

Business Standard |

Combating COVID-19: PM Modi to interact with people of Varanasi on March 25

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that he would communicate with the people of his Lok Sabha constituency -- Varanasi -- on March 25 to discuss the situation arising out of coronavirus pandemic.

"I will communicate with the people of my constituency, Varanasi on the situation arising due to coronavirus. You can join this conversation through video conferencing at 5 pm on March 25. If you have any suggestions, ideas or questions, you can share it in the comment section of the Narendra Modi app," he tweeted.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Modi interacted with the representatives from industry bodies such as Assocham, FICCI, CII and several local chambers from 18 cities across the country via video conference in the backdrop of coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown.

The Prime Minister said that social distancing remains the biggest weapon in preventing the spread of coronavirus. He also requested them to use their CSR funds for humanitarian causes related to the pandemic at this critical juncture.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in the country has climbed to 467 including nine deaths.

The Hindu |

Coronavirus: Ensure production of essential items not impacted: Modi tells India Inc

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked captains of India Inc to ensure that production of essential items is not impacted in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and there is no hoarding and black marketing.

During his interaction with leaders of India Inc, the Prime Minister also asked them to allow employees to work from home, said an official release.

“The impact on the economy will be felt for some time to come,” said Mr. Modi as he exhorted India Inc to adopt a humanitarian approach and not to cut down on workforce in spite of the COVID-19 negative impact on their businesses.

“Prime Minister said that while the government was working on giving fillip to the pace of growth in the country, an unforeseen hurdle in the form of COVID-19 came in front of the economy.

“He said that the challenge posed by the pandemic is graver than even that posed by the World Wars and we need to be on constant vigil to prevent its spread,” the release said.

Industry representatives from Assocham, FICCI, CII and several local chambers from 18 cities across the country participated in the interaction with the prime minister through video-conferencing.

Mr. Modi asked the industry “to allow employees to work from home” wherever doing so is feasible through using technology, the release said.

He exhorted them to adopt a humanitarian approach and not to cut down on workforce in spite of the negative impact on their businesses.

The Prime Minister stressed that while the government was working on giving fillip to the pace of growth in the country, an unforeseen hurdle in the form of COVID-19 came in front of the economy.

The Prime Minister further said the fulcrum of the economy is trust.

Also read: Coronavirus | Jharkhand government to start over 350 kichidi centres

“Trust has a unique yardstick — it is earned or lost in difficult and challenging times. The parameters of trust are at a critical juncture in various sectors of the economy,” the release said.

Mr. Modi said several sectors such as tourism, construction, hospitality and daily life engagements including the informal sector have been hit due to the coronavirus outbreak. The impact on the economy will be felt for some time to come.

Meanwhile, FICCI said that the government should not worry about fiscal deficit target as it made a case for increasing it by 200 basis points, which in turn can bring almost Rs 4 lakh crore of liquidity into the system. The government aims to restrict the fiscal deficit to 3.8 per cent of the gross domestic product.

CII said its member companies will dedicate their plant facilities to help scale up manufacture and availability of essential goods and equipment needed to deal with the medical emergency like ventilators sanitisers, essential drugs, medical services, on a no-profit basis, and build a cadre of volunteers for public service.

The Association News |

FICCI welcomes Cabinet decision on Bulk Drug Parks

Mr S Sridhar, Chair, FICCI Pharmaceuticals Committee and MD, Pfizer, India, today said, "The Indian pharma industry has been a world leader in generics both globally and in domestic markets contributing significantly to the global demand for generics in terms of volume. 'Made in India' drugs supplied to the developed economies such as the US, EU, Japan and many other countries are known for their safety and quality."

India's large import dependence on China (nearly 70% by value) has become a significant threat to India's healthcare manufacturing and global supply chain. While Indian pharma companies over years have climbed up the value chain to focus on value-added formulations, but this over dependence on China has increased the threat to the nation's health security as some of these critical and complex APIs are crucial to address India's growing disease burden.

"Government of India's decision for promotion of Bulk Drug Parks for financing Common Infrastructure facilities in 3 Bulk Drug Parks with financial implication of Rs 3,000 crore over next 5 years to boost domestic manufacturing of critical KSMs/ Drug Intermediates and APIs is a welcome move which FICCI and its pharma member companies widely support," said Mr Sridhar.

"India should not look at these Bulk Drug Parks only for Domestic requirement. China became big supplier because of scale which looked into both domestic and export requirement. Domestic will not give scale and is always exposed to cost and pricing pressures. With this new policy initiative Government must look at incentivising the manufacturing of the critical 54 APIs which were recently restricted for exports and together with Industry should work for not just domestic capacities but fulfilling global export demands too," added Mr Sridhar.

India needs to be seen as a World leader for not just Generic formulations but APIs too. Government of India's efforts to announce these parks with incentives in these testing global health threat times of COIVD19 are welcome and at right time. It reflects the direction, leadership and firm resolve of Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi to make India self-dependent and support the healthcare as a critical industry for the growth of the nation.

"We at FICCI whole heartedly support Prime Minister's vision which will drive toward enhancing India's API capacities," added Mr Sridhar.

China Times |

India's epidemic suspends rail passenger traffic and subways considering grounding domestic flights

In order to reduce the infection of Wuhan pneumonia due to the movement of people, the Indian Railway Ministry announced yesterday that all railway passenger and subway services will be cancelled until the 31st. Officials said the Indian government is weighing the suspension of all domestic flights.

In a statement issued by the Ministry of Railways of India, all railway passenger services and Kolkata Metro Rail services will be cancelled until 12 pm on the 31st in order to continue the control measures for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19, commonly known as Wuhan pneumonia) outbreak in 2019. Passengers who have purchased tickets will receive a full refund.

The statement states that to ensure the necessary supplies of supplies across India, freight trains will continue to run.

At least 23 provinces and cities in India and 82 counties and municipalities in the Central Territory have been closed and blocked, and most road traffic has been suspended.

In addition, Indian media Livemint today quoted an Indian government official, who asked not to be named, that senior government officials are assessing whether to suspend service for all domestic flights in India.

The official said whether to suspend domestic flights depends on the severity of the pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan in the future.

Due to India's vast territory, in addition to land transportation, domestic flight demand is also large, and domestic routes transport nearly 13 million passengers each month.

As of 9 am today, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India has counted a total of 359 confirmed cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, of which 7 died and 23 were cured.

Fearing insufficient medical resources, India is afraid to carry out large-scale virus testing. Indian officials believe that isolation and interpersonal separation are the best measures that India can take to control the epidemic.

Therefore, in order to control the epidemic, India began to implement a foot ban yesterday from 7 am to 9 pm. Many provincial governments have adopted measures such as home office, factory closure, shutdown, blockade of provincial boundaries or cities.

Enterprises have been hit by various control measures. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) released a survey report conducted from March 15 to 19 that 47% of the 317 companies surveyed said that even in the early stages of the outbreak, the outbreak It has brought moderate to very large impacts on the company's business. These impacts include the reduction of new orders and the aspects of inventory and gold flow.

Yahoo News |

Coronavirus pandemic turns travel plans upside down! Check how cruises, hotels, flights are impacted

Coronavirus outbreak hits Indian travellers and their travel plans in 2020! The FICCI Survey and Report – Impact of COVID-19 on Indian economy puts together significant takeaways for Indian travellers, particularly as the world is witnessing a crisis like never before that has directly impacted the way people choose to travel. Cruise bookings, for instance, were becoming popular with Indian travellers. However, the FICCI report indicates that cruise bookings for countries like Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia have registered considerable cancellations already. From the report, the indications are gloomy as the tourism industry expects the situation to further deteriorate in March and in the forthcoming summer season i.e. April-June. Usually, the number of Indian travellers to both domestic and international destinations peak during the months of March and April. However, this time around nearly 90% bookings of hotels and flights for the peak time have been cancelled.

Cruise bookings for destinations such as Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia have also been cancelled by travellers in huge numbers. According to the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), the hotel, aviation and travel sector together may incur loss of about Rs 8,500 crore due to travel restrictions imposed on foreign tourists by India for a month. The message is clear: negative impact on jobs across the industry.

Coronavirus impact on travel and hospitality

Most Indians love to travel and plan ahead for their summer vacations with family friends. This year, the scenario looks grim. Taking into account the travel restrictions placed on foreign tourists in India, IATO has raised concerns that the country’s aviation, travel and hospitality industry may altogether incur a loss of Rs 8500 crore! Of course, there is no doubt ‘safety first’ is the global mantra right now. So, in that sense, travel can come much later.India’s travel and hospitality industry has taken a major hit, given the large scale cancellation of travel plans by domestic and foreign tourists.

Coronavirus concerns: Big drop in inbound and outbound tourism!

A significant drop in inbound and outbound tourism since January 2020 has now raised serious concerns for all segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors. Notably, the MICE segment has been hit the most, according to the FICCI report on Impact of COVID19 on global economy. Take a look at some of the major events that announced last minute cancellations – Mobile World Congress, Google I/0 and Facebook’s F8 event, among others. A cursory glimpse of these cancellations is enough to figure out that the loss is huge.

Typically, in India, the annual summer vacations begin in the forthcoming season starting from April to June. During the summer vacation, Indian travellers to domestic and international destinations tend to peak. This time, Indian travellers are bound to be extra cautious about traveling or making summer vacation plans. Already, the FICCI report cites that there have been around 90 per cent bookings of flights and hotels for the peak time have been cancelled in large numbers.

Coronavirus outbreak affects travel across the globe

Around the world, travellers are likely to have lesser ‘flight’ options now within the country and outside. For instance, Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand have reworked their domestic schedules after being advised by their governments, as per a report by Global News Canada. The same report has cited that Emirates has issued a statement that it would stop most passenger flights this week and the airline is set to cut wages by half due to the coronavirus impact on travel. Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways cut its passenger capacity by around 96 per cent as government restrictions on travel make flight operations difficult.

Egypt, which ranks as one of Africa’s most visited tourist destinations, was the first African country to confirm a COVID-19 case and also the first country in the continent to record a death. In Africa, the most number of deaths so far are from Burkina Faso. Other countries such as Algeria, Morocco are also reporting an increasing number of COVID-19 cases. In South Africa, the province of Gauteng has confirmed more than half of the country’s coronavirus cases till date. Latest reports from ‘The South African’ show that the province is taking extra measure to curb the spread.

While the signs are disturbing and alarming globally, the urgent need of the hour is to curb any possibility of travellers’ movement that can further spread the coronavirus pandemic to those geographical regions where the spread is currently well-contained and under control.

Outlook |

Delhi shopping malls wear deserted look after lockdown

Shopping malls and multiplexes in the national capital and adjoining regions wore a deserted look a day after the government imposed a complete lockdown in the region.

Restaurants, cinema halls and retail shops in the malls had to down their shutters in a bid to bar the overcrowding. The outbreak has claimed hundreds of lives till now.

Anurag Katriar, President of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), stated that the fate of 7.30 million employees in food and beverages sector is in thick soup due to the unprecedented crisis.

"We do not want them to suffer but we do not have the resources," he rued.

Katriar urged the government to provide immediate help, especially for the lower end staff, who are covered under the Employees State Insurance (ESIC) Act.

The multiplexes are also facing the brunt of the virus outbreak and their business have come to a grinding halt.

"This will lead to a substantial drop in quarterly Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for listed multiplex players such as PVR and INOX," said Suman Chowdhury, President-ratings at Acuite Ratings and Research.

The holiday season of April-June is the peak time for big movie releases; however, the latter may get postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis, Chowdhury added.

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry also raised concerns over the effect of shutting down of malls on retail business.

"This could lead to major job losses as companies will not be able to sustain this for too long."

The federation requested the Ministry of Finance to provide financial relief to retailers by announcing special rebate measures to ease cash flow and provide some relief on the GST front.

With COVID-19 cases rising by the day, businesses in India are in for a harsh summer.

Business Today |

Coronavirus: SBI sets up Emergency Credit Line for affected borrowers

The State Bank of India (SBI) has announced a COVID-19 Emergency Credit Line for borrowers. This would help borrowers beat the adverse impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

According to SBI, businesses facing financial distress owing to the COVID-19 outbreak and the measures taken to curb its spread will be able to apply for loans through the Emergency Credit Line.

"The additional liquidity facility Covid-19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL), will provide funds up to Rs 200 crore and will be available till June 30, 2020," SBI said in a circular. Loans would be offered at an interest rate of 7.25 percent and will have a tenure of 12 months.

The SBI had decided to make additional liquidity credit facilities available via ad-hoc to borrowers whose businesses have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 outbreak and its preventative measures.

The CECL will be open to all standard accounts except those which have not been classified as Special Mention Accounts (SMA). The SMAs are those accounts which have been identified to have the potential of turning into a Non-Performing Asset (NPA). There are of two types - SMA-1 and SMA-2.

SMA-1 are accounts where the overdue period is between 31 to 60 days. SMA-2 are those where the period is between 61 to 90 days.

According to FICCI, over 50 percent of companies in India will see an impact on their operations due to coronavirus outbreak and over 80 percent of businesses have already witnessed a decline in cash flow.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country were 415 as of 9:00 am on March 23. Globally, the number has climbed to over 3,30,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including around 14,000 deaths.

Deccan Herald |

How are businesses holding up amidst COVID-19 mayhem?

With COVID-19 emerging as a global pandemic, leaving its impact in more than 180 countries across the planet, the implications of its spread have become more serious than envisaged a month ago. The global economy is in a state of mayhem as there are no signs of the chaos subsiding any time soon. Closer home in India, the situation, especially on the economic front, seems grim.

A survey by industry body FICCI states that a significant 53% of Indian businesses indicate a marked impact of the pandemic on their operations even at early stages. The pandemic has significantly impacted the cash flow at organisations with almost 80% reporting a decrease. There was a strong hope of recovery from the persisting economic slowdown in the last quarter of the current fiscal. However, the pandemic has made the recovery extremely difficult in the near to medium term.

On the other hand, the outbreak has presented fresh challenges for the Indian economy now, with its disruptive impact on both demand and supply side elements holding the potential to derail India’s growth story. Another report by rating agency Crisil indicates that the credit quality pressure on India Inc, which has been rising because of economic slowdown and consumption slump, is set to intensify. The impact, however, varies across sectors, depending on the extent of operational disruption due to social distancing and the overall economic sentiment. According to ADB (Asian Development Bank) estimates, the COVID-19 outbreak could cost the Indian economy between $387 million and $29.9 billion in personal consumption losses.

To understand what businesses in the country have encountered and how they are braving the wrath of Covid-19 so far, we look at the different sectors that stand the most affected by the crisis.

Aviation

Aviation has turned out to be the worst affected sector amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the International Air Transport Association, airlines globally can lose in passenger revenues of up to a whopping $113 billion. Airfares have also come under pressure due to nearly 30% drop in bookings to virus affected destinations. As a result, airfares to these destinations have fallen by 20-30%, a FICCI industry report states.

According to the report, domestic traffic growth is also gradually being impacted by domestic travellers postponing or cancelling their travel plans. Some Airline companies have reported more than 30% drop in domestic travel this summer compared with last year. Airfares in the popular domestic routes have been reduced by 20-25% and are expected to remain subdued in summer as well.

According to the data available with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, nearly 585 international flights have been cancelled to-and-from India between February 1 and March 6 because of the outbreak of coronavirus. Cash reserves of airline companies are running low and many are almost at the brink of bankruptcy. Job losses and pay cuts remain a worrying issue, as some airlines have already asked many of their staff/employees to go on leave without pay.

Tourism

As the uncertainty has led to the cancellation of travel plans by both foreign and domestic tourists, there has been a drop in both inbound and outbound tourism of about 67% and 52% respectively since January to February as compared to the same period last year. The report suggests that of all the segments of the hospitality sector, the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions - popularly known as MICE segment - has been worst hit.

According to the report, usually, the number of Indian travellers to both domestic and international destinations peak during the months of March and April. However, this time nearly 90% bookings of hotel and flights bookings stand cancelled. According to the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), the hotel, aviation and travel sector together may incur a loss of about Rs 8,500 crore due to travel restrictions imposed on foreign tourists by India for a month.

Agriculture

The poultry sector, the fastest growing sub-sector of agriculture eco-system is already facing losses to the tune of Rs 150 crore to Rs 200 crore everyday. This is mostly on account of the spread of misinformation on social media, correlating Covid-19 spread to the consumption of meat and poultry products. This has meant that demand for poultry products has fallen and prices have crashed to as low as Rs 10-15 per kg, even as production cost stands at Rs 70-80 per kg.

Entertainment/Sports

Multiple cities and states have imposed shutdowns of cinema theatres, shopping malls and gyms till March 31, 2020, to stop the spread of the virus. While the exact loss is difficult to calculate presently, some estimates suggest that theatres in Delhi alone may have to incur a loss of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh within a period of 10 days. There has also been a massive impact on the television and film industry owing to the cancellation of shootings and promotional events.

Several sport events have been either postponed or cancelled, and this brings huge losses for the sports industry.

For instance, cancellation of IPL matches alone could mean a loss of Rs 10,000 crore for the industry, says the report. A report by global advisory firm Duff & Phelps states, the IPL was valued at $6.8 billion in 2019 and could see an erosion of $200-350 million if the BCCI goes in for a truncated tourney with empty galleries and $700-1,000 million if the season is cancelled.

The agency has arrived at the numbers based on an assessment of a truncated tourney with matches being played to empty galleries or no revenue from the gate sales and a washout of the 2020 season.

Automobile

China accounts for 27% of India’s automotive parts imports and major global auto part makers such as Robert Bosch GmbH, Valeo AS and ZF Friedrichshafen AG have factories located in the Hubei province. Owing to the closure of the factories of these companies, there has been a delay in the production and delivery of vehicles like Bharat Stage Four (BS-IV) compliant models.

Moreover, the situation has become more precarious after the decision of the Chinese government to limit all shipments by sea until further notice. Since air shipments are not suitable for auto components and forging industries, Indian OEMs are finding it difficult to plan production beyond the available inventory.

There are signs that COVID-19 is also likely to make the transition to Bharat Stage Six (BS-VI) emission norms, scheduled on April 1 difficult.

Pharma

Amidst the uncertainty over the future supply of bulk drugs and intermediaries from China, the possibility of a shortage in the availability of medicines in India has led to an increase in prices of some items like paracetamol, which has seen a price hike of about 40%. According to the report, It has put negative pressure on some raw material items such as Penicillin G, a key raw material used in antibiotics, the price of which has reportedly gone up by about 58%.

The drug regulatory authority has said that the stock of 57 APIs (amoxicillin, ofloxacin, vitamin tablets and capsules such as B12, B1, B6) could soon run out. The government has restricted exports of certain medicines to deal with the situation.

Power

The latest data for the first two weeks of March 2020 has already reported a negative growth (-3.6%) in power consumption. The consumption had noted a 10.8% growth during the month of February 2020. Press reports also indicate that power demand was growing favourably in the first week of March but has been contracting ever since. The decline is a result of the measures being undertaken across the country to contain the spread through the closure of malls, cinemas, etc.

International Trade

China has been a major market for many Indian products like seafood, petrochemicals, gems and jewellery etc. The outbreak of coronavirus has adversely impacted exports of these items to China. For instance, the fisheries sector is anticipated to incur a loss of more than Rs 1,300 crore due to fall in exports. Similarly, India exports 36% of its diamonds to China.

The cancellation of four major trade events between February and April is likely to cause an estimated loss of Rs 8,000-10,000 crore in terms of business opportunity for Jaipur alone. India also exports 34% of its petrochemicals to China. Due to export restrictions to China, petrochemical products are expected to see a price reduction.

The market sentiment, with a sharp fall in equity indices and bond yields, gives the idea that the Covid-19 impact on the economy may persist for long.

It is difficult to predict how hard would be the recovery while we are still in the middle of the adversity, with little idea of the way out.

A combination of monetary, fiscal and financial market measures is needed to help the businesses and people cope with the crisis.

CNBC TV18 |

FICCI says govt should increase fiscal deficit by 200 bps to weather COVID impact

Industry body FICCI on Monday said the government should not worry about fiscal deficit to release more funds as coronavirus has brought the country to a standstill.

FICCI said increasing fiscal deficit by 200 basis points can release Rs 4 lakh crore into the system.

The industry body has also recommended that no accounts should be considered non-performing assets (NPAs) beginning March 16 and deferment of loan payments by two quarters.

“Interest payments and EMIs should be deferred by two quarters. No IBC cases should be admitted to NCLT for companies affected by COVID-19. Apart from bank loans, liquidity should be maintained for commercial papers and corporate bonds,” the statement said.

Any compliance slippage during this period should not attract prosecution, it said.

Though the government has exempted essential goods and services from lockdown, there are several process industries where shutdown takes weeks or months and restarting would take much longer time. Shutting down these industries will have a serious implication, therefore, these industries should be exempted from lockdown, it said.

“We have already started conversion of garment factories into manufacturing of masks, other manufacturing factories into manufacturing of ventilators, ect.”

FICCI said it has full support to the government’s effort to fight against the deadly virus.

CNBC TV18 |

Coronavirus hits cash flows of 80% companies, normalcy seen resuming in 3-6 months: Survey

Industry body FICCI’s survey of 317 companies on the impact of Coronavirus pandemic on Indian businesses suggests that a significant 53 per cent of Indian businesses have witnessed marked impact on operations already.

Many states, including the production and financial hubs like Maharashtra and Punjab have announced lockdowns in over 82 districts. While travel and tourism remains one of the worst hit sectors, other businesses like poultry and livestock are also staring at massive losses. Industry captains see huge job losses in both formal and informal sectors if the government does not announce supportive measures soon enough.

In the survey, almost 75 per cent of the respondents indicated a 20 per cent or more decrease in orders.

With showrooms shut across the country, many dealers are also grappling with high inventories. Around 35 per cent of the respondents indicated an increase in inventory levels, with half of them saying their inventory had risen by 15 per cent and more.

All of this is having an impact on corporate cash flow with as many as 80 per cent of respondents reporting a decrease in cash flow.

The series of shutdowns will have a domino impact on the economy and it is expected that sentiment could take a while to recover. Almost 80 per cent of the survey respondents feel that the situation might get worse and could take six months to come under control.

Healthwire |

FICCI welcomes Cabinet decision on Bulk Drug Parks

Mr S Sridhar, Chair, FICCI Pharmaceuticals Committee and MD, Pfizer, India, today said, “The Indian pharma industry has been a world leader in generics both globally and in domestic markets contributing significantly to the global demand for generics in terms of volume. ‘Made in India’ drugs supplied to the developed economies such as the US, EU, Japan and many other countries are known for their safety and quality.”

India’s large import dependence on China (nearly 70% by value) has become a significant threat to India’s healthcare manufacturing and global supply chain. While Indian pharma companies over years have climbed up the value chain to focus on value-added formulations, but this over dependence on China has increased the threat to the nation’s health security as some of these critical and complex APIs are crucial to address India’s growing disease burden.

“Government of India’s decision for promotion of Bulk Drug Parks for financing Common Infrastructure facilities in 3 Bulk Drug Parks with financial implication of Rs 3,000 crore over next 5 years to boost domestic manufacturing of critical KSMs/ Drug Intermediates and APIs is a welcome move which FICCI and its pharma member companies widely support,” said Mr Sridhar.

“India should not look at these Bulk Drug Parks only for Domestic requirement. China became big supplier because of scale which looked into both domestic and export requirement. Domestic will not give scale and is always exposed to cost and pricing pressures. With this new policy initiative Government must look at incentivising the manufacturing of the critical 54 APIs which were recently restricted for exports and together with Industry should work for not just domestic capacities but fulfilling global export demands too,” added Mr Sridhar.

India needs to be seen as a World leader for not just Generic formulations but APIs too. Government of India’s efforts to announce these parks with incentives in these testing global health threat times of COIVD19 are welcome and at right time. It reflects the direction, leadership and firm resolve of Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi to make India self-dependent and support the healthcare as a critical industry for the growth of the nation.

“We at FICCI whole heartedly support Prime Minister’s vision which will drive toward enhancing India’s API capacities,” added Mr Sridhar

The Economic Times |

After slowdown FM radio industry faces Covid-19; seeks government support

Most industries are expected to suffer a serious slowdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some however – like airlines, logistics, hospitality and others – are suffering from an existential crisis. FM radio falls in this category. The pandemic is the second successive crisis the industry is facing within a year, the first being the economic slowdown of FY20 that singed the finances of FM companies.

The Covid-19 pandemic is now destroying the industry. FM radio now desperately needs support from the government: short-term life support as well as long-term policy support. AROI, the FM broadcasters’ association has written to Prakash Javadekar, minister for information and broadcasting, seeking his urgent intervention.

The two crises — the general slowdown and the crisis caused by Covid-19 — have made broadcasters bleed. The biggest FM player, ENIL (Mirchi), reported a revenue decline of 12% in the first three quarters of FY20. Its PAT was down about 45%. Its stock price has already hit a historical low of Rs 130 recently, nearly 75% off from its 52-week high. The other listed company, MBPL (Radio City), has reported a revenue drop of nearly 17% in the three quarters of FY20 with PAT down nearly 40%. Its market capitalisation has also been badly dented. It’s not only the listed companies that are in trouble. The whole FM sector is reeling. Overall, the radio industry is expected to report a contraction of up to 20% in revenue in FY20. FM broadcasters are scrambling to make ends meet and looking at reducing jobs, which account for the biggest operating cost. That’s clearly not good for the country at this stage. One way to stop job losses is for the government to provide immediate short-term support.

What short-term measures should the government take immediately? The first and most important is in ensuring that the wheels of business continue to move. As various economists have said, government must not cut its spends, either capital expenditure on infrastructure and the like, or operating expenditure despite the fiscal deficit breaching the norms prescribed under the FRBM Act. On FM radio, the government is the biggest advertiser, accounting for as much as 10% of FM revenues. However, since it came back to power last year, it has cut spends by as much as 80%. It should immediately reverse this. The government must also immediately clear all past dues of FM broadcasters, many more than two years old. The liquidity crunch is killing the industry.

There is a lot that the government must do in terms of defraying operating costs. It must follow the example of the French government that suspended all utility expenses including electricity, gas, water and rent.FM broadcasters have huge operating expenses – electricity charges to various state electricity boards and some private power distribution companies; tower and land rentals to Prasar Bharati; annual licence fees to the ministry of information and broadcasting, annual wireless operating licence charges to the Department of Telecommunications and of course corporate taxes to the Ministry of Finance. The government must provide relief on all these. Electricity charges, annual licence fees and land and tower rentals must be completely waived for FY21 as the impact of Covid-19 is expected to last that long.

On taxes, the government last year announced lower corporate taxes for new companies and companies that don’t avail of exemptions. It must now make these lower rates available even for FM companies that are unable to take advantage of the lower rates because of their depreciation-fuelled MAT provisions. Industry body FICCI has made the same recommendation. In fact, for FM broadcasters – given that this is their second big crisis in a year – the government should allow full waiver of corporate taxes for FY21, followed by lower taxes in the future. These quick measures will ensure that there aren’t large scale job losses in the FM radio sector.

Then there are long-term policy measures that have been pending for a while. The government must recognise that FM radio is a vital sector in the media firmament. In any kind of emergency – floods, riots, and now the coronavirus pandemic – it is radio that people turn to for the latest news when on the move. It is also radio that the government turns to, to communicate with all sections of the population, especially the poor. This is where reforms must begin. There is absolutely no reason why the FM radio industry should not be allowed to do news. Every medium can, so why not FM radio? An immediate lifting of this restriction will improve sentiment in the industry.

There are several unnecessary regulatory restrictions that must be quickly removed. There is an inexplicable 15% cap on the number of channels a radio broadcaster can own and operate nationally, though such a cap doesn’t exist in any other media. There is also an arbitrary 40% cap at a per-city level. These caps are holding back M&A activities badly needed in an industry populated with as many as 30-35 disparate small operators.

Covid-19 is a just cause for all businesses, and the government itself, to invoke the force majeure clause in letter and spirit. The Ministry of Finance has recently clarified that "it (spread of coronavirus) should be considered as a case of natural calamity and force majeure clause may be invoked…" The FM radio licence also has a force majeure clause. Considering how the coronavirus pandemic is likely to make FY21 and several more years completely wasted ones, the government should use the force majeure clause and extend the 15-year licence period of FM broadcasters by five years. Broadcasters who gave huge one-time entry fees to the government need protection against this once-in-a-century viral pandemic.

Business Standard |

Rural India vs Covid-19: Train curbs a relief but challenges remain

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal’s announcement on stopping even long-distance train services, barring goods trains, may come as a boon for rural areas.

The people, reportedly rushing back after governments began shutting down major cities, may well be heading to regions more vulnerable to the pandemic. Many are said to be returning to their families in rural India.

A major pandemic like the coronavirus (COVID-19) is more likely to leave the average rural Indian in greater debt; and he or she is also less likely to be able to find the necessary infrastructure to seek treatment, shows an analysis of the government data. Around 24.9 per cent of rural households reported the major source of hospitalisation expenditure as borrowings. It is 18.2 per cent for urban India (see chart 1). This is based on information from the Key Indicators of Social Consumption in India- Health, 2014, NSS 71st Round data found in the 2019 National Health Profile. Other data from the profile suggests that hospitalisation may itself be a challenge.

Rural India had 3.2 government hospital beds per 10,000 people. The urban number is 11.9 (see chart 2). The data looks at government hospitals as this is most accessible to the public.

But even government hospitals are skewed in location. Over two-thirds of the population is in rural areas, according to the last Census. But it has only over a third of the hospital beds, the data shows. There are more government hospital beds in urban rather than rural areas individually in the majority of states and Union Territories too, showed an analysis of the data.

The study also looked at hospital beds relative to their urban or rural population. Many major states have significantly lower number of rural beds than the national average. Uttar Pradesh is at 2.5 beds per 10,000 people in rural areas. Rajasthan and Jharkhand are at 2.4 and 2.3, respectively. Maharashtra, which has seen the largest number of cases, is at 2. Bihar is at 0.6

Private sector hospital beds account for 40 per cent of the market, according to an India Brand Equity Foundation’s February 2018 note on India’s health care segment.

But major hospital chains are concentrated in metro cities, according to an August 2019 ‘Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0’ paper from industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and consultancy firm EY.

The report also noted that most people find hospitalisation to be a financial blow.

“Cost of a single episode of hospitalisation was at least 2X of the average annual expenditure, if availed in a private facility for the bottom three quintiles of population, i.e., 60 per cent of population,” it said.

The report added that the cost of a single hospitalisation even in a public facility is equal to a whole year’s expenditure for the bottom 20 per cent of the population.

The introduction of insurance through Ayushman Bharat may provide some cushion, though health coverage is not yet universal.

The report noted that the total number of hospital beds in India may number 1.6 million, but with a similar skew towards urban areas. The 900,000 doctors mentioned in the report are also largely in urban areas.

Other countries such as Italy and France, which announced lockdowns, reportedly had people fleeing to areas less affected, including provincial towns. This, according to some, may have contributed to the spread of the disease.

The Tribune |

Now, Covid testing available at 5 facilities in Punjab

With three more private laboratories allowed to test samples of suspected Covid patients, the number of testing facilities for Covid has reached five in the state.

Earlier the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had designated two laboratories in Government Medical College, Patiala, and Government Medical College, Amritsar, as national labs for Covid.

To contain the spread of virus, it has been decided that all notified national labs for Covid testing shall remain open throughout the week. The test is free of cost.

As per a list issued by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, there are just three laboratories in the private sector which qualifies the criteria laid down by ICMR to conduct Covid tests.

The private laboratories are located one each in Fortis Hospital in Amritsar, Ludhiana and Mohali.

As per ICMR guidelines, the private laboratories can’t charge more than Rs 4,500 for the test. This includes Rs 1,500 as a screening test for suspect cases and an additional Rs 3,000 for confirmation test.

113 Indians stranded at Amsterdam airport

Requesting fellow countrymen to maintain social distancing and follow guidelines in the wake of Covid outbreak, Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and NRI Affairs Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi on Sunday expressed solidarity with 113 Indians, who have been stranded at Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport.

Expressing gratitude to the Union Government and PM Narendra Modi for taking prompt decision in bringing back the Indian nationals, Sodhi said CM Capt Amarinder Singh and he took up the matter with the Union Government and met various ministers in this regard, including Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri.

Yourstory |

SBI opens emergency credit line for borrowers as businesses grapple with coronavirus

As businesses get affected due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the State Bank of India, the country's largest lender, has opened an emergency credit line to meet any liquidity mismatch for its borrowers.

The additional liquidity facility, COVID-19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL), will provide funds up to Rs 200 crore and will be available till June 30, 2020, SBI said.

With a view to provide some degree of relief to borrowers whose operations are impacted by COVID-19, it has decided to make available additional liquidity credit facilities to eligible borrowers by way of ad-hoc facilities -- CECL to tide over the current crisis situation, the bank said in a circular to all branches.

Special Mention Accounts (SMA) was introduced to identify those accounts that has the potential to become an NPA/stressed asset. SMA-1 accounts are those where the overdue period is between 31 to 60 days. while, in SMA -2 accounts overdue is between 61 to 90 days.

Borrowers can maximum avail 10 percent of the existing fund based working capital limits, subject to a cap of Rs 200 crore, the bank said.

According to a recent survey by industry body FICCI, over 50 percent of companies in the country have seen the impact of coronavirus on their operations. Nearly 80 percent businesses have witnessed a decline in cash flows due to the global pandemic, it showed.

Indiainfoline |

FICCI atively engages with government to develop a strategy to handle COVID-19

In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, FICCI has been actively engaging with the government to develop a strategy to handle COVID-19, be it screening of suspected cases, preparedness of private labs for testing or identifying isolation beds or buildings for treatment. A strategy paper has been submitted to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI. Praising governments proactive actions to contain the epidemic, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said, As the country tightens its watch to delay going into Community Transmission Stage (Stage 3), widespread awareness on personal hygiene, respiratory etiquettes and social distancing and preparing our health system to limit community transmission will be very crucial in the strategy. During several consultations with the Union Health Minister, Health Secretary and NITI Aayog, the private healthcare sector has assured its full support to the government and sharing best practices from across country and globe. A four-pronged strategy on creating mass awareness, testing, training and treatment with private sector partnership is the need of the hour.

Sensing the criticality of generating mass awareness, FICCI has taken the lead in developing IEC material for hospitals and industry and circulated in early February. It has also reached out to media and entertainment sector to create celebrity videos with appropriate messaging. As WHO declared COVID- 19 as a pandemic, a comprehensive guide for organizations to prepare for COVID-19 situation has been prepared and circulated widely.

Appropriate strategy for testing of suspect cases is the most crucial decision that the government needs to take. Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfares and ICMRs move to allow private diagnostic labs to test for COVID-19 is a welcome step. While FICCI has collated a comprehensive list of private laboratories that can adhere to the ICMR SOPs, it has also recommended innovative concepts like drive-through sample collection units,said Dr Reddy.

On scaling up treatment for COVID-19, while private hospitals have come forward to allocate dedicated beds, FICCI recommends hospitals with facilities to provide COVID wards with separate entries to reduce risks to other patients should be permitted. Dedicated COVID hospitals being set up in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Fever Clinics by private sector is the way forward. Home healthcare providers can help in setting up Temporary Community Isolation Centers and Transition Care Centers to facilitate out of hospital care. Tele-consultation needs to leverage immediately to treat COVID-19 patients. There is also a need to develop a tech-enabled system for mapping existing resources in the country, including hospital beds and essential lab and medical equipment supply.

States with robust healthcare systems have exhibited effective response to the outbreak. Kerala effectively deployed its system used to track the contacts of infected persons, a basic public health strategy that was perfected during the Nipah outbreak. However, awareness and preparedness across all states is not at the same level, like the east and north-east region may need additional support. FICCI has urged WHO to help strengthen the dialogue in the east and north-east region through their field offices and engagements with the State governments, added Dr Reddy.

Indiainfoline |

FICCI atively engages with government to develop a strategy to handle COVID-19

In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, FICCI has been actively engaging with the government to develop a strategy to handle COVID-19, be it screening of suspected cases, preparedness of private labs for testing or identifying isolation beds or buildings for treatment. A strategy paper has been submitted to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI. Praising governments proactive actions to contain the epidemic, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI, said, As the country tightens its watch to delay going into Community Transmission Stage (Stage 3), widespread awareness on personal hygiene, respiratory etiquettes and social distancing and preparing our health system to limit community transmission will be very crucial in the strategy. During several consultations with the Union Health Minister, Health Secretary and NITI Aayog, the private healthcare sector has assured its full support to the government and sharing best practices from across country and globe. A four-pronged strategy on creating mass awareness, testing, training and treatment with private sector partnership is the need of the hour.

Sensing the criticality of generating mass awareness, FICCI has taken the lead in developing IEC material for hospitals and industry and circulated in early February. It has also reached out to media and entertainment sector to create celebrity videos with appropriate messaging. As WHO declared COVID- 19 as a pandemic, a comprehensive guide for organizations to prepare for COVID-19 situation has been prepared and circulated widely.

Appropriate strategy for testing of suspect cases is the most crucial decision that the government needs to take. Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfares and ICMRs move to allow private diagnostic labs to test for COVID-19 is a welcome step. While FICCI has collated a comprehensive list of private laboratories that can adhere to the ICMR SOPs, it has also recommended innovative concepts like drive-through sample collection units,said Dr Reddy.

On scaling up treatment for COVID-19, while private hospitals have come forward to allocate dedicated beds, FICCI recommends hospitals with facilities to provide COVID wards with separate entries to reduce risks to other patients should be permitted. Dedicated COVID hospitals being set up in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Fever Clinics by private sector is the way forward. Home healthcare providers can help in setting up Temporary Community Isolation Centers and Transition Care Centers to facilitate out of hospital care. Tele-consultation needs to leverage immediately to treat COVID-19 patients. There is also a need to develop a tech-enabled system for mapping existing resources in the country, including hospital beds and essential lab and medical equipment supply.

States with robust healthcare systems have exhibited effective response to the outbreak. Kerala effectively deployed its system used to track the contacts of infected persons, a basic public health strategy that was perfected during the Nipah outbreak. However, awareness and preparedness across all states is not at the same level, like the east and north-east region may need additional support. FICCI has urged WHO to help strengthen the dialogue in the east and north-east region through their field offices and engagements with the State governments, added Dr Reddy.

Can India |

PM interacts with industry on mitigating economic impact of COVID-19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday interacted with industry representatives through video conference on measures to curb and mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Indian economy.

Representatives from industry chambers such ASSOCHAM, FICCI, CII and several local chambers from 18 cities across the country took part in the video conferencing, said an official statement. Principal Secretary, Cabinet Secretary and Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) also participated in the interaction.

The discussion involved specific issues being faced by sectors like banking, finance, hospitality, tourism, infrastructure and requested for help to overcome these challenges through financial and fiscal assistance. Industry representatives also appreciated the importance of instituting a lockdown, irrespective of economic losses, to prevent the spread of the virus, said the statement.

Among several suggestions, industry chambers have reportedly sought cash transfer as a one-time temporary measure to boost demand, increase in fiscal deficit by 200 basis points to infuse liquidity and deferment of interest payments and standard loan repayment by two quarters.

Speaking to the representatives, Prime Minister said that while the government was working on giving fillip to the pace of growth in the country, an unforeseen hurdle in the form of COVID-19 came in front of the economy.

He said that the challenge posed by the pandemic is graver than even that posed by the World Wars and we need to be on constant vigil to prevent its spread.

The Prime Minister noted that several sectors like tourism, construction, hospitality and daily life engagements including the informal sector have been hit due to COVID-19. The impact on the economy will be felt for some time to come, he said.

Along with asking the industry leaders to allow employees to work from home, Modi exhorted them to adopt a humanitarian approach and not to cut down on workforce in spite of the negative impact on their businesses, the statement said.

He said it is imperative that production of essential items should not be impacted at this time, and black marketing and hoarding be prevented. He also requested them to use their CSR funding for humanitarian causes related to the pandemic at this critical juncture.

The industry representatives informed the Prime Minister about the steps being taken by them to maintain supply lines of essential items and medical equipment including ventilators, assistance in creation of isolation wards, utilization of CSR funds for combating COVID-19 and provision of assistance to migrant labour.

Money Control |

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says economic impact of coronavirus outbreak to be felt gradually

Expressing his concern on the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on Indian economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 23 said the informal sector will face the brunt and the impact on the overall economy will be felt gradually.

He said that several sectors like tourism, construction, hospitality and other small businesses, including the informal sector, have been hit.

Modi said that the outbreak has peaked at a time when the government was trying to spur growth.

He said that the challenge posed by the pandemic is graver than even that posed by the World Wars and and there is a need for constant vigil to prevent its spread, according to a press release.

The statement comes after his interaction via a video conference with representatives from ASSOCHAM, FICCI, CII and several local chambers from across the country.

"Prime Minister said that the fulcrum of the economy is trust. Trust has a unique yardstick - it is earned or lost in difficult and challenging times. The parameters of trust are at a critical juncture in various sectors of the economy," according to the press release.

The meeting discussed the specific issues being faced by sectors like banking, finance, hospitality, tourism, infrastructure and requested the government for help to overcome these challenges through financial and fiscal assistance.

He also interacted with the pharma sector and asked them to work on manufacture of RNA testing kits for COVID-19 on war footing.

He assured them that the government is committed to maintaining supply of APIs and manufacture within the country.

He said that it is important to maintain supply of essential medicines and prevent black marketing and hoarding.

The prime minister asked industries to allow employees to work from home wherever doing so is feasible through using technology. He also requested them to not cut down on workforce.

He said it is imperative that production of essential items should not be impacted at this time, and black marketing and hoarding be prevented.

He said that social distancing remains our biggest weapon in our fight against preventing the spread of the virus.

Financial Express |

Coronavirus pandemic turns travel plans upside down! Check how cruises, hotels, flights are impacted

Coronavirus outbreak hits Indian travellers and their travel plans in 2020! The FICCI Survey and Report – Impact of COVID-19 on Indian economy puts together significant takeaways for Indian travellers, particularly as the world is witnessing a crisis like never before that has directly impacted the way people choose to travel. Cruise bookings, for instance, were becoming popular with Indian travellers. However, the FICCI report indicates that cruise bookings for countries like Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia have registered considerable cancellations already. From the report, the indications are gloomy as the tourism industry expects the situation to further deteriorate in March and in the forthcoming summer season i.e. April-June. Usually, the number of Indian travellers to both domestic and international destinations peak during the months of March and April. However, this time around nearly 90% bookings of hotels and flights for the peak time have been cancelled.

Cruise bookings for destinations such as Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia have also been cancelled by travellers in huge numbers. According to the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), the hotel, aviation and travel sector together may incur loss of about Rs 8,500 crore due to travel restrictions imposed on foreign tourists by India for a month. The message is clear: negative impact on jobs across the industry.

Coronavirus impact on travel and hospitality

Most Indians love to travel and plan ahead for their summer vacations with family friends. This year, the scenario looks grim. Taking into account the travel restrictions placed on foreign tourists in India, IATO has raised concerns that the country’s aviation, travel and hospitality industry may altogether incur a loss of Rs 8500 crore! Of course, there is no doubt ‘safety first’ is the global mantra right now. So, in that sense, travel can come much later.India’s travel and hospitality industry has taken a major hit, given the large scale cancellation of travel plans by domestic and foreign tourists.

Coronavirus concerns: Big drop in inbound and outbound tourism!

A significant drop in inbound and outbound tourism since January 2020 has now raised serious concerns for all segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors. Notably, the MICE segment has been hit the most, according to the FICCI report on Impact of COVID19 on global economy. Take a look at some of the major events that announced last minute cancellations – Mobile World Congress, Google I/0 and Facebook’s F8 event, among others. A cursory glimpse of these cancellations is enough to figure out that the loss is huge.

Typically, in India, the annual summer vacations begin in the forthcoming season starting from April to June. During the summer vacation, Indian travellers to domestic and international destinations tend to peak. This time, Indian travellers are bound to be extra cautious about traveling or making summer vacation plans. Already, the FICCI report cites that there have been around 90 per cent bookings of flights and hotels for the peak time have been cancelled in large numbers.

Coronavirus outbreak affects travel across the globe

Around the world, travellers are likely to have lesser ‘flight’ options now within the country and outside. For instance, Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand have reworked their domestic schedules after being advised by their governments, as per a report by Global News Canada. The same report has cited that Emirates has issued a statement that it would stop most passenger flights this week and the airline is set to cut wages by half due to the coronavirus impact on travel. Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways cut its passenger capacity by around 96 per cent as government restrictions on travel make flight operations difficult.

Egypt, which ranks as one of Africa’s most visited tourist destinations, was the first African country to confirm a COVID-19 case and also the first country in the continent to record a death. In Africa, the most number of deaths so far are from Burkina Faso. Other countries such as Algeria, Morocco are also reporting an increasing number of COVID-19 cases. In South Africa, the province of Gauteng has confirmed more than half of the country’s coronavirus cases till date. Latest reports from ‘The South African’ show that the province is taking extra measure to curb the spread.

While the signs are disturbing and alarming globally, the urgent need of the hour is to curb any possibility of travellers’ movement that can further spread the coronavirus pandemic to those geographical regions where the spread is currently well-contained and under control.

Financial Express |

MSMEs may not survive if cash flow problem occurs amid lockdown, FICCI tells govt; suggests steps

Credit and Finance for MSMEs: As MSMEs stare at a bigger cash flow problem ahead if the current lockdown continues by the government, there is also a possibility of them being exposed to an existential crisis. To ensure MSMEs have enough liquidity and working capital, industry body FICCI on Monday suggested the government a slew of measures including clearing all payments and dues including GST refunds to MSMEs at the earliest, interest rate subvention at 3 per cent instead of 2 per cent on loans that are healthy and not NPAs etc.

“It is extremely important to ensure the flow of money into the working capital of such enterprises otherwise there will be a risk to the survival of these enterprises,” FICCI said in a report on challenges and suggestions to fight Covid-19. According to the MSME ministry’s FY19 annual report, India has 6.33 crore MSMEs out of which 6.30 crore are micro-businesses. Last week Assocham in a similar recommendation report to the government had asked for concessional working capital loans “equivalent to one to three month’s (based upon the extent of disruption) average turnover of last year” and another concessional finance “at a rate of 5 per cent for three months through SIDBI,” to support SMEs.

“Without strong financial stimulus, domestic industries are likely to enter a slowdown cycle in the coming weeks, and this will have a clear negative impact on India’s export capabilities in the medium to long term,” Pushkar Mukewar, Co-founder of trade financing company Drip Capital told Financial Express Online. FICCI also asked for MSMEs receivables from the government or third parties to be converted into “one-year commercial paper to be subscribed by banks under special refinancing window of RBI,” to help MSMEs tide over the working capital challenge.

Among other key suggestions included cash grants, wage subsidy up to 50 per cent for all registered workers for nine months, and automatic renewal of “credit limit sanctions being processed from March onwards” for a year without any change in commercial terms. FICCI requested SEBI to ask rating agencies not to downgrade SME sector from March onwards. It also sought to restore those downgraded by one notch to the ratings before the Coronavirus outbreak.

APN News |

FICCI FLO Pune Chapter to organize online Hackathon to find Non-medical solutions for COVID-19

Do you have a non-medical solution to contain the spread of COVID-19? If yes, we are giving you the opportunity to register on our online Hackathon. The idea behind the concept “Create while you isolate’’ is to try and seek answers to this critical question.

FICC FLO Pune Chapter conceived this idea and it is supported by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, MEITY Startup Hub (MSH) (Govt of India), Maharashtra State Innovation Society (MSIS) & Ministry of Skill and Entrepreneurship, Garage48, Accelerate Estonia, Science and Technology Park, Pune (Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt of India initiative) and APJ Abdul Kalam Centre, Robotex International (India Initiative) who have whole heartedly come forward to support this unique concept.

Ritu Chhabria, Chairperson, FLO Pune Chapter and the brain behind this innovative competition said, “Citizens should contribute to this online mission by taking part in this competition. A timely challenge where creative minds can surely help take a step forward as a community in the fight against this global epidemic. I’m grateful to Payal Rajpal, South Asia head Robotex, Pune Flo member for leading this and glad to have the support of Harjinder Kaur, President FICCI FLO. A sincere reach out to all responsible citizens, let us awake our ideating spirit, promote and be innovative and use our time effectively. Let’s create history together to help solve the crisis the world is facing today and be the change makers of tomorrow.”

Everything Experiential |

FICCI FLO Pune Chapter to organize online Hackathon to find Non-medical solutions for COVID-19

Do you have a non-medical solution to contain the spread of COVID-19? If yes, we are giving you the opportunity to register on our online Hackathon. The idea behind the concept "Create while you isolate’’ is to try and seek answers to this critical question.

FICC FLO Pune Chapter conceived this idea and it is supported by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, MEITY Startup Hub (MSH) (Govt of India), Maharashtra State Innovation Society (MSIS) & Ministry of Skill and Entrepreneurship, Garage48, Accelerate Estonia, Science and Technology Park, Pune (Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt of India initiative) and APJ Abdul Kalam Centre, Robotex International (India Initiative) who have whole heartedly come forward to support this unique concept.

Ritu Chhabria, Chairperson, FLO Pune Chapter and the brain behind this innovative competition said, “Citizens should contribute to this online mission by taking part in this competition. A timely challenge where creative minds can surely help take a step forward as a community in the fight against this global epidemic. I’m grateful to Payal Rajpal, South Asia head Robotex, Pune FLO member for leading this and glad to have the support of Harjinder Kaur, President FICCI FLO. A sincere reach out to all responsible citizens, let us awake our ideating spirit, promote and be innovative and use our time effectively. Let’s create history together to help solve the crisis the world is facing today and be the change makers of tomorrow.”

Bio Spectrum India |

FICCI welcomes Cabinet decision on Bulk Drug Parks

Mr S Sridhar, Chair, FICCI Pharmaceuticals Committee and MD, Pfizer, India, today said, "The Indian pharma industry has been a world leader in generics both globally and in domestic markets contributing significantly to the global demand for generics in terms of volume. 'Made in India' drugs supplied to the developed economies such as the US, EU, Japan and many other countries are known for their safety and quality."

India's large import dependence on China (nearly 70% by value) has become a significant threat to India's healthcare manufacturing and global supply chain. While Indian pharma companies over years have climbed up the value chain to focus on value-added formulations, but this over dependence on China has increased the threat to the nation's health security as some of these critical and complex APIs are crucial to address India's growing disease burden.

"Government of India's decision for promotion of Bulk Drug Parks for financing Common Infrastructure facilities in 3 Bulk Drug Parks with financial implication of Rs 3,000 crore over next 5 years to boost domestic manufacturing of critical KSMs/ Drug Intermediates and APIs is a welcome move which FICCI and its pharma member companies widely support," said Mr Sridhar.

"India should not look at these Bulk Drug Parks only for Domestic requirement. China became big supplier because of scale which looked into both domestic and export requirement. Domestic will not give scale and is always exposed to cost and pricing pressures. With this new policy initiative Government must look at incentivising the manufacturing of the critical 54 APIs which were recently restricted for exports and together with Industry should work for not just domestic capacities but fulfilling global export demands too," added Mr Sridhar.

India needs to be seen as a World leader for not just Generic formulations but APIs too. Government of India's efforts to announce these parks with incentives in these testing global health threat times of COIVD19 are welcome and at right time. It reflects the direction, leadership and firm resolve of Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi to make India self-dependent and support the healthcare as a critical industry for the growth of the nation."We at FICCI whole heartedly support Prime Minister's vision which will drive toward enhancing India's API capacities," added Mr Sridhar.

Communications Today |

Coronavirus Impact: 73% Businesses Report big reduction in orders, says FICCI

About 53 percent of Indian businesses say the Coronavirus pandemic has impacted their business operations even from the early stages. Almost three-fourth (73 percent) of the businesses in a FICCI survey indicate big reductions in orders. Of these, almost 50 percent indicate over 20 percent decrease in the orders.

The survey was conducted among FICCI member companies and associations between March 15-19 among a total of 317 companies. Of these, 35 percent of respondents indicate an increase in inventory levels, while another 50 percent point that their inventory levels have risen by 15 percent and more.

Overall, 20 percent said that they were ‘very highly’ impacted, 33 percent ‘highly’ and another 33 percent companies were ‘moderately’ affected.

The Covid-19 pandemic also impacted the cash flow at organisations with almost 80 percent reporting a decrease in cash flow. A fall of 20 percent or more in cash flow was reported by more than 40 percent respondents. About 63 percent said their supply chains were affected, and that they are closely monitoring the situation and expect the impact of the pandemic on supply chain to worsen further. While 47.3 percent said they are experiencing less than 4 weeks delay in sourcing raw materials, 31.08 percent companies face delay in sourcing by 4-6 weeks. For 14.86 percent, the delay is 6-8 weeks and for 6.76 percent, the sourcing delay is over 8 weeks.

The survey also says almost 40 percent firms have put in place stringent checks on people entering their offices and disinfection. Nearly 30 percent organisations have already put in place Work-from-Home policies for their employees. Almost four-fifth of the respondents feel that the situation would come under control by six-months.

livemint |

Centre weighing option of suspending all domestic air travel to contain Covid-19

India is weighing the option of suspending all domestic air travel temporarily to effectively fight the coronavirus crisis, which has so far claimed five lives and infected over 340 people.

The top brass in the government is assessing the unfolding situation for taking a call in this regard, said a government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The need for suspension of domestic travel is felt as it is a widely used mode of transport, carrying close to 13 million passengers across the country every month. Also, a temporary suspension of domestic flights will complement the suspension of rail and road transport, which the government announced on Sunday. A decision, however, will hinge on the severity of the pandemic in the coming days. The official quoted above said a temporary suspension cannot be ruled out.

India had last week banned entry of all scheduled international commercial passenger flights for a week from Sunday to fight the pandemic. Saudi Arabia, one of the affected countries, last week announced suspension of all its domestic travel including flights from Saturday to prevent the spread of the virus.

At a meeting of central and state officials on Sunday, it was decided that there was an urgent need to extend the curbs on movement of non-essential passenger transport till end of the month. This included suspension of train as well as urban and metro rail services and inter-state passenger support. India is observing a voluntary curfew on Sunday as part of efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

The coronavirus disease has disrupted business activities, led to factory shut downs, closure of schools and colleges and has prompted the government to set up a task force to examine what all measures were needed to limit its adverse impact on the economy. The spread of the virus could delay a recovery in India’s growth, which has in recent months been battling a slump in consumption.

Industry chamber Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Friday quoting a survey done between 15-19 March that 47% of the 317 companies surveyed indicated the pandemic was having moderate-to very high impact on business even at early stages. The impact is seen on new orders, inventory and cash flow.

News Nation |

SBI opens emergency credit line for borrowers amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Amid businesses getting affected due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the country's largest lender State Bank of India has opened an emergency credit line to meet any liquidity mismatch for its borrowers.

The additional liquidity facility Covid-19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL), will provide funds up to Rs 200 crore and will be available till June 30, 2020, SBI said in a circular issued on Friday. The loan will be offered at an interest rate of 7.25 per cent with a tenure of 12 months.

With a view to provide some degree of relief to the borrowers whose operations are impacted by Covid-19, it is decided to make available additional liquidity credit facilities to the eligible borrowers by way of ad-hoc facilities -- CECL to tide over the current crisis situation, the bank said in a circular to all branches.

The bank said the credit line is open for all standard accounts which have not been classified as SMA 1 or 2 as on March 16, 2020 are eligible to avail this credit line.

Special Mention Accounts (SMA) was introduced to identify those accounts that have the potential to become an NPA/stressed asset.

SMA-1 accounts are those where the overdue period is between 31 to 60 days. While, in SMA -2 accounts overdue is between 61 to 90 days. Borrowers can maximum avail 10 per cent of the existing fund based working capital limits, subject to a cap of Rs 200 crore, the bank said.

According to a recent survey conducted by industry body, FICCI, over 50 per cent of companies in the country see impact of coronavirus on their operations. Nearly 80 per cent businesses have witnessed decline in cash flows due to the global pandemic, it showed.

India On War Footing To Fight Coronavirus Pandemic

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people to avoid leaving home and the city in view of novel coronavirus outbreak. He also appealed people to follow the instructions given by doctors and authorities. "Never forget - precautions not panic! It’s not only important to be home but also remain in the town/ city where you are. Unnecessary travels will not help you or others. In these times, every small effort on our part will leave a big impact.

Meanwhile, total positive cases of coronavirus rose to 315 in India. The disease also claimed 4 lives in the country.

DD News |

SBI opens emergency credit line for borrowers: Coronavirus

Amid businesses getting affected due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the country's largest lender State Bank of India has opened an emergency credit line to meet any liquidity mismatch for its borrowers.

The additional liquidity facility Covid-19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL), will provide funds up to Rs 200 crore and will be available till June 30, 2020, SBI said in a circular.

The loan will be offered at an interest rate of 7.25 per cent with a tenure of 12 months.

With a view to provide some degree of relief to the borrowers whose operations are impacted by Covid-19, it is decided to make available additional liquidity credit facilities to the eligible borrowers by way of ad-hoc facilities CECL to tide over the current crisis situation, the bank said in a circular to all branches.

The bank said the credit line is open for all standard accounts which have not been classified as SMA 1 or 2 as on March 16, 2020 are eligible to avail this credit line.

Special Mention Accounts (SMA) was introduced to identify those accounts that have the potential to become an NPA/stressed asset.

SMA-1 accounts are those where the overdue period is between 31 to 60 days. While, in SMA -2 accounts overdue are between 61 to 90 days.

Borrowers can maximum avail 10 per cent of the existing fund based working capital limits, subject to a cap of Rs 200 crore, the bank said.

According to a recent survey conducted by industry body, FICCI, over 50 per cent of companies in the country see impact of coronavirus on their operations.

Nearly 80 per cent businesses have witnessed decline in cash flows due to the global pandemic, it showed.

Energy Infra Post |

Coronavirus: Govt allows renewable energy supply chain disruption to be treated as Force Majeure

The government on Friday directed all the renewable energy implementing agencies under the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) to treat delay on account of disruption of the supply chains due to spread of coronavirus in China or any other country, as Force Majeure.

“The Renewable Energy implementing agencies may grant suitable extension of time for projects, on account of coronavirus, based on evidences or documents produced by developers in support of their respective claims of such disruption of the supply chains due to spread of coronavirus in China or any other country,” MNRE said in a memorandum.

Earlier in the day, industry chamber Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) had said a lack of communication from MNRE, Solar Energy Corporation (SECI) and states related to applicability of Force Majeure on business disruption caused by the spread of Coronavirus is creating confusion among the renewable energy companies.

The finance ministry had last month clarified the disruption of the supply chains due to spread of coronavirus in China or any other country should be considered as a case of natural calamity and Force Majeure Clause may be invoked, wherever considered appropriate, following the due procedure.

MNRE has asked all project developers claiming disruption and desirous of time extensions to make a formal application to SECI or NTPC or other implementing agencies, giving all documentary evidence in support of their claim.

The implementing agencies have also been asked to ensure that no double relief is granted due to overlapping periods of time extension granted for reasons eligible for such relief.

Energy Infra Post |

Coronavirus: Suspend NPAs, inject capital for power companies, says FICCI

With the Coronavirus outbreak denting power demand and a possible impact on the financial health of distribution companies, which are already distressed, the domestic industry has asked the government to inject capital for power gencos payments and suspend Non-Performing Assets (NPAs).

“In light of the current situation, it is urged that the central government considers giving the states a capital injection to pay power generating companies, if necessary, by relaxing state fiscal limits,” Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said in a note to the government.

The corona virus outbreak is expected to have an impact on power demand. The latest data for the first two weeks of March 2020 has already reported a drop of 3.6 per cent in power consumption. The consumption had grown at 10.8 per cent in February 2020.

“Press reports indicate that power demand was growing favorably in the first week of March but has been contracting ever since. The decline coincides with the measures being undertaken across the country to contain the spread of corona virus through closure of malls cinemas etc,” FICCI said in the note titled “Impact of COVID-19 on Indian Economy”.

It added the dip in demand is expected to adversely impact the revenue flow of discoms which already have dues of about Rs 90,000 crore from various government institutions. FICCI, therefore, urged the government to suspend NPAs of power companies. “Given the current situation, it is possible that the 10-12 assets revived recently will once again turn bad,” it said.

The chamber also said the government should advise banks not to stop disbursing loans in anticipation of possible delays in project implementation in both the power and renewable renewable energy sectors.

The Telegraph |

SBI offers credit aid

The State Bank of India has opened an emergency credit line to meet any liquidity mismatch for its borrowers amid businesses getting affected because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The additional liquidity facility - Covid-19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL) — will provide funds up to Rs 200 crore and will be available till June 30, 2020, SBI said in a circular issued on Friday.

The loan will be offered at an interest rate of 7.25 per cent with a tenure of 12 months.

“With a view to provide some degree of relief to the borrowers whose operations are impacted by Covid-19, it is decided to make available additional liquidity credit facilities to the eligible borrowers by way of ad-hoc facilities — CECL — to tide over the current crisis situation,” the bank said in a circular to all branches.

The bank said the credit line is open for all standard accounts which have not been classified as SMA-1 or SMA-2 as on March 16, 2020, are eligible to get this credit line.

Special Mention Accounts (SMA) was introduced to identify those accounts that has the potential to become a non-performing or stressed asset.

Borrowers can maximum get 10 per cent of the existing fund based working capital limits, subject to a cap of Rs 200 crore, the bank said.

According to a recent survey by FICCI, over 50 per cent of companies in India will feel the impact of coronavirus.

Nearly 80 per cent businesses have witnessed decline in cash flows due to the global pandemic, it showed.

The Telegraph |

Economy balm in FM's reply

Some of the relief measures to deal with the economic impact of coronavirus could be announced by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her reply to the debate on the Finance Bill next week.

The Finance Bill is slated to be taken up by the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Sitharaman held a meeting with senior finance ministry officials on Saturday and is believed to have discussed sector specific measures to be announced during the reply to the bill later next week.

Industry body CII has pressed for a fiscal stimulus of Rs 2 lakh crore besides a slew of tax cuts and reduction in interest rates. Ficci said a combination of monetary, fiscal and financial market measures were needed now.

Sources said some of the proposals under consideration include changing the definition of non-performing assets (NPAs).

As of now, non-payment of principal or interest for 90 days or three consecutive EMIs (equated monthly instalments) makes any loan account as NPA. Once the account become an NPA, it is difficult for the borrower to get a further loan.

The industry has demanded that the norm of 90 days should be changed to 180 days or six EMIs. There should also be a provision for a further loan for working capital requirement.

According to sources, the finance ministry and the RBI are in active consultation to find ways so that the banking sector is not affected.

The Telegraph |

Private test price

Eligible private diagnostic laboratories across India may charge up to Rs 4,500 per sample to test for the novel coronavirus, the Centre has said.

Guidelines released by the health ministry gave a break-up for the stipulated maximum cost of Rs 4,500 - Rs 1,500 for the screening tests on suspect cases and an additional Rs 3,000 for confirmatory tests.

The announcement came amid expectations of a rise in the demand after testing criteria were expanded.

The Centre also capped retail prices of hand sanitisers and masks - 3ply surgical masks at Rs 10 per piece, 2ply masks at Rs 8 per piece, and hand sanitisers at Rs 100 per 200ml bottle.

The health ministry had, under guidance from the Indian Council of Medical Research, on Friday expanded the testing criteria to offer tests to all hospitalised patients with pneumonia or severe acute respiratory illness.

The test is currently free for patients and is done at around 100 government laboratories in the country. But multiple private labs have urged the government to allow them to offer tests amid a steady rise in the number of India’s coronavirus patients, which reached 315 on Saturday.

This figure includes the 23 patients who have recovered and the 4 who have died. Disease surveillance units across India are tracking the health of more than 6,700 contacts of the positive cases.

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry has given the health ministry a list of 36 private laboratories - including 11 in Delhi, 10 in Mumbai and four in Calcutta - with the accreditation and capacity to conduct the coronavirus tests under ICMR-specified guidelines.

When the test does become available at private labs, it will need to be done only under protocols specified by the ICMR, Lav Agrawal, a senior health ministry official, said.

The revised testing criteria call on all asymptomatic people who have returned from foreign travel to stay home for 14 days. Such people should be tested only if they develop the symptoms of fever, cough and difficulty in breathing.

According to the revised criteria, hospitalised patients with severe acute respiratory illness – defined as fever and cough and shortness of breath – should also be tested for the coronavirus. Symptomatic contacts of confirmed cases and all symptomatic health-care workers should be tested too.

The ICMR has also said that all asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case should be tested between Day 5 and Day 14 of coming in contact with the case.

Direct and high-risk contacts include those who live in the same household with a confirmed case and health-care workers who examined a confirmed case without adequate protection.

Testing asymptomatic contacts is important because there are signals from other countries that infected people without significant symptoms could transmit the virus. Such testing would allow health authorities to identify any asymptomatic infected people and isolate them to prevent them spreading the virus.

Under the ICMR rules, the private labs would need to send all the positive samples to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, and destroy the negative samples.

While fixing price caps on hand sanitisers and masks, the Centre asked the alcohol and deodorant industries to increase the domestic supply of sanitisers.

Senior health ministry officials said the government had also asked manufacturing industries to enhance the production of sanitisers. “We’ve urged deodorant manufacturers and ethyl alcohol producers to make alcohol-based sanitisers – the government will facilitate this,” an official said.

Drugs and devices

The Union cabinet on Saturday approved plans to support three “mega bulk drug parks” in partnership with states, with the Centre providing Rs 1,000 crore to support each park, and four “medical devices parks” with a central support of Rs 100 crore for each.

Following the coronavirus outbreak, some doctors and representatives of domestic pharmaceutical industries have expressed concern that India depends significantly on imports of key pharmaceutical ingredients and medical devices.

The New Indian Express |

What is the cost of COVID-19 misery? When will this end?

As we head into another weekend of coronavirus disruption, the outer perimeters of the problem is galloping away so fast that it has become difficult to make sense anymore. The sinister milestones keep coming at us without let up. The world by Friday had topped 11,000 Covid-19 deaths. By Thursday, Italy had surpassed China with 3,405 deaths, and on Friday hit the dubious record of 627 deaths in one day.

India, not a hotspot yet, is showing a spike. The last two days saw the largest number of Covid-19 positive cases, taking the tally to 236. Life and markets are paralysed. The two questions begging an answer are: When will it all end? And what is going to be the cost? As we search, this is certain: it will be a Brave New World we will face when all this is over, one that might be difficult to recognise.

PREDICTIONS

The cost of the pandemic can be gauged only after seeing how long it will last. Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told CNBC that we should expect the economic aftermath of the outbreak to last at least a year. Donald Trump, who so far has been living in denial, said on Thursday that “people are talking about July-August” for normalcy to return to the US.

However, the US government’s own federal plan to tackle the virus warned policymakers that the “pandemic will last 18 months or longer”. The epidemic would hit in waves that could result in shortages and could strain the nations’ healthcare system, the plan warned.

As China thankfully takes control and is now reporting nil or very few new cases, other hotspots keep emerging. Italy first, and now Germany and Spain are spinning out of control. In India, after a period of smug dismissal, panic is setting in as educational institutions and normal business activities grind to a halt. With very few kits for coronavirus testing, no one has a clue what the actual numbers are. The important question is: are we going to be on the periphery of the storm, or are we are just getting into a size 12 hurricane?

What is going to be the human and economic cost of this ongoing pandemic? It all depends how quickly medical science and lockdown measures can slay the invisible monster. A vaccine to counter the coronavirus may take months to develop and commercial marketing may be as far as a year to 18 months away. And how do you calculate the human cost of 11,000 lives and counting; and 2.50,000 still fighting for recovery?

FACTORING THE DAMAGE

What will it cost the world economy again depends on how long it will take to get factories and normal supply lines back at work. The US Bridgewater hedge fund, founded by the famed Ray Dalio who predicted the 2008 financial crash, says the US alone will suffer a $4 trillion loss in business revenue. The Bridgewater research report released on Friday said, “Since this hit to revenues is happening throughout the world, the total hole globally will be roughly three times that — about $12 trillion.”

Goldman Sachs’ projections on Friday are equally dire. It has forecast the US second quarter GDP will contract a whopping 24 per cent, with 6 per cent drop in the first calendar quarter. Thereafter there will be a rebound, but the annual 2020 contraction will be 3.8 per cent, the firm has predicted. Needless to say, the domino effect on the rest of the world that depends on US markets will be crippling.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has downgraded its projections for 2020 of real GDP growth for all economies. China saw the biggest downgrade with OECD projections down to 4.9 per cent growth from the earlier forecast of 5.7 per cent. The global economy is expected to grow by 2.4 per cent in 2020, down from the 2.9 per cent projected earlier, according to the report.

Oil and energy will be the main sufferers, with the leisure and travel industry also taking major hits. Globally, the airline industry is set to lose $29 billion, as per the International Air Transportation Association.In India, the seriousness of the Covid-19 threat has not fully sunk in, what with politicians and Page Three types partying with corona-positive celebs from London.

The economic impact of the shutting down of civic life is now only too apparent. Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry said on Friday that 53 per cent of businesses had reported slowing down of operations. Around 80 per cent had been hit by a decrease in cash flow.

Any hopes for emerging from the slowdown in the near future will have to be shelved. Fitch Ratings on Friday cut India’s growth forecast to 5.1 per cent for FY 2020-21 from the earlier 5.6 per cent, saying the coronavirus fallout will impact investment and exports. Unfortunately, there is little from government in the form of either projections or support stimulus.

Deccan Herald |

Minute precautions can make monumental impacts: PM Modi on coronavirus

As the nation grappled with the coronavirus crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to hammer home the point of caution in the battle against the deadly disease, asking people to listen to the advice given by doctors and authorities.

Modi also engaged in a thanks giving spree from auto drivers to online platforms like Google and Twitter as also the SAARC members for their contribution in the fight against Corona by replenishing the COVID-19 Emergency Fund with contributions.

“It strengthens our resolve in this collective fight against Corona,” he said.

Modi posted a number of video clips on spreading awareness about coronavirus and said “minute precautions can make monumental impacts and save many lives” and asked people to upload such videos that can educate people and spread awareness on battling COVID-19 using the hashtag #IndiaFightsCorona.

PM Modi also hailed the decision of auto taxi union of Delhi to stay off roads on Sunday and extend support to Janata Curfew saying this will give strength to the fight against Corona.

Going interactive, the Prime Minister also responded to tagged posts of organisations like FICCI and NASSCOM endorsing their laudatory messages recognising the contribution of lakhs of private security guards, cash van crew, cleaning pest/fumigation services and other workers, who act as the first line of defence for our society in the fight against COVID19 as well as the IT industry which is powering key sectors including health. Modi called them heroes.

As the coronavirus panic triggered hoarding of essential items by householders and sort of exodus, the Prime Minister underlined the need to never forget the need for precautions and not panic and said, “it is not only important to be home but also remain in the same town/city where you are. Unnecessary travels will not help you or others.”

Modi also commended the effort by Twitter India which has launched a dedicated COVID-19 page that provides real-time updates to people from various authorities across India as also Google for its effort to spread awareness

A day before the Sunday Janata Curfew for which he had given a clarion call on Thursday night asking people to stay indoors on March 22, Modi had a piece for all those who have been told to stay in home quarantine.

"I urge you to please follow the instructions. This will protect you as well as your friends and family,” Modi said on day when former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and her son and Lok Sabha MP Dushyant Singh announced on Twitter they would continue to remain in isolation for two weeks even as his and his son’s have now been tested negative for COVID-19.

Both along with a number of politicians and dignitaries had attended a party in Lucknow in singer Kanika Kapoor was present and later tested positive for COVID-19.

ET Energy World |

Coronavirus: Suspend NPAs, inject capital for power companies, says FICCI

With the Coronavirus outbreak denting power demand and a possible impact on the financial health of distribution companies, which are already distressed, the domestic industry has asked the government to inject capital for power gencos payments and suspend Non-Performing Assets (NPAs).

"In light of the current situation, it is urged that the central government considers giving the states a capital injection to pay power generating companies, if necessary, by relaxing state fiscal limits," Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said in a note to the government.

The corona virus outbreak is expected to have an impact on power demand. The latest data for the first two weeks of March 2020 has already reported a drop of 3.6 per cent in power consumption. The consumption had grown at 10.8 per cent in February 2020.

"Press reports indicate that power demand was growing favorably in the first week of March but has been contracting ever since. The decline coincides with the measures being undertaken across the country to contain the spread of corona virus through closure of malls cinemas etc," FICCI said in the note titled "Impact of COVID-19 on Indian Economy".

It added the dip in demand is expected to adversely impact the revenue flow of discoms which already have dues of about Rs 90,000 crore from various government institutions. FICCI, therefore, urged the government to suspend NPAs of power companies. "Given the current situation, it is possible that the 10-12 assets revived recently will once again turn bad," it said.

The chamber also said the government should advise banks not to stop disbursing loans in anticipation of possible delays in project implementation in both the power and renewable renewable energy sectors.

Financial Express |

Coronavirus news: A day before Janta curfew, PM Modi advises people to stay put in their cities, towns

One day before the country observes the Junta curfew, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned people against unnecessary travel in the wake of the Coronavirus. It is not only important to stay inside your homes but also remain in the town and city where you presently are, PM Modi wrote on his official Twitter handle. He further said that unnecessary travel will not help anybody. Allaying the panic and state of fear among people, PM Modi urged people not to get worried and panic about the situation and asked people to observe all necessary precautions to tackle the spread of the virus.

Acknowledging the contribution of workers involved in emergency services including health workers, PM Modi hailed them as heroes. FICCI, an industry and commerce body, had posted a tweet thanking the contribution of workers like private security guards, sanitation workers and people involved in pest and fumigation services in the fight against the Coronavirus. PM Modi retweeted the FICCI post and said the workers are heroes and their work will be remembered for the ages to come.

PM Modi also thanked professionals involved in the IT services for their contribution in ensuring that the delivery of vital services does not get hindered in the wake of lockdown like situation in the country. He wrote that the country is extremely proud of the services rendered by the IT sector in providing the seamless services. Terming the IT professionals as a community of innovators, PM said that the industry has a major role to play in the battle against the Coronavirus in the days to come.

PM Modi also urged people who have been asked to remain in quarantine to follow all the necessary instructions of the doctor and authorities. Instances of people running away from quarantine and isolation wards have been reported across the country creating panic among the citizens. PM Modi added that defying the instructions of authorities and doctors will neither help the individuals nor their families.

The country will observe the Junta curfew tomorrow from 7am to 9pm. The decision was announced by PM Modi in his nationwide address to the country on Thursday. PM Modi urged people to observe the curfew by staying in their homes and not venturing out. Cooperation of the state governments have also been asked for to ensure strict curfew across the state.

Financial Express |

SBI tells borrowers, come and take money, opens up emergency credit line amid coronavirus

India’s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI) has set up an emergency credit line for its borrowers in the wake of coronavirus as businesses are getting affected. SBI in its departmental circular, which addressed all its chief general managers, stated that the additional liquidity facility Covid-19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL) will provide funds up to 10 per cent of the existing fund based on the working capital limits (FBWC) or Rs 200 crore. It will be available till June 30, 2020. “With a view to provide some degree of relief to the borrowers whose operations are impacted by Covid-19, it is decided by the Bank to make available additional credit facilities to the eligible existing borrowers by way of ad-hoc facilities i.e COVID 19 EMERGENCY CREDIT LINE (CECL) to tide over the crisis situation. CECL will be in force upto 30.06.2020,” the circular read.

The loan will be offered for a period of 12 months or one year. All the standard accounts which have not been classified as special mention accounts (SMA) 1 and 2 as on March 16, 2020 are eligible to avail this loan.

It may be noted that SMA 1 accounts are those where principal or interest payment have been overdue for between 31 and 60 days, while SMA 2 accounts are ones with repayment delay of between 61 and 90 days. However, if an account sees repayments delayed by 90 days, it turns into an NPA (non-performing asset). Reserve Bank of India introduced the classification of Special Mention Accounts in 2014 so as to identify the accounts that have a potential to become an NPA or stressed asset.

According to a recent survey undertaken by FICCI, one in every two businesses have been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. “Almost three-fourth of the businesses indicate big reductions in orders. Of these, almost 50% indicate a 20% and more decrease in the orders,” the report said. While, it further added that 60% businesses have indicated that their supply chains were affected.

Business Standard |

Covid-19: SBI opens emergency credit line for borrowers till June 30

Amid businesses getting affected due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the country's largest lender State Bank of India has opened an emergency credit line to meet any liquidity mismatch for its borrowers.

The additional liquidity facility Covid-19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL), will provide funds up to Rs 200 crore and will be available till June 30, 2020, SBI said in a circular issued on Friday.

The loan will be offered at an interest rate of 7.25 per cent with a tenure of 12 months.

With a view to provide some degree of relief to the borrowers whose operations are impacted by Covid-19, it is decided to make available additional liquidity credit facilities to the eligible borrowers by way of ad-hoc facilities -- CECL to tide over the current crisis situation, the bank said in a circular to all branches.

The bank said the credit line is open for all standard accounts which have not been classified as SMA 1 or 2 as on March 16, 2020 are eligible to avail this credit line.

Special Mention Accounts (SMA) was introduced to identify those accounts that has the potential to become an NPA/stressed asset.

SMA-1 accounts are those where the overdue period is between 31 to 60 days. while, in SMA -2 accounts overdue is between 61 to 90 days.

All standard accounts as on March 16, 2020 and till the date of sanction are eligible. However, standard accounts classified as Special Mention Accounts - SMA 1 (overdue between 30-60 days) and SMA2 (overdue between 61-90 days) are not eligible for availing credit facility.

The maximum loan that that could be availed under special scheme is capped at Rs 200 crore. SBI said this loan facility shall be made available as Fund Based Limits only.

India's largest lender SBI said the loans will be repayable in six equated monthly instalments after a moratorium period of six months from the date of loan disbursement.

According to a recent survey conducted by industry body, FICCI, over 50 per cent of companies in the country see impact of coronavirus on their operations.

Nearly 80 per cent businesses have witnessed decline in cash flows due to the global pandemic, it showed.

Business Standard |

Covid-19 impact: Hoteliers seek Modi's help on loan deferment, GST holiday

Fearing a huge financial burden owing to cancellation of conferences, weddings and banquet bookings to stave off Coronavirus (Covid-19) spread, the hotel industry has asked for deferment of bank loans and statutory dues. It has also sought GST (Goods & Services Tax) holiday till it hits the revival route.

“Most hotel owners have taken loans from banks and in the current situation, it seems difficult for us to pay interest and bank EMIs (Equated Monthly Instalments). Banks should be advised to consider the situation and cooperate with us and defer the EMIs and interest till the situation becomes normal. Also, Cibil (Credit Information Bureau Ltd) score should not be affected in the current business environment. Similar measures have already been taken by countries like the US and China,” J K Mohanty, co-chairman, FICCI Tourism National Council and chairman (Eastern region), Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) wrote in a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

There is also the demand by hoteliers to defer payment of statutory dues like GST, advance tax payments, Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) till normalcy is restored in operations. Such interventions from the central government will support the travel and hospitality industries in this moment of exigent crisis, they reasoned.

At the level of state governments, they have called for waiver of fees for upcoming licenses, permits or renewals such as municipality holding tax, bar license fee, ground water fee and electricity fee till the travel and tourism industry recoups from the crisis precipitated by COVID-19 pandemic.

To facilitate the smooth recovery of hotel and travel businesses, Mohanty has advocated GST holiday for the next 12 months. He has also demanded immediate sanction of funds on the lines of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for employees engaged in tourism sector till revival happens.

livemint |

SBI opens emergency credit line for borrowers amid coronavirus scare

Amid businesses getting affected due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the country's largest lender State Bank of India has opened an emergency credit line to meet any liquidity mismatch for its borrowers.

The additional liquidity facility - Covid-19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL), will provide funds up to ₹200 crore and will be available till June 30, 2020, SBI said in a circular issued on Friday.

The loan will be offered at an interest rate of 7.25 per cent with a tenure of 12 months.

“With a view to provide some degree of relief to the borrowers whose operations are impacted by Covid-19, it is decided to make available additional liquidity credit facilities to the eligible borrowers by way of ad-hoc facilities -- CECL to tide over the current crisis situation," the bank said in a circular to all branches.

The bank said the credit line is open for all standard accounts which have not been classified as SMA 1 or 2 as on March 16, 2020 are eligible to avail this credit line.

Special Mention Accounts (SMA) was introduced to identify those accounts that has the potential to become an NPA/stressed asset.

SMA-1 accounts are those where the overdue period is between 31 to 60 days. while, in SMA -2 accounts overdue is between 61 to 90 days.

Borrowers can maximum avail 10 per cent of the existing fund based working capital limits, subject to a cap of ₹200 crore, the bank said.

According to a recent survey conducted by industry body, FICCI, over 50 per cent of companies in the country see impact of coronavirus on their operations.

Nearly 80 per cent businesses have witnessed decline in cash flows due to the global pandemic, it showed.

Trak.in |

Coronavirus: 80% Of Indian firms see dip in cash flow; 50% of businesses impacted right now

The coronavirus pandemic fears have given rise to large downfalls in every sector of employment. Not only has it affected the major sectors of economy like tech and trade but also has shown its footfall in the whole economy.

Just about this week we informed you of the decision to lower the interest rates by the Federal Reserve, in extension to coping up with a series of emergency measures Sunday night. Not just the world economy, the Sensex indexes have been hitting the all time low too on Dalal Street due to the fear-inducing Covid-19 pandemic.

Amid all these pandemic fears, a survey conducted showed that over 50% Indian companies see impact on their operations and nearly 80% have witnessed decline in cash flows.

Coronovirus Shows Effect on India Inc

Not only has the Covid-19 pandemic presented fresh challenges for the country’s economy but also has directly impacted disruptively the demand and supply side elements which have the potential to derail the growth story.

According to a poll conducted by the industry body, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), a significant 53% of Indian businesses indicate the marked impact of the coronavirus pandemic on business operations even at early stages.

The pandemic has significantly impacted the cash flow at organisations with almost 80% reporting a direct fall down in cash flow.

Businesses Fall Short at Cash Flow

Besides the direct impact on demand and supply of goods and services, businesses are also facing reduced cash flows due to slowing economic activity, which in turn is having an impact on all payments including to those for employees, interest, loan repayments and taxes.

As per the industry body, a combination of monetary, fiscal and financial market measures is needed to help the businesses and people cope with the crisis. Banks should be given a flexibility to reschedule payment terms without the need for provisioning.

The survey said there is need to maintain liquidity at surplus levels and provide special liquidity support for any companies/NBFCs/banks that come under strain due to intensifying risk aversion in financial markets or due to large demand shock.

With the corporate bond and commercial paper markets are facing liquidity challenges, the RBI should intervene, either directly or through the commercial banking system, to ensure adequate flow of funds into the market.

The survey shows that over 60% respondents have been impacted in their supply chain and expect the situation to worsen further.

Almost 40% have put in place stringent checks on people entering their offices and disinfection while nearly 30% organisation have already put in place work-from-home policies for their employees.

Sahiwal.tv |

FICCI: Due to Corona, 73% merchants have an enormous drop in orders

There isn't any sector that's not affected by the coronavirus. A latest FICCI survey has come on companies which can be being affected by Coronavirus. According to a brand new FICCI survey, 53 p.c of businessmen say that coronoviruses have affected their business because the early phases. Whereas FICCI survey revealed that about three-fourths (about 73 p.c) of the companies have seen an enormous drop in orders. About 50 per cent of them say that they've fallen greater than 20 per cent in getting orders. The survey has been performed amongst FICCI member corporations and associations throughout March 15–19 amongst a complete of 317 corporations.

35 p.c of respondents surveyed indicated a rise in stock stage, whereas 50 p.c mentioned their stock stage had elevated by 15 p.c or extra.

20 p.c businessmen badly affected

A brand new survey by FICCI has revealed that 20 p.c of businessmen collectively say that they've been affected on a big scale. At the identical time, 33 p.c say that they've been tremendously affected whereas in line with the opposite 33 p.c they've been mildly affected. The Corona epidemic has additionally affected money movement. About 80 p.c of the organizations reported a decline in money movement. More than 40 p.c of respondents to the survey revealed a 20 p.c or extra drop in money movement. 63 per cent mentioned provide chains have been affected.

Delay in getting uncooked materials

47.3 p.c mentioned they're going through delays of lower than Four weeks in sourcing uncooked supplies, whereas 31.08 p.c of corporations are experiencing delays of 4-6 weeks. On the opposite hand, 14.86 p.c have been delayed for 6-Eight weeks and 6.76 p.c for greater than Eight weeks. The survey additionally mentioned that about 40 p.c of the companies are conducting strict scrutiny of individuals coming into their workplaces and in addition caring for disinfection. About 20 per cent of the businesses have allowed workers to make money working from home.

– Coronavirus can destroy financial system over Rs 78 lakh crore

The Indiah Awaaz |

Janata Curfew to be observed tomorrow from 7 am to 9 pm across India

A day-long Janata Curfew is to be observed across the country tomorrow to contain the spread of Corona virus outbreak. It will be a self-regulated drive which will be effective from 7 A.M. to 9 P.M.

In his appeal to the nation on 19th of this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the public to avoid not to step out of their homes. Mr Modi asked everyone to express gratitude towards doctors, nurses, hospital staff, sanitation workers, airlines employees, government staff, police personnel, media people, people associated with train-bus-auto rickshaw services and home delivery agents.

The Prime Minister hailed the efforts of people from various walks of life that have come together to support the initiative of Janata Curfew. Influencers and achievers from various fields and several organizations have come out in support of the Janata Curfew and have urged the nation to come together to make it effective.

Industry bodies have also hailed the initiative. FICCI President Sangita Reddy asked people to make Janata Curfew a resounding success to show that citizens have self-discipline to overcome this pandemic. ASSOCHAM said, they are with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and are committed to rise against odds and build path towards greater development and inclusive growth.

Roads of Delhi wore a deserted look right from the afternoon as the city geared up for the Janata curfew tomorrow. There was minimal presence of auto rickshaws, buses and private vehicles from morning and by the evening very few people were seen on the roads.

Although shops of essential commodities were open till evening, presence of general public was very less and people chose to start the Janata Curfew way ahead of schedule. Same was reported from other parts of the NCR region. Roads in Ghaziabad, Noida and Gurgaon were also deserted and people remained indoors from afternoon itself.

Ex Bulletin |

One day before the Janta curfew, PM Modi advises people to stay in their towns and villages

One day before the country observed the Junta curfew, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned people against unnecessary displacement following the Coronavirus. It is not only important to stay inside your homes, but also to stay in the city where you are now, wrote PM Modi on his official Twitter account. He added that unnecessary travel would not help anyone. Calming panic and fear among people, PM Modi urged people not to worry and panic about the situation and asked people to take all necessary precautions to combat the spread of the virus.

Recognizing the contribution of workers involved in the emergency services, including health workers, PM Modi hailed them as heroes. FICCI, an industry and trade organization, posted a tweet thanking the contributions of workers such as private security personnel, sanitation workers and those involved in pest control and fumigation services in the area. fight against coronavirus. Prime Minister Modi retweeted the FICCI post and said that workers are heroes and that their work will be remembered for ages to come.

PM Modi also thanked the professionals involved in IT services for their contribution to ensuring that the supply of vital services is not hampered following a foreclosure situation as in the country. He wrote that the country is extremely proud of the services rendered by the IT sector in providing homogeneous services. Calling IT professionals a community of innovators, the PM said the industry has a major role to play in the fight against the coronavirus in the days to come.

Prime Minister Modi also urged those who have been asked to remain in quarantine to follow all necessary instructions from the doctor and the authorities. Cases of people fleeing quarantine and isolation rooms have been reported across the country, creating panic among citizens. Prime Minister Modi added that defying instructions from authorities and doctors will not help individuals or their families.

The country will observe the Junta curfew tomorrow from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The decision was announced Thursday by Prime Minister Modi in his national speech to the country. Prime Minister Modi urged people to respect the curfew by staying at home and not venturing out. Cooperation from state governments has also been requested to ensure a strict statewide curfew.

SME Street |

73% Indian businesses report steep fall due to Coronavirus outbreak

Coronavirus has undoubtedly had an impact on most industries and the situation is pretty bad out there. Now, many offices in Mumbai have asked their employees to work from home, meetings taking place over a call and some offices even being shut which has also had an impact on the business worldwide.

The situation is so bad that from a common man to a tycoon in the business industry, everybody’s been affected. And yet, our very own Finance Minister refuses to understand and accept that the current situation is something to worry about and act on it accordingly.

Well, a survey by FICCI showed that 53% Indian business say that the coronavirus pandemic has had an impact on their operations. Moreover, almost 73% of the businesses have seen a reduction in their order. Out of which, about 50% said that there has been a 20% decrease in the orders, as per a survey by FICCI.

FICCI conducted a survey among its 317 member companies between March 15-19. The survey showed that 35% businesses have reported an increase in inventory levels while other 50% said that their inventory levels gave gone up by 15% or more.

Moreover, 20% said that their businesses were very highly impacted while 33% were highly impacted. Another 33% businesses said that they were moderately impacted.

Well, the pandemic has also had an impact on their cash flow as 80% businesses reported a decrease in their cash flows.

Now, these companies have also put stringent rules in place for the safety of its employees and have directed them to work from home.

On Friday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that the number of COVID-19 cases rose to 236.

Government advisories have urged people to avoid crowded places and immediately report to authorities if one is found infected with the virus.

Yahoo Finance |

Coronavirus news: A day before Janta curfew, PM Modi advises people to stay put in their cities, towns

One day before the country observes the Junta curfew, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned people against unnecessary travel in the wake of the Coronavirus. It is not only important to stay inside your homes but also remain in the town and city where you presently are, PM Modi wrote on his official Twitter handle. He further said that unnecessary travel will not help anybody. Allaying the panic and state of fear among people, PM Modi urged people not to get worried and panic about the situation and asked people to observe all necessary precautions to tackle the spread of the virus.

Acknowledging the contribution of workers involved in emergency services including health workers, PM Modi hailed them as heroes. FICCI, an industry and commerce body, had posted a tweet thanking the contribution of workers like private security guards, sanitation workers and people involved in pest and fumigation services in the fight against the Coronavirus. PM Modi retweeted the FICCI post and said the workers are heroes and their work will be remembered for the ages to come.

PM Modi also thanked professionals involved in the IT services for their contribution in ensuring that the delivery of vital services does not get hindered in the wake of lockdown like situation in the country. He wrote that the country is extremely proud of the services rendered by the IT sector in providing the seamless services. Terming the IT professionals as a community of innovators, PM said that the industry has a major role to play in the battle against the Coronavirus in the days to come.

PM Modi also urged people who have been asked to remain in quarantine to follow all the necessary instructions of the doctor and authorities. Instances of people running away from quarantine and isolation wards have been reported across the country creating panic among the citizens. PM Modi added that defying the instructions of authorities and doctors will neither help the individuals nor their families.

The country will observe the Junta curfew tomorrow from 7am to 9pm. The decision was announced by PM Modi in his nationwide address to the country on Thursday. PM Modi urged people to observe the curfew by staying in their homes and not venturing out. Cooperation of the state governments have also been asked for to ensure strict curfew across the state.

Press Trust of India |

Covid-19: SBI opens emergency credit line for borrowers

Amid businesses getting affected due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the country's largest lender State Bank of India has opened an emergency credit line to meet any liquidity mismatch for its borrowers.

The additional liquidity facility Covid-19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL), will provide funds up to Rs 200 crore and will be available till June 30, 2020, SBI said in a circular issued on Friday.

The loan will be offered at an interest rate of 7.25 per cent with a tenure of 12 months.

With a view to provide some degree of relief to the borrowers whose operations are impacted by Covid-19, it is decided to make available additional liquidity credit facilities to the eligible borrowers by way of ad-hoc facilities -- CECL to tide over the current crisis situation, the bank said in a circular to all branches.

The bank said the credit line is open for all standard accounts which have not been classified as SMA 1 or 2 as on March 16, 2020 are eligible to avail this credit line.

Special Mention Accounts (SMA) was introduced to identify those accounts that has the potential to become an NPA/stressed asset.

SMA-1 accounts are those where the overdue period is between 31 to 60 days. while, in SMA -2 accounts overdue is between 61 to 90 days.

Borrowers can maximum avail 10 per cent of the existing fund based working capital limits, subject to a cap of Rs 200 crore, the bank said.

According to a recent survey conducted by industry body, FICCI, over 50 per cent of companies in the country see impact of coronavirus on their operations.

Nearly 80 per cent businesses have witnessed decline in cash flows due to the global pandemic, it showed.

The Hindu |

Coronavirus: SBI opens emergency credit line for borrowers

Amid businesses getting affected due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the country’s largest lender State Bank of India has opened an emergency credit line to meet any liquidity mismatch for its borrowers.

The additional liquidity facility - Covid-19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL), will provide funds up to ₹200 crore and will be available till June 30, 2020, SBI said in a circular issued on Friday.

The loan will be offered at an interest rate of 7.25% with a tenure of 12 months.

With a view to provide some degree of relief to the borrowers whose operations are impacted by Covid-19, it is decided to make available additional liquidity credit facilities to the eligible borrowers by way of ad-hoc facilities - CECL to tide over the current crisis situation, the bank said in a circular to all branches.

The bank said the credit line is open for all standard accounts which have not been classified as SMA 1 or 2 as on March 16, 2020.

Special Mention Accounts (SMA) was introduced to identify those accounts that has the potential to become an NPA/stressed asset.

SMA-1 accounts are those where the overdue period is between 31 to 60 days. while, in SMA -2 accounts overdue is between 61 to 90 days.

Opinion | Blunting the economic impact of a pandemic Borrowers can maximum avail 10% of the existing fund based working capital limits, subject to a cap of ₹200 crore, the bank said.

According to a recent survey conducted by industry body, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), over 50% of companies in the country see impact of coronavirus on their operations.

Nearly 80% businesses have witnessed decline in cash flows due to the global pandemic, it showed.

The Statesman |

SBI announces emergency credit line for borrowers affected by COVID-19

India’s largest lender State Bank of India became the first bank to open an emergency credit line to meet any liquidity mismatch for its borrowers affected by COVID-19 pandemic.

In a three-page circular issued on Friday, the state-run bank directed its chief general managers that an additional liquidity facility Covid-19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL), will provide funds up to Rs 200 crore and will be available till June 30, 2020. The loan will be offered at an interest rate of 7.25 per cent with a tenure of 12 months.

“With a view to provide some degree of relief to the borrowers whose operations are impacted by Covid-19, it is decided to make available additional liquidity credit facilities to the eligible borrowers by way of ad-hoc facilities — CECL to tide over the current crisis situation,” the bank said in a circular to all branches.

The bank said the credit line is open for all standard accounts which have not been classified under the category of special mention accounts (SMA) 1 or 2 as on March 16, 2020 are eligible to avail this credit line.

Special Mention Accounts (SMA) was introduced to identify those accounts that have the potential to become an NPA/stressed asset. SMA-1 accounts are those where the overdue period is between 31 to 60 days. While in SMA -2 accounts overdue is between 61 to 90 days.

Additionally, existing SBI customers who have availed special loans under the category of MSME are also eligible for this facility.

Borrowers can maximum avail 10 per cent of the existing fund based working capital limits, subject to a cap of Rs 200 crore, the bank said.

According to a recent survey conducted by industry body, FICCI, over 50 per cent of companies in the country see impact of coronavirus on their operations.

Nearly 80 per cent businesses have witnessed decline in cash flows due to the global pandemic, it showed.

News18 |

SBI opens emergency Credit Line for Borrowers whose operations are hampered by Coronavirus

Amid businesses getting affected due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the country's largest lender State Bank of India has opened an emergency credit line to meet any liquidity mismatch for its borrowers.

The additional liquidity facility Covid-19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL), will provide funds up to Rs 200 crore and will be available till June 30, 2020, SBI said in a circular issued on Friday.

The loan will be offered at an interest rate of 7.25 per cent with a tenure of 12 months.

With a view to provide some degree of relief to the borrowers whose operations are impacted by Covid-19, it is decided to make available additional liquidity credit facilities to the eligible borrowers by way of ad-hoc facilities -- CECL to tide over the current crisis situation, the bank said in a circular to all branches.

The bank said the credit line is open for all standard accounts which have not been classified as SMA 1 or 2 as on March 16, 2020 are eligible to avail this credit line.

Special Mention Accounts (SMA) was introduced to identify those accounts that has the potential to become an NPA/stressed asset.

SMA-1 accounts are those where the overdue period is between 31 to 60 days. while, in SMA -2 accounts overdue is between 61 to 90 days.

Borrowers can maximum avail 10 per cent of the existing fund based working capital limits, subject to a cap of Rs 200 crore, the bank said.

According to a recent survey conducted by industry body, FICCI, over 50 per cent of companies in the country see impact of coronavirus on their operations.

Nearly 80 per cent businesses have witnessed decline in cash flows due to the global pandemic, it showed.

Business World |

Covid-19 impact on jobs

By now, we all are familiar with COVID-19 which is a new illness that can affect our lungs and airways. It's caused by a virus called Coronavirus. The novel coronavirus is a new strain of virus that has not been identified in human so far.

The whole world is getting affected by this epidemic from our health to our economy growth. With new positive cases every day in most of the countries right from Asia, Middle East to Europe COVID-19 has become one of the major concern for all. Government of all the countries are taking extra steps and precautions to control the rapid spread of the virus.

One of the extreme step is the lockdown of more and more countries to prevent the spread of coronavirus with growing concerns about how to deal with the economic crisis caused by this major slowdown in productivity and revenue of all businesses globally.

The origin of the outbreak of COVID-19 is from China which is one of the largest business industry hub. Being world’s largest exporter, the lockdown of the country is expected to have significant impact on the global economy including economic slowdown, trade, supply chain disruption, commodities, and logistics.

As per Global Times, the world's second-most populous country with 1.3 billion people had reported just over 130 coronavirus cases and three deaths till 17 March. Currently, India is on top 10 economy affected countries. One of the reason China being its biggest business supplier and exporter right from electronics, consumer durables, auto components and pharma bulk drugs. Also about 18 per cent of India's merchandise is being imported from China.

As COVID 19 is spreading via human touch or social contact, it is directly impacting all types of business in India be it Enterprise, Retails / Whole sales business, Online delivery sector, Food industry, Travel Business, Entertainment and many more. Extreme measures like lockdown of school colleges, malls, gyms and other business sectors that includes huge number of crowds have also added to a decline of revenue in all these business sectors.

As per a FICCI report, a significant 53 per cent of Indian businesses indicate the marked impact of the coronavirus pandemic on business operations even at early stages. Along with that, businesses are witnessing less cash flow due to slowing economic activity. This in the coming days is likely to effect the citizens directly with delay salary, increase price in commodities, additional charges in transport or logistic and many more.

If we talk sectorise then travel, tourism and hotel industries are some of the worst-affected sectors due to travel bans, social distancing and suspension of business activities. While other related sectors like fuel minerals, electricity and water and rubber, plastic, coke and petroleum products, etc are also likely to be impacted or witness a downfall in the revenue.

Again, with the current scenario with Europe being the new epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak, exports to the European Union which is one of India’s exports destination, are bound to be affected.

Additionally, the digital payment sector is witnessing an increase in number of transactions giving a boost to it sector. ePaisa as a point of sale player has witnessed more merchants using POS features to decrease manual work and human touch through digital payment, digital analytic report etc.

But, if the COVID-19 epidemic continues and won’t be controlled we would also witness job loses specially in jewellery, handicraft or textile sectors which includes manual work with a downfall in those sectors as well.

The New Indian Express |

COVID-hit economy may take six months to recover

Unprecedented measures taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus are likely to severely impact the economy that was already experiencing a slowdown. It may require nearly six months to fully recover from this impact.

“We were already on the downturn and the GDP growth rate, which is 4.8 per cent, may slump-down to 4 per cent. Maybe even less,” said Prof R S Deshpande, visiting professor and former chairman, Institute of Social and Economic Change (ISEC). According to him, the lockdown will have a major economic impact, hitting the unorganised sector the worst as a large number of people will migrate back to villages. “They will not have any source of income,” he added.

While central and state governments are battling to blunt the impact of the outbreak, most sectors, including agriculture and food processing, real estate, aviation, tourism, hospitality, retail, textiles, transport and logistics are likely to be hit. According to a survey by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI ), which was released on Friday, a significant 53 per cent of businesses indicate the marked impact of the pandemic on operations even at the early stages.

“All businesses will be impacted, some will be hit more and some less. It may take around six months to recover,” said D Muralidhar, chairman of research wing and past president of FKCCI. In Karnataka, economic activities will be hit by 15 to 20 pert cent, he added.

If the slowdown due to the health emergency continues for a long time, it may impact jobs and order books may not be replenished and companies may find it difficult to manage. Taxi drivers, auto drivers, those working in the hospitality industry and unorganised sectors are already feeling the heat. “If it continues for long, even the organised sector may find it difficult to hold on to their employees,” Muralidhar added.

The Telegraph |

Booster dose in the works

The government is working on a relief package for different sectors of the economy impacted by the coronavirus such as allowing late repayment of loans by the micro, small and medium enterprises.

Industry body CII pressed for a fiscal stimulus of Rs 2 lakh crore besides a slew of tax cuts and reduction in interest rates. FICCI said a combination of monetary, fiscal and financial market measures were needed now.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman assessed the impact on four sectors - tourism, aviation, animal husbandry and MSMEs - with the ministers of the respective departments.

She said the government was yet to set up the Covid-19 economic response task force announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday night in his televised speech to the nation.

“The task force is yet to be constituted. But keeping in mind the urgency of the situation, we are holding the meetings. Of course, the task force, when it is constituted, will also get the benefit of these discussions,” Sitharaman told reporters, refusing to commit to a deadline for the response package to be announced by the government.

Sitharaman expressed the hope that the measures announced by Sebi will keep the markets stable.

She said the finance ministry was compiling the demands by each sector..

Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the central government was “addressing all the problems” constructively.

After a meeting here with the finance minister, Puri said he discussed with her the virus’s impact on the Indian aviation sector.

“We are addressing all these problems. We are addressing them constructively,” the minister replied when asked about the layoffs by private airlines because of the falling revenues in light of the pandemic.

Animal husbandry minister Giriraj Singh said he had demanded a loan restructuring for the poultry and fisheries sectors, which have been badly impacted affected by a fall in demand.

An MSME ministry official said a slew of measures were discussed with the finance minister to reduce pressure on MSMEs.

Speaking after the meeting, tourism minister Prahlad Singh Patel said the ministry had been assessing the situation.

“We all know that the tourism sector has been impacted. The finance minister is already concerned about the impact of coronavirus on all the sectors. We will properly assess the losses to the sector and then decide if any package has to be granted for the industry,” he said.

A survey by FICCI showed 50 per cent of Indian companies had been impacted by the outbreak of the virus.

National Herald |

Early signs of India staring at an economic Tsunami in the time of Coronavirus

While it is too early to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the Indian economy, there is little doubt that it is going to be significant. Some early indications are already available.

Standard Chartered Bank pared its growth estimate for India for FY 2020-21 from 5.6 per cent to 5 per cent due to the hit from the global and local spread of virus. “We see a larger loss of economic activity in FY21, as the virus has now spread widely outside China, and the experience of other countries indicates a high possibility of a further spread in India,” wrote Anubhuti Sahay, head of South Asia research at Standard Chartered Bank.

Rahul Bajoria, the chief India economist at Barclays, said the biggest growth risk would be from preventive measures such as mass quarantine or movement restrictions and the related pullback in consumer spending, investment, and services activity.

“Together, these could shave almost 200 basis points from headline GDP, with investment potentially taking the biggest hit. We remain vigilant of non-linear impacts from a wider outbreak,” Bajoria wrote while adding that several factors such as lower oil prices along with fiscal and monetary support could help act as a buffer for the Indian economy.

Noted economist Swaminathan Aiyar wrote in The Economic Times: “In the best-case scenario, the virus may last one quarter. The world and India will suffer a short, serious but not catastrophic recession. In the worst-case scenario, the virus will spread havoc for a year (in which case) the economic disruption will be enormous, possibly as bad as in 2008”.

Hit on travel & tourism industry:

Travel and tourism industry accounted for 9.2 percent of India’s GDP in 2018, according to a report by industry body FICCI released in April 2019. The tourism sector generated 26.7 million jobs in 2018, the report added.

India on March 11 suspended all visas, except a few categories such as diplomatic and employment, till April 15 in a bid to contain the spread of virus. The visa ban risked taking tourism and business activity to an “all time low”. This has come in the midst of a tourist season which ends by May.

India’s tourism industry caters to about 10 million foreign tourists a year. Average hotel occupancy in India in 2019 was around two thirds. But hotel occupancy rates in tourist destinations in India have plummeted in the last few weeks. Sooraj Nair, director of the five-star Crowne Plaza hotel in Kochi in Kerala said occupancy at his hotel had dropped to 20%, as per a report published by Businessworld magazine.

“Foreign tourist arrivals are down by about 67 percent annually in the January-March quarter, while domestic tourists are fewer by about 40 percent,” Pronab Sarkar, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators told BloombergQuint. With the tourist visa ban by India, foreign tourist arrivals will be virtually nil in the next one month.

The pandemic has grounded India’s aviation sector. Credit rating agency ICRA said that domestic air traffic growth will be affected because of “averseness and precautionary deferment of non-essential travel by local passengers. Cancellation of major global/domestic events is also likely to have an adverse impact on overall passenger traffic”.

“Domestic demand has significantly softened in the last week, down by 30% on the previous week,” said Rakshit Desai, managing director at FCM Travel Solutions, a corporate travel services company. Until the last week (prior to the tourist visa ban by India), Indian and foreign carriers had cancelled close to 600 flights to and from India.

Airlines have started to warn of lower traffic. In a stock exchange filing, InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, the parent company of India’s largest airline IndiGo, said traffic numbers have started to fall. “Over the past few days, however, week-on-week, we have seen a 15-20 percent decline in our daily bookings,” the airline said, warning of a material impact to the company’s earnings.

The Aviation sector in India currently contributes $72 billion to the nation’s GDP. A likely hit of 30% in domestic traffic and 50% in international traffic, even for a few months, could potentially impact India’s GDP by about $5 to 10 billion. This translates into a 20 to 40 basis point cut to India’s GDP.

Hit on India’s exports:

Indian exporters are expecting the impact to come around in a lead time of three months. They anticipate a hit of around $1 billion due to disruption in trade because of closed borders and order cancellations. The coronavirus pandemic is expected to hit India’s labour intensive export sectors like gems and jewellery, lifestyle goods and handicrafts the most, as the global demand for such luxury and lifestyle goods is expected to decline significantly.

An official of the Engineering Export Promotion Council told The Economic Times that demand is low for products such as steel and ferro-alloys as Italy is a major market. Italy has been severely hit by the pandemic.

India’s dairy, meat and cereal exports could also see a slump over the new few months, due to the outbreak. China is the world’s largest milk powder importer. India is the world’s largest exporter of skimmed milk powder (SMP). In FY 2018-19, India’s dairy exports were worth about Rs 2,700 crore.

Other than dairy, India’s meat exports could also see a decline. India is the largest beef exporter in the world with 13.48 lakh tonnes of buffalo meat exports in FY 2017-18. International prices of ovine and bovine meat fell in February due to reduced imports by China, as per a report of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). “Maize prices retreated too, influenced by expectations of weaker demand from the feed sector due to overall deteriorating economic prospects,” FAO report said. India exported 10.51 lakh MT of maize in 2018-19, worth about Rs 1,800 crore.

India exported about $19 billion of drugs last year and accounted for one-fifth of the world’s exports of generics by volume, according to the India Brand Equity Foundation. Indian government ordered the pharmaceutical industry to stop exporting 26 drugs and drug ingredients, most of them antibiotics.

The drugs facing export restrictions are antibiotics like tinidazole, metronidazole, chloramphenicol, erythromycin salts, neomycin, clindamycin salts and ornidazole, painkiller acetaminophen and antiviral drug acyclovir.

“It’s not a ban on export. It’s a restriction,” said a representative of the industry body. Indian pharmaceutical companies are also reeling under the pressure of declining API stocks. India’s pharmaceutical sector is heavily dependent on China, which accounts for 80 percent of raw material, or Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), for manufacturing drugs.

Tea exports are also likely to be adversely affected. “Iran is a critical market for us (tea exporters). There is concern about demand for new season tea from the Persian Gulf nation due to coronavirus outbreak. There might be a decline in demand in the short term. China — the epicentre of COVID-19 — is also a major importer of Indian black tea. Imports of the beverage from the neighbouring country are also expected to be impacted,” Indian Tea Exporters’ Association Chairman Anshuman Kanoria told PTI.

Hit on retail and entertainment industry:

With COVID-19 positive cases being reported from metro cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Agra, Noida and Delhi, retailers, multiplex owners, mall developers and eatery owners are bearing the brunt of the cronavirus outbreak. The Delhi government has recently ordered to close down all cinema halls in the capital till March 31. The Maharashtra state government on March 13 ordered closure of cinema theaters, gymnasiums, swimming pools and public parks in cities of Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad till March 30.

After Karnataka reported the country’s first fatality due to coronavirus, the state government ordered the shutting down of malls, cinema halls, pubs, schools and colleges, summer camps and exhibitions across the state for one week starting from 14 March.

Other states too have ordered the shutdown of cinema theaters, malls and educational institutions. Due to the closure of cinema halls and multiplexes in major cities, movie producers in India have deferred the release of movies such as Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi. As per some reports, restaurants have reported a decline of 30 to 35% in business in the past few days. Though it is difficult to put a figure, the retail and entertainment sector in major cities will be hit hard in March.

Hit on services sector:

Investment Bank JP Morgan expects much of the economic hit in India to flow via weaker exports and the impact on the services sector.

Discretionary, non-government services in India constitute about 33 percent of GDP and are growing at 8 per cent. If one assumes that growth rate for this halves, it could shave off 130 basis points from full-year GDP growth in FY ’21, it is estimated.

Indian information technology (IT) services companies are likely to see a hit in revenues for the March quarter and for FY’21 due to the far-reaching impact from the coronavirus pandemic globally. “We expect a 5 percent hit on overall IT sector revenues for the March quarter due to impact on projects,” said Shriram Subramanian, founder of InGovern Research.

The rapid spread of the virus has led to fears that have hit travel, hospitality and consumer retail sectors globally. Mindtree gets over 16 percent of its revenue from these verticals and Mphasis sees about 14 percent revenue from clients in travel, hospitality and logistics.

Apart from global factors, at a company level, IT players will also have to deal with several changes in project execution schedules given the travel bans as well as work-from-home options for employees. The travel bans will slow down deal conversions, as per experts, and could also hit IT companies’ ability to deliver services on-site.

IT services and BPO industry contributed 7.7% to India’s GDP in FY’17. A five percent hit on overall IT sector revenues will translate into a hit of about 40 basis points to India’s GDP.

Capital outflows:

Coronavirus fears have sent shock waves across global financial markets. The outbreak of novel coronavirus is choking fund flows into Indian capital markets from foreign funds domiciled in Japan, Germany, South Korea and China. These four countries put together are home to over 1,500 funds which constitute 10 to 15 per cent of the foreign portfolio investment volumes in India.

As per the NSDL data, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have withdrawn huge amounts from India, Rs 24,776 crore from equity markets and Rs 14,050 crore from debt markets in a short span of 13 days from 1 to 13 of March 2020.

Some estimates have pegged a saving of $7 to 8 billion for India for every $5 a barrel fall in crude oil prices. Brent crude oil prices fell by over $14 a barrel on 9 March (the worst fall since the 1991 Gulf war), potentially saving India some $20 billion in the import bill.

A fall in crude oil prices may cut India’s current account deficit (trade deficit), which stood at $133 billion in the first 10 months of this financial year. But the capital outflows from India may exceed the potential saving in the current account deficit. INR to USD exchange rate is already quoting near the psychological barrier of Rs 75 per US Dollar. If the barrage of capital outflows from India continues, Rupee may come under increasing pressure in the days to come.

Indian economy, on a downward spiral, cannot find a bottom till the pandemic is contained globally.

The Free Press Journal |

Coronavirus Outbreak: 73% Indian businesses report steep fall in their orders

Coronavirus has undoubtedly had an impact on most industries and the situation is pretty bad out there. Now, many offices in Mumbai have asked their employees to work from home, meetings taking place over a call and some offices even being shut which has also had an impact on the business worldwide.

The situation is so bad that from a common man to a tycoon in the business industry, everybody's been affected. And yet, our very own Finance Minister refuses to understand and accept that the current situation is something to worry about and act on it accordingly.

Well, a survey by FICCI showed that 53% Indian business say that the coronavirus pandemic has had an impact on their operations. Moreover, almost 73% of the businesses have seen a reduction in their order. Out of which, about 50% said that there has been a 20% decrease in the orders, as per a survey by FICCI.

FICCI conducted a survey among its 317 member companies between March 15-19. The survey showed that 35% businesses have reported an increase in inventory levels while other 50% said that their inventory levels gave gone up by 15% or more.

Moreover, 20% said that their businesses were very highly impacted while 33% were highly impacted. Another 33% businesses said that they were moderately impacted.

Well, the pandemic has also had an impact on their cash flow as 80% businesses reported a decrease in their cash flows.

Now, these companies have also put stringent rules in place for the safety of its employees and have directed them to work from home.

On Friday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that the number of COVID-19 cases rose to 236.

Government advisories have urged people to avoid crowded places and immediately report to authorities if one is found infected with the virus.

News18 |

India needs to loosen purse strings as coronavirus recession looms over already ailing economy

The novel coronavirus pandemic is wrecking the global economy. Chief economist at Fitch Ratings, Brian Coulton, said on Friday that the level of world GDP was falling and “for all intents and purposes we are in global recession territory". India is not immune to the recession sweeping across the globe. It is in fact more vulnerable since the Indian economy was already in the throes of a deep-seated slowdown for several quarters till the beginning of the year, when the COVID-19 outbreak became known.

Now, as the disruption from the virus progresses globally as well as within India, we should forget all talk of economic recovery and instead bring all hands on deck for a fast policy response to tackle the outcome of COVID-19.

Before the pandemic had set in, optimistic economists had been pointing towards a recovery spread over 18-24 months from decadal low rates of growth. But now, swathes of industries, small and medium enterprises and almost every sector of the economy stares at myriad challenges and all eyes are on the government for a substantial stimulus and recovery package.

Several countries around the world are already pumping in billions of dollars into their respective economies to prevent them from collapsing. The United States is discussing a rescue package totalling a trillion dollars, after the Federal Reserve has already eased lending rates.

Global ratings agency Fitch notes that the European Central Bank has introduced a comprehensive package focused on new liquidity and a huge increase in asset purchases for European nations. And to help businesses cope with the crisis, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) has set up a new one-year facility with a 0% interest rate.

The United Kingdom has announced large-scale macro policy easing in response including emergency rate cuts of 50 basis points (0.5%) a new term lending facility targeted at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) besides a 32 billion pound COVID-19 fiscal package. Credit guarantees of 330 billion pounds have also been additionally approved.

In his address on Thursday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of setting up an economic task force to devise policy measures to tackle the economic challenges arising from COVID-19. While this assurance from the PM is welcome, wouldn’t some concrete plans to support the economy have worked better?

Analysts at brokerage Edelweiss note that India’s (economic) response is lagging global peers and that they anticipate no recovery in GDP growth.

“We have cut forecast to 5% in FY21 from 5.5% earlier," they said. These analysts have noted that India has delayed rate cuts and already hiked oil taxes (excise duty on petrol and diesel was increased recently as global crude prices crashed) when it needs to instead come out with policies to address the financial and economic dislocations that are likely amid lockdowns.

Take the aviation sector. With global travel restrictions kicking in and demand collapsing, India’s airlines are biding time before a partial or total shutdown of operations. This scenario is ruinous for airline balance sheets and consequently for thousands of people employed by the sector.

IndiGo and Air India are already in the process of implanting pay cuts and work-without-pay schemes as vendors, suppliers and other associates also bear the brunt. Ditto for the entire tourism industry.

While the government has begun talking of a rescue package – some reports have suggested a nearly Rs 12,000-crore package – for the aviation industry, till now the talk revolves around waiving taxes on jet fuel. Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) accounts for nearly 40% of an airline’s operating costs and India levies significant taxes at the central as well as state levels to make jet fuel significantly expensive. So waiving taxes for some time is a good idea but nowhere near enough to support the dying aviation sector. If airlines ground planes and cease operations temporarily, waiving taxes on jet fuel will be cold comfort. What they additionally need is a range of concessions such as deferred payments to oil companies, lessors and airport operators. The government has merely been hinting at some of these concessions but, till now, not much has been formalised.

Sectors bearing the brunt of the current stress – aviation, tourism and hospitality – all will need significant hand-holding from the government to emerge from the ongoing, unprecedented crisis.

Then, for automobiles, consumer durables, pharmaceuticals, etc, the shutdown of factories and delays in supply of goods from China has led to deep supply disruptions. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has pointed towards an overall consumption slowdown due to closing down of cinema theatres and declining footfall in shopping complexes.

“Consumption is also getting impacted due to job losses and decline in income levels of people, particularly the daily wage earners due to slowing activity in several sectors including retail, construction, entertainment, etc. When consumption gets impacted, economic recovery is most unlikely,” the chamber has said.

Our external trade is also majorly impacted. FICCI quotes United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to say that impact due to COVID-19 on India’s external trade could be nearly $350 million. India is among the top 15 countries that have been affected most as a result of manufacturing slowdown in China.

Besides a nearly Rs 12,000 crore package to rescue the aviation sector, the government has also been hinting at forbearance for certain loans to help tide over a liquidity crisis. But C Rangarajan, former chairman of the PM’s Economic Advisory Council, said on Friday that any regulatory forbearance should extend beyond micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). “We need to make a general regulatory forbearance. Larger firms affected more or less in the same manner as MSMEs. Holding up of inventories and stocks means greater liquidity support is needed all round. So forbearance is needed for all loans," he said.

The other thing the proposed economic task force needs to recognise is the inevitability of India shooting past its fiscal deficit target for this year since revenues are falling and additional expenditure will have to be incurred due to the pandemic. Rangarajan has suggested that the amount the government has collected through additional excise duty on fuel should be set aside for taking care of these additional expenses.

The big elephant in the room could be suggestions that the government devise a minimum income guarantee scheme as people lose livelihoods. With the RBI still mulling over rate cuts – the central bank governor has already passed the buck to the monetary policy committee – a government short of cash is hardly likely to consider any sort of universal income guarantee scheme.

Orissa Post |

Covid-19 outbreak: Over 50% of India Inc sees impact on ops, 80 pc witness fall in cash flow

In wake of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, over 50 per cent of Indian companies see impact on their operations and nearly 80 per cent have witnessed decline in cash flows, says a survey.

The pandemic has presented fresh challenges for the country’s economy, causing severe disruptive impact on both demand and supply side elements which has the potential to derail the growth story, according to a poll conducted by industry body FICCI.

The country is already experiencing a slowdown in growth. In the third quarter of the current fiscal, the economy grew at 4.7 per cent, slowest in six year.

“A significant 53 per cent of Indian businesses indicate the marked impact of the coronavirus pandemic on business operations even at early stages,” Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said.

The pandemic has significantly impacted the cash flow at organisations with almost 80 per cent reporting a decrease in cash flow, the survey showed.

The findings were based on interactive sessions and survey conducted by FICCI amongst the industry members.

“Besides the direct impact on demand and supply of goods and services, businesses are also facing reduced cash flows due to slowing economic activity, which in turn is having an impact on all payments including to those for employees, interest, loan repayments and taxes,” it said.

It said combination of monetary, fiscal and financial market measures is needed to help the businesses and people cope with the crisis.

“The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) need to support the Indian industry and economy at this juncture by bringing down the cost of funds further through reduction in policy rates, say, by close to 100 basis points,” it said.

Banks should be given a flexibility to reschedule payment terms without the need for provisioning.

The survey said there is need to maintain liquidity at surplus levels and provide special liquidity support for any companies/NBFCs/banks that come under strain due to intensifying risk aversion in financial markets or due to large demand shock.

With the corporate bond and commercial paper markets are facing liquidity challenges, the RBI should intervene, either directly or through the commercial banking system, to ensure adequate flow of funds into the market.

The government should not cut its capital expenditure plans despite any shortfall in tax collections, it said.

It also said the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) should be suspended for a short period for sectors like aviation and hotel, that are severely impacted due to Covid-19.

The survey showed that more than 60 per cent of respondents have seen impact on their supply chains and expect the situation to worsen further.

“Nearly 42 per cent of the respondents feel that it could take up to three months for normalcy to return,” the survey highlighted.

Most of the organisations have brought in a renewed focus on hygiene aspects concerning the pandemic.

Almost 40 per cent have put in place stringent checks on people entering their offices and disinfection while nearly 30 per cent organisation have already put in place work-from-home policies for their employees, it said.

Business Standard |

Explained in numbers: Coronavirus outbreak impact on businesses

Businesses are seeing an adverse impact of Covid-19. A survey by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) tried to capture this. It shows that 81 per cent of surveyed FICCI members and associations said that their cash flow has decreased, while only minusculethree per cent said it has increased.


Graph
Note: A total 317 companies participated in the survey, conducted among FICCI members and associations between March 15 and 19. Source: FICCI

Financial Express |

Traders across nation to shut stores on Sunday after PM Modi calls for Janta Curfew amid coronavirus

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a nation-wide self-isolation on Sunday, traders across the country have decided to honour the call and keep their establishments shut on Sunday, traders’ body CAIT said on Friday. “On the clarion call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seven crore traders across the country will shut down their shutters on Sunday, 22 March, to participate in Janta Curfew,” Praveen Khandelwal, General Secretary, CAIT, said in a statement. With this, 40 crore employees of traders are also expected to remain at their home. India’s national capital Delhi alone has nearly 15 lakh traders who employ around 35 lakh people.

Coronavirus is already taking a toll on the country’s trade and retail and half of India’s businesses are now feeling the heat of the outbreak. From aviation to restaurants, the situation is dire as demand has slumped and footfalls have decreased. In fact, the same is also forcing businessmen to consider lay offs and salary cuts for employees. According to a latest report by FICCI, aviation, hospitality and tourism are the worst affected sectors due to coronavirus, but others are also staring at major revenue loss. “Almost three-fourth of the businesses indicate big reductions in orders. Of these, almost 50% indicate a 20% and more decrease in the orders,” another FICCI report said on Friday. CAIT had also earlier said that the coronavirus has led to a major supply chain disruption.

Meanwhile, as coronavirus continues its onslaught on the economies worldwide and India as well, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently announced constituting a ‘COVID-19 Economic Task force’ to assess the impact of the outbreak, he said in his address to the nation on last night. The taskforce will come under the purview of the Finance Ministry and will be supervised by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The task force will work on the feedback received from various state governments, he had added.

Travel Trends Today |

COVID -19: FICCI seeks relief measures for tourism industry

Industry chamber Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has urged the Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India to grant one-year moratorium on all working capital principal, interest payments, loans and overdrafts to bring in liquidity.

In a letter to Prahlad Singh Patel, Union Tourism Minister (IC), Govt of India, Jyotsana Suri, Past Prescient &Chairperson, FICCI Tourism Committee also urged Patel to restore SEIS scrips for duty credit of 10 per cent to tourism, travel and hospitality industry. The Chamber has also sought a bailout package to fund and support salaries of the employees in the industry. ‘The aviation sector requests in brining ATF under the ambit of GST to provide long-term relief to airlines, as well as rebates on landing, parking and housing charges,” the letter reads.

The Chamber also suggested to advise the state governments ‘ a deferment for 12 months of all statutory dues with respect to license fee, property tax and excise fees , advance tax, provident fund, lower tariffs for water and power charges, custom duties, bank guarantees across hospitality, travel and aviation industry’.

It also suggests that a National Tourism Task Force of Center and States should be formed specifically to continuously monitor, strategize and implement a revival plan.

Devdiscourse |

Impact of coronavirus on Indian economy: Another jolt to growth recovery

The Indian economy has been experiencing significant slowdown over the past few quarters with the growth in third-quarter hitting 6-year low of 4.7 percent. A number of stimulus measures have been taken to revive economic growth but the new coronavirus pandemic has blurred the chanced of recovery in near to medium term.

The outbreak has presented fresh challenges for the Indian economy, causing a severely disruptive impact on both demand and supply-side elements and has the potential to derail India's growth story.

India's trade could face a massive USD 348 million hit due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak, of which the chemical sector is expected to take the biggest blow of USD 129 million, according to UNCTAD. Other sectors could also face big losses with the trade impact for textiles and apparel sector estimated at USD 64 million, the automotive sector at USD 34 million, electrical machinery at USD 12 million, leather products at USD 13 million, metals and metal products at USD 27 million and wood products and furniture at USD 15 million.

The Asian Development Bank said that the coronavirus outbreak could lead to a USD 387 million hit on the Indian economy in the 'best-case scenario' where the outbreak is contained in two months starting from late January when it intensified. While in a 'worst-case scenario', where precautionary behavior and restrictive policies are in place for 6 months, the economic hit could rise to USD 1.2 billion.

Demand Side Impact

Tourism, Hospitality, and Aviation are among the worst affected sectors that are facing the maximum brunt of the present crisis. Closing of cinema theatres and declining footfall in shopping complexes have affected the retail sector by impacting the consumption of both essential and discretionary items. Consumption is also getting impacted due to job losses and a decline in income levels of people particularly the daily wage earners due to slowing activity in several sectors including retail, construction, entertainment, etc.

With widespread fear and panic now increasing among people, the overall confidence level of consumers has dropped significantly, leading to the postponement of their purchasing decisions. Travel restrictions have severely impacted the transport sector. Hotels are seeing large scale cancellations not only from leisure travelers but even business travelers as conferences, seminars and workshops are getting canceled on a large scale.

Impact on Indian stock market

Greater uncertainty about the future course and repercussion of Covid-19 have made the financial market extremely volatile, leading to huge market crashes and wealth erosion, which in turn is impacting consumption levels.

One of the major slides in the domestic equity markets was seen on March 12, when following the trend of the global equity markets, both the BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty crashed by more than 8 percent in a single day. The BSE Sensex dropped over 2,919 points – its biggest one-day fall in absolute terms while the NSE Nifty dropped by 868 points. An estimated Rs 10 lakh crore of market cap was reportedly wiped off due to this single-day fall.

On March 19, Indian equity markets again plunged to a new low. Sensex closed 581 points lower at 28,288 and Nifty fell 205 points to end at 8,263. Equity markets are likely to remain volatile in the future as well, further wealth erosion of investors is expected, according to FICCI.

Supply Side Impact

On the supply side, the shutdown of factories and the resulting delay in the supply of goods from China has affected many Indian manufacturing sectors which source their intermediate and final product requirements from China.

Some sectors like automobiles, pharmaceuticals, electronics, chemical products are facing an imminent raw material and component shortage. This is hampering business sentiment and affecting investment and production schedules of companies.

Besides having a negative impact on imports of important raw materials, the slowdown in manufacturing activity in China and other markets of Asia, Europe, and the US is impacting India's exports to these countries as well.

Impact on International Trade

China has been a major market for many Indian products like seafood, petrochemicals, gems, and jewelry. The outbreak of coronavirus has adversely impacted exports of these items to China. For instance, the fisheries sector is anticipated to incur a loss of more than Rs 1,300 crore due to the fall in exports.

Similarly, India exports 36 percent of its diamonds to China. The cancellation of four major trade events between February and April is likely to cause an estimated loss of Rs 8,000-10,000 crore in terms of business opportunity for Jaipur alone. India also exports 34 percent of its petrochemicals to China. Due to export restrictions to China, petrochemical products are expected to see a price reduction.

(With inputs from FICCI's report titled Impact of Covid-19 on Indian Economy released on March 20.)

Myiris |

Renewable energy industry confused due to lack of advisory on coronavirus: FICCI

A lack of communication from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Solar Energy Corporation (SECI) and states related to applicability of Force Majeure on business disruption caused by the spread of Coronavirus is creating confusion among the renewable energy companies, according to Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

"The Finance Ministry has issued a circular stating the current situation of COVID-19 should be treated as Force Majeure for solar projects. However, MNRE, SECI and state governments have not yet issued any circular with respect to the same. This is creating confusion in the renewable energy industry," the industry chamber said in a note on Impact of COVID-19 on Indian Economy.

It added the Renewable Energy Industry is a capital-intensive industry where availability of liquidity is important and the current outbreak of coronavirus has affected the liquidity of the renewable energy companies due to the impact on supply chain.

Drug Today |

Coronavirus impacting business, reducing cash flow: FICCI

A recent survey carried outby FICCI among industry members has revealed that there is a significant impact of coronavirus on business. As many as 53 per cent of Indian businesses indicate a marked impact of the coronavirus pandemic on business operations even at early stages, finds the survey.

The survey reveals that besides the direct impact on demand and supply of goods and services, businesses are also facing reduced cash flows due to slowing economic activity which in turn is having an impact on all payments including to those for employees, interest, loan repayments and taxes.

According to the survey, the pandemic has significantly impacted the cash flow at organisations with almost 80 per cent reporting a decrease in cash flow. The pandemic has had a major impact on the supply chain as more than 60 per cent respondents indicate that their supply chain has been affected due to the deadly virus.

The survey finds that the impact of the pandemic on supply chain is likely to worsen further. According to the survey, organizations have brought in a renewed focus on hygiene aspects concerning the pandemic. Almost 40 per cent have put in place stringent checks on people entering their offices and disinfection. Nearly 30 per cent organisations have already put in place Work-from-Home policies for their employees.

Nearly 42 per cent of the respondents feel that it could take up to 3 months for normalcy to return. While for some of the sectors, the work from home proposition is posing implementation challenges as it has a direct bearing on the business operations.

This is particularly true for manufacturing units where workers are required to be physically present at the production sites, and services sector like banking and IT where lot of confidential data is used and remote working can enhance security threat.

The survey finds that companies operating in these sectors are finding it difficult to implement work from home facility without compromising with their day to day operations.

The FICCI has stressed that there is an urgent need to take immediate steps to not only contain the spread of the virus but also to address the key pain areas of the industry which can help in minimizing the impact of the outbreak on the Indian economy and businesses.

The FICCI has advised the government that there is need of a combination of monetary, fiscal and financial market measures to help the businesses and people cope with the crisis. Therefore, to be able to frame correct actions and policy measures, it is important to understand clearly the specific problems that people and businesses are facing currently. This alone can enable government to take appropriate measures,” added the FICCI.

Adgully |

With postponement of IPL 2020, Disney+ Hotstar launch in India delayed

The proposed launch of Disney+ Hotstar service has been put on hold. The launch was to have coincided with the beginning of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. In light of the ongoing spread of the Coronavirus all over the world, where countries are under virtual lockdown, BCCI has decided to postpone the 2020 edition of IPL to April 15.

In a statement issued, Uday Shankar, President - The Walt Disney Company APAC and Chairman, Star & Disney India, said, “We recently announced that Disney+ would launch in India through the Hotstar service in conjunction with beginning of the Indian Premier League cricket season. Given the delay of the season, we have made the decision to briefly pause the roll-out of Disney+ and will announce a new revised premiere date for the service soon.”

According to FICCI’s Industry Survey to assess the impact of Coronavirus, cancellation of IPL matches alone could mean a loss of Rs 10,000 crore for the industry.

Television Post |

Cancellation of IPL matches will cause Rs 10,000 crore loss for sports industry: FICCI

Industry body FICCI has conducted a study on the impact of Covid-19 or coronavirus on the Indian economy. It has sought policy intervention to help industries that have been facing slowdown or supply chain disruption due to coronavirus.

Based on the study, FICCI has suggested several measures for the Entertainment/ Events/ Sports industry to help them minimise the negative impact of coronavirus.

The report stated that several sports events have been either postponed or cancelled, and this brings huge losses for the sports industry. “For instance, cancellation of IPL matches alone could mean a loss of Rs 10,000 crore for the industry,” it noted.

It has urged the government to provide loans to the multiplex players at low-interest rates immediately with a one-year moratorium to avoid default on salaries, electricity dues, loans, interest, etc.

Further, it has sought an exemption in Electricity Duty besides deferment of ESI and PF of employees for one year. The industry body also wants exemption from license fee/duties and show taxes etc charged by the Municipal Corporations and State Governments.

The report noted that in some parts of the country like Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Karnataka and Mumbai, cinema theatres, shopping malls, and gyms have been closed till March 31st, 2020 to stop the spread of the virus.

“While the exact loss is difficult to calculate presently, but some estimates suggest that theatres in Delhi alone may have to incur a loss of Rs 2 – Rs 10 lakh within a period of 10 days. The announcement has also adversely impacted the television and film industry,” the FICCI report noted.

While shootings have been suspended and promotional events have been put on hold, it has also affected the release of new movies.

FICCI noted that the Indian economy has been experiencing significant slowdown over the past few quarters. In the third quarter of the current fiscal, the economy grew at a six-year low rate of 4.7%.

It further stated that Investment and consumption demand had been languishing and a number of stimulus measures have been taken to bring back the economy on a growth path.

The industry said that there was a strong hope of recovery in the last quarter of the current fiscal. “However, the new coronavirus epidemic has made the recovery extremely difficult in the near to medium term. The outbreak has presented fresh challenges for the Indian economy now, causing a severe disruptive impact on both demand and supply side elements which has the potential to derail India’s growth story,” FICCI said in the report.

Energy Infra Post |

Coronavirus: Renewable energy industry confused due to lack of advisory, says FICCI

A lack of communication from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Solar Energy Corporation (SECI) and states related to applicability of Force Majeure on business disruption caused by the spread of Coronavirus is creating confusion among the renewable energy companies, according to Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

“The Finance Ministry has issued a circular stating the current situation of COVID-19 should be treated as Force Majeure for solar projects. However, MNRE, SECI and state governments have not yet issued any circular with respect to the same. This is creating confusion in the renewable energy industry,” the industry chamber said in a note on Impact of COVID-19 on Indian Economy.

It added the Renewable Energy Industry is a capital-intensive industry where availability of liquidity is important and the current outbreak of coronavirus has affected the liquidity of the renewable energy companies due to the impact on supply chain.

India imports nearly 80 per cent of its solar cells requirement from China. Indian players are facing uncertainly regarding the supply of solar panels from China. The delay in supply of solar panels beyond the available inventory with the manufacturers is impacting timely completion of solar projects resulting in a force majeure situation.

In its suggestions to deal woth the sitiation, FICCI has said MNRE, SECI and state governments should declare the present situation in the renewable sector as Force Majeure for solar power projects and power purchase bills

Transport and Logistic News |

Auto, electronics, pharma, textile & MSMEs affected due to supply chain disruption, says FICCI

A report titled ‘Impact of Covid-19 on Indian Economy’ released by FICCI today notes that at least 10 industries in the country are affected due to supply chain disruption caused by Covid-19 pandemic including automobile, electronics, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, textile and MSMEs.

The report also said that Covid-19 has had an impact on the transport and logistics sector as well. “The transport sector revenues have been affected and are likely to be further impacted with the slowdown in economic activities due to the urban lockdown across several states, combined with the supply disruptions caused globally,” says the report.

FICCI’s suggestions to the government on transport sector include:
  • Shipments from China have started to arrive; however, the ships are not being allowed to unload their goods in India due to fear of contagion. The government should find ways to facilitate the safe and fast unloading of shipments in India. Work out a mechanism to reduce quarantine delays at ports.
  • Reduce/subsidise freight rate for railways.
  • Suspending/ reducing of port fee and other logistics fees over the next few months to help revive the imports and exports.
Automobiles

China accounts for 27 percent of India's automotive part imports and major global auto part makers such as Robert Bosch GmbH, Valeo AS and ZF Friedrichshafen AG have factories located in the Hubei province. There has reportedly been a delay in the production and delivery of vehicles like Bharat Stage Four (BS-IV) compliant models.

The situation has become more precarious after the decision of the Chinese government to limit all shipments by sea until further notice. Since air shipments are not suitable for Auto Components and forging industries, the Indian OEMs are finding it difficult to plan production beyond the available inventory. According to a report released by Fitch Solutions recently, vehicle production in India is likely to contract by 8.3 percent in 2020 following an estimated 13.2 percent decline in 2019. Covid-19 will also make the transition to Bharat Stage Six (BS-VI) emission norms difficult which is scheduled from 1st of April 2020.

Electronics

India imports 45 percent completely built units of consumer durables from China. In addition to finished products, India also imports nearly 70 percent of the components for television, and other consumer durable products such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines. Due to supply disruption, sales of these items are likely to be hampered. Also, Chinese suppliers have reportedly increased the prices of some components by more than 2 percent, and prices of TV panels by more than 15 percent. Hence, it is anticipated that the prices of these consumer durable items will see a price increase in the range of 3-5 percent.

Medical Devices

India imports a variety of consumables, disposables and capital equipment including orthopaedic implants, gloves, syringes, bandages, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging devices from China. Due to the current crisis in China, the medical device manufacturers across India are finding it difficult to source important raw materials and electronic components from Chinese factories.

Mobile Phones

Most of the components for mobile manufacturing is sourced from China. With the continued shutdown of factories in China, mobile manufacturing companies are also facing a fate similar to that of pharma and auto companies. Short supply of components led to a rise in prices of mobile parts, which in turn resulted in an increase in the prices of mobiles. Companies have also been forced to postpone the launch of new variants of mobile. India Cellular & Electronics Association estimates suggest that mobile phone manufacturers could see a production impact worth Rs. 6,000 crore during March and April due to the disruption in the supply chain.

MSME

MSMEs are likely to be severely impacted if the lockdown continues for a longer duration in wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. A large number of MSMEs could incur business losses and also face severe cash flow disruption, which in all likelihood will have an adverse effect on the livelihood of several people working in this sector. Given the severity of the crisis, it is important to ensure health safety of MSME workforce, especially those involved at shop floors. Additionally, from an economic perspective, it is extremely important to ensure the flow of money into the working capital of such enterprises otherwise there will be a risk to the survival of these enterprises.

Pharmaceuticals

India imports about 85 percent of its total requirement of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from China, according to the Trade Promotion Council of India. In 2018-19, around 67 percent of total imports of bulk drugs and drug intermediates were sourced from China. As per the records of Pharmexcil, out of the total 58 molecules that are imported from China, 12 are imported from the Hubei province which is the epicentre of Covid-19. With the situation still remaining critical in China particularly in Wuhan, supply disruptions from China are likely to continue for several weeks more.

China.org.CN |

All non-essential workplaces in Mumbai, nearby towns to close

India's western state of Maharashtra has announced the closure of all non-essential workplaces in Mumbai and other adjacent towns along with three more cities in the state starting mid-night of March 20 until March 31.

Mumbai is the political capital of Maharashtra and the financial hub of India.

The state government will also operate with 25 percent employee attendance across its offices instead of 50 percent announced earlier, said Uddhav Thackeray, chief minister of the state, Friday.

The state has so far reported 52 cases with at least five patients recovering from COVID-19.

The closure of non-essential workplaces has excluded banks and shops that are selling essential commodities, Thackeray said. He also ruled out shutting down public transport in Mumbai.

According to the official Friday morning update, India has so far 195 COVID-19 cases including 32 foreign nationals.

In a televised address to the nation Friday night, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the countrymen to isolate themselves at their homes in order to save themselves from the COVID-19. He also expressed concerns over the adverse impact on the country's economy.

According to survey by industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the pandemic has significantly impacted the cash flow with 80 percent companies reporting a decrease in cash flow and over 60 percent respondents indicating an impact on supply chains. Enditem

Millennium Post |

Over 50% of India Inc sees impact on ops, 80% witness fall in cash flow

In wake of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, over 50 per cent of Indian companies see impact on their operations and nearly 80 per cent have witnessed decline in cash flows, says a survey.

The pandemic has presented fresh challenges for the country's economy, causing severe disruptive impact on both demand and supply side elements which has the potential to derail the growth story, according to a poll conducted by industry body FICCI.

The country is already experiencing a slowdown in growth. In the third quarter of the current fiscal, the economy grew at 4.7 per cent, slowest in six year.

A significant 53 per cent of Indian businesses indicate the marked impact of the coronavirus pandemic on business operations even at early stages, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said.

The pandemic has significantly impacted the cash flow at organisations with almost 80 per cent reporting a decrease in cash flow, the survey showed.

The findings were based on interactive sessions and survey conducted by FICCI amongst the industry members.

Besides the direct impact on demand and supply of goods and services, businesses are also facing reduced cash flows due to slowing economic activity, which in turn is having an impact on all payments including to those for employees, interest, loan repayments and taxes, it said.

It said combination of monetary, fiscal and financial market measures is needed to help the businesses and people cope with the crisis.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) need to support the Indian industry and economy at this juncture by bringing down the cost of funds further through reduction in policy rates, say, by close to 100 basis points, it said.

Banks should be given a flexibility to reschedule payment terms without the need for provisioning.

The survey said there is need to maintain liquidity at surplus levels and provide special liquidity support for any companies/NBFCs/banks that come under strain due to intensifying risk aversion in financial markets or due to large demand shock.

With the corporate bond and commercial paper markets are facing liquidity challenges, the RBI should intervene, either directly or through the commercial banking system, to ensure adequate flow of funds into the market.

The government should not cut its capital expenditure plans despite any shortfall in tax collections, it said.

It also said the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) should be suspended for a short period for sectors like aviation and hotel, that are severely impacted due to Covid-19.

The survey showed that more than 60 per cent of respondents have seen impact on their supply chains and expect the situation to worsen further.

Nearly 42 per cent of the respondents feel that it could take up to three months for normalcy to return, the survey highlighted.

Most of the organisations have brought in a renewed focus on hygiene aspects concerning the pandemic.

Almost 40 per cent have put in place stringent checks on people entering their offices and disinfection while nearly 30 per cent organisation have already put in place work-from-home policies for their employees, it said.

Fortune India |

Coronavirus dashes hopes of economic recovery

A detailed industry survey and report released by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Friday confirmed what many have been fearing -India Inc. expects a recession that will last a few months as a fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the survey, conducted among 317 FICCI member companies between March 15 and March 19, 53% of the respondents said they expected a high to very high impact on their business, while another 28% indicated a moderate negative impact.

A whopping 73% of the companies confirmed that their order books had shrunk since the novel coronavirus outbreak spread across India; 35% of these firms reported increased inventory levels. Decreased demand and increasing inventory is bound to take a toll on the financials of companies across sectors like tourism, hospitality, aviation, consumer durables, automobiles, and media & entertainment.

About 81% of the respondents expect cash flow to suffer and 63% reported a disruption in supply chain. Many Indian companies are either dependent on import of raw material from China or export of finished products to mature markets such as Europe and the U.S. With all these regions reeling under the Covid-19 crisis - with markets practically shut down and people staying homebound—the toll on Indian business is likely to be severe. About 87.6% of the respondents believe that expected time to return to normalcy could range between three to six months.

Along with the survey, FICCI also released a detailed report outlining the expected extent of the economic slowdown, across business, sectors, and a long list of recommendations for the government. Apart from requesting citizens to practice social distancing and not step out of home unless absolutely needed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation on March 19, said that an economic taskforce would be set up under the supervision of finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. This taskforce would look into ways and means of minimising the damage to the economy and figuring out ways to offer relief to battered businesses.

The FICCI report stated that the Covid-19 outbreak came at a time when the Indian economy had anyway slowed down (it grew at a six-year low of 4.7% in the third quarter of FY20) and an expected return to a higher growth rate in the fourth quarter was now impossible.

“The outbreak has presented fresh challenges to the Indian economy now, causing severe disruptive impact on both demand and supply side elements, which has the potential to derail the India growth story,” the report said.

According to the UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development), the impact on trade in India due to the coronavirus outbreak could be in the region of $348 million. The Asian Development Bank, in a similar exercise, pegged the personal consumption loss in India at between $387 million to $29.9 billion under different scenarios ranging from best-case to worst-case. OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) revised India’s projected GDP growth for FY21 downwards by 110 basis points to 5.1%.

The problem is that there is no end in sight when it comes to the cascading impact of the virus spread. Bain and Co.’s Situational Threat Report Index places the present situation at level 6, which denotes that markets and the public in multiple major nations were reacting strongly to the Covid-19 outbreak and it was time for businesses to activate first-level contingency measures.

In its report, FICCI has outlined a 29-point action plan for the government to consider in order to keep the economy going as best as possible. These include bringing down interest rates; provide special liquidity support for companies and financial services firms that need it; central bank intervention in the bond market to enhance credit flow; and substantial increase in public health spend. It also suggests cutting GST rates; short-term suspension of the insolvency process for hospitality and aviation firms; interest rate subvention for small and medium enterprises; and allowing additional deduction in personal income tax.

The industry body has recommended sector-specific measures such as reduction in airport charges and taxes levied on passengers in aviation; a 12-month deferment of statutory dues payable by hotels; relaxing the pricing formula for qualified institutional placements to energise primary capital markets; and extending the deadline for announcing audited financial results from May 31 to June 30 and extending the FY20 accounting period till April 30.

Business Today |

Coronavirus impact: 73% businesses report big reduction in orders, says FICCI

About 53 per cent of Indian businesses say the Coronavirus pandemic has impacted their business operations even from the early stages. Almost three-fourth (73 per cent) of the businesses in a FICCI survey indicate big reductions in orders. Of these, almost 50 per cent indicate over 20 per cent decrease in the orders.

The survey was conducted among FICCI member companies and associations between March 15-19 among a total of 317 companies. Of these, 35 per cent respondents indicate an increase in inventory levels, while another 50 per cent point that their inventory levels have risen by 15 per cent and more.

Overall, 20 per cent said that they were 'very highly' impacted, 33 per cent 'highly' and another 33 percent companies were 'moderately' affected.

The Covid-19 pandemic also impacted the cash flow at organisations with almost 80 per cent reporting a decrease in cash flow. A fall of 20 per cent or more in cash flow was reported by more than 40 per cent respondents. About 63 per cent said their supply chains were affected, and that they are closely monitoring the situation and expect the impact of the pandemic on supply chain to worsen further. While 47.3 per cent said they are experiencing less than 4 weeks delay in sourcing raw materials, 31.08 per cent companies face delay in sourcing by 4-6 weeks. For 14.86 per cent, the delay is 6-8 weeks and for 6.76 per cent, the sourcing delay is over 8 weeks.

The survey also says almost 40 per cent firms have put in place stringent checks on people entering their offices and disinfection. Nearly 30 per cent organisations have already put in place Work-from-Home policies for their employees. Almost four-fifth of the respondents feel that the situation would come under control by six-months.

Bloomberg Quint |

Modi's 'Stay at Home' call may deepen India’s economic slowdown

India’s economy, already in the grip of a slowdown, is in for more pain after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to citizens to stay at and work from home to curb the coronavirus outbreak.

The services sector, which accounts for about 55% of India’s gross domestic product, is poised to be the worst hit after Modi, in a late evening address on Thursday, urged citizens to go on a self-imposed curfew for a day and private companies to allow employees to work from home for longer. In the country’s vast informal sector, social-distancing measures could mean a dent to productivity and consumption because of job or pay losses.

“The impact of a partial lock-down or social distancing will be significant,” said Rahul Bajoria, a senior economist at Barclays Plc in Mumbai. “If there’s a widespread community outbreak, GDP could fall as low as 3.5% in the year starting April 1.”

Shrinking output may limit growth in an economy that’s already set to expand at an 11-year low of 5% in the current year to March 31. Before the virus outbreak, India had forecast growth to recover to 6%-6.5% in the next fiscal year. S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings have already slashed their growth forecast by 50 basis points.

“The current social-distancing measures will severely impact airlines, hotels, malls, multiplexes, restaurants and retailers,” according to analysts at Crisil Ltd., the local unit of S&P Global. “Lower footfalls and occupancies, decline in business volume and sub-optimal operating efficiencies will impact cash flows of companies in these sectors,” wrote the analysts led by Chief Economist Dharmaki Joshi.

The government will try to announce a relief package for virus-affected sectors as early as possible, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Friday.

In a televised address, Modi advised all citizens to stay at home for a day on March 22, as he sought to stem the spread of the coronavirus -- cases of which are relatively low in India at about 200, compared with more than 200,000 infected people globally. His government also barred incoming flights for a week from that day, joining a growing list of countries effectively sealing their borders.

“Consumption being the biggest component of GDP, a lock-down is bound to have a big impact on the economy,” said Devendra Kumar Pant, chief economist at India Ratings and Research, the local unit of Fitch. “Modeling uncertainty in any system will be very difficult, but one can say the slowdown could deepen or prolong further.”

Work From Home

While companies, including billionaire Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Industries Ltd., are asking employees to work from home, the option isn’t feasible in India’s vast informal sector.

“The option to work remotely simply won’t exist for most,” said Shilan Shah, an economist with Capital Economics Pte. in Singapore.

As many households don’t have savings buffers, the government would probably have to back this up with large-scale cash handouts that reach the poorest, he said.

Work from home is posing implementation challenges for the manufacturing sector where workers are required to be physically present at the production sites. The services sector, such as banking and information technology, also needs employees to be present in offices as confidential data is used, according to industry group Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

ABP News |

Coronavirus Impact: Indian economy to take hit as Covid-19 outbreak jolts businesses, says FICCI

The rapid outbreak of deadly Coronavirus pandemic in the country has not only led to a panic-like situation amongst the citizens, but has also hit Indian economy - which was already reeling under a significant slowdown over the past few quarters. The medical rampant has presented fresh set of challenges for the country's economy, causing severe disruptive impact on investment and consumption demand.

Country's economy, which was growing at a six-year low rate of 4.7 per cent in the third quarter of the current fiscal, had strong hopes of recovery in the fourth quarter. However, the new Coronavirus epidemic has made the recovery extremely difficult in the near to medium term.

According to a survey conducted by industry body FICCI, the outbreak has assembled new roadblocks for the Indian economy now, causing severe disruptive impact on both demand and supply side elements which has the potential to derail India’s growth story.

Impact Of Covid-19 On Demand Side

As per FICCI survey, tourism, hospitality and aviation are among the worst affected sectors that are facing the maximum brunt of the present Coronavirus pandemic. Closing of cinema theaters and declining footfall in shopping complexes have affected the retail sector by impacting consumption of both essential and discretionary items.

Consumption is also getting impacted due to job losses and decline in income levels of people, particularly the daily wage earners due to slowing activity in several sectors including retail, construction, entertainment and others, the survey stated.

With widespread fear and panic rapidly increasing among people across the country, overall confidence level of consumers has dropped significantly, leading to postponement of their purchasing decisions. Even the travel restrictions imposed by Central government to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in India have severely impacted the transport sector.

Impact of Covid-19 On Supply Side

Large scale shutdown of factories and resulting delay in supply of goods from China have affected many Indian manufacturing sectors. According to the FICCI report, sectors like automobiles, pharmaceuticals, electronics, chemical products etc. are facing an imminent raw material and component shortage.

Besides having a negative impact on imports of important raw materials, the slowdown in manufacturing activity in China and other markets of Asia, Europe and the US is impacting India’s exports to these countries as well, the report added.

Impact Of Covid-19 On Financial Market

Greater uncertainty about the future course and repercussion of Covid-19 has also made the financial market extremely volatile, leading to huge crashes and wealth erosion, which in turn is impacting consumption levels, FICCI report said. One of the massive crashes of domestic equity market was seen on March 12, when following the trend of the global equity markets, both the BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty crashed by more than 8 per cent in a single day.

An estimated Rs 10 lakh crore of market cap was reportedly wiped off due to this single day fall. The fall has continued till date as investors resorted to relentless selling amid rising cases of Coronavirus. With equity markets likely to remain volatile in future as well, further wealth erosion of investors is expected.

Growth Projections Revised Down

The Coronavirus pandemic has also pulled down India's economic growth projections. Given the challenges that the businesses and people are facing currently, the Indian economy is most likely to experience a lower growth during the last quarter of the current fiscal, the report claimed.

It is also being said that in case the spread of Coronavirus continues, India's growth may remain subdued in the first quarter of FY 20-21 as well. Rating agency Moody's Investors Service has revised down its growth forecast for India to 5.3 per cent for 2020 from its earlier estimate of 5.4 per cent made in February.

According to the Health Ministry data, the COVID-19 cases in India rose to 195 on Friday after 22 fresh cases were reported from various parts of the country.

The New Indian Express |

Industry chambers pitch for fiscal stimulus, tax cuts to allay impact of coronavirus on economy

Industry chambers have offered a raft of recommendations to the government that draw from the global rescue initiative, seeking to cushion the economic fallout of the measures such as travel bans, closed borders and shut down of non-essential businesses taken to stem the spread of the pandemic coronavirus.

Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), ASSOCHAM, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have sought fiscal stimulus and policy actions to allay the impact of the virus-led economic disruptions.

"The need of the hour is a stimulus which can increase the spending power of consumers. Till the global markets stabilise in next 3-6 months, we have recommended that the central bank may allow 1 year moratorium to corporates to allow them enough time to manage cash flow, relax NPA norms for six months and enhance working capital limits upto 20 per cent of existing limit to ensure funding of inventory piled up," said ICC President Mayank Jalan.

In a letter to PM Narendra Modi, CII Director-General Chandrajit Banerjee stated sectors like real estate, aviation, tourism, and aggregators are witnessing maximum stress and pressed for a fiscal stimulus of Rs 2 lakh crore besides a slew of tax cuts and reduction in interest rates.

The letter added that GST payments should be on collection of bills rather than on raising of invoices to avoid liquidity getting locked in case there are delays in payments. It also recommended a reduction of 50 basis points in Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and in repo rate to ensure that banks have liquidity to lend to industry.

FICCI said the coronavirus outbreak could have a deeper impact now as the global economy is already going through a slow phase currently, including China.

To cope with the crisis, the industry body recommended: Maintaining liquidity at surplus levels and provide special liquidity support for any companies / non-banks / banks that come under strain due to intensifying risk aversion in financial markets or due to large demand shock, suitable cut in policy rates (say, by ~ 100 basis points) so that consumption and investment do not come to a standstill.

Apart from these measures, the government should consider waiving of utility payments such as electricity and water to reduce fiscal pressures, noted ASSOCHAM.

livemint |

Coronavirus pandemic hurt nearly half of industry, says survey

Nearly half of the 317 companies surveyed by an industry body have claimed that business has been hit by the Coronavirus pandemic by a moderate-to very high measure, with adverse impact on new orders, inventory and cash flow.

Industry chamber Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said a survey done during 15-19 March showed that 47% of the surveyed companies indicated the pandemic had moderate-to very high impact on business even at early stages.

It also showed that almost three-fourth of the businesses covered by the survey indicated big reductions in new orders. Of these, almost half indicated a 20% and more decrease in orders. A significant 35% of companies claimed an increase in inventory levels, while reduction in cash flow was reported by 80% of the companies surveyed. More than two-fifth of respondents claimed a cash flow reduction of at least 20%, the survey said.

The survey showed that besides direct impact on demand and supply of goods and services, reduced cash flow hit all payments, including to those for employees, interest, loan repayments and taxes. Also, more than three-fifth of the respondents indicated their supply chains were affected.

Citing the survey, the lobby group said in a statement there was a need for “immediate steps to not only contain the spread of the virus but also to address the key pain areas of the industry which can help in minimising the impact of the outbreak on the Indian economy and businesses."

The industry body said a combination of monetary, fiscal and financial market measures was needed to help businesses and people cope with the crisis.

On Friday, union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a meeting of a task force formed to assess the impact of the pandemic and to find ways to tackle it. Businesses and government have taken a host of steps so far to minimise the spread of the virus, including suspension of non-essential travel, social distancing and implementing ‘work from home’ policies.

As per union health ministry, 206 people have tested positive for coronavirus in India, including visiting foreign nationals. Four people have died in India due to the disease so far.

India Education Diary |

FICCI-NATHEALTH sign MoU to strengthen healthcare systems

FICCI signed an MoU with healthcare industry body Healthcare Federation of India (NATHELATH) today to jointly strengthen healthcare systems through policy advocacy and public-private-partnerships.

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Health Services, said, “FICCI has set up several task forces to recommend measures for strengthening number of specialist doctors, pricing and accountability in healthcare and bridging the trust deficit. Through this collaboration both FICCI and NATHEALTH would be able to present a unified voice for the healthcare industry in critical areas such as capacity building, quality and Patient Charter”.

The MoU aims to provide a wider representation of the healthcare industry to key stakeholders in areas of policymaking and creating a suitable environment to benefit all stakeholders. Under the agreement, the two apex industry bodies intend to co-operate and focus their efforts on creating and implementing policies that help build trust, share knowledge and resource, and create commercial opportunities for the mutual benefit of its members.

Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, President, NATHEALTH, said, “We have common interest and objectives. We will establish channels of communication and co-operation that will promote and advance the objectives of the members through common dialogue and representation. NATHEALTH, in association with FICCI, will formulate joint representations on behalf of the members on matters relating to successful implementation of government’s program under National Health Mission and AB-PMJAY.”

Through this collaboration, FICCI and NATHEALTH have identified five major areas of collaboration viz. Policy Advocacy, Public-private partnership, Recommending financial models, Patient Charter and Capacity Building. They have also agreed to develop a common minimum agenda for the year, aligned to national healthcare goals and work towards getting the government’s support in taking this agenda forward.

Dr Lal added, “While we would work towards capacity creation in smaller cities and recommend locations that are best suited for the government to initiate public-private partnerships, we will also explore sustainable PPP/philanthropic/CSR models for efficient running of the 150,000 HWCs under Ayushman Bharat for imparting quality primary healthcare, control of NCDs and availability of high quality diagnostics.”

Capacity building in Tier II and III cities is a priority for the government and the industry is committed to extending all its support. FICCI and NATHEALTH will work together in recommending reference cost structure for building and operating hospitals in non-metro locations and suggesting models for revenue and costing that meets the ‘inclusive healthcare’ objective of the government.

Business Fortnight |

FICCI & NATHEALTH Sign MoU to jointly Strengthen Healthcare Systems & Public-Private-Partnerships

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI),the leading industry body, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the healthcare industry body -Healthcare Federation of India (NATHEALTH) to jointly strengthen healthcare systems through Policy Advocacy & Public-Private-Partnerships. The MoU aims to provide a wider representation of the healthcare industry to key stakeholders in areas of policymaking and creating a suitable environment to benefit all stakeholders.

Under the agreement, two apex industry bodies intent to co-operate and focus their efforts on creating and implementing policies that help build trust, share knowledge and resource and create commercial opportunities for the mutual benefit of its members.

Through this collaboration, FICCI and NATHEALTH have identified five major areas of collaboration viz. Policy Advocacy, Public-private partnership, Recommending financial models, Patient Charter and Capacity Building.They have alsoagreed to develop a common minimum agenda for the year, aligned to national healthcare goals and work towards getting the government’s support in taking this agenda forward.

(Hony.) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCIHealth Services, while signing the MoU said, “FICCI has set up several Task Forces to recommend measures for strengthening number of specialist doctors, pricing and accountability in healthcare and bridging the trust deficit. Through this collaboration both FICCI and NATHEALTH would be able to present a unified voice for the healthcare industry in critical areas such as capacity building, quality and Patient Charter”.

“We have common interest and objectives. We will establish channels of communication and co-operation that will promote and advance the objectives of the members through common dialogue and representation. NATHEALTH, in association with FICCI, will formulate joint representations on behalf of the members on matters relating to the successful implementation of government’s program under National Health Mission including AB-PMJAY,” said Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, President, NATHEALTH.

Capacity building in Tier II & III cities is a priority for the government and the industry is committed to extending all its support. FICCI and NATHEALTH will work together in recommending reference cost structure for building and operating hospitals in non-metro locations and suggesting models for revenue and costing that meets the ‘inclusive healthcare’ objective of the government.

ET Healthworld.com |

FICCI-NATHEALTH sign MoU to strengthen healthcare systems

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with healthcare industry body-Healthcare Federation of India (NATHELATH) today to jointly strengthen healthcare systems through policy advocacy and public-private-partnerships.

Through this collaboration, FICCI and NATHEALTH have identified five major areas of collaboration viz. policy advocacy, public-private partnership, recommending financial models, patient charter and capacity building.

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Health Services, said, “FICCI has set up several task forces to recommend measures for strengthening number of specialist doctors, pricing and accountability in healthcare and bridging the trust deficit. Through this collaboration both FICCI and NATHEALTH would be able to present a unified voice for the healthcare industry in critical areas such as capacity building, quality and patient charter”.

The MoU aims to provide a wider representation of the healthcare industry to key stakeholders in areas of policy-making and creating a suitable environment to benefit all stakeholders.

Under the agreement, the two apex industry bodies intend to co-operate and focus their efforts on creating and implementing policies that help build trust, share knowledge and resource, and create commercial opportunities for the mutual benefit of its members.

Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, President, NATHEALTH, said, “NATHEALTH, in association with FICCI, will formulate joint representations on behalf of the members on matters relating to successful implementation of government’s program under National Health Mission and AB-PMJAY.”

FICCI and NATHEALTH have also agreed to develop a common minimum agenda for the year, aligned to national healthcare goals and work towards getting the government’s support in taking this agenda forward.

Dr Lal added, “While we would work towards capacity creation in smaller cities and recommend locations that are best suited for the government to initiate public-private partnerships, we will also explore sustainable PPP/philanthropic/CSR models for efficient running of the 150,000 HWCs under Ayushman Bharat for imparting quality primary healthcare, control of NCDs and availability of high quality diagnostics.”

Capacity building in Tier II and III cities is a priority for the government and the industry is committed to extending all its support. FICCI and NATHEALTH will work together in recommending reference cost structure for building and operating hospitals in non-metro locations and suggesting models for revenue and costing that meets the ‘inclusive healthcare’ objective of the government.

Business Standard |

FICCI Signs MoU With Healthcare Federation of India To Strengthen Healthcare Systems

FICCI signed an MoU with healthcare industry body Healthcare Federation of India (NATHELATH) to jointly strengthen healthcare systems through policy advocacy and public-private-partnerships.Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Health Services, said that FICCI has set up several task forces to recommend measures for strengthening number of specialist doctors, pricing and accountability in healthcare and bridging the trust deficit. Through this collaboration both FICCI and NATHEALTH would be able to present a unified voice for the healthcare industry in critical areas such as capacity building, quality and Patient Charter".

The MoU aims to provide a wider representation of the healthcare industry to key stakeholders in areas of policymaking and creating a suitable environment to benefit all stakeholders. Under the agreement, the two apex industry bodies intend to co-operate and focus their efforts on creating and implementing policies that help build trust, share knowledge and resource, and create commercial opportunities for the mutual benefit of its members.

Through this collaboration, FICCI and NATHEALTH have identified five major areas of collaboration viz. Policy Advocacy, Public-private partnership, Recommending financial models, Patient Charter and Capacity Building. They have also agreed to develop a common minimum agenda for the year, aligned to national healthcare goals and work towards getting the government's support in taking this agenda forward.

Capacity building in Tier II and III cities is a priority for the government and the industry is committed to extending all its support. FICCI and NATHEALTH will work together in recommending reference cost structure for building and operating hospitals in non-metro locations and suggesting models for revenue and costing that meets the 'inclusive healthcare' objective of the government.

Devdiscourse |

FICCI-NATHELATH to boost healthcare systems through policy advocacy, PPP

FICCI signed an MoU with the healthcare industry body Healthcare Federation of India (NATHELATH) today to jointly strengthen healthcare systems through policy advocacy and public-private-partnerships.

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, (Hony) Brig Dr. Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Health Services, said, "FICCI has set up several task forces to recommend measures for strengthening a number of specialist doctors, pricing and accountability in healthcare and bridging the trust deficit. Through this collaboration, both FICCI and NATHEALTH would be able to present a unified voice for the healthcare industry in critical areas such as capacity building, quality, and Patient Charter".

The MoU aims to provide a wider representation of the healthcare industry to key stakeholders in areas of policymaking and creating a suitable environment to benefit all stakeholders. Under the agreement, the two apex industry bodies intend to co-operate and focus their efforts on creating and implementing policies that help build trust, share knowledge and resource, and create commercial opportunities for the mutual benefit of its members.

Dr. H Sudarshan Ballal, President, NATHEALTH, said, "We have common interests and objectives. We will establish channels of communication and co-operation that will promote and advance the objectives of the members through common dialogue and representation. NATHEALTH, in association with FICCI, will formulate joint representations on behalf of the members on matters relating to the successful implementation of the government's program under National Health Mission and AB-PMJAY."

Through this collaboration, FICCI and NATHEALTH have identified five major areas of collaboration viz. Policy Advocacy, Public-private partnership, Recommending financial models, Patient Charter and Capacity Building. They have also agreed to develop a common minimum agenda for the year, aligned to national healthcare goals and work towards getting the government's support in taking this agenda forward.

Dr. Lal added, "While we would work towards capacity creation in smaller cities and recommend locations that are best suited for the government to initiate public-private partnerships, we will also explore sustainable PPP/philanthropic/CSR models for efficient running of the 150,000 HWCs under Ayushman Bharat for imparting quality primary healthcare, control of NCDs and availability of high-quality diagnostics."

Capacity building in Tier II and III cities is a priority for the government and the industry is committed to extending all its support. FICCI and NATHEALTH will work together in recommending reference cost structure for building and operating hospitals in non-metro locations and suggesting models for revenue and costing that meets the 'inclusive healthcare' objective of the government.

Express Healthcare |

FICCI signs MoU with NATHEALTH

FICCI signed an MoU with healthcare industry body Healthcare Federation of India (NATHELATH) to jointly strengthen healthcare systems through policy advocacy and public-private-partnerships.

The MoU aims to provide a wider representation of the healthcare industry to key stakeholders in areas of policymaking and creating a suitable environment to benefit all stakeholders. Under the agreement, the two apex industry bodies intend to co-operate and focus their efforts on creating and implementing policies that help build trust, share knowledge and resource, and create commercial opportunities for the mutual benefit of its members.

Through this collaboration, FICCI and NATHEALTH have identified five major areas of collaboration viz. policy advocacy, public-private partnership, recommending financial models, patient charter and capacity building. They have also agreed to develop a common minimum agenda for the year, aligned to national healthcare goals and work towards getting the government’s support in taking this agenda forward.

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Health Services, said, “FICCI has set up several task forces to recommend measures for strengthening the number of specialist doctors, pricing and accountability in healthcare and bridging the trust deficit. Through this collaboration, both FICCI and NATHEALTH would be able to present a unified voice for the healthcare industry in critical areas such as capacity building, quality and Patient Charter.”

Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, President, NATHEALTH, said, “We have common interest and objectives. We will establish channels of communication and co-operation that will promote and advance the objectives of the members through common dialogue and representation. NATHEALTH, in association with FICCI, will formulate joint representations on behalf of the members on matters relating to the successful implementation of the government’s programme under National Health Mission and AB-PMJAY.”

Dr Lal added, “We will also explore sustainable PPP/philanthropic/CSR models for the efficient running of the 150,000 HWCs under Ayushman Bharat for imparting quality primary healthcare, control of NCDs and availability of high-quality diagnostics.”

FICCI and NATHEALTH will work together in recommending reference cost structure for building and operating hospitals in non-metro locations and suggesting models for revenue and costing that meets the ‘inclusive healthcare’ objective of the government.

Bio Spectrum |

FICCI & NATHEALTH to jointly strengthen healthcare systems

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the healthcare industry body -Healthcare Federation of India (NATHEALTH) to jointly strengthen healthcare systems through Policy Advocacy & Public-Private-Partnerships.

The MoU aims to provide a wider representation of the healthcare industry to key stakeholders in areas of policymaking and creating a suitable environment to benefit all stakeholders.

Under the agreement, two apex industry bodies intent to co-operate and focus their efforts on creating and implementing policies that help build trust, share knowledge and resource and create commercial opportunities for the mutual benefit of its members.

Through this collaboration, FICCI and NATHEALTH have identified five major areas of collaboration viz. Policy Advocacy, Public-private partnership, Recommending financial models, Patient Charter and Capacity Building.They have alsoagreed to develop a common minimum agenda for the year, aligned to national healthcare goals and work towards getting the government’s support in taking this agenda forward.

(Hony.) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Health Services, while signing the MoU said, “FICCI has set up several Task Forces to recommend measures for strengthening number of specialist doctors, pricing and accountability in healthcare and bridging the trust deficit. Through this collaboration both FICCI and NATHEALTH would be able to present a unified voice for the healthcare industry in critical areas such as capacity building, quality and Patient Charter.”

Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, President, NATHEALTH said, “We have common interest and objectives. We will establish channels of communication and co-operation that will promote and advance the objectives of the members through common dialogue and representation. NATHEALTH, in association with FICCI, will formulate joint representations on behalf of the members on matters relating to successful implementation of government’s program under National Health Mission including AB-PMJAY.”

Capacity building in Tier II & III cities is a priority for the government and the industry is committed to extending all its support.

Dr Lal added that, “while we would work towards capacity creation in smaller cities and recommend locations that are best suited for the government to initiate public-private partnerships, we will also explore sustainable PPP/philanthropic/CSR modelsfor efficient running of the 150,000 HWCs under Ayushman Bharat for imparting quality primary healthcare, control of NCDs and availability of high quality diagnostics”.

FICCI and NATHEALTH will work together in recommending reference cost structure for building and operating hospitals in non-metro locations and suggesting models for revenue and costing that meets the ‘inclusive healthcare’ objective of the government.

ET Healthworld.com |

Time to keep healthcare sector healthy to realize health for all : Dr H Sudarshan Ballal

To realize Health for All, keeping the Indian Healthcare healthy needs to be a top priority. The increasing pressure on healthcare sector due to slowing investments and need for higher Government Funding Allocations, Healthcare Industry would be very keen to see reforms taking place through Union Budget 2020-21. Over the years, the Union Budget has emerged as a statement of the government’s vision and action plan for reforms to push the economy.

On the policy front, there is an urgent need to pay attention to innovative funding and financing along with easy access to capital at lower rates, the reversal of custom duty hikes on diagnostic, and rationalization of taxes especially Goods and Services Tax (GST). To achieve the objective of Health for All, there is also a need to scale up Ayushman Bharat, a strong move towards Universal Health Insurance.

The first major issue around setting up of healthcare is the cost of real estate. The prices have almost caught up with prices in Tier 1 cities as we go into secondary cities. As an offshoot, the cost of living in these cities has also increased, and this has resulted in increased costs of running the business – including salaries, outsourced services, transport.

Declaring healthcare as a National Priority sectors, and classifying it on the same lines as Agriculture (priority-sector lending), will give the banks flexibility to lend to private healthcare institutions on longer tenures, and lower rates. Moreover, the government should consider a package of incentives to encourage FDI inflows to the sector, and through regular interactions, reassure the investor community that it welcomes investment, and will not seek to over-regulate and cripple the industry.

On taxation issues, in its Pre-budget recommendations, NATHELTH has strongly suggested rationalisation of Goods and Services Tax (GST). Since GST is not payable on health care services, health care service providers are not eligible to avail credit on the input taxes paid by it, which ultimately becomes a cost for the service provider. Under the current GST regime, the net impact of revised tax rates on inputs (goods and services) consumed by hospitals has increased. As this incremental cost is ultimately borne by the patients, it defeats the intention of the Government to provide affordable healthcare services. Hence, we have suggested two options. Firstly, we have strongly recommended a Zero-rating GST for healthcare services.

Under Zero-rated category goods and services are provided without GST and that means the companies are free from any liability. Under this category, providers’ paid GST on the assets, purchases or expenses for their businesses can be claimed as Input Tax Credit. Several agriculture products such as paddy, fresh vegetables, oils, flour, and food items like fish, eggs, and some export goods & services have been put under zero-rated supply categories.

As an alternative, the Government may consider levying a concessional GST of 5% on healthcare services delivery and health insurance premiums, if it is unable to normalize the rates of tax for the goods and services consumed by the health care service providers at 5%. Through this, healthcare service providers could ensure a “pass-through” of benefits and correspondingly re-adjust the pricing for healthcare services to patients since credit could henceforth be availed in respect of all input taxes paid on goods and services consumed.

This option would result in the unlocking of the differential input credit and will ease costs for all healthcare providers including nursing homes, clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres.

Rationalization of GST for healthcare input services would lead to the unlocking of the differential input credit and will ease costs for all healthcare providers including nursing homes, clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres. Benefits of saving would be passed on to end consumers and the move will also bring down the cost of care.

We, NATHEALTH & FICCI, have emphasized on rationalization of GST because Union Finance Minister heads GST Council. She is expected to bringing in further reforms and the government has accorded priority to the healthcare sector.

NATHEALTH, in its pre-budget memorandum, also recommended the government to tax incentives for both existing and new healthcare projects to spur investment in the sector. The Government needs to consider a tax holiday period of 15 years for hospitals. The length of the period of exemption needs to be longer, as new hospitals take at-least 5-7 years to start earning returns, after recovering interest and depreciation. For existing projects incentives can be given for 10 years, to support re-investment in capacity and technology upgrades.

It is a well-established fact that a robust healthcare system drives GDP growth in the presence of adequate investments and a conducive environment, by not only acting as a productivity and employment generator but also as a powerful catalyst to push foreign investment, earn foreign exchange and drive innovation and entrepreneurship. India aspires to become a USD 5 trillion economy by 2025. And, a healthy healthcare sector would play a catalytic role in achieving this goal.

Union Budget 2020-21 is expected to focus on the incentives for medical value tourism, capacity building in Tier II & III cities, Scaling up Ayushman Bharat, Zero-rating GST on healthcare services, and health insurance premiums.

Bio Spectrum |

FICCI seeks quick notification of e-pharmacy rules

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) has supported the industry to come up with a 'Code of Conduct' for e-Pharmacies in the country to ensure proper compliance and high standards of operation and ensure there is no compromise in patient safety.

Currently, there are 50+ start-ups operating in e-Pharmacy space in the country, which provides quality and affordable medicines to about 50 lakh patients per month across the country and has served patients across 19000 + PIN codes. About 30,000 skilled professionals are employed by the sector. e-Pharmacy sector has attracted Rs 4000 crore plus in FDI from some of the top global investors, and another Rs 2000 crore is expected in the next 2 to 3 years.

According to FICCI, the delay in the notification of e-Pharmacy draft rules is causing confusion and anxiety for all the stakeholders involved in digital health ecosystem.

Prashant Tandon, Chairperson, FICCI e-Pharmacy Working Group, said, "e-Pharmacies abide by FICCI Code of conduct for e-Pharmacies, and comply with the laws of the land. All the orders for prescription-based medicines are processed only against a copy of valid prescription and are dispensed by a licensed pharmacy having a registered pharmacist. e-Pharmacies strictly do not accept orders for habit forming medicines, narcotics, or any other sensitive medicines. Additionally, given the importance of the e-Pharmacy sector globally, several large investors have recently reached out to the e-Pharmacy players, expressing concern about the general investment and regulatory climate in India and have asked for clarifications. Given the government's solid track record in making India 'Open for Business' we have been trying to allay their fears".

FICCI is hopeful that the government would take into account the importance of digitization in healthcare space which eventually leads to an empowered consumer, and requests the government to notify the Draft e-Pharmacy Rules at the earliest.

Medical Dialogues |

FICCI raises concern on delay by govt in notifying E-Pharmacy rules

With the ongoing delay in the notification of e-Pharmacy draft rules, industry body FICCI has recently show concern pointing out that the delay on the lawmaking front is causing confusion and anxiety for all the stakeholders involved in digital health ecosystem.

e-Pharmacies operate on the inspiration taken from Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi's vision of 'Digital India', stated the Industry body in its release

"Currently, there are 50+ start-ups operating in e-Pharmacy space in the country, which provides quality and affordable medicines to about 50 lakh patients per month across the country and has served patients across 19000 + PIN codes. About 30,000 skilled professionals are employed by the sector. e-Pharmacy sector has attracted Rs 4000 crore plus in FDI from some of the top global investors, and another Rs 2000 crore is expected in the next 2 to 3 years. Thus, the sector has huge potential to attract FDI, which directly contributes towards the economic development of the country. Moreover, in e-Pharmacies, all transactions have a complete digital trail and can be fully tracked bringing transparency in pharma supply chain. Every order dispensed through e-Pharmacy is against a prescription and has a valid bill, therefore, tax to the government is paid in full," the statement stated

Pointing out that the requisite laws are in place but there are certain difficulties that the sector has been facing towards ease of doing business due to regulatory uncertainty, adding that pending Draft e-Pharmacy Rules. e-Pharmacy Draft Rules Provide Sector Specific e-Commerce regulations - aim to harmonize existing laws/guidelines.

The delay in the notification of e-Pharmacy draft rules is causing confusion and anxiety for all the stakeholders involved in digital health ecosystem, FICCI stated.

Mr Prashant Tandon, Chairperson, FICCI e-Pharmacy Working Group, said, "e-Pharmacies abide by FICCI Code of conduct for e-Pharmacies, and comply with the laws of the land. All the orders for prescription-based medicines are processed only against a copy of valid prescription and are dispensed by a licensed pharmacy having a registered pharmacist. e-Pharmacies strictly do not accept orders for habit forming medicines, narcotics, or any other sensitive medicines. Additionally, given the importance of the e-Pharmacy sector globally, several large investors have recently reached out to the e-Pharmacy players, expressing concern about the general investment and regulatory climate in India and have asked for clarifications. Given the government's solid track record in making India 'Open for Business' we have been trying to allay their fears".

ET Healthworld.com |

Ayushman Bharat- Our journey towards a healthy, caring and structured healthcare system

As Ayushman Bharat completes one year of implementation, we must celebrate India’s leap closer to its intended targets of Universal Health Coverage and SDG3 goal. With more than 18,000 hospitals empaneled, over 10.9 crore E-cards issued and over 54 lakh pre-authorised hospitalisations, the scheme has already benefitted numerous underprivileged families across the country. It is indeed a commendable achievement in a short span and we, as Indians, are proud of this.

As we traverse to Ayushman Bharat 2.0, it is important to consolidate and act upon learnings from the first phase. While the idea of Ayushman Bharat is well intended and supported by all stakeholders, implementation calls for improvement. The government has fast-tracked some initiatives aimed at achieving key tenets of UHC i.e, strengthening healthcare infrastructure, capacity building, enhanced use of technologies, as well as access to free medicines and screening; however, achieving the desired results seem improbable in the current landscape. The mammoth scheme, intending to cover about 40% of our population, has many barriers to be resolved. Although many states have joined the scheme, the central and the state schemes are not completely aligned with each other, bringing in anomalies in implementation.

Successful execution of Ayushman Bharat would first require a change in the government mindset to bring about massive structural modifications, substantial financial investment along with concerted effort to work with the industry in an atmosphere of faith and trust. Although, the government recognises the significance of private sector participation in the scheme, appropriate incentives for private healthcare providers have not been planned well.

Private healthcare sector- that has served as the bedrock of capacity and capability in the last few decades, accounting for nearly 60% of all inpatient care, and being responsible for radically enhancing the quality of care- is currently beset with multi-faceted challenges. These include low profitability, highly competitive markets, decreased investor interest, unviable price caps, unpredictable regulatory environment, rising costs of human resources and many others. Additionally, rising trust deficit of people and the government on the private providers, along with increasing cases of violence against doctors are making the sector unattractive for top talent in the country.

The FICCI-EY 2019 report on ‘Re-engineering of Healthcare 2.0’ has observed that while major hospital chains witnessed a surge in bed capacity addition between 2014 to 2016 (at 14%), capacity addition has been significantly decreased between 2016 to 2019 (at 8%). Despite being preferred over government hospitals, the private healthcare sector is currently witnessing declining performance both for profitability and Return on Capital Employed (ROCE). It is expected that with allocation of only 25% of capacity to AB-PMJAY patients, multi-specialty NABH accredited hospitals are likely to witness upto 25% decline in ARPOBs (Average revenue per occupied bed day), upto 50% decline in EBITDA and upto 60% decline in ROCE. The recent corporate tax reduction to 22% is expected to benefit some hospitals, although full recovery from the slowdown will take time.

In case of GST, while the government has granted exemption to healthcare services, cost of care to the patients has increased owing to an increased cost incurred by providers on inputs and services consumed to deliver care in absence of provision of input tax credit. The government needs to immediately consider zero-rating of healthcare services, which will ensure that the credit chain is intact, and the input taxes are not loaded into the cost of services but are available as refund to healthcare providers.

(Hony) Brig. Dr Arvind Lal is the Chair at FICCI Heath Services Committee and CMD at Dr Lal PathLabs

The Pioneer |

Agenda healthcare

Viability and workability continue to jeopardise the full rollout of the Ayushman Bharat scheme — the Government’s flagship health protection cover for 11 crore lesser privileged families — by including private hospitals in the arc of public health delivery. Now a study has confirmed what was feared, that there is a 200 per cent difference between the charges of private and public hospitals despite the Government fixing slabs for various diseases and their treatment protocols. Private hospitals have always insisted that they cannot subsidise costs beyond certain limits simply because they cannot compromise on core quality standards. Several ground reports have also suggested how these hospitals, despite signing up as participants of the scheme, have been routinely turning away patients although they meet the criteria and codes set by the Government for availing treatment. This despite the rate revision and rationalisation of packages earlier this year to ensure private players a more level-playing field. But the social enterprise model is still some distance away for the health sector, where public hospitals continue to be the only lifeline for the poor and even referral hospitals like AIIMS find themselves stressed in attending to routine cases. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has been consistently sounding a warning bell despite a major overhaul, where the Government introduced 239 more packages, taking the total bouquet to 1,395. But costs are still way above the cut-off mark, primarily because policy-makers, while consulting doctors and specialists, have not factored in the variety, scale and quality of infrastructure and devices associated with surgical procedures, the procurement and standard of which vary from hospital to hospital and cannot be quantified on a scale of preference. A private hospital, which has to have a higher benchmark than the lowest common denominator, to sell itself in the business, certainly cannot be expected to make drastic amends. According to a report by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the current procedure costs prescribed by the Government are at times just half of what the private hospitals incur. The report compared the cost of select procedures with the reimbursement tariffs offered under Ayushman Bharat and found that private hospitals recovered only 40-80 per cent of the total cost, lower than variable costs, too. It further tabulated that with allocation of only 25 per cent of capacity to Ayushman Bharat recipients, speciality hospitals would see a 15-25 per cent dip in average revenue per bed per day. It is true that some hospitals are looking at improving capacity utilisation through empanelment but within their current financial module, the drop in profit margins and return on capital wouldn’t improve their bottomlines either. Since almost half the hospitals empanelled in the programme are private, the programme can run aground if their argument on reimbursements is not taken into account. Besides, the Government has also blacklisted more than 90 hospitals across India who were empanelled under the scheme for various kinds of frauds and corruption.

The IMA has also demonstrated how an insurance-based model, of the kind envisaged by Ayushman Bharat, had failed to deliver worldwide. Any universal healthcare should look beyond insurance and by extension a responsive mechanism veered just around the illness, and think of prevention instead. Of course, it was to navigate the undermining exclusions of health insurance that Ayushman Bharat had simultaneously prioritised a pan-India network of health and wellness centres for robust primary care and an integrated delivery of services. The Government aims to develop 150,000 such facilities by 2023 but this is yet to take off and not enough to make a difference. Besides, low awareness of the scheme in lesser developed States has meant that the benefits have percolated disproportionately: A State like Tamil Nadu has done much better than Bihar, the latter further handicapped by a lack of decent health infrastructure in towns. Though touted as a universal scheme, there’s a differential treatment in States. Sure, Modicare may require a long gestation period to manifest benefits. But we cannot rely on it solely without upgrading the total health infrastructure.

Medianama |

National Health Stack: FICCI wants EHR Standards compliance, 'Right to Forget', e-prescriptions

In July 2018, the Niti Aayog invited comments on its paper on the National Health Stack (NHS). A year later, the Ministry of Health released the National Digital Health Blueprint 2019, drafted by the J. Satyanarayana Committee, which was formed to look into recommendations received on the NHS. The Ministry held an open-house in August 2019 on the Blueprint, see our report.

The NHS had proposed, among other things, anonymisation of health data, federated PHR, and to digitise health and data sharing in the sector. MediaNama obtained submissions on NHS to the Niti Aayog via RTI. The following are key points industry body FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry) made on the NHS paper (see their submission below):

Key issues in FICCI’s submission on HealthStack
  • Adherence to EHR Standards
    • Interoperability through open APls and open Standards: Strict adherence to EHR Standards will ensure true interoperability and help automate claims management including processing and adjudication thereof
    • Data Governance: “Mechanisms for anonymisation” should be in line with the appropriate section of the EHR Standards for India 2016
  • Data protection: Open source requires that adequate data protection measures are put in place to ensure that the data remains safe and secure at all times
  • Aadhaar: It should be ensured that an individual’s problems related to Aadhaar does not become a barrier to access essential services
  • E-prescriptions: The platform should also cover electronic prescriptions and pharmacy services
  • Right to be Forgotten: Patient should have the option of “Right to Forget” or not to participate in the collection of data; this will nullify his/her eligibility to service under free care
National Electronic Health Registries contain sensitive personal info, should be secure; beneficiary registry

FICCI warned that since health information is highly personal, sensitive and “consequently ultra confidential”, “beneficiary-to-beneficiary linkages pose a significant threat” and “unless implemented properly, it can lead to legal challenges and significant non-participation by individuals and solution providers”. Patients needing to access programs relating to HIV and mental health may opt out of getting care, if they aren’t convinced that their records are secure.
  • Open APIs: The statement “Creation, updation, and retrieval of data must be possible using open APIs” needs to be elaborated, because the nature of Open APIs makes them prone to vulnerability
  • Beneficiary Registry should capture information beyond health insurance programs, and should have strong focus on prevention, wellness, and curative aspects of care
Health Records should have no retrospective changes

A key guiding principle of part of the Federated PHR in the NHS document was that the proposed framework “must require minimal to no changes to existing IT products”. FICCI replied that any changes to an already-created health record are strictly forbidden and to ensure that no retrospective changes are carried out.

The EHR Standards of India lays down a correct mechanism to deal with this, and this principle in the NHS should be revised accordingly, said FICCI.

Zawya |

9th Oman Health Expo set for September 23

The ninth edition of Oman Health Exhibition and Conference is slated for September 23 to 25 at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre.

In a press conference at the Crowne Plaza Muscat on Tuesday, officials of Omanexpo and representatives of the Ministry of Health addressed a media gathering, formally announcing the details of the upcoming show.

Recognized as Oman’s biggest healthcare event, Oman Health Expo will welcome more than 100 exhibition companies from about 13 countries, who will showcase the best of the industry products, services, equipment and technologies representing hospital and medical infrastructure, medical supplies and healthcare services to an anticipated 4,000 visitors from the business, government, private and public sectors.

The associated free-to-attend three-day conference sessions will be presented by a qualified lineup of highly esteemed health and medical experts, who will discuss the health workforce and safe practice environment, human resources in health, health labor market trends and dynamics, patient safety, risk and performance management. The two-day workshops designed for medical specialists will also be a free-to-attend affair. The sessions are accredited by the Oman Specialty Board (OMSB).

The organizers have also ensured a more worthwhile visitor experience by offering free medical consultations with specialists from some of the biggest clinics, hospitals and healthcare providers in Germany, Iran, India, UAE, Thailand, Malaysia and Turkey.

Ahmed Sayed, Exhibition Director, Oman Health Exhibition and Conference, says “We are working closely with the Ministry of Health in order to provide proper and relevant information about health and medical issues in Oman that are aligned with the government’s initiatives and long-term plan.”

“We are continuously finding ways to enhance our platform such that our exhibitors, stakeholders, and visitors are assured of a worthwhile return on investment by ensuring proper representation of all the key sectors within the health and medical industry, and offer new and diversified range of products, services and technologies. We also want to help encourage new investments into Oman’s health resources and current projects,” he adds.

To date Oman Health Exhibition & Conference has enlisted the support of Khimji Ramdas-Health and Medical Infrastructure, Aster Hospitals, Capital Market Authority, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the Directorate Medical Technologies, Ministry of Health.

The Times of India |

Motherhood hospital bags healthcare excellence award

The Motherhood Women and Children’s hospital won the FICCI healthcare excellence award for best patient care services recently.

The award was conferred upon the company for projects and initiatives taken by its hospitals for creating a measurable impact in improving patient care, particularly in the area of neonatal care. The hospital has a network of 12 hospitals in India.

The award was conceptualised in 2009, to felicitate organisations and individuals for their contributions to the industry. The awards have emerged as the definitive recognition for contribution to healthcare in the country over the years based on innovation, impact and sustainability and scalability which forms the three criteria for evaluation, say experts.

Speaking on the felicitation, Vijayrathna Venkatraman, chief executive officer (CEO) Motherhood hospitals said, “This award is a recognition of our efforts to ensure patient safety across all our facilities. It reiterates the commitment and incredible team work by our neonatology team to provide excellent care to every newborn. We are committed to deliver the best care to our patients in the women's and children’s speciality “

The esteemed jury nominated the Motherhood hospital for their neonatology patient safety initiative. Nearly 0.75 million newborns don’t survive every year in India, the highest for any country in the world. Most of the neonatal deaths happen in semi urban areas due to lack of good neonatal intensive care units which are backed by highly competent neonatologists and nursing services.

Keeping this in mind, Motherhood hospitals started “NICU on wheels” where the clinical team reaches remotest of places to resuscitate premature or sick newborn babies and transport them to the Motherhood hospital for advance care.

As a part of this initiative, the neonatology team also conducts Advance Neonatal Resuscitation Training Programme for doctors and nurses in semi urban and rural areas to enable them to handle such babies till the time NICU on wheels reaches the location to transport the baby to Motherhood centres. This initiative has saved the lives of many newborns.

APN News |

Dr. Spectra conferred with FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards for Tinnitus Relief Device

Acknowledging the excellence in healthcare technology, the highest industry body FICCI granted New Delhi based startup Dr. Spectra with FICCI’s healthcare excellence award 2019 in the medical device technology category. The award was received by Dr. Soniya Gupta and Dr. Prashant Goyal in the presence of other luminaries of the industry.

Emphasizing on the importance of the device Dr. Goyal said that “around 56 million people in India and 7% of world population is affected by the Tinnitus. Tinnitus is considered one of the major ailments in the upcoming years and demands for the immediate treatment. Dr Spectra is continuously working towards the better treatment of tinnitus and we’re honored to receive this award”.

Dr. Spectra has been persistent in curbing the issues of Tinnitus, they use the relief device for healing neurons, which generates tinnitus sounds. The NEUROMODULATION THERAPY is customized according to all age groups with Tinnitus relief device. The therapy resulted in instant relief and monitored regularly among patients. This protocol-led treatment plan is performed under the supervision of highly qualified and experts and showed a massive 90% success rate.

Previously, Dr Spectra has been recognized as top 35 innovators in Indo-US Konnect and winner of India Innovation Growth Programme (IIGP) 2015 facilitated by DST and Lockheed Martin for their contribution to healthcare technology.

Bio Spectrum |

Motherhood Hospitals win FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards

Motherhood Women & Children’s Hospital which has network of 12 hospitals in India has won the FICCI Healthcare Excellence Award for Best Patient Care. The award was conferred upon the company for projects and initiatives taken by its hospitals for creating a measurable impact in improving patient care particularly in the area of neonatal care.

The FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards was conceptualised in 2009, to felicitate organizations and individuals for their contributions to the industry. The awards have emerged as the definitive recognition for contribution to healthcare in the country over the years based on Innovation, Impact and Sustainability & Scalability which forms the three criteria for evaluation.

Speaking on the felicitation, Mr. Vijayrathna Venkatraman, CEO, Motherhood Hospitals said, “This award is a recognition of our efforts to ensure patient safety across all our facilities. It reiterates the commitment and incredible team work by our Neonatology Team to provide excellent care to every newborn. We are committed to deliver the best care to our patients in the women and children’s speciality “

The esteemed jury nominated Motherhood for their Neonatology Patient Safety Initiative. Nearly 0.75 million newborns don’t survive every year in India, the highest for any country in the world. Most of the Neonatal deaths happen in semi urban areas due to lack of good neonatal intensive care units which are backed by highly competent neonatologists and nursing services. Keeping this in mind, Motherhood Hospitals started “NICU on Wheels” where the clinical team reaches remotest of places to resuscitate premature or sick new born babies and transport them to the Motherhood Hospital for advance care. As a part of this initiative the Neonatology team also conducts Advance Neonatal Resuscitation Training Program for doctors and nurses in semi urban and rural areas to enable them to handle such babies till the time NICU on Wheels reaches the location to transport the baby to Motherhood centres. This initiative has saved the lives of many new borns.

This award category saw nominations from other providers like Apollo & Ruby Hall Hospitals.

The Times of India |

Karamsad Hospital bags FICCI service excellence award for Karamsad Hospital bags FICCI service excellence award for nursing led projectnursing led project

The Shree Krishna Hospital of Karamsad has been conferred the 11th Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI) healthcare excellence awards for a nursing led project during the 2019 summit that was held in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The hospital won the award for its innovative online web-based program (SOLACE) for clinical nursing at a rural tertiary care teaching hospital.

The Shree Krishna Online Application for Clinical Excellence (SOLACE), a tablet based software for clinical excellence was implemented in 2015 with the support of IT team.

The award was received on behalf of the hospital by Dr Monica Gupta, assistant dean of clinical excellence and accreditation from Vicor Banerjee, internationally renowned film personality at a function that was held at Le Meridien Hotel, New Delhi.

Dr Narrotam Puri, board member and former chairman National Accreditation Board for Hospitals was also present.

Now the entire nursing documentation is operated through SOLACE and well-integrated with the module prepared for clinicians to document their findings and orders.

Bio Spectrum |

FICCI gives out Healthcare Excellence Awards

Dr Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Managing Director of biotech firm Biocon Ltd, received the Lifetime Achievement award and Dr Ranjan Pai, Chairman, Manipal Education and Medical Group bagged the Healthcare Personality of the Year award at FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2019.

Victor Banerjee, veteran thespian, while distributing the awards at the glittering ceremony, organised by FICCI, said, "I look upon the medical world as a service industry. You are a chosen people picked to serve the community. No matter how hard you try to capitalise on your knowledge and talents, the bottom line is you serve the community and thus mankind."

Harmala Gupta, founder of home-based palliative care programme CanSupport, received the Healthcare Humanitarian Award. The category was introduced last year to facilitate social activists having an outstanding contribution in improving the healthcare status of Indian society.

A total of 18 awards were given to individuals and institutions in healthcare sector for their efforts and success towards capacity building, innovations, technologies, quality service and patient safety among others at the 11th edition of the annual awards. The jury members included renowned professionals from the sector and the Jury Chairman was Mr M Damodaran, former Chairman, SEBI.

Sandip Somany, President, FICCI said, "With a legacy of a decade, the FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards have proven itself as one of the most keenly awaited awards in this sector. I congratulate all finalists and hope that their case studies will inspire others in the quest for a healthier India."

Motherhood Hospitals and Ruby Hall Clinic received the Patient Safety award in recognition for projects and initiatives taken to prevent harm to patients and have measurable impact in improving the patient care. Patient Safety award for Nursing Led Projects went to Max Hospital, Saket.

Innoflaps Remedy won the Medical Technology/ Devices award, Religare Health Insurancegot the Health Insurance Products award, Medi Assist Insurance TPA received the Health Insurance Service Innovation award and Medlife International was adjudged the winner of Healthcare Start-up award.

The Environment Friendly Initiative award went to Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, the Skill Development award was won by Apollo Medskills and the Social Initiative awards were bagged by Sir HN Reliance Foundation in the corporates and healthcare service providers category and Rural Health Care Foundation in the NGOs and not-for-profit organisations category.

There were four categories of Service Excellence awards. These went to Shree Krishna Hospital and Pramukhswami Medical College for nursing led projects, Indraprastha Apolloamong private hospitals, Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre among public hospitals and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing among other healthcare providers.

Bio Spectrum |

Medlife named Best Healthcare Startup at the 11th FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2019

Medlife, e-health company recently bagged the award for the Best Healthcare Startup at the 11th Edition of the FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2019. The felicitation ceremony was held on 20th August 2019 at Le Meridien, New Delhi.

The Healthcare Startup award is given to an organization that has implemented an innovation that has scaled to create a measurable impact in the Indian healthcare industry.

Medlife is the e-health company in India with three business lines including pharmacy, diagnostics and e-consultation. The brand recently appointed Ananth Narayanan (former CEO of Myntra and Jabong and ex McKinsey Senior Partner) as its Co-Founder and CEO. Post its acquisition of Myra Medicines, India’s only express pharmacy delivery service, Medlife now controls the largest share of the e-pharmacy market, a space that is on way to become the next big disruptor after the food delivery service.

Speaking about this, Ananth Narayanan, Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Medlife International Pvt. Ltd said, “We are extremely delighted to receive this award and to be recognized by an eminent body such as FICCI. This is a reaffirmation that Medlife is moving in the right direction in terms of ensuring access to affordable and quality healthcare access to its consumers through its offerings. We aim to widen our scope of services going forward and contribute to the government’s vision of universal access to healthcare in the years to come. We are also gearing up for an accelerated growth of over $2 billion in the next five years.”

Medlife operates its medicine delivery service through 40 fulfillment centers and 3 large regional hubs in 22 cities. Its USPs include a transparent inventory-led model and the steadfast conviction to sell drugs only against a valid doctor’s prescription. It has one national and five regional laboratories and over 350 phlebotomists helping bring diagnostics to patients’ homes. It has also launched its e-consultation service after acquiring Eclinic247 last year.

moneycontrol |

Private hospitals may have to cut costs by 30-35% to serve Ayushman Bharat patients: EY report

Private hospitals may have to reduce their costs by around 30-35 percent to treat patients under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, according to a report by EY.

The report, titled ‘Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0’, launched by EY & FICCI on May 21, highlighted that the reimbursement tariffs offered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme doesn't cover 40-80 percent of the procedure costs incurred by hospitals.

“It is expected that with the allocation of only 25 percent of the capacity to Ayushman Bharat patients, NABH accredited multi-speciality hospitals are likely to witness 15-25 percent decline in ARPOBs (Average revenue per occupied bed day), 25-50 percent decline in EBITDA and 35-60 percent decline in ROCE, if no change is undertaken by them in their operating model,” stated the report.

The report cites examples of a coronary bypass surgery, where procedure costs range between Rs 1,80,000 and Rs 2,10,000, while Ayushman Bharat tariff for a hospital accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH) is fixed at Rs 1,04,000, which is almost half the total cost. Angioplasty, another mass procedure to open up blocked coronary arteries costs around Rs 90000 – Rs 1,10,000, whereas Ayushman Bharat offers Rs 75000, which is 20-45 per lower.

"Reducing the cost by 30-35 percent isn’t any aspiration, it can be achieved," said Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner – Performance Improvement Healthcare at EY. Movdawalla is co-author of the report.

"If they are able to reduce costs, they will be able to accept at least 30 percent of the Ayushman Bharat patients, when you get these patients, the occupancy rates will move to 80-85 percent from 65-70 percent, they also get the operating leverage, so that the beds get utilized, achieving a reasonable return on capital employed (RoCE )," Movdawalla said.

Movdawall said cost reduction and extending services to Ayushman Bharat patients will help private hospitals to make a 14-15 percent RoCE.

"Private hospitals are slowly losing their pricing power, earlier they used to respond to the rising costs by raising prices, but now they have to look at out-of-box to serve a large number of patients," Movdawalla

Prescription to lower costs

The report made several suggestions for achieving 30-35 percent cost reduction without compromising on the clinical outcomes or cutting corners to achieve the quality of services offered to patients.

They include cost optimization of material procurement and consumption.

Materials procurement constitutes 30-35 percent of healthcare costs. EY suggests strategic initiatives like price discovery, structured supplier model, sharp negotiation, and optimizing the cost of ownership will reduce the cost of material procurement by 30-40 percent.

On the material consumption side, it calls for standardization of clinical pathways and treatment guidelines, and controls over billing materials.

The report also calls for manpower productivity improvement and redesign of organization structure. Manpower constitutes 20-25 percent of hospital costs. Reports says manpower costs can be reduced by 20-40 percent.

The report suggested the remodeling of doctor pay-outs from existing fee for service to fixed salary and outcome-based models, and limiting the system organized around individual physicians to a team-based approach that is focused on patients.

It also calls for the optimization of operational and capital expenditure.

"Drive 35-40 percent optimization from current levels for major cost heads given that pricing in tier 2 markets is 40-50 percent lower than that of metro markets," the report says.

Concerning capex, the report talked about rationalizing the capital cost of building and medical technology to Rs 25 lakhs per bed through 40-50 percent reduction in civil and mechanical, electrical and plumbing costs through. The report noted that this can be done through an efficient layout, no frills design, specification rationalization and use of refurbished medical equipment.

Healthcare News |

Human Resource Development in healthcare does not require Public-Private Demarcation

The public and private sectors within the healthcare sector of India have joined hands in dedicating service to the citizens of India. The statement was backed by an announcement made by Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India while he was speaking at the ‘FICCI HEAL 2019 – Health of Healthcare in India’, an event organised by FICCI supported by NITI Aayog and National Health Authority.

As part of his announcement he commented that drawing concentrated efforts in human resources for the health sector was the major focus of the government, which did not require to differentiate between private and public sectors. As part of the new plan, the government intended to establish 75 medical colleges in the next 4-5 years. These were to be formed largely on the basis of PPP models intended for district hospitals, in addition to other mechanisms. The new development is seen as a follow up to the development of 82 medical colleges, a project which began 5 years ago.

“Most important highlight of Ayushman Bharat is that it has now finally established ‘One India, one nation, one health sector’. Private-public demarcations are over once and for all. We are working together on agreed terms and methodologies through dialogue and systems with an endeavour to find solutions to the challenges of our healthcare system” noted VK Paul.

Furthermore he added that the various reforms in the health sector allowed a large association of private players to establish a medical college. This is different than the development of medical college in the past which was possible through a single entity. Furthermore, he also insisted private sectors to utilize their resources towards gaining specialist training experience which could further help in augmenting the number.

Bio Spectrum |

NITI Aayog puts focus on successful PPP in healthcare

Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India has stated that the public and private sectors in the healthcare sector have come together and are fully committed to serve the people of India, speaking at 'FICCI HEAL 2019 - Health of Healthcare in India', organised by FICCI supported by NITI Aayog and National Health Authority.

"Most important highlight of Ayushman Bharat is that it has now finally established 'One India, one nation, one health sector'. Private-public demarcations are over once and for all. We are working together on agreed terms and methodologies through dialogue and systems with an endeavour to find solutions to the challenges of our healthcare system" he said.

Dr Paul said that over the last year, country has added 25% additional MBBS seats, which is unprecedented. "From about 60,000 MBBS seats last year, this year we have about 76,000 seats and actually a potential of about 80,000 seats," he said.

He also said that strengthening human resources for the health sector is the key focus of the government, for which it does not differentiate between public and private sectors.

The government is working to establish 75 additional medical colleges in the next 4-5 years largely through PPP models for district hospitals and other mechanisms. This is in addition to the creation of 82 medical colleges that began 5 years ago.

"The emphasis on human resources in this government is profound. If you consider Ayushman Bharat to be the highlight of the Independence Day speech of Prime Minister last year, this year for the health sector he only spoke about human resources, which has gained centrality in the development agenda of the nation," he added.

Dr Paul further said that with the reforms in the health sector, a consortium of private players can now set up a medical college unlike in the past when a medical college had to be established by a single entity. He urged the private sector to use their resources for training specialists to help achieve the aspired numbers.

Ms Sangita Reddy, Senior Vice President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd said, "Ayushman Bharat is transformational for the country. Now we need to up the dialogue on healthcare further and converge the power of Ayushman Bharat with the viability for the sector to make quality healthcare sustainable."

Mr YS Chi, Chairman, Elsevier, RELX Group said that health records, digital doctor and medical research are the three key tenets that will drive reforms in the Indian healthcare sector. Future medicine will require close coordination between augmented intelligence and doctors, he added.

Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and CMD, Dr Lal Pathlabs said, "As the country aims to become a $ 5 Trillion economy, healthcare industry will play a major part in building a prosperous & a healthy India." He added that "fund allocation to the North Eastern states has shot up by almost 250% over the last 5 years. Imagine if this was to happen in health care. We urge the government to increase the public health spend to at least 2.5%, as envisaged in the National Health Policy 2017, and preferably to 3%, at the earliest."

FICCI-EY knowledge paper on 'Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0' and FICCI-ELICIT information guides to 'Facilitate execution of End of Life Decisions' were released during the event.

The 'Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0' study recommends a 5E framework comprising integrating empathy, efficiency, empowerment, ease and environment to build trust. 'Empathy' in fostering patient dignity through transparency and communication, especially in financial matters related to billing. 'Efficiency' to improve the planning and execution of key care delivery processes to reduce waiting times and improve responsiveness. 'Empowerment' by providing relevant and accurate information to patients which can also be easily accessed. 'Ease' by delivering healthcare facilities at different locations or third places apart from hospitals and homes. 'Environment' by facilitating a physical healing space for patients.

ET Healthworld.com |

Focus on building a good hospital before medical college, not vice-versa: Dr VK Paul

“The best medical training is not through a college but the hospital, said Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India, in the key note address during the inaugural session of ‘13th FICCI HEAL 2019 – Health of healthcare in India’. According to him a consortium can build and run medical colleges but the heart and the soul of a medical college is a good hospital. He further urged on the need to first build a functioning hospital and then think of converting it into a medical college.

“The doctor to population ratio goal that we have set is 1:800 but for that, we also need optimum service and human resources which are the most difficult issues, said Dr Paul while stressing on the need to increase the number of a qualified doctor. The World Health Organisation recommends a doctor-population ratio of 1:1,000. With the number of registered medical practitioners of both modern medicine (MBBS) and traditional medicine (AYUSH) the distribution of doctors in different regions vary. It is estimated that around 9.26 lakh doctors are in active service, which makes India’s doctor-population ratio 1:1,457, minister of state for health and family welfare, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, told the Lok Sabha in May.

Dr Paul soon took to clearing the doubt on National Medical Council’s provision of training and licensing nursing and allied health professionals as community health providers, he said, “The provision for mid-level service provider taking licence has no connection with quacks as this will upgrade the trained professionals making them above nurses but below doctors.”

Empowering the community health providers will help reduce the dependency on doctors for primary healthcare service hence freeing them to effectively manage the secondary and tertiary care services. Talking on the ongoing projects driven by the Niti Aayog and GOI, Dr Paul said, “Emergency departments to be made available in all hospitals from 2020, building a compulsory online course for all PG students and looking at making India as a medical device hub.”

Strengthening the primary healthcare services has been a major focus even in Ayushman Bharat with around 3.5 lakh community health providers being trained to work in Health and Wellness Clinics being set up for every 5,000 population across states.

Speaking on developments in the scheme, Dr Paul said, “About 10 crore Ayushman Bharat golden cards have been made and 3.8 million individuals have availed of health services till date.”According to Dr Paul, there is simply no way that scheme can be successful if the rates are lot viable. "Private-public demarcations are over once and for all. We are working together on agreed terms and methodologies through dialogue and system with an endeavour to find solutions to the challenges of our healthcare system," he said.

One of the key challenges that he sees is the true beneficiaries for whom the scheme was formulated are still not aware of it.

The Times of India |

Hospitals don’t act in our best interest, say 60% patients in study

The public’s distrust of hospitals has been steadily rising, mainly due to pricing issues, showed a joint report by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Ernst & Young (EY), released on Tuesday.

Six in every 10 patients that were interviewed for the survey did not believe that hospitals acted in their best interest, as against the 37% in 2016. This was further reflected in the lack of transparency in hospital bills because of a “mismatch between the estimate and final bill”, and the lack of information about additional charges.

“India has the cheapest healthcare in the world, yet it is prohibitive for the majority of the population. While hospitals expand their services, efficiency seems to be the casualty,” said EY India’s Kaivaan Movdawalla, the main author of paper.

The report also found that half of the 1,000 patient-participants were not happy with their hospital experience, as against the 22% in 2016. One of the main reasons for this was poor doctor-patient communication. “Around 46% felt that doctors don’t spend enough time with them. A similar number felt that nurses were not confident or experienced enough to know what to do,” said the author.

The waiting time at a hospital outpatient department, the frequency of communication, the responsiveness to patient suggestions as well as the lack of cleanliness added to patients’ ire.

Movdawalla said there is an urgent need for the government and other stakeholders to resolve the issue soon as India needs to add another 3.5 lakh beds over the next five years, mainly in two-tier or smaller centres.

Dr Abhijit More from Jan Swasthya Abhiyan said lack of transperancy has always been one of the main reasons for patient dissatisfaction. “People are now aware of the commission practice among doctors and constantly hear about profiteering by hospitals. Even if a doctor has good intentions, patients feel profit is the main motive to recommend a test or operation,” he said. A quick solution would be to adopt the Clinical Establishment Act that would regulate services and prices. “So far, the healthcare industry didn’t accept patients as stakeholders in the decisionmaking process, it is time to change that,” he added.

Hindustan Times |

Majority of patients dissatisfied with hospital services- FICCI report

Dissatisfaction amongst patients for services provided by hospitals has been on the rise, according to a report by EY - Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) released on Tuesday.

Conducted by EY, an online survey of 1,000 patients across India found that around 61% of patients surveyed believed that hospitals did not act in their best interests compared to 37% patients in 2016.

The report, called Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0, highlighted that 63% of patients surveyed were not happy with hospital responsiveness and wait times, and about 59% patients said hospitals were not concerned about feedback and do not actively seek it.

“India needs to re-engineer the healthcare ecosystem with systemic and structural changes, keeping the ground realities in mind, through innovative and sustainable models of care delivery as well as business processes,” the report said. “Private providers too have generally demonstrated far greater enterprise in pursuing the growth agenda than efficiency (both capital and operational), resorting to price increase as a default response for managing bottom line agenda.”

For building trust across principal stakeholders--policymakers, healthcare providers, payors and the public--EY has recommended a ‘5E framework’ comprising integrating empathy, efficiency, empowerment, ease, and environment to achieve the agenda of universal health access and the right to health.

India offers the lowest cost healthcare services when compared with global peers, yet services are overwhelmingly prohibitive to a majority of the population. This calls for a focus on rationalizing healthcare costs across the country. Rural primary health where about 70% of the population resides is a key area for development, the report highlighted.

“Engaging private players for innovative primary care provisioning in remote locations, enabling ‘Make in India’ for frugal medical supplies, increasing the penetration of low cost domestically manufactured products are all steps in this direction,” it added.

“For realising the aspired levels of efficiency, it is imperative for healthcare providers to shift from an incremental performance plus approach to a radical design to cost or direct-to-consumer approach for redesigning their operating models and cost structures,” said Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner - Healthcare, EY India.

livemint |

Majority of patients dissatisfied with hospital services- FICCI report

Dissatisfaction amongst patients for services provided by hospitals has been on the rise, according to a report by EY - Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) released on Tuesday.

Conducted by EY, an online survey of 1,000 patients across India found that around 61% of patients surveyed believed that hospitals did not act in their best interests compared to 37% patients in 2016.

The report, called Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0, highlighted that 63% of patients surveyed were not happy with hospital responsiveness and wait times, and about 59% patients said hospitals were not concerned about feedback and do not actively seek it.

“India needs to re-engineer the healthcare ecosystem with systemic and structural changes, keeping the ground realities in mind, through innovative and sustainable models of care delivery as well as business processes," the report said. “Private providers too have generally demonstrated far greater enterprise in pursuing the growth agenda than efficiency (both capital and operational), resorting to price increase as a default response for managing bottom line agenda."

For building trust across principal stakeholders--policymakers, healthcare providers, payors and the public--EY has recommended a ‘5E framework’ comprising integrating empathy, efficiency, empowerment, ease, and environment to achieve the agenda of universal health access and the right to health.

India offers the lowest cost healthcare services when compared with global peers, yet services are overwhelmingly prohibitive to a majority of the population. This calls for a focus on rationalizing healthcare costs across the country. Rural primary health where about 70% of the population resides is a key area for development, the report highlighted.

“Engaging private players for innovative primary care provisioning in remote locations, enabling ‘Make in India’ for frugal medical supplies, increasing the penetration of low cost domestically manufactured products are all steps in this direction," it added.

“For realising the aspired levels of efficiency, it is imperative for healthcare providers to shift from an incremental performance plus approach to a radical design to cost or direct-to-consumer approach for redesigning their operating models and cost structures," said Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner - Healthcare, EY India.

Drug Today |

No more public-private demarcation for healthcare: Dr VK Paul

Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, has said that the public and private sectors in healthcare have come together and are fully committed to serve the patients in the country.

Dr Paul was speaking at ‘FICCI HEAL 2019 – Health of Healthcare in India’, organised in New Delhi by FICCI and supported by NITI Aayog and National Health Authority.

“Private-public demarcations are over once and for all. We are working together on agreed terms and methodologies through dialogue and systems with an endeavour to find solutions to the challenges of our healthcare system” Dr Paul said.

He said, “From about 60,000 MBBS seats last year, this year we have about 76,000 seats and actually a potential of about 80,000 seats.”

The NITI Aayog member also said that strengthening human resources for the health sector is the key focus of the government, for which it does not differentiate between public and private sectors.

He claimed, “The government is working to establish 75 additional medical colleges in the next 4-5 years largely through PPP models for district hospitals and other mechanisms. This is in addition to the creation of 82 medical colleges that began 5 years ago.”

Ms Sangita Reddy, Senior Vice President, FICCI, and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals, said, “Ayushman Bharat is transformational for the country. Now we need to up the dialogue on healthcare further and converge the power of Ayushman Bharat with the viability for the sector to make quality healthcare sustainable.”

Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee, and CMD, Dr Lal Pathlabs, said, “As the country aims to become a $ 5 Trillion economy, healthcare industry will play a major part in building a prosperous and a healthy India.”

He pointed out, “Fund allocation to the North Eastern states has shot up by almost 250% over the last 5 years. Imagine if this was to happen in health care. We urge the government to increase the public health spend to at least 2.5% of GDP, as envisaged in the National Health Policy 2017, and preferably to 3%, at the earliest.”

Business Standard |

No Public-Private demarcation for agenda of improving healthcare in India: NITI Aayog

Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India said that the public and private sectors in the healthcare sector have come together and are fully committed to serve the people of India, speaking at 'FICCI HEAL 2019 - Health of Healthcare in India', organised by FICCI supported by NITI Aayog and National Health Authority.

"Most important highlight of Ayushman Bharat is that it has now finally established 'One India, one nation, one health sector'. Private-public demarcations are over once and for all. We are working together on agreed terms and methodologies through dialogue and systems with an endeavour to find solutions to the challenges of our healthcare system" he said.

He also said that strengthening human resources for the health sector is the key focus of the government, for which it does not differentiate between public and private sectors. The government is working to establish 75 additional medical colleges in the next 4-5 years largely through PPP models for district hospitals and other mechanisms. This is in addition to the creation of 82 medical colleges that began 5 years ago.

Dr Paul further said that with the reforms in the health sector, a consortium of private players can now set up a medical college unlike in the past when a medical college had to be established by a single entity. He urged the private sector to use their resources for training specialists to help achieve the aspired numbers.

Express Healthcare |

No public-private demarcation for improving healthcare in India: Dr VK Paul at FICCI HEAL 2019

The government is working to establish 75 additional medical colleges in next 4-5 years through PPP models

Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India said “The public and private sectors in the healthcare sector have come together and are fully committed to serve the people of India.” Speaking at ‘FICCI HEAL 2019 – Health of Healthcare in India’, organised by FICCI supported by NITI Aayog and National Health Authority.

“Most important highlight of Ayushman Bharat is that it has now finally established ‘One India, one nation, one health sector’. Private-public demarcations are over once and for all. We are working together on agreed terms and methodologies through dialogue and systems with an endeavour to find solutions to the challenges of our healthcare system” said Dr Paul.

Dr Paul said that over the last year, country has added 25 per cent additional MBBS seats, which is unprecedented. “From about 60,000 MBBS seats last year, this year we have about 76,000 seats and actually a potential of about 80,000 seats,” he said.

He also said that strengthening human resources for the health sector is the key focus of the government, for which it does not differentiate between public and private sectors.

The government is working to establish 75 additional medical colleges in the next 4-5 years largely through PPP models for district hospitals and other mechanisms. This is in addition to the creation of 82 medical colleges that began five years ago.

“The emphasis on human resources in this government is profound. If you consider Ayushman Bharat to be the highlight of the Independence Day speech of Prime Minister last year, this year for the health sector he only spoke about human resources, which has gained centrality in the development agenda of the nation,” added Dr Paul.

Dr Paul further said that with the reforms in the health sector, a consortium of private players can now set up a medical college unlike in the past when a medical college had to be established by a single entity. He urged the private sector to use their resources for training specialists to help achieve the aspired numbers.

Sangita Reddy, Senior Vice President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise said, “Ayushman Bharat is transformational for the country. Now we need to up the dialogue on healthcare further and converge the power of Ayushman Bharat with the viability for the sector to make quality healthcare sustainable.”

YS Chi, Chairman, Elsevier, RELX Group said, “Health records, digital doctor and medical research are the three key tenets that will drive reforms in the Indian healthcare sector. Future medicine will require close coordination between augmented intelligence and doctors.”

Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and CMD, Dr Lal Pathlabs said, “As the country aims to become a $ 5 trillion economy, healthcare industry will play a major part in building a prosperous and a healthy India.” Dr Lal added “Fund allocation to the North Eastern states has shot up by almost 250 per cent over the last five years. Imagine if this was to happen in healthcare. We urge the government to increase the public health spend to at least 2.5 per cent, as envisaged in the National Health Policy 2017 and preferably to 3 per cent, at the earliest.”

Express Healthcare |

No public-private demarcation for improving healthcare in India: Dr VK Paul at FICCI HEAL 2019

The government is working to establish 75 additional medical colleges in next 4-5 years through PPP models

Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India said “The public and private sectors in the healthcare sector have come together and are fully committed to serve the people of India.” Speaking at ‘FICCI HEAL 2019 – Health of Healthcare in India’, organised by FICCI supported by NITI Aayog and National Health Authority.

“Most important highlight of Ayushman Bharat is that it has now finally established ‘One India, one nation, one health sector’. Private-public demarcations are over once and for all. We are working together on agreed terms and methodologies through dialogue and systems with an endeavour to find solutions to the challenges of our healthcare system” said Dr Paul.

Dr Paul said that over the last year, country has added 25 per cent additional MBBS seats, which is unprecedented. “From about 60,000 MBBS seats last year, this year we have about 76,000 seats and actually a potential of about 80,000 seats,” he said.

He also said that strengthening human resources for the health sector is the key focus of the government, for which it does not differentiate between public and private sectors.

The government is working to establish 75 additional medical colleges in the next 4-5 years largely through PPP models for district hospitals and other mechanisms. This is in addition to the creation of 82 medical colleges that began five years ago.

“The emphasis on human resources in this government is profound. If you consider Ayushman Bharat to be the highlight of the Independence Day speech of Prime Minister last year, this year for the health sector he only spoke about human resources, which has gained centrality in the development agenda of the nation,” added Dr Paul.

Dr Paul further said that with the reforms in the health sector, a consortium of private players can now set up a medical college unlike in the past when a medical college had to be established by a single entity. He urged the private sector to use their resources for training specialists to help achieve the aspired numbers.

Sangita Reddy, Senior Vice President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise said, “Ayushman Bharat is transformational for the country. Now we need to up the dialogue on healthcare further and converge the power of Ayushman Bharat with the viability for the sector to make quality healthcare sustainable.”

YS Chi, Chairman, Elsevier, RELX Group said, “Health records, digital doctor and medical research are the three key tenets that will drive reforms in the Indian healthcare sector. Future medicine will require close coordination between augmented intelligence and doctors.”

Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and CMD, Dr Lal Pathlabs said, “As the country aims to become a $ 5 trillion economy, healthcare industry will play a major part in building a prosperous and a healthy India.” Dr Lal added “Fund allocation to the North Eastern states has shot up by almost 250 per cent over the last five years. Imagine if this was to happen in healthcare. We urge the government to increase the public health spend to at least 2.5 per cent, as envisaged in the National Health Policy 2017 and preferably to 3 per cent, at the earliest.”

Outlook |

Important to address human resources issue in healthcare sector: Niti member

To improve healthcare in India, it is extremely important to address the challenges of human resources in the sector, Niti Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul said on Tuesday.
The tough challenge is about the human resources in the healthcare, he said in the keynote address during the inaugural session of ''FICCI Heal 2019 - Health of Healthcare in India''.

"The most difficult journey that we face today is about having the right mix, the right numbers, right quality, right skills and the right distribution of human resources in the healthcare sector," the Niti Aayog member said.

There is shortages of doctors and specialists in the country. The crisis in regards of specialists is even more acute. For this, the country needs huge participation from the private sector.

"We will reach one doctor for 1,000 people by the end of the current term of the government that is 2024," Paul said.

This gap in the human resources can only be met through an aggressive partnership between public and private sectors, he added.

He also said that with the reforms in the health sector, a consortium of private players can now set up a medical college, unlike in the past when a medical college had to be established by a single entity.

But as the heart and soul of a medical college is well run hospital. So, first run a functioning hospital and then build a medical college, he added.

Exhorting the private sector to contribute more to medical education and also to have more DNB (Diplomate of National Board) seats, Paul said the country needs more doctors and specialists.

On the government''s flagship Ayushman Bharat scheme he said it has provided a way for working together by both public sector and private sector in providing healthcare to the people of the country.

"Most important highlight of Ayushman Bharat is that it has now finally established ''One India, one nation, one health sector''. Private-public demarcations are over once and for all," he noted.

Increase in GDP in percentage terms on the healthcare to 2.5 per cent is a national commitment and has been reiterated by the country''s leadership, the member said.

But, we must remember when we have to raise the overall spend on healthcare, it has to come from both centre and states, he added.

A EY-FICCIs report on ''Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0'' was also launched on the occasion.

Business Today |

Most patients are dissatisfied with India's healthcare system, says EY-FICCI report

There is a growing mistrust among patients against healthcare providers and the Indian healthcare system needs to tailor its current model for inclusion and mass healthcare to deliver true care with a focus on primary care, wellness and health outcomes, says the EY- FICCI's report 'Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0', released today.

The report, based on an online survey of 1,000 patients across six geographical zones in India, reveals that 61 per cent patients believe that hospitals did not act in their best interests, as against 37 per cent patients from a similar survey by EY in 2016. While 63 per cent of patients indicated that they were not happy with hospital responsiveness and waiting times, about 59 per cent patients felt the hospitals were not concerned about feedback and do not actively seek it. India needs to re-engineer the healthcare ecosystem with systemic and structural changes, keeping the ground realities in mind, through innovative and sustainable models of care delivery as well as business processes, says the report. It said private providers too have generally demonstrated far greater enterprise in pursuing the growth agenda than efficiency (both capital and operational), resorting to price increase as a default response for managing bottom line agenda.

"For realising the aspired levels of efficiency, it is imperative for healthcare providers to shift from an incremental performance plus approach to a radical design to cost or direct-to-consumer approach for redesigning their operating models and cost structures," says Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner - Healthcare, EY India.

"There is an urgent need to bridge the 'trust deficit' between the patient and the doctor; patient and the hospital; as well as government and the private healthcare provider for the Health of the Indian Healthcare," said Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee and CMD, Dr Lal PathLabs.

Kaivaan Movdawalla noted that though India is among the lowest cost healthcare providers, still healthcare services are unaffordable to majority of the population and that is one reason for the mistrust. Engaging private players for innovative primary care in remote locations, enabling Make in India for frugal medical supplies, increasing the penetration of low cost domestically manufactured products etc can reduce this growing gap in trust.

The report felt though several steps have been undertaken by the government and the medical community in India to bring about transparency in the sector, implementation continues to remain a challenge. Healthcare providers must focus on redesigning their business models to ensure that patients are satisfied with the services provided. They must build a strong positive emotional connect with patients, which eventually translates into trust. For building trust across all principal stakeholders, that is, policymakers, healthcare providers, payors and the public, EY recommends a '5E framework' comprising integrating empathy, efficiency, empowerment, ease and environment to achieve the agenda of universal health access and the right to health.

In sharp contrast to the developed world, India has one of the lowest per capita healthcare spends and total and public healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP.

Consequently, issues of high disease prevalence, limited access to provider and low propensity to avail health services has been a challenge for the large populace with meagre means, which are barely enough to ensure subsistence, said the report.

Devdiscourse |

Important to address human resources issue in healthcare sector: Niti member

To improve healthcare in India, it is extremely important to address the challenges of human resources in the sector, Niti Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul said on Tuesday. The tough challenge is about the human resources in the healthcare, he said in the keynote address during the inaugural session of 'Ficci Heal 2019 - Health of Healthcare in India'.

"The most difficult journey that we face today is about having the right mix, the right numbers, right quality, right skills and the right distribution of human resources in the healthcare sector," the Niti Aayog member said. There is shortages of doctors and specialists in the country. The crisis in regards of specialists is even more acute. For this, the country needs huge participation from the private sector.

"We will reach one doctor for 1,000 people by the end of the current term of the government that is 2024," Paul said. This gap in the human resources can only be met through an aggressive partnership between public and private sectors, he added.

He also said that with the reforms in the health sector, a consortium of private players can now set up a medical college, unlike in the past when a medical college had to be established by a single entity. But as the heart and soul of a medical college is well run hospital. So, first run a functioning hospital and then build a medical college, he added.

Exhorting the private sector to contribute more to medical education and also to have more DNB (Diplomate of National Board) seats, Paul said the country needs more doctors and specialists. On the government's flagship Ayushman Bharat scheme he said it has provided a way for working together by both public sector and private sector in providing healthcare to the people of the country.

"Most important highlight of Ayushman Bharat is that it has now finally established 'One India, one nation, one health sector'. Private-public demarcations are over once and for all," he noted. Increase in GDP in percentage terms on the healthcare to 2.5 per cent is a national commitment and has been reiterated by the country's leadership, the member said.

But, we must remember when we have to raise the overall spend on healthcare, it has to come from both centre and states, he added. A EY-FICCIs report on 'Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0' was also launched on the occasion.

The Hindu Business Line |

Ayushman reimbursement for private hospitals short of costs incurred: FICCI/EY report

The current procedure costs prescribed by the government’s cashless health insurance scheme - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) or Ayushman Bharat - are at times just half that private hospitals incur, according to a report by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and EY .

According to the report, a comparison of the cost of select procedures and the reimbursement tariffs offered under Ayushman Bharat shows that only 40-80 per cent of the total cost is covered by the tariff and this is lower than the variable cost (which includes cost of materials - drugs, consumables, implants, patient food, linen and clinician payout).

Package rates

While a coronary artery bypass surgery costs between ₹1.8 and ₹2 lakh, the package rate quoted in PM-JAY is ₹1.04 lakh. Similarly, for an angioplasty, PM-JAY offers a rate of ₹75,000, while the report states that private hospitals charge anything between ₹90,000 and ₹1.1 lakh. For knee replacement, PM-JAY quotes ₹92,000, while it costs anything between ₹1.85 lakh and ₹1.95 lakh for private players.

“Existing private tertiary care hospitals looking at improving capacity utilisation through empanelment with the Ayushman Bharat scheme are likely to witness a significant drop in profit margins and return on capital employed even beyond the current dismal levels if their current operating model remains unchanged,” said the report.

While private players mull optimisation of costs, the Centre is considering revising the package rates. Official sources indicate that the government will announce the rate revision only after September.

The report also said that while an additional 3.5 lakh beds will have to be added to meet the demands of PM-JAY at a total capital investment of ₹1-lakh crore, current hospital operators, even after optimisation of costs, will not be in a position to increase bed allocation by more than 25 per cent for PM-JAY patients.

Investment support

Any further increase in the allocation of beds towards Ayushman Bharat, while maintaining the performance levels will be possible through investment support such as viability gap funding, it said .

It is expected that with the allocation of only 25 per cent of capacity to PM-JAY patients, multi-speciality accredited hospitals are likely to witness a 15-25 per cent decline in average revenue per occupied bed per day, a 25-50 per cent fall in EBITDA and a 35-60 per cent drop in the Return on Capital Employed if no change is undertaken by them in their operating model.

The private healthcare sector is currently witnessing worsening performance in terms of both profitability and ROCE, the report said. In order to set that right, the report recommended that private hospitals will have to focus on driving 30 per cent plus efficiency improvement across major cost heads by redefining their business models and cost structures.

For example, hospitals have to consider supplier consolidation, look for generics drugs, practice direct buying and so on. Instead of using imported drapes and gowns, hospitals can procure local disposable or reusable gowns.

The Times of India |

Important to address human resources issue in healthcare sector: Niti member

To improve healthcare in India, it is extremely important to address the challenges of human resources in the sector, Niti Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul said on Tuesday.
The tough challenge is about human resources in the healthcare sector, he said in the keynote address during the inaugural session of 'FICCI Heal 2019 - Health of Healthcare in India'.

"The most difficult journey that we face today is about having the right mix, the right numbers, right quality, right skills and the right distribution of human resources in the healthcare sector," the Niti Aayog member said.

There is shortages of doctors and specialists in the country. The crisis in regards of specialists is even more acute. For this, the country needs huge participation from the private sector.

"We will reach one doctor for 1,000 people by the end of the current term of the government that is 2024," Paul said.

This gap in the human resources can only be met through an aggressive partnership between public and private sectors, he added.

He also said that with the reforms in the health sector, a consortium of private players can now set up a medical college, unlike in the past when a medical college had to be established by a single entity.

But as the heart and soul of a medical college is well run hospital. So, first run a functioning hospital and then build a medical college, he added.

Exhorting the private sector to contribute more to medical education and also to have more DNB (Diplomate of National Board) seats, Paul said the country needs more doctors and specialists.

On the government's flagship Ayushman Bharat scheme he said it has provided a way for working together by both public sector and private sector in providing healthcare to the people of the country.

"Most important highlight of Ayushman Bharat is that it has now finally established 'One India, one nation, one health sector'. Private-public demarcations are over once and for all," he noted.

Increase in GDP in percentage terms on the healthcare to 2.5 per cent is a national commitment and has been reiterated by the country's leadership, the member said.

But, we must remember when we have to raise the overall spend on healthcare, it has to come from both centre and states, he added.

A EY-FICCIs report on 'Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0' was also launched on the occasion.

ET Healthworld.com |

Trust deficit increasing among Indian patients: EY- FICCI report

Around 61% patients surveyed in 2019 believe that hospitals did not act in their best interests, as against 37% patients in 2016, revealed the latest edition of the EY- FICCI report Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0. EY conducted an online survey with 1,000 patients across India which was launched on Tuesday at 13th FICCI HEAL 2019.

The survey findings also state that the key gaps in patient experience which have contributed trust deficit are – poor hospital responsiveness and waiting times as stated by 63% patients, and no concern for feedback as stated by 59% patients.

For building trust across all principal stakeholders, i.e., policymakers, healthcare providers, payors and the public, EY recommends a ‘5E framework’ comprising integrating empathy, efficiency, empowerment, ease and environment to achieve the agenda of universal health access and the right to health.

India offers the lowest cost healthcare services when compared to global peers, yet the services are overwhelmingly prohibitive to a majority population. This calls for a focus on rationalizing healthcare costs across the country. Rural primary health where ~70% of the population resides is a key area for development.

Engaging private players for innovative primary care provisioning in remote locations, enabling Make in India for frugal medical supplies, increasing the penetration of low cost domestically manufactured products are all steps in this direction.

“For realising the aspired levels of efficiency, it is imperative for healthcare providers to shift from an incremental performance plus approach to a radical design to cost or direct-to-consumer approach for redesigning their operating models and cost structures,” said Kaivaan Movdawalla, partner – healthcare, EY India.

“The need of the hour is to be proactive in reinventing the model, methods and measures for best possible efficiencies, both capital and operational, to effectively offer services across sections of the society,” he further added.

Commenting on the launch, Sangita Reddy, senior vice president FICCI and joint managing director Apollo Hospitals, said, “It is wonderful that a very timely and pertinent report has been put together to help all in rethinking and redesigning processes and steer the course towards requisite decision making."

“Healthcare is at the cusp of tremendous change and the need of the hour is for radical thinking and disruptive solutions to address the dynamic economic and social milieu,” she added.

Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI health services committee and CMD, Dr Lal PathLabs, said, “Although Indian government has launched several significant initiatives that will take us closer to achieving the SDG3 goal, including Ayushman Bharat, we have a long way to go before we can call ourselves a healthy nation in entirety.

He further stated that, “It is time we re-engineer our healthcare ecosystem with systemic and structural changes, keeping the ground realities in mind, through innovative and sustainable models of care delivery as well as business processes. But above all, there is an urgent need to bridge the ‘trust deficit’ between the patient and the doctor; patient and the hospital; as well as government and the private healthcare provider for the Health of the Indian Healthcare.”

Bringing about trust in healthcare

Several steps have been undertaken by the Government and the medical community in India to bring about transparency in the sector, but implementation continues to remain a challenge.

Effective interpersonal communication and developing relationships between patients and doctors are important steps towards bridging the trust deficit. Hospitals must create separate cells to handle difficult situations which need expert capabilities.

Incorporating operational efficiencies in the processes impacting different patient touchpoints will enhance satisfaction levels. Future-ready billing solutions incorporating- standard nomenclature, standard treatment guidelines and order sets, AI based bill estimator, robust procedural costing, process controls will empower patients. Up-skilling nurses or the creation of new roles like physician assistants or counsellors who can spend more time with patients will ensure also enhance trust.

Promoting true care focused on primary care, wellness and health outcome

Establishment of a Department of Public Health at the central and state levels will ensure coordinated, collaborative and comprehensive multi-dimensional support to providing true healthcare for all at the last mile.

The EY-FICCI study states that there is a need to create at least 2,000 family medicine seats in medical schools in India so there could be 6,000 practitioners by 2025 accountable for community health outcomes, each linked to a community health centres (CHC) with rotational service in the reporting primary health centers (PHCs).

Promoting a sustainable and efficient healthcare model

With an allocation of 25% of hospital capacity to Ayushman Bharat patients, National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) accredited hospitals will have to focus on driving efficiency improvement of 30-35% across major cost heads to achieve healthy profit margins and return on capital employed, slightly higher than the cost of capital of 14%.

Developing a national framework to promote public-private partnerships (PPPs) in healthcare can act as a guiding reference point for private healthcare providers, the State Governments and the Central Government. A focus on health performance and not just services through reporting of health outcomes will enhance healthcare delivery.

Newsjizz |

Important to address the problem of human resources in the health sector: Niti member

To improve medical care in India, it is extremely important to address the challenges of human resources in the sector, said Niti Aayog (Health) member V K Paul on Tuesday.

The difficult challenge is about human resources in the health sector, he said in the opening speech during the inaugural session of 'FICCI Heal 2019 - Health of Healthcare in India'.

The most difficult journey we face today is about having the right combination, the right numbers, the right quality, the right skills and the right distribution of human resources in the health sector, said Niti Aayog member.

There is a shortage of doctors and specialists in the country. The crisis regarding specialists is even more serious. For this, the country needs a large participation of the private sector.

We will reach one doctor for every 1,000 people by the end of the current government period that is 2024, Paul said.

He added that this gap in human resources can only be overcome through an aggressive partnership between the public and private sectors.

He also said that with the reforms in the health sector, a consortium of private actors can now establish a medical school, unlike what happened in the past when a single entity had to establish a medical school.

But as the heart and soul of a medical school is well managed hospital. So, first run a functioning hospital and then build a medical school, he added.

Urging the private sector to contribute more to medical education and also to have more DNB (Diplomate of National Board) positions, Paul said the country needs more doctors and specialists.

In the government's flagship scheme, Ayushman Bharat said he has provided a way to work together for both the public and private sectors to provide medical care to the people of the country.

The highlight of Ayushman Bharat is that he has finally established 'An India, a nation, a health sector'. Public-private demarcations have ended once and for all, he said.

The increase in GDP in percentage terms on medical care to 2.5 percent is a national commitment and has been reiterated by the country's leadership, the member said.

But, we must remember that when we have to increase overall spending on medical care, it has to come from both the center and the states, he added. An EY-FICCI report on 'Reengineering of Indian Healthcare 2.0' was also presented on the occasion.

Hindustan Times |

Most Indian patients don’t trust hospitals: Survey report

At least 60% patients surveyed in 2019 believe that hospitals did not act in their best interests, as against 37% patients in 2016, shows the latest Ernst & Young (EY)- The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) report, ‘Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0’.

EY conducted an online survey with 1,000 patients across India. The survey findings also state that the key gaps in patient experience which have contributed trust deficit are – poor hospital responsiveness and waiting times as stated by 63% patients, and no concern for feedback as stated by 59% patients.

Even though India offers the lowest cost healthcare services globally, yet treatment is inaccessible and unaffordable for a majority of people, calling for a focus on rationalizing healthcare costs across the country.

“Rural primary health where 70% of the population resides is a key area for development. Engaging private players for innovative primary care provisioning in remote locations, enabling Make in India for frugal medical supplies, increasing the penetration of low cost domestically manufactured products are all steps in this direction,” recommend experts in the report.

Sangita Reddy, joint managing director, Apollo Hospitals and senior vice-president FICCI, says, “It is wonderful that a very timely and pertinent report has been put together to help all in rethinking and redesigning processes and steer the course towards requisite decision making.”

“Healthcare is at the cusp of tremendous change and the need of the hour is for radical thinking and disruptive solutions to address the dynamic economic and social milieu. Above all, the extent of the impact is the best barometer and the journey towards it would need to accommodate current expectations for greater involvement, clarity, and convenience in the healthcare delivery process,” she added.

Dr Arvind Lal, chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee and chairman and managing director, Dr Lal PathLabs, says, “Although Indian government has launched several significant initiatives that will take us closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including Ayushman Bharat, we have a long way to go before we can call ourselves a healthy nation in entirety.”

“It is time we re-engineer our healthcare ecosystem with systemic and structural changes, keeping the ground realities in mind, through innovative and sustainable models of care delivery as well as business processes. But above all, there is an urgent need to bridge the trust deficit between the patient and the doctor; patient and the hospital; as well as government and the private healthcare provider for the health of the Indian healthcare,” he added.

Express Healthcare |

EY- FICCI report 'Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0' launches at 13th FICCI HEAL

The report reveals 61 per cent patients believe hospitals did not act in their best interest

The Indian healthcare system needs to tailor its current model for inclusion and mass healthcare to deliver true care with a focus on primary care, wellness and health outcomes, states the latest edition of the EY- FICCI report Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0. Launched at 13th FICCI HEAL, on the theme Health of Indian Healthcare, the report reveals that 61 per cent patients believe that hospitals did not act in their best interest. EY conducted an online survey with 1,000 patients across India. The survey findings also state that the key gaps in patient experience which have contributed trust deficit are – poor hospital responsiveness and waiting times as stated by 63 per cent patients and no concern for feedback as stated by 59 per cent patients.

For building trust across all principal stakeholders, i.e., policy makers, healthcare providers, payers and the public, EY recommends a ‘5E framework’ comprising integrating empathy, efficiency, empowerment, ease and environment to achieve the agenda of universal health access and the right to health. India offers the lowest cost healthcare services when compared to global peers, yet the services are overwhelmingly prohibitive to a majority population. This calls for a focus on rationalising healthcare costs across the country. Rural primary health where ~70 per cent of the population resides is a key area for development. Engaging private players for innovative primary care provisioning in remote locations, enabling Make in India for frugal medical supplies, increasing the penetration of low cost domestically manufactured products are all steps in this direction.

Kaivaan Movdawalla, Partner – Healthcare, EY India, said, “For realising the aspired levels of efficiency, it is imperative for healthcare providers to shift from an incremental performance plus approach to a radical design to cost or direct-to-consumer approach for redesigning their operating models and cost structures. For private providers, it is imperative to understand that the very nature of healthcare as a sector is characterised by social obligations and has an inherent risk of market failure. The economics of the business will always lend itself to highest scrutiny and sceptical inquiries. The need of the hour is to be proactive in reinventing the model, methods and measures for best possible efficiencies, both capital and operational, to effectively offer services across sections of the society.”

Commenting on the launch of ‘Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0’, Sangita Reddy, Sr Vice President, FICCI and Jt Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals, said, “A definitive is that healthcare must be equitable and inclusive to be true to its intent. It is wonderful that a very timely and pertinent report has been put together to help all in rethinking and redesigning processes and steer the course towards requisite decision making. Healthcare is at the cusp of tremendous change and the need of the hour is for radical thinking and disruptive solutions to address the dynamic economic and social milieu. Above all, the extent of the impact is the best barometer and the journey towards it would need to accommodate current expectations for greater involvement, clarity and convenience in the healthcare delivery process. Furthermore, a healthier nation is the bedrock of a healthier economy.”

Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and CMD, Dr Lal PathLabs, says, “Although Indian government has launched several significant initiatives that will take us closer to achieving the SDG3 goal, including Ayushman Bharat, we have a long way to go before we can call ourselves a healthy nation in entirety. It is time we re-engineer our healthcare ecosystem with systemic and structural changes, keeping the ground realities in mind, through innovative and sustainable models of care delivery as well as business processes. But above all, there is an urgent need to bridge the ‘trust deficit’ between the patient and the doctor; patient and the hospital; as well as government and the private healthcare provider for the health of the Indian healthcare.

Bringing about trust in healthcare

Several steps have been undertaken by the Government and the medical community in India to bring about transparency in the sector, but implementation continues to remain a challenge. Healthcare providers must focus on redesigning their business models to ensure that patients are satisfied with the services provided. They must build a strong positive emotional connect with patients which eventually translates into trust.

Effective interpersonal communication and developing relationships between patients and doctors are important steps towards bridging the trust deficit. Hospitals must create separate cells to handle difficult situations which need expert capabilities. Incorporating operational efficiencies in the processes impacting different patient touchpoints will enhance satisfaction levels. The tactical planning of resources will help achieve equitable access for patients and serve the strategically agreed number of patients through efficient resource utilisation. Future-ready billing solutions incorporating- standard nomenclature, standard treatment guidelines and order sets, AI based bill estimator, robust procedural costing, process controls will empower patients. Upskilling nurses or the creation of new roles like physician assistants or counsellors who can spend more time with patients will ensure also enhance trust.

Promoting true care focussed on primary care, wellness and health outcome

Establishment of a Department of Public Health at the central and state levels will ensure coordinated, collaborative and comprehensive multi-dimensional support to providing true healthcare for all at the last mile. Adoption of healthy behaviour and wellness among individuals prevent the development of key risk factors of chronic diseases. The EY BRIDGE framework focussing on promoting true care and wellness:
  • Boost the social determinants of health including physical environment and socio-economic conditions such as economic stability, education, food and community.
  • Regulate unhealthy products and practices by internalising the social costs of unhealthy behaviour by increasing taxes, imposing regulations, introducing penalties, etc.
  • Inspire through improved health awareness by ensuring the availability of appropriate health information through educational programmes, mass media awareness campaigns and information regulation.
  • Democratise access to healthy options through the availability of healthy food, infrastructure to facilitate physical activity in daily life and increased availability of rejuvenation, wellness and cessation support centres.
  • Gamify individual behaviour by introducing structured intervention programmes that incentivise healthy behaviour through rewards such as tax credit, allowance, gift cards and discounts on insurance premiums.
  • Empower through personal health information from wearables, mobile apps and genomics thereby improving the likelihood of taking ownership of individual well-being.
The EY-FICCI study states that there is a need to create at least 2,000 family medicine seats in medical schools in India so there could be 6,000 practitioners by 2025 accountable for community health outcomes, each linked to a community health centres (CHC) with rotational service in the reporting primary health centres (PHCs).

Promoting a sustainable and efficient healthcare model

With an allocation of 25 per cent of hospital capacity to Ayushman Bharat patients, National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accredited hospitals will have to focus on driving efficiency improvement of 30-35 per cent across major cost heads to achieve healthy profit margins and return on capital employed, slightly higher than the cost of capital of 14 per cent.

Developing a national framework to promote public private partnerships (PPPs) in healthcare can act as a guiding reference point for private healthcare providers, the State Governments and the Central Government. A focus on health performance and not just services through reporting of health outcomes, will enhance healthcare delivery.

News Experts |

Advantage Health Care - India 2019 at Greater Noida from Nov 13 to 15, 2019

Advantage Health Care – India 2019, the 5th International Summit on Medical Value Travel will be held at India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida, India from November 13 to 15, 2019.

The Summit is organised by Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Service Export Promotion Council (SPEC). This is the first ever International Summit on Medical Value Travel being organized in India for promoting services exports from India.

Exhibition with focus on Hospitals, Healthcare centers, AYUSH Hospitals, Educational institutions (Medical colleges, Nursing colleges & AYUSH colleges), Medical devices and Electronics and associated infrastructure – medical tourism facilitators, Hotels, Airlines, Tour and travel companies and TPAs. There will be knowledge sharing program where internationally renowned Indian doctors and AYUSH experts will deliver lectures on different topics.

Reverse Buyer Seller Meeting and planned B-2-B sessions with hosted delegates from more than 60 identified countries of Africa, Middle East, CIS and Asia (including SAARC) are also organised. Health Ministers’ Round Table Session with Health Ministers invited from the selected 60 countries will discuss issues encompassing Medical Value Travel and formulating a way forward.

The Summit helps Indian healthcare providers and Global healthcare stakeholders on one platform and B-2-B meetings and tie-ups with hospitals and healthcare centres. In the medical devices sector there are opportunities for encouraging foreign companies to start manufacturing in India with local partners.

The medical value travel industry has emerged as one of the fastest growing segment of tourism industry despite the global economic downturn. According to the FICCI – IMS Report, India is one of the key MVT destinations in Asia with over 500,000 foreign patients seeking treatment. MVT can be a 9 billion USD opportunity by 2020 through adequate focus and effective execution.

India need to focus on dual objectives of “tourism friendliness” and “patient centricity”. However, achieving the stated vision of being “The Provider to the World” would necessitate coordinated efforts by all key stakeholders.

India is emerging as a preferred healthcare destination for patients across the globe. Growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27%, the inflow of medical tourists in India is likely to cross 3.2 million in 2016. World class treatment and state of the art hospitals in India have created a very favorable atmosphere for patients with varying degrees of illness to avail the best facilities for their treatment.

The New Indian Express |

Niti Aayog sees 2,500 new hospitals coming up in next five years

Armed with what it calls “industry-friendly” policy, the Central government’s top think tank, Niti Aayog, estimates that nearly 2,500 more hospitals will be constructed in various parts of the country in the next five years. Niti Aayog member (health) Vinod Paul, who also heads the country’s medical education regulator, Medical Council of India-Board of Governors, at a recent FICCI meet said that 2,500 more hospitals will come up in Tier II and Tier III towns in the next few years.

Officials in the Niti Aayog said that this estimation had been done following positive responses from state governments to an “advisory” issued by the Centre to facilitate the opening of private hospitals in smaller towns and underserved areas. The Centre had prepared the draft policy having realised that existing infrastructure was not enough to effectively implement its Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana—a health insurance scheme meant for the 10 crores most vulnerable families.

The advisory prepared by the Aayog and then sent to the states by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had asked states to ensure easy and fast availability of land for opening of hospitals, and facilitate various clearances and permissions under various statutory provisions/departments with specified timelines.

The Centre had also asked states to sanction soft loans at agricultural rates for new hospitals and providing services such as uninterrupted electricity at residential rates.“We are hoping that the states now start following the advisory and take measures to ensure that private entities are interested in opening hospitals in smaller towns,” an executive in the Aayog told this newspaper.

Paul had also said that the government was looking to double the number of MBBS seats in the country in the next five years. “That is possible provided that the new hospitals that start operations double up as medical colleges after fulfilling the requisite criteria,” the Aayog official explained.

Business World |

India to have 2,500 new hospitals in 5 Years, creating 2.5 million jobs

India will have 2,500 new hospitals thereby creating 2.5 million additional jobs in the next 5 years, says Dr. V K Paul, Member (health), NITI Aayog. By 2024, India is also likely to attain the WHO norm of having one doctor for every thousand patients, he said.

Speaking at the launch of certificate course on ‘Specialist Training To Tackle The Burden of NCDs’organized by FICCI, Dr. Paul added that with the improvement in the ease of doing business in the private healthcare sector, new players will enter the sector which will not only create new employment opportunities but also provide better healthcare services.

FICCI, jointly with NITI Aayog, has been working on identifying innovative alternate methods of strengthening the number of specialized doctors in India that can be scaled-up, especially for high burden diseases and conditions. In continuation to this, FICCI has partnered with ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) to launch the first of its kind Diabetes Certification Course for General Practitioners (GP), considering the WHO statistics of 69.2 million Indians suffering from diabetes in 2015 and not enough endocrinologists to deliver specialized care.

Dr. V K Paul said, “The ECHO model is unique in more than one ways, but what makes this program even more unique is the partnership with the industry through FICCI”. He also highlighted that the government has made provisions to double the number of UG seats in medical education by 2024, but attaining the required number of specialist doctors is five times more difficult agenda. He further added that 80,000 PG seats will be added by 2024, with the participation of private sector healthcare providers.

Manoj Jhalani, AS & MD (NHM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India highlighted the quadruple challenge of quantity, quality, right skill-mix and physical distribution of human resources for healthcare. He said, “It is important to empower primary health teams and General Physicians (GPs). The Ministry is working on several aspects to increase the number of specialist doctors in the country and is also exploring participatory approaches for engaging private sector like a contribution for stipends paid to DNB students at both public and private hospitals.”

Sharing ECHO’s vision of touching 1 billion lives by 2025, Dr. Sanjeev Arora, Founder & Director, Project ECHO said, “Out of the 1 billion, we want to reach 400 million beneficiaries in India, through training doctors using the ECHO model of integrated guided practice. India needs to exponentially increase its capacity building programs and this is not possible without leveraging technology.” He said that through these partnerships about 1,000 training hubs can be set up in India. This can be a game changer and once proven successful, can be replicated to other disease conditions or specialties or to other sectors like primary education, he added.

Business Standard |

India will have 2500 new hospitals in next five years says Niti Ayog

V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog recently said that in next 5 years, India will have 2,500 new hospitals thereby creating 2.5 million additional jobs. By 2024, India is also likely to attain the WHO norm of having one doctor for every thousand patients, he said. Speaking at the launch of certificate course on 'Specialist Training To Tackle The Burden of NCDs' organized by FICCI, Paul added that with the improvement in the ease of doing business in the private healthcare sector, new players will enter the sector which will not only create new employment opportunities but also provide better healthcare services.

FICCI, jointly with NITI Aayog, has been working on identifying innovative alternate methods of strengthening the number of specialized doctors in India that can be scaled-up, especially for high burden diseases and conditions. In continuation to this, FICCI has partnered with ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) to launch the first of its kind Diabetes Certification Course for General Practitioners (GP), considering the WHO statistics of 69.2 million Indians suffering with diabetes in 2015 and not enough endocrinologists to deliver specialized care.

Pharmabiz.com |

India to have 2,500 new hospitals in 5 years, creating 2.5 million jobs: Dr V K Paul

Member (Health) NITI Aayog Dr V K Paul stated that in next 5 years, India will have 2,500 new hospitals thereby creating 2.5 million additional jobs. By 2024, India is also likely to attain the WHO norm of having one doctor for every thousand patients, he said.

Speaking at the launch of certificate course on ‘Specialist Training To Tackle The Burden of NCDs’ organized by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Dr Paul added that with the improvement in the ease of doing business in the private healthcare sector, new players will enter the sector which will not only create new employment opportunities but also provide better healthcare services.

FICCI, jointly with NITI Aayog, has been working on identifying innovative alternate methods of strengthening the number of specialized doctors in India that can be scaled-up, especially for high burden diseases and conditions. In continuation to this, FICCI has partnered with Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) to launch the first of its kind Diabetes Certification Course for General Practitioners (GP), considering the WHO statistics of 69.2 million Indians suffering with diabetes in 2015 and not enough endocrinologists to deliver specialized care.

Commenting on the tie-up, Dr Paul said, “The ECHO model is unique in more than one ways, but what makes this program even more unique is the partnership with the industry through FICCI.” He also highlighted that the government has made provisions to double the number of UG seats in medical education by 2024, but attaining the required number of specialist doctors is a five times more difficult agenda. He further added that 80,000 PG seats will be added by 2024, with participation of private sector healthcare providers.

Manoj Jhalani, MD, National Health Mission (NHM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India highlighted the quadruple challenge of quantity, quality, right skill-mix and physical distribution of human resources for healthcare. He said, “It is important to empower primary health teams and general physicians (GPs). The union health ministry is working on several aspects to increase number of specialist doctors in the country and is also exploring participatory approaches for engaging private sector like contribution for stipends paid to DNB students at both public and private hospitals.”

Appreciating the government’s focus on health, Brig Dr Arvind Lal, chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee & CMD, Dr Lal Path Labs said, “We all quote the British, US, Cuban, Thai and Indonesian models of healthcare, but with Ayushman Bharat, an Indian model will emerge.” He further added that empowering GPs on diabetes management can vastly improve patient outcomes as about 95% of the diabetics in India are being attended to by primary care doctors, GPs and family physicians.

Sharing ECHO’s vision of touching 1 billion lives by 2025, Dr Sanjeev Arora, founder director, Project ECHO said, “Out of the 1 billion, we want to reach 400 million beneficiaries in India, through training doctors using the ECHO model of integrated guided practice. India needs to exponentially increase its capacity building programs and this is not possible without leveraging technology.” He said that through these partnerships about 1,000 training hubs can be set up in India. This can be a game changer and once proven successful, can be replicated to other disease conditions or specialties or to other sectors like primary education, he added.

The FICCI-ECHO Diabetes Certification Course for GPs is a 20-week, tele- mentoring program that will be initially taken up as a pilot project to train 100 GPs on logical management of diabetic patients.

SME Times |

'India to have 2,500 new hospitals in 5 yrs, creating 2.5 mn jobs'

V K Paul, NITI Aayog member recently said that in next 5 years, India will have 2,500 new hospitals thereby creating 2.5 million additional jobs.

By 2024, India is also likely to attain the WHO norm of having one doctor for every thousand patients, he said.

Speaking at the launch of certificate course on 'Specialist Training To Tackle The Burden of NCDs' organized by FICCI, Paul added that with the improvement in the ease of doing business in the private healthcare sector, new players will enter the sector which will not only create new employment opportunities but also provide better healthcare services.

FICCI, jointly with NITI Aayog, has been working on identifying innovative alternate methods of strengthening the number of specialized doctors in India that can be scaled-up, especially for high burden diseases and conditions.

In continuation to this, FICCI has partnered with ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) to launch the first of its kind Diabetes Certification Course for General Practitioners (GP), considering the WHO statistics of 69.2 million Indians suffering with diabetes in 2015 and not enough endocrinologists to deliver specialized care.

Commenting on the tie-up, Dr V K Paul said, "The ECHO model is unique in more than one ways, but what makes this program even more unique is the partnership with the industry through FICCI".

He also highlighted that the government has made provisions to double the number of UG seats in medical education by 2024, but attaining the required number of specialist doctors is a five times more difficult agenda.

He further added that 80,000 PG seats will be added by 2024, with participation of private sector healthcare providers.

Manoj Jhalani, AS & MD (NHM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India highlighted the quadruple challenge of quantity, quality, right skill-mix and physical distribution of human resources for healthcare.

He said, "It is important to empower primary health teams and General Physicians (GPs). The Ministry is working on several aspects to increase number of specialist doctors in the country and is also exploring participatory approaches for engaging private sector like contribution for stipends paid to DNB students at both public and private hospitals."

Sharing ECHO's vision of touching 1 billion lives by 2025, Dr Sanjeev Arora, Founder & Director, Project ECHO said, "Out of the 1 billion, we want to reach 400 million beneficiaries in India, through training doctors using the ECHO model of integrated guided practice. India needs to exponentially increase its capacity building programs and this is not possible without leveraging technology."

He said that through these partnerships about 1,000 training hubs can be set up in India. This can be a game changer and once proven successful, can be replicated to other disease conditions or specialties or to other sectors like primary education, he added.

The FICCI-ECHO Diabetes Certification Course for GPs is a 20-week, tele-mentoring program that will be initially taken up as a pilot project to train 100 GPs on logical management of diabetic patients.

Drug Today |

500 new hospitals in 5 years, 25 lakh jobs: Dr Paul

India will have 2,500 new hospitals in the next five years thereby generating 2.5 million additional jobs, Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog has said.

By 2024, India is also likely to attain the WHO norm of having one doctor for every thousand patients, Dr Paul said.

Speaking at the launch of a certificate course on ‘Specialist Training To Tackle The Burden of NCDs’ organized by FICCI in New Delhi, Dr Paul stated that with the improvement in the ease of doing business in the private healthcare sector, new players will enter the healthcare industry which will not only create new job opportunities but also provide better healthcare services in the country.

The industrial body, jointly with NITI Aayog, has been working on identifying innovative alternate methods of strengthening the number of specialized physicians in the country that can be scaled-up, especially for high burden ailments and conditions.

Dr Paul said, “The ECHO model of FICCI is unique in more than one ways, but what makes this program even more unique is the partnership with the industry”.

The NITI Ayog member also highlighted that the Central government has made provisions to double the number of UG seats in medical education by 2024, but attaining the required number of specialist physicians is a more difficult agenda.

Dr Paul further added that 80,000 post graduate medical seats will be added by 2024, with participation of private sector healthcare providers.

The FICCI-ECHO Diabetes Certification Course for GPs is a 20 weeks, tele-mentoring programme that will be firstly taken up as a pilot project to train 100 GPs on logical management of diabetic people.

IndiaProjectsNews.com |

India to have 2,500 new hospitals in 5 years, creating 2.5 million jobs - Dr V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog

Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog yesterday said that in next 5 years, India will have 2,500 new hospitals thereby creating 2.5 million additional jobs. By 2024, India is also likely to attain the WHO norm of having one doctor for every thousand patients, he said.

Speaking at the launch of certificate course on 'Specialist Training To Tackle The Burden of NCDs' organized by FICCI, Dr Paul added that with the improvement in the ease of doing business in the private healthcare sector, new players will enter the sector which will not only create new employment opportunities but also provide better healthcare services.

FICCI, jointly with NITI Aayog, has been working on identifying innovative alternate methods of strengthening the number of specialized doctors in India that can be scaled-up, especially for high burden diseases and conditions. In continuation to this, FICCI has partnered with ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) to launch the first of its kind Diabetes Certification Course for General Practitioners (GP), considering the WHO statistics of 69.2 million Indians suffering with diabetes in 2015 and not enough endocrinologists to deliver specialized care.

Commenting on the tie-up, Dr V K Paul said, "The ECHO model is unique in more than one ways, but what makes this program even more unique is the partnership with the industry through FICCI". He also highlighted that the government has made provisions to double the number of UG seats in medical education by 2024, but attaining the required number of specialist doctors is a five times more difficult agenda. He further added that 80,000 PG seats will be added by 2024, with participation of private sector healthcare providers.

Mr Manoj Jhalani, AS & MD (NHM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India highlighted the quadruple challenge of quantity, quality, right skill-mix and physical distribution of human resources for healthcare. He said, "It is important to empower primary health teams and General Physicians (GPs). The Ministry is working on several aspects to increase number of specialist doctors in the country and is also exploring participatory approaches for engaging private sector like contribution for stipends paid to DNB students at both public and private hospitals."

Appreciating the government's focus on health, (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee & CMD, Dr Lal Path Labs said, "We all quote the British, US, Cuban, Thai and Indonesian models of healthcare, but with Ayushman Bharat, an Indian model will emerge." He further added that empowering GPs on diabetes management can vastly improve patient outcomes as about 95% of the diabetics in India are being attended to by primary care doctors, GPs and family physicians.

Sharing ECHO's vision of touching 1 billion lives by 2025, Dr Sanjeev Arora, Founder & Director, Project ECHO said, "Out of the 1 billion, we want to reach 400 million beneficiaries in India, through training doctors using the ECHO model of integrated guided practice. India needs to exponentially increase its capacity building programs and this is not possible without leveraging technology." He said that through these partnerships about 1,000 training hubs can be set up in India. This can be a game changer and once proven successful, can be replicated to other disease conditions or specialties or to other sectors like primary education, he added.

The FICCI-ECHO Diabetes Certification Course for GPs is a 20-week, tele-mentoring program that will be initially taken up as a pilot project to train 100 GPs on logical management of diabetic patients.

Medical Buyer |

India to have 2,500 new hospitals in 5 years, creating 2.5 Million jobs

India will have 2,500 new hospitals thereby creating 2.5 million additional jobs in the next 5 years, says Dr. V K Paul, Member (health), NITI Aayog. By 2024, India is also likely to attain the WHO norm of having one doctor for every thousand patients, he said.

Speaking at the launch of certificate course on ‘Specialist Training To Tackle The Burden of NCDs’organized by FICCI, Dr. Paul added that with the improvement in the ease of doing business in the private healthcare sector, new players will enter the sector which will not only create new employment opportunities but also provide better healthcare services.

FICCI, jointly with NITI Aayog, has been working on identifying innovative alternate methods of strengthening the number of specialized doctors in India that can be scaled-up, especially for high burden diseases and conditions. In continuation to this, FICCI has partnered with ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) to launch the first of its kind Diabetes Certification Course for General Practitioners (GP), considering the WHO statistics of 69.2 million Indians suffering from diabetes in 2015 and not enough endocrinologists to deliver specialized care.

Dr. V K Paul said, “The ECHO model is unique in more than one ways, but what makes this program even more unique is the partnership with the industry through FICCI”. He also highlighted that the government has made provisions to double the number of UG seats in medical education by 2024, but attaining the required number of specialist doctors is five times more difficult agenda. He further added that 80,000 PG seats will be added by 2024, with the participation of private sector healthcare providers.

Manoj Jhalani, AS & MD (NHM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India highlighted the quadruple challenge of quantity, quality, right skill-mix and physical distribution of human resources for healthcare. He said, “It is important to empower primary health teams and General Physicians (GPs). The Ministry is working on several aspects to increase the number of specialist doctors in the country and is also exploring participatory approaches for engaging private sector like a contribution for stipends paid to DNB students at both public and private hospitals.”

Sharing ECHO’s vision of touching 1 billion lives by 2025, Dr. Sanjeev Arora, Founder & Director, Project ECHO said, “Out of the 1 billion, we want to reach 400 million beneficiaries in India, through training doctors using the ECHO model of integrated guided practice. India needs to exponentially increase its capacity building programs and this is not possible without leveraging technology.” He said that through these partnerships about 1,000 training hubs can be set up in India. This can be a game changer and once proven successful, can be replicated to other disease conditions or specialties or to other sectors like primary education, he added.

Medical Dialogues |

Apollo Joint MD Dr Sangita Reddy Conferred with Best Female Healthcare leader award

Apollo Hospitals Joint Managing Director Dr Sangita Reddy, has received the prestigious IMA Mediko Award 2019 –Best Female Healthcare leader at a function held at HICC recently on May 4, 2019.

She was presented the award by Telangana Medical and Health Minister Etela Rajender at the IMA Mediko Healthcare Excellence Awards 2019 ceremony, hosted by IMA – Telangana.

Sangita Reddy graduated in Science with Honours from the Women’s Christian College in Chennai, India. She also has a post-graduate degree and has done executive courses in Hospital Administration from Rutgers University, Harvard University and the NUS.

Sangita Reddy is the Joint Managing Director of the Apollo Hospitals Group. A driving force for the eHealth initiatives, it was under her leadership that Apollo received three consecutive HiMSS-Elsevier ICT achievement awards. A firm believer in the potential of mHealth and iOT enabled health delivery, Sangita championed manifold initiatives and spearheaded the creation of a Mobile Health System that increases agility, productivity, and response time of the doctors and allied health professionals.

A passionate entrepreneur, Sangita founded Apollo Health Street in 1999, which soon grew to emerge as India’s largest health business process outsourcing organization. Focused on developing customized world-class IT-based solutions, its services extended the user team’s business capabilities and financial strength.

In addition, cognizant of the acute need for skilled manpower in the country, she led a partnership between Apollo Hospitals and National Skill Development Corporation, which has now emerged as a purpose – driven public-private-partnership with a goal to skill half-a-million individuals before 2020.

Sangita Reddy is the Sr. Vice President of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industries). She is an elected Member of the Steering Committee on Health for the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012–2017) for the Government of India. She has also had close interactions with industry bodies such as National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) on incorporation of clinical and operational quality standards into overall hospital management governance. She is on the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council for Digital Health which aims to advance the use, adoption and measurement of technology in health and healthcare, focusing on digital health.

Apollo Hospitals is Asia’s largest and most trusted healthcare group and its presence includes 10,000 beds across 70 Hospitals, 2,556 Pharmacies, over 172 Primary Care and Diagnostic Clinics, 148 Telemedicine units across 13 countries, and 80 plus Apollo Munich Insurance branches panning the length and breadth of the Country. As an integrated healthcare service provider with Health Insurance services, Global Projects Consultancy capability, 12 plus medical education centres and a Research Foundation with a focus on global Clinical Trials, epidemiological studies, stem cell & genetic research, Apollo Hospitals has been at the forefront of new medical breakthroughs with the most recent investment being that of commissioning the first Proton Therapy Center across Asia, Africa and Australia in Chennai, India.

The Pioneer |

'India expected to meet 1:1000 doctor-patient ratio by 2024'

With around 2,500 new hospitals proposed in next 5 years and thereby creating 2.5 million additional jobs in the health sector, India is expected to meet the WHO norm of 1:1000 doctor-patient ratio by 2024, said Dr VK Paul, Member, NITI Aayog at an event here. He however, added that attaining the required number of specialist doctors is a five times more difficult agenda.

Around 80,000 PG seats will be added by 2024, with participation of private sector healthcare providers, said Dr Paul at the launch of certificate course on ‘Specialist Training To Tackle The Burden of NCDs’ organized by FICCI here recently.

He added that with the improvement in the ease of doing business in the private healthcare sector, new players will enter the sector which will not only create new employment opportunities but also provide better healthcare services.

FICCI, jointly with NITI Aayog, has been working on identifying innovative alternate methods of strengthening the number of specialized doctors in India that can be scaled-up, especially for high burden diseases and conditions. In continuation to this, FICCI has partnered with ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) to launch the first of its kind Diabetes Certification Course for General Practitioners (GP), considering the WHO statistics of 69.2 million Indians suffering with diabetes in 2015 and not enough endocrinologists to deliver specialized care.

Commenting on the tie-up, Dr Paul said, “The ECHO model is unique in more than one ways, but what makes this program even more unique is the partnership with the industry through FICCI”. He also highlighted that the government has made provisions to double the number of UG seats in medical education by 2024, but attaining the required number of specialist doctors is a five times more difficult agenda. He further added that 80,000 PG seats will be added by 2024, with participation of private sector healthcare providers.

Manoj Jhalani, AS & MD (NHM), Union Health Ministry highlighted the quadruple challenge of quantity, quality, right skill-mix and physical distribution of human resources for healthcare. He said, “It is important to empower primary health teams and General Physicians (GPs). The Ministry is working on several aspects to increase number of specialist doctors in the country and is also exploring participatory approaches for engaging private sector like contribution for stipends paid to DNB students at both public and private hospitals.”

Pen News |

India to have 2,500 new hospitals , creating 2.5 mln jobs: Niti Aayog

India will have 2,500 new hospitals in the next five years thereby creating 2.5 million additional jobs, Niti Aayog Member (Health) Dr V K Paul has said.

By 2024, India is also likely to attain the WHO norm of having one doctor for every thousand patients, he said. Speaking at the launch of certificate course on ‘Specialist Training To Tackle The Burden of NCDs’ organized by the FICCI on Friday, Dr Paul said with the improvement in the ease of doing business in the private healthcare sector, new players will enter the sector which will not only create new employment opportunities but also provide better healthcare services.

FICCI, jointly with NITI Aayog, has been working on identifying innovative alternate methods of strengthening the number of specialized doctors in India that can be scaled-up, especially for high burden diseases and conditions.

In continuation to this, FICCI has partnered with Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes(ECHO) to launch the first of its kind Diabetes Certification Course for General Practitioners (GP), considering the WHO statistics of 69.2 million Indians suffering with diabetes in 2015 and not enough endocrinologists to deliver specialized care.

Commenting on the tie-up, Dr V K Paul said, “The ECHO model is unique in more than one ways, but what makes this program even more unique is the partnership with the industry through FICCI”. He also highlighted that the government has made provisions to double the number of UG seats in medical education by 2024, but attaining the required number of specialist doctors is a five times more difficult agenda. He further added that 80,000 PG seats will be added by 2024, with participation of private sector healthcare providers.

Appreciating the government’s focus on health, (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee & CMD, Dr Lal Path Labs said, “We all quote the British, US, Cuban, Thai and Indonesian models of healthcare, but with Ayushman Bharat, an Indian model will emerge.”

He added that empowering GPs on diabetes management can vastly improve patient outcomes as about 95 per cent of the diabetics in India are being attended to by primary care doctors, GPs and family physicians. The FICCI-ECHO Diabetes Certification Course for GPs is a 20-week, tele-mentoring programme that will be initially taken up as a pilot project to train 100 GPs on logical management of diabetic patients.

United News of India |

India to have 2,500 new hospitals in 5 years, creating 2.5 mln jobs: Niti Aayog

India will have 2,500 new hospitals in the next five years thereby creating 2.5 million additional jobs, Niti Aayog Member (Health) Dr V K Paul has said.

By 2024, India is also likely to attain the WHO norm of having one doctor for every thousand patients, he said.

Speaking at the launch of certificate course on ‘Specialist Training To Tackle The Burden of NCDs’ organized by the FICCI on Friday, Dr Paul said with the improvement in the ease of doing business in the private healthcare sector, new players will enter the sector which will not only create new employment opportunities but also provide better healthcare services.

FICCI, jointly with NITI Aayog, has been working on identifying innovative alternate methods of strengthening the number of specialized doctors in India that can be scaled-up, especially for high burden diseases and conditions.

In continuation to this, FICCI has partnered with Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes(ECHO) to launch the first of its kind Diabetes Certification Course for General Practitioners (GP), considering the WHO statistics of 69.2 million Indians suffering with diabetes in 2015 and not enough endocrinologists to deliver specialized care.

Commenting on the tie-up, Dr V K Paul said, “The ECHO model is unique in more than one ways, but what makes this program even more unique is the partnership with the industry through FICCI”.

He also highlighted that the government has made provisions to double the number of UG seats in medical education by 2024, but attaining the required number of specialist doctors is a five times more difficult agenda. He further added that 80,000 PG seats will be added by 2024, with participation of private sector healthcare providers.

Appreciating the government’s focus on health, (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee & CMD, Dr Lal Path Labs said, “We all quote the British, US, Cuban, Thai and Indonesian models of healthcare, but with Ayushman Bharat, an Indian model will emerge.”

He added that empowering GPs on diabetes management can vastly improve patient outcomes as about 95 per cent of the diabetics in India are being attended to by primary care doctors, GPs and family physicians.

The FICCI-ECHO Diabetes Certification Course for GPs is a 20-week, tele-mentoring programme that will be initially taken up as a pilot project to train 100 GPs on logical management of diabetic patients.

Business World |

Hospital Awards' Jury meet conducted to Award Winners

The first edition of BW Businessworld Hospital Awards, one of the most prestigious event in the healthcare industry, will chart the future roadmap for the industry. A high power jury gathered on Tuesday (29 April) to acknowledge, honour and reward hospitals and leaders for their excellence in the healthcare delivery segment.

“It is good to be recognise people and services in a country where there are numerous players present in the healthcare industry”, said Dr K.K. Agarwal.

The eminent jury comprised of stellar healthcare industry experts nominated all the winners including Dr K.K. Kalra, Advisor, Association of Healthcare Providers (India) and ex-CEO, NABH; Dr Vijay Agarwal, President, Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organisations (CAHO); Dr Yashpal Bhatia, Chairman and MD, Astron Healthcare; Shobha Mishra Ghosh, Assistant Secretary General, FICCI; Dr K.K. Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India and Former President, IMA; Shhyam R Singhania, Chairman, ENARR Capital; Sudarshan Jain, Secretary General, IPA and Former MD, Abbott Healthcare and Sumit Goel, Partner-Healthcare Advisory, KPMG. The jury was chaired by (Hony) Brig. Dr Arvind Lal, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman and MD, Dr Lal PathLabs Ltd.

The Hospital awards aim to recognise the excellence, identify the prominence and celebrate the very best among those who bear the torch of excellence in the Healthcare Industry of India.

“The healthcare industry is now the flagship industry of our country and in that excellence is the key to development. We need to create more awareness to recognise the awards”, said Dr Yashpal Bhatia.

The parameters and criteria for judging the 10 categories, followed by the jury, were very concise in nature.

“We have a long way to go to recognise talent in the healthcare industry. We must compliment BW Business for not commercialising the awards like others do”, said Dr Vijay Agarwal.

A special jury recommendation CEO award will be given on the basis of the following parameters: financial performance, brand building, reach and community outreach of the hospital.

“We have not distributed the award instead we found the excellence of the organisation and then recognised them. For me, an award worthy CEO is a person who is financially viable and is able to satisfy the patients.”

The winners will be announced at the BW Businessworld Hospital Summit and Awards, which will be held in the national capital on 3rd May.

Business Standard |

First batch of doctors from Wayanad Medical College enter medical service

Governor Justice (Retd.) P Sathasivam, the Chancellor of KUHAS will award MBBS degrees to the first batch students of the DM Wayanad Institute of Medical Sciences (DM WIMS), on Saturday, 6th April, in a grand ceremony at Naseera Nagar.

Prof MKC Nair, Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Health Sciences, will be the chief guest of the function. DM WIMS has received permanent recognition of the Medical Council of India and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. This was announced by Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman, Aster DM Healthcare and DM Education and Research Foundation, at Kochi today.

Started in 2013, DM WIMS Medical College could script great success in a short span of time, with the first batch of students securing 96 per cent pass in the final year MBBS examination conducted by the Kerala University of Health Sciences in 2018 with 33 first classes. The top-performing students of the batch, who excelled in the examination, will be presented with gold medals on the occasion.

Apart from the Medical College, DM WIMS has also started Nursing & Pharmacy Colleges. As Wayanad has a large number of Tribal and BPL population, by implementing many government schemes, through the Medical College Hospital, the Trust was providing high-quality healthcare services, free of cost to many people in the district.

The institute also has successfully implemented various social welfare projects, including Kudumbashree - WIMS Arogya Shyaktheekarana Scheme (KWAS), health protection scheme with Muppainad Grama Panchayat and free delivery treatment for tribal women, medical camps, BLS training etc. In recognition of its social welfare projects, the institute was honoured by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Association of Health Providers of India (AHPI) at the national level.

Business Wire |

First Batch of Doctors From Wayanad Medical College Enter Medical Service

Governor Justice (Retd.) Shri P. Sathasivam, the Chancellor of KUHAS will award MBBS degrees to the first batch students of the DM Wayanad Institute of Medical Sciences (DM WIMS), on Saturday, 6th April, in a grand ceremony at Naseera Nagar. Prof. M. K. C. Nair, Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Health Sciences, will be the chief guest of the function. DM WIMS has received permanent recognition of the Medical Council of India and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. This was announced by Dr. Azad Moopen, Chairman, Aster DM Healthcare and DM Education and Research Foundation, at Kochi today.
Started in 2013, DM WIMS Medical College could script great success in a short span of time, with first batch of students securing 96 per cent pass in the final year MBBS examination conducted by the Kerala University of Health Sciences in 2018 with 33 first class. The top-performing students of the batch, who excelled in the examination, will be presented with gold medals on the occasion.
Apart from the Medical College, DM WIMS has also started Nursing & Pharmacy Colleges. As Wayanad has large number of Tribal and BPL population, by implementing many government schemes, through the Medical College Hospital, the Trust was providing high-quality healthcare services, free of cost to many people in the district. The hospital has a bed capacity of 700+ beds and a daily patient visit of more than 1000.
The institute also has successfully implemented various social welfare projects, including Kudumbashree - WIMS Arogya Shyaktheekarana Scheme (KWAS), health protection scheme with Muppainad Grama Panchayat and free delivery treatment for tribal women, medical camps, BLS training etc. In recognition of its social welfare projects, the institute was honoured by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Association of Health Providers of India (AHPI) at the national level.
Dr. Antony Sylvan D'Souza, Dean of DM WIMS said that DM WIMS, in a short span of time could make great inroads in the healthcare sector in Wayanad and neighbouring areas such as Gudalur Gundalpet and Coorg. The desire of the Trust is to place DM WIMS to be one among the top 10 private medical colleges in the country by 2025.
Dr. Harish Pillai, CEO - Aster Hospitals & Clinics in India, was also present at the press conference.

About Aster DM Healthcare

Aster DM Healthcare Limited is one of the largest private healthcare service providers operating in multiple GCC states and is an emerging healthcare player in India. With an inherent emphasis on clinical excellence the Company is one of the few entities in the world with a strong presence across primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary healthcare through its 21 hospitals, 113 clinics and 219 pharmacies. These are manned by our 17,800+ employees from across the geographies that we are present in, delivering on a simple yet strong promise to its people: “We’ll treat you well.” We reach out to all economic segments in the GCC states through our differentiated healthcare services across the “Aster”, “Medcare” and “Access” brands.

ET Healthworld |

PPP in digital health solutions can catalyse Ayushman Bharat: Commerce Secretary

India is well positioned to offer exemplary digital health solutions through public private partnerships, especially when it has launched the world's largest healthcare programme Ayushman Bharat, a senior government official said on Thursday.

However, this will be possible only with accountable and outcome-oriented models of engagement, said Anup Wadhawan, Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He was addressing a roundtable organised by industry body FICCI.

Wadhawan said PPPs in digital health have already started addressing many key challenges. Thus a platform must be established to continue engagement between the government and the private sector while keeping patients at the centre of such discussions.

The PPP models should aim at harnessing the strengths and equitably distribute risks of the partners, said Wadhawan. The government has acknowledged health information as one of the key dimensions of health systems. Several initiatives have been launched including notification of electronic health records, National eHealth Authority (NeHA), Integrated Health Information Programme (IHIP) and National Health Stack (NHS).

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, urged the private sector to establish a platform where promising innovations in digital health can be showcased for adoption as PPPs.

The roundtable brought together about 35 experts representing leading hospital groups, diagnostic labs, medical technology companies, healthcare IT companies and health insurers.

Business Standard |

PPP in digital health solutions can catalyse Ayushman Bharat: Commerce Secretary

India is well positioned to offer exemplary digital health solutions through public private partnerships, especially when it has launched the world's largest healthcare programme Ayushman Bharat, a senior government official said on Thursday.

However, this will be possible only with accountable and outcome-oriented models of engagement, said Anup Wadhawan, Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He was addressing a roundtable organised by industry body FICCI.

Wadhawan said PPPs in digital health have already started addressing many key challenges. Thus a platform must be established to continue engagement between the government and the private sector while keeping patients at the centre of such discussions.

The PPP models should aim at harnessing the strengths and equitably distribute risks of the partners, said Wadhawan. The government has acknowledged health information as one of the key dimensions of health systems. Several initiatives have been launched including notification of electronic health records, National eHealth Authority (NeHA), Integrated Health Information Programme (IHIP) and National Health Stack (NHS).

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, urged the private sector to establish a platform where promising innovations in digital health can be showcased for adoption as PPPs.

The roundtable brought together about 35 experts representing leading hospital groups, diagnostic labs, medical technology companies, healthcare IT companies and health insurers.

Business Standard |

India well positioned to give exemplary Digital Health Solutions through PPPs

Immediately following the 4th Summit of Global Digital Health Partnership (GDHP), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India along with WHO and George Institute for Global Health, organised the International Digital Health Symposium and Exhibition in New Delhi yesterday. Anup Wadhawan, Secretary- Ministry of Commerce & Industry, GoI, brought together about 35 experts from across the country representing leading hospital groups, diagnostic labs, medical technology companies, healthcare IT companies and health insurers. The participants discussed in detail important aspects of mainstreaming PPPs in Digital Health to address the challenges of our health system.

The Industry Roundtable on 'Enabling Environment for PPPs (Public Private Partnerships) in Digital Health' was organised by FICCI. With the underlying note that PPPs should aim to harness the strengths and equitably distribute risks of the partners, Anup Wadhawan stated that India is very well positioned to give the world exemplary digital health solutions through PPPs, especially when India has launched the world?s largest healthcare programme- Ayushman Bharat. But it is possible only with accountable and outcome-oriented models of engagement."

He further added that Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in digital health have already started addressing many key challenges, therefore, a platform must be established to continue and strengthen dialogues and engagement between the government and the private sector, keeping patients at the centre of such discussions. The government has acknowledged health information as one of the key dimensions of the health systems and has launched several initiatives in the field of Digital Health, including notification of EHR standards (in 2013; revised in 2016), National eHealth Authority (NeHA), Integrated Health Information Program (IHIP)and more recently National Health Stack (NHS).

Deccan Chronicle |

PPP in digital health solutions can catalyse Ayushman Bharat: Commerce Secretary

India is well positioned to offer exemplary digital health solutions through public private partnerships, especially when it has launched the world’s largest healthcare programme Ayushman Bharat, a senior government official said on Thursday.

However, this will be possible only with accountable and outcome-oriented models of engagement, said Anup Wadhawan, Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He was addressing a roundtable organised by industry body FICCI.

Wadhawan said PPPs in digital health have already started addressing many key challenges. Thus a platform must be established to continue engagement between the government and the private sector while keeping patients at the centre of such discussions.

The PPP models should aim at harnessing the strengths and equitably distribute risks of the partners, said Wadhawan.

The government has acknowledged health information as one of the key dimensions of health systems. Several initiatives have been launched including notification of electronic health records, National eHealth Authority (NeHA), Integrated Health Information Programme (IHIP) and National Health Stack (NHS).

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, urged the private sector to establish a platform where promising innovations in digital health can be showcased for adoption as PPPs.

The roundtable brought together about 35 experts representing leading hospital groups, diagnostic labs, medical technology companies, healthcare IT companies and health insurers.

webindia123 |

PPP in digital health solutions can catalyse Ayushman Bharat: Commerce Secretary

India is well positioned to offer exemplary digital health solutions through public private partnerships, especially when it has launched the worlds largest healthcare programme Ayushman Bharat, a senior government official said on Thursday.

However, this will be possible only with accountable and outcome-oriented models of engagement, said Anup Wadhawan, Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He was addressing a roundtable organised by industry body FICCI.

Wadhawan said PPPs in digital health have already started addressing many key challenges. Thus a platform must be established to continue engagement between the government and the private sector while keeping patients at the centre of such discussions.

The PPP models should aim at harnessing the strengths and equitably distribute risks of the partners, said Wadhawan. The government has acknowledged health information as one of the key dimensions of health systems. Several initiatives have been launched including notification of electronic health records, National eHealth Authority (NeHA), Integrated Health Information Programme (IHIP) and National Health Stack (NHS).

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, urged the private sector to establish a platform where promising innovations in digital health can be showcased for adoption as PPPs.

The roundtable brought together about 35 experts representing leading hospital groups, diagnostic labs, medical technology companies, healthcare IT companies and health insurers.

newKerala.com |

PPP in digital health solutions can catalyse Ayushman Bharat: Commerce Secretary

India is well positioned to offer exemplary digital health solutions through public private partnerships, especially when it has launched the world's largest healthcare programme Ayushman Bharat, a senior government official said on Thursday.

However, this will be possible only with accountable and outcome-oriented models of engagement, said Anup Wadhawan, Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He was addressing a roundtable organised by industry body FICCI.

Wadhawan said PPPs in digital health have already started addressing many key challenges. Thus a platform must be established to continue engagement between the government and the private sector while keeping patients at the centre of such discussions.

The PPP models should aim at harnessing the strengths and equitably distribute risks of the partners, said Wadhawan. The government has acknowledged health information as one of the key dimensions of health systems. Several initiatives have been launched including notification of electronic health records, National eHealth Authority (NeHA), Integrated Health Information Programme (IHIP) and National Health Stack (NHS).

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, urged the private sector to establish a platform where promising innovations in digital health can be showcased for adoption as PPPs.

The roundtable brought together about 35 experts representing leading hospital groups, diagnostic labs, medical technology companies, healthcare IT companies and health insurers.

ANI |

PPP in digital health solutions can catalyse Ayushman Bharat: Commerce

India is well positioned to offer exemplary digital health solutions through public private partnerships, especially when it has launched the world’s largest healthcare programme Ayushman Bharat, a senior government official said on Thursday.

However, this will be possible only with accountable and outcome-oriented models of engagement, said Anup Wadhawan, Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He was addressing a roundtable organised by industry body FICCI.

Wadhawan said PPPs in digital health have already started addressing many key challenges. Thus a platform must be established to continue engagement between the government and the private sector while keeping patients at the centre of such discussions.

The PPP models should aim at harnessing the strengths and equitably distribute risks of the partners, said Wadhawan.

The government has acknowledged health information as one of the key dimensions of health systems. Several initiatives have been launched including notification of electronic health records, National eHealth Authority (NeHA), Integrated Health Information Programme (IHIP) and National Health Stack (NHS).

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, urged the private sector to establish a platform where promising innovations in digital health can be showcased for adoption as PPPs.

The roundtable brought together about 35 experts representing leading hospital groups, diagnostic labs, medical technology companies, healthcare IT companies and health insurers.

Financial Express |

Budget 2019 India: PM Modi must take these steps to boost healthcare sector

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has from time to time stressed on the importance of having a healthy lifestyle and providing quality treatment to all citizens residing in every nook and corner of the country. With roughly 5.8 million Indians succumbing to heart and lung diseases, stroke, cancer and diabetes every year, the central government should focus on long term financing option for healthcare sector in the Union Budget 2019, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) has suggested in its pre-Budget 2019 memorandum.

The Centre has already launched PM Modi’s flagship Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM), which was renamed the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan (PMJAY), in September last. The ambitious scheme aims at providing coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually and is aimed at benefiting more than 10 crore poor families. Till December over six lakh people have received treatment, as per Union Health Minister J P Nadda.

However, FICCI has made recommendations for the Centre to consider in Budget 2019. These are “Long Term Financing Option for Healthcare Sector”, “Provide Specific Funds within Health Sector”, “Provide for Liberalized FDI Regime for Investments in Medical Education”, “Set up Health Infrastructure Fund and Medical Innovation Fund”, and “Provide Import duty relief for lifesaving equipment”.

The FICCI has suggested that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare needs to work out a solution along with the Ministry of Finance to provide long term financing to the healthcare sector citing this would channelize funds from the banking sector to create necessary healthcare infrastructure and enable development of innovative long-term financing structures for healthcare providers. The FICCI has suggested that the Centre that healthcare sector should be accorded ‘National Priority’ status.

To improve access, availability and quality of healthcare in Tier 2, Tier 3 and rural areas, the centre should provide specific funds within the Health Sector in Budget 2019. ICCI said there is a strong need for a liberalised FDI Regime for investments relating to Medical Education and training to bridge the huge demand-supply gap and meet global norms. In Budget 2019, the central government should make the import duty on lifesaving equipment consistently low or even exempt lifesaving equipment from duty completely to ensure lower cost of healthcare services delivery to the common man, the FICCI said.

Bio Spectrum |

FICCI welcomes govt's move to accord 'industry status' to hospitals

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has welcomed the Government's announcement of according 'industry status' to private hospitals, along with support for land acquisition, clearances and funding, to boost expansion of healthcare infrastructure in tier 2 and 3 cities.

The announcement follows the launch of Ayushman Bharat PMJAY in September 2018, which aims to provide 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families (nearly 50 crore beneficiaries) with an annual cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

Welcoming the move by the government and highlighting the need for more healthcare delivery organisations to ensure access under PMJAY, Sangita Reddy- Senior VP, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd said, "In India, skewed distribution of hospital beds, with their heavy concentration in the metros has long been a challenge in reaching the last mile with quality healthcare provision. This opportune step by the government strongly reinforces private healthcare providers' commitment towards improving access to quality care." She added that "FICCI's Health Services Committee has been advocating for more than a decade for long term financing options and viability gap funding for healthcare sector and it is heartening to see it shaping into reality".

In the last decade, 70% of the new bed capacity additions were in the private sector, which also caters to 70% of in-patient and 60% of out-patient healthcare services in the country. Appreciating the intent of the government to build an enabling environment for successful implementation of PMJAY, (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal- Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and CMD, Dr Lal PathLabs Ltd said, "The key to engage more private healthcare organisations will be a viable model for their sustainability. The new hospitals which will be mandated to empanel under PMJAY should be allowed to charge other patients who can afford to pay as per market rates, as the current PMJAY package rates may not be sustainable to set up and run operations in such locations".

Speaking from his experience in setting up and operating hospitals in non-metro cities, Dr Alok Roy- Co-chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, "Through incentives like viability gap funding of up to 40% of the total project cost and gap funding of up to 50% of tax on capital cost, the government is providing opportunity for emergence of innovative hospital formats, such as no-frill high quality hospitals."

Apart from aiding expansion of bed capacity, the new hospitals will open avenues for employment in tier 2 and 3 cities, in the healthcare sector.

Financial Express |

How to bring private hospitals on-board Modi’s Ayushman Bharat: FICCI has this suggestion

Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s proposal that hospitals be accorded industry status under the ambitious Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme has got a warm response from industry. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has welcomed the proposal, along with some suggestions to improve the scope of the scheme.

Amid widespread reports that private hospitals are not too keen to partner the government in providing healthcare services under Ayushman Bharat, Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and CMD, Dr Lal PathLabs Ltd said that the current PMJAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana) package rates may not be sustainable to set up and run operations in some locations.

“The key to engage more private healthcare organisations will be a viable model for their sustainability,” Arvind Lal said, adding: “The new hospitals which will be mandated to empanel under PMJAY should be allowed to charge other patients who can afford to pay as per market rates.”

“FICCI’s Health Services Committee has been advocating for more than a decade for long term financing options and viability gap funding (VGP) for the healthcare sector and it is heartening to see it shaping into reality,” said Sangita Reddy, Senior VP, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd.

Reddy also pointed out the sorry state of hospital beds in India as they are concentrated only in the metros, thus making quality healthcare provision lesser reachable in other places. “This opportune step by the government strongly reinforces private healthcare providers’ commitment towards improving access to quality care,” she added.

The industry status will help hospitals with land acquisition, clearances and funding and is expected to boost the expansion of healthcare infrastructure in tier 2 and 3 cities. Also, hospitals are expected to empanel under PMJAY.

Ayushman Bharat is PM Modi’s pet scheme which aims to take healthcare to India’s most poor people. The benefit of the scheme will extend to over 10 crore poor families who otherwise could not afford expensive medical treatments. Ayushman Bharat provides for a medical insurance cover of up to Rs 5 lakh rupees per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

APN News |

Shalby Hospital bags FICCI Award for Medical value travel in joint replacements

Ahmedabad-based Shalby Hospitals has won the Medical Value Travel Specialist Hospital Award 2018 in the category of “Orthopaedics – Joint Replacement” given by FICCI during the Advantage Health Care India 2018 summit, jointly organized by the industry body FICCI and the Ministry of Commerce &

Dr. Vikram Shah, Founder & CMD, Shalby Hospitals, said: “We are honoured to receive the Medical Value Travel Specialist Hospital Award from FICCI recognizing our excellence in joint replacements and attracting medical tourists from around the world. We began our journey in 1994 with a six-bed hospital and a single speciality – orthopaedics. Today, Shalby enjoys the credit of performing over 100,000 joint replacement surgeries, emerging as India’s Number One hospital in this area. Over the years, we have evolved into a multi-specialty hospitals chain with 11 hospitals with an aggregate bed capacity of 2,000. The FICCI award recognises Shalby Hospitals’ innovative approaches to expert healthcare and reaffirms our ability to deliver world-class healthcare services to our patients.”

Shalby in its journey of 25 years has treated thousands of international patients from countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Rwanda, Malawi, Madagascar, Indonesia, Nepal and the Middle-East, apart from developed countries like the UK and US.

Moving with the mission to make available expert healthcare at doorsteps to a larger segment of Indian population, especially people residing in tier-II and tier-III cities where they were deprived of such advanced medical facilities, Shalby under the leadership of Dr. Vikram I. Shah, Founder & CMD, has established its most modern multi-specialty hospitals in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Maharashtra.

Bio Voice News |

Govt has set aside 5k crore for enancing services including healthcare: Suresh Prabhu

Mr Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, has stated that government is committed to providing quality health care within the country and outside through promoting the service sector.

Speaking via video conferencing at the ‘Advantage Health Care – India 2018’ (4th International Summit on Medical Value Travel) organized by FICCI jointly with the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, Mr Prabhu said, “We have set aside almost Rs 5,000 Cr or approximately 700 million dollars for enhancing the overall services sector including healthcare.”

Mr Sudhanshu Pandey, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, said that it is extremely important that the healthcare facilities are affordable as only then more and more people can access quality healthcare. “Our efforts in India have been to reduce the cost of healthcare services, while we take our journey towards universal coverage, we try to offer and share our resources with the global citizens,” he added.

He further said that India itself carries a very large disease burden and is trying to come up with programs and policies, latest one being Ayushman Bharat Scheme, where effort have been made to extend a wide insurance coverage to the Indian citizens numbering over 500 million so that they can have access to better health care facilities.

Advantage Health Care India – 2018 aims to present India as the most preferred healthcare destination for patients from across the globe. The idea behind the summit is to provide an opportunity for India to showcase its immense pool of medical capabilities as well as help develop opportunities for healthcare collaborations between the participating countries. Visitors and delegates from over 71 countries are participating in the Summit.

Ms Sangita Reddy, Vice President, FICCI & Executive Director Apollo Hospitals Group said, “India is unparalleled in delivering quality medical care at one tenth of the global cost, and aims to transform this sector so that India becomes an epicenter of Medical Value Travel.” She further added that we will continue to work on better facilities, translation, food, and outstanding medical services for our foreign patients. Our doors are open, our hearts are open, and our facilities are on par with the best.

Dr Devlina Chakravarty, Co-Chair-FICCI MVT Committee & MD, Artemis Hospitals said that India has more than 1600 NABH accredited facilities, & 32 JCI accredited hospitals. “Cost is not the only differentiator for India when it comes to medical value travel, we’re also known for our talent,” she added.

On the occasion ‘FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper on Medical Tourism in India’ was also released by FICCI in association with Ernst and Young.

The dignitaries at the two-day conference and exhibition included Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI; Dr Shohani Ramzi, Head International Relation, Health Ministry of Iraq; Mr Suranjan Gupta, Executive Director, EEPC India; Dr Harish Pillai, Co-Chair – FICCI MVT Committee & CEO Aster Hospitals & Clinics, India at Aster DM Healthcare.

Bio Voice News |

India among most preferred countries for medical treatments globally: FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper

Asia accounts for the 58 percent share of total disease burden, while Africa stands at 24 percent, indicating the disease burden stress to be highly prominent in Asian region. This was one of the key takeaways of the ‘FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper on Medical Tourism in India’ released by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in association with Ernst and Young.

As per report, the largest disease burden comes from cardiovascular diseases which accounts for 14-15 percent of the total. This is followed by cancers, mental and neurological disorders, new born complications and other NCDs. Diarrhea and other infectious disease also account for 10 percent.

The report was released at the ‘Advantage Health Care – India 2018’ (4th International Summit on Medical Value Travel) organized by FICCI jointly with the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India on 4th December at Noida in Delhi-NCR.

‘FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper on Medical Tourism in India’: Key takeaways of the report:
  • Medical Value Travel (MVT) is a burgeoning multi-billion dollar industry and likely to grow higher due to many benefits offered to patients.
  • 95 percent of the medical travelers from Africa prefer travelling to Asia for medical treatments. A high-quality treatment at lower healthcare costs coupled with the possibility to travel to exotic places made Asia the preferred region for foreign medical travelers
  • India, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore are the most preferred countries for medical treatments globally due to advanced quality healthcare and affordable healthcare costs
  • Countries like Costa Rica, Mexico, Barbados and Antigua are expanding their services faster thus attracting patients from North America and Europe. The UAE is also developing itself as MVT hub by promoting developments in Dubai. Huge amounts of investment have been made in Dubai by the government, as it envisages itself as the medical hub in coming years
  • The lowest spending by the government has been observed in countries like Bangladesh and Myanmar indicating inadequate medical infrastructure. Thus, the inadequate infrastructure in source countries and higher prices of healthcare in developed economies like US and Canada, becomes the high potential region where India can focus for the development of MVT.

Business Medical Dialogues |

India’s medical value travel industry needs more measures: FICCI- EY Report

Steps such as infrastructure building, relaxing visa regulations and targeted outreach programmes would help in promoting medical value travel industry in India, according to a FICCI-EY report.

The report said that India is one of the major destinations for medical value travel (MVT) as the total number of foreign tourist arrivals on medical visa has increased.

It said that currently about 60 per cent of the MVT landing in India is based on word of mouth.

Hence, there is a need to make targeted outreach like “Heal in India,” as such branding will help attract patients from other countries, it said.

It also asked the commerce ministry to help make the sector more organised by taking steps like target group based streamlining of visa regulations without jeopardizing nation’s security.

"The Department of Commerce may support ‘Mission Mode’ programme under the dedicated implementing agency for effective coordination and implementation,” it said.

It added that ‘Heal in India’ campaign can focus on emerging countries to attract MVT patients.

Meanwhile speaking at ‘Advantage Health Care – India 2018’ summit in Greater Noida, Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu in a video message said that the government has set aside Rs 5,000 crore for enhancing the overall services sector including healthcare.

Vietnam Plus |

Vietnam attends medical tourism expo in India

The advantage healthcare fair and an international conference on value of medical tourism opened in India’s Uttar Pradesh state on December 4.

Organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), the event drew more than 200 international businesses, mainly from Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and South Asia.

Representatives from Vietnam’s Ministry of Health, hospitals, medical establishments, tourism trade promotion centres, and travel companies participated in the fair.

On display were equipment, technologies, and services for both medical research, teaching, and examinations, as well as for manufacturing pharmaceutical products.

A roundtable conference between delegates and businesses of participating countries and the Indian Minister of Health will be held as part of the event to discuss the value of medical travel and its prospects.

It also presents an opportunity to sign cooperation agreements between Indian agencies and enterprises with foreign partners.

International delegates will also have an opportunity to visit some hospitals in India to study their infrastructure and quality of medical examinations and treatment.

Medical tourism has been emerging as one of the fastest growing fields in the tourism sector.

According to a report by the FICCI and IMS Health – an American company that provides information, services, and technology for the healthcare industry – India is one of the most attractive medical travel destinations in Asia with the treatment of over 500,000 foreign patients.

India could gross 9 billion USD in revenue from this segment in 2020 and its government is aiming to turn the country into a global healthcare hub.

The Pioneer |

Govt committed to provide quality healthcare: Prabhu

Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, on Tuesday said that Government is committed to providing quality healthcare within the country and outside through promoting the service sector.

Speaking through video-conferencing at the ‘Advantage Health Care — India 2018’ (4th International Summit on Medical Value Travel) he said, “We have set aside almost Rs 5,000 crore or approximately 700 million dollars for enhancing the overall services sector including healthcare.”

According to Sudhanshu Pandey, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, providing affordable and accessible healthcare facilities is extremely.

“Our efforts in India have been to reduce the cost of healthcare services, while we take our journey towards universal coverage, we try to offer and share our resources with the global citizens,” he said.

The experts present in the conference also said that India is unmatched when it comes to giving cost effective medical treatment to foreign patients.

Sangita Reddy, Vice President, FICCI & Executive Director Apollo Hospitals Group said, “India is unparalleled in delivering quality medical care at one tenth of the global cost, and aims to transform this sector so that India becomes an epicenter of Medical Value Travel.”

India does not only provide cost effective treatment but the quality is also not compromised upon, said the experts.

On the occasion ‘FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper on Medical Tourism in India’ was also released by FICCI in association with Ernst and Young.

The dignitaries at the two-day conference and exhibition included Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI; Dr Shohani Ramzi, Head International Relation, Health Ministry of Iraq; Suranjan Gupta, Executive Director, EEPC India; Dr Harish Pillai, Co-Chair — FICCI Medical Value Tourism (MVT) Committee & CEO Aster Hospitals & Clinics, India at Aster DM Healthcare.

The event is being organised by FICCI jointly with the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.

EENADU INDIA |

To boost medical tourism govt organises an International Summit

India has set aside 5,000 crores or US $ 700 million for enhancing the overall healthcare sector, said Suresh Prabhu at the International summit on medical tourism on Wednesday.

Talking exclusively to Etv Bharat, Sudhanshu Pandey, additional secretary of commerce department, said that the government has encouraged more and more hospitals to go for NABH acctedition and more than 1500 hospitals in India are NABH accredited.

Talking about the government's role in boosting medical tourism, he said that they have consistently brought in new policy and programmes like the 4rth edition of the summit organised.

Answering about if the market in India would increase, he said that healthcare facilities all over the world is expensive and would not give India an edge if cost is increased. Moreover on increase in medical tourism, requirements for doctors, nurses, lab attendents would also increase.

India provides medical facilities at 1/10th of the cost of what others provide which should serve as an advantage for the country which is looking to attract medical travellers.

Talking about the shortage of doctors, Mr Pandey said that the government has asked all the state governments to provide at lest one medical college in every district so that the numbers can be doubled in coming 5-7 years. Commenting on recent reports of faulty implants, he saif that healtha and price regulators are looking into the matter for more stringent rules and regulations.

Health ministers of various countries like Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran have also come for the summit. They have signed the agreements with various hospitals to send their patients to India. India and Rawanda are also working on insurance schemes for the patients so that patients from Rawanda could come to India and get facilities which are not available in their country.

Ms Sangeeta Reddy, Vice President of FICCI, talking about the role of FICCI said that it has worked to showcase quality accredited providers to international community which would encourage B2B partnerships. To facilitate medical tourism government has easen the norms like providing visas faster now, medical visas at priority, patients don't need to physically go to the police station to report but would just have to file an online report, facilitation desk is going to be created in 7 major cities where international patients can come.

All this would lead to comfort of the mediacal travellers.

FICCI in collaboration with Department of Commerce, Commerce ministry, organised Advantage Healthcare India- 2018 today to showcase India as the best healthcare provider and encourage different countries to send their patients to India for treatment.

Around 450 participants had come from 70+ countries to see what India has to offer. Health ministers of various countries like Afghanistan and Iraq were also present and are expected to have dialogues.

Devdiscourse |

'Heal in India': Report asks Centre to up its game on medical tourism

Steps such as infrastructure building, relaxing visa regulations and targeted outreach programmes would help in promoting medical value travel industry in India, according to a FICCI-EY report.

The report said that India is one of the major destinations for medical value travel (MVT) as the total number of foreign tourist arrivals on medical visa has increased.

It said that currently about 60 per cent of the MVT landing in India is based on word of mouth.

Hence, there is a need to make targeted outreach like "Heal in India," as such branding will help attract patients from other countries, it said.

It also asked the commerce ministry to help make the sector more organised by taking steps like target group based streamlining of visa regulations without jeopardizing nation's security.

"The Department of Commerce may support 'Mission Mode' programme under dedicated implementing agency for effective co-ordination and implementation," it said.

It added that 'Heal in India' campaign can focus on emerging countries to attract MVT patients.

Meanwhile speaking at 'Advantage Health Care - India 2018' summit in Greater Noida, Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu in a video message said that the government has set aside Rs 5,000 crore for enhancing the overall services sector including healthcare.

Business Standard |

India's medical value travel industry needs more measures: Report

Steps such as infrastructure building, relaxing visa regulations and targeted outreach programmes would help in promoting medical value travel industry in India, according to a FICCI-EY report.

The report said that India is one of the major destinations for medical value travel (MVT) as the total number of foreign tourist arrivals on medical visa has increased.

It said that currently about 60 per cent of the MVT landing in India is based on word of mouth.

Hence, there is a need to make targeted outreach like "Heal in India," as such branding will help attract patients from other countries, it said.

It also asked the commerce ministry to help make the sector more organised by taking steps like target group based streamlining of visa regulations without jeopardizing nation's security.

"The Department of Commerce may support 'Mission Mode' programme under dedicated implementing agency for effective co-ordination and implementation," it said.

It added that 'Heal in India' campaign can focus on emerging countries to attract MVT patients.

Meanwhile speaking at 'Advantage Health Care - India 2018' summit in Greater Noida, Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu in a video message said that the government has set aside Rs 5,000 crore for enhancing the overall services sector including healthcare.

SME Times |

Govt committed to promote healthcare sector: Prabhu

Union Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu on Tuesday said government is committed to providing quality health care within the country and outside through promoting the service sector.

Speaking via video conferencing at an event organised by FICCI, Prabhu said, "We have set aside almost Rs 5,000 Cr or approximately 700 million dollars for enhancing the overall services sector including healthcare."

Sudhanshu Pandey, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, said that it is extremely important that the healthcare facilities are affordable as only then more and more people can access quality healthcare.

"Our efforts in India have been to reduce the cost of healthcare services, while we take our journey towards universal coverage, we try to offer and share our resources with the global citizens," he added.

He further said that India itself carries a very large disease burden and is trying to come up with programs and policies, latest one being Ayushman Bharat Scheme, where effort have been made to extend a wide insurance coverage to the Indian citizens numbering over 500 million so that they can have access to better health care facilities.

Sangita Reddy, Vice President, FICCI & Executive Director Apollo Hospitals Group said, "India is unparalleled in delivering quality medical care at one tenth of the global cost, and aims to transform this sector so that India becomes an epicenter of Medical Value Travel."

She further added that we will continue to work on better facilities, translation, food, and outstanding medical services for our foreign patients. Our doors are open, our hearts are open, and our facilities are on par with the best.

Devlina Chakravarty, Co-Chair-FICCI MVT Committee & MD, Artemis Hospitals said that India has more than 1600 NABH accredited facilities, & 32 JCI accredited hospitals.

"Cost is not the only differentiator for India when it comes to medical value travel, we are also known for our talent," she added.

On the occasion 'FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper on Medical Tourism in India' was also released by FICCI in association with Ernst and Young.

Outlook |

India's medical value travel industry needs more measures: Report

Steps such as infrastructure building, relaxing visa regulations and targeted outreach programmes would help in promoting medical value travel industry in India, according to a FICCI-EY report.

The report said that India is one of the major destinations for medical value travel (MVT) as the total number of foreign tourist arrivals on medical visa has increased.

It said that currently about 60 per cent of the MVT landing in India is based on word of mouth.

Hence, there is a need to make targeted outreach like "Heal in India," as such branding will help attract patients from other countries, it said.

It also asked the commerce ministry to help make the sector more organised by taking steps like target group based streamlining of visa regulations without jeopardizing nation's security.

"The Department of Commerce may support 'Mission Mode' programme under dedicated implementing agency for effective co-ordination and implementation," it said.

It added that 'Heal in India' campaign can focus on emerging countries to attract MVT patients.

Meanwhile speaking at 'Advantage Health Care - India 2018' summit in Greater Noida, Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu in a video message said that the government has set aside Rs 5,000 crore for enhancing the overall services sector including healthcare.

United News of India |

Government committed to providing quality healthcare within & outside country: Suresh Prabhu

Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu said on Tuesday that the government was committed to providing quality health care within the country and outside through promoting the service sector.

Speaking via video conferencing at the ‘Advantage Health Care - India 2018’ (4th International Summit on Medical Value Travel) organised by FICCI jointly with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Mr Prabhu said, “We have set aside almost Rs 5,000 crore or approximately 700 million dollars for enhancing the overall services sector including healthcare.”

Mr Sudhanshu Pandey, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said that it was extremely important that the healthcare facilities were affordable as only then more and more people can access quality healthcare.

“Our efforts in India have been to reduce the cost of healthcare services, while we take our journey towards universal coverage, we try to offer and share our resources with the global citizens,” he added.

He further said that India itself carries a very large disease burden and was trying to come up with programmes and policies, latest one being Ayushman Bharat Scheme, where effort have been made to extend a wide insurance coverage to the Indian citizens numbering over 500 million so that they can have access to better health care facilities.

Ms Sangita Reddy, Vice President, FICCI & Executive Director Apollo Hospitals Group said, “India is unparalleled in delivering quality medical care at one tenth of the global cost, and aims to transform this sector so that India becomes an epicenter of Medical Value Travel.”
On the occasion ‘FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper on Medical Tourism in India’ was also released by FICCI in association with Ernst and Young.

Advantage Health Care India - 2018 aims to present India as the most preferred healthcare destination for patients from across the globe. The idea behind the summit is to provide an opportunity for India to showcase its immense pool of medical capabilities as well as help develop opportunities for healthcare collaborations between the participating countries.
Visitors and delegates from over 71 countries are participating in the Summit.

According to the report, Asia accounts for the 58 per cent share of total disease burden, while Africa stands at 24 per cent, indicating the disease burden stress to be highly prominent in Asian region

The largest disease burden comes from cardiovascular diseases which accounts for 14-15 per cent of the total. This is followed by cancers, mental and neurological disorders, new born complications and other NCDs. Diarrhea and other infectious disease also account for 10 per cent.

Medical Value Travel (MVT) is a burgeoning multi-billion dollar industry and likely to grow higher due to many benefits offered to patients.

A total 95 per cent of the medical travelers from Africa prefer travelling to Asia for medical treatment. A high-quality treatment at lower healthcare costs coupled with the possibility to travel to exotic places made Asia the preferred region for foreign medical travelers, the report said.

India, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore are the most preferred countries for medical treatments globally due to advanced quality healthcare and affordable healthcare costs, according to an official statement here.

News Patroling |

Government committed to providing quality Healthcare

Mr Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, today said that government is committed to providing quality health care within the country and outside through promoting the service sector.

Speaking via video conferencing at the ‘Advantage Health Care – India 2018’ (4th International Summit on Medical Value Travel) organised by FICCI jointly with theDepartment of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, Mr Prabhu said, “We have set aside almost Rs 5,000 Cr or approximately 700 million dollars for enhancing the overall services sector including healthcare.”

Mr Sudhanshu Pandey, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, said that it is extremely important that the healthcare facilities are affordable as only then more and more people can access quality healthcare. “Our efforts in India have been to reduce the cost of healthcare services, while we take our journey towards universal coverage, we try to offer and share our resources with the global citizens,” he added.

He further said that India itself carries a very large disease burden and is trying to come up with programs and policies, latest one being Ayushman Bharat Scheme, where effort have been made to extend a wide insurance coverage to the Indian citizens numbering over 500 million so that they can have access to better health care facilities.

Ms Sangita Reddy, Vice President, FICCI & Executive Director Apollo Hospitals Group said, “India is unparalleled in delivering quality medical care at one tenth of the global cost, and aims to transform this sector so that India becomes an epicenter of Medical Value Travel.” She further added that we will continue to work on better facilities, translation, food, and outstanding medical services for our foreign patients. Our doors are open, our hearts are open, and our facilities are on par with the best.

Dr Devlina Chakravarty, Co-Chair-FICCI MVT Committee & MD, Artemis Hospitals said that India has more than 1600 NABH accredited facilities, & 32 JCI accredited hospitals. “Cost is not the only differentiator for India when it comes to medical value travel, we’re also known for our talent,” she added.

On the occasion ‘FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper on Medical Tourism in India’ was also released by FICCI in association with Ernst and Young.

The dignitaries at the two-day conference and exhibition included Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI; Dr Shohani Ramzi, Head International Relation, Health Ministry of Iraq; Mr Suranjan Gupta, Executive Director, EEPC India; Dr Harish Pillai, Co-Chair – FICCI MVT Committee & CEO Aster Hospitals & Clinics, India at Aster DM Healthcare.

Advantage Health Care India – 2018 aims to present India as the most preferred healthcare destination for patients from across the globe. The idea behind the summit is to provide an opportunity for India to showcase its immense pool of medical capabilities as well as help develop opportunities for healthcare collaborations between the participating countries. Visitors and delegates from over 71 countries are participating in the Summit.

‘FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper on Medical Tourism in India’: Key takeaways of the report:
  1. Asia accounts for the 58% share of total disease burden, while Africa stands at 24%, indicating the disease burden stress to be highly prominent in Asian region
  2. The largest disease burden comes from cardiovascular diseases which accounts for 14-15% of the total. This is followed by cancers, mental and neurological disorders, new born complications and other NCDs. Diarrhea and other infectious disease also account for 10%
  3. MVT is a burgeoning multi-billion dollar industry and likely to grow higher due to many benefits offered to patients
  4. 95% of the medical travelers from Africa prefer travelling to Asia for medical treatments. A high-quality treatment at lower healthcare costs coupled with the possibility to travel to exotic places made Asia the preferred region for foreign medical travelers
  5. India, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore are the most preferred countries for medical treatments globally due to advanced quality healthcare and affordable healthcare costs
  6. Countries like Costa Rica, Mexico, Barbados and Antigua are expanding their services faster thus attracting patients from North America and Europe. The UAE is also developing itself as MVT hub by promoting developments in Dubai. Huge amounts of investment have been made in Dubai by the government, as it envisages itself as the medical hub in coming year
  7. The lowest spending by the government has been observed in countries like Bangladesh and Myanmar indicating inadequate medical infrastructure. Thus, the inadequate infrastructure in source countries and higher prices of healthcare in developed economies like US and Canada, becomes the high potential region where India can focus for the development of MVT.

APN News |

Government committed to providing quality healthcare within the country and outside through promoting healthcare services sector- Suresh Prabhu

Mr Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, today said that government is committed to providing quality health care within the country and outside through promoting the service sector.

Speaking via video conferencing at the ‘Advantage Health Care – India 2018’ (4th International Summit on Medical Value Travel) organised by FICCI jointly with the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, Mr Prabhu said, “We have set aside almost Rs 5,000 Cr or approximately 700 million dollars for enhancing the overall services sector including healthcare.”

Mr Sudhanshu Pandey, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, said that it is extremely important that the healthcare facilities are affordable as only then more and more people can access quality healthcare. “Our efforts in India have been to reduce the cost of healthcare services, while we take our journey towards universal coverage, we try to offer and share our resources with the global citizens,” he added.

He further said that India itself carries a very large disease burden and is trying to come up with programs and policies, latest one being Ayushman Bharat Scheme, where effort have been made to extend a wide insurance coverage to the Indian citizens numbering over 500 million so that they can have access to better health care facilities.

Ms Sangita Reddy, Vice President, FICCI & Executive Director Apollo Hospitals Group said, “India is unparalleled in delivering quality medical care at one tenth of the global cost, and aims to transform this sector so that India becomes an epicenter of Medical Value Travel.” She further added that we will continue to work on better facilities, translation, food, and outstanding medical services for our foreign patients. Our doors are open, our hearts are open, and our facilities are on par with the best.

Dr Devlina Chakravarty, Co-Chair-FICCI MVT Committee & MD, Artemis Hospitals said that India has more than 1600 NABH accredited facilities, & 32 JCI accredited hospitals. “Cost is not the only differentiator for India when it comes to medical value travel, we’re also known for our talent,” she added.

On the occasion ‘FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper on Medical Tourism in India’ was also released by FICCI in association with Ernst and Young.

The dignitaries at the two-day conference and exhibition included Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI; Dr Shohani Ramzi, Head International Relation, Health Ministry of Iraq; Mr Suranjan Gupta, Executive Director, EEPC India; Dr Harish Pillai, Co-Chair – FICCI MVT Committee & CEO Aster Hospitals & Clinics, India at Aster DM Healthcare.

Advantage Health Care India – 2018 aims to present India as the most preferred healthcare destination for patients from across the globe. The idea behind the summit is to provide an opportunity for India to showcase its immense pool of medical capabilities as well as help develop opportunities for healthcare collaborations between the participating countries. Visitors and delegates from over 71 countries are participating in the Summit.

‘FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper on Medical Tourism in India’: Key takeaways of the report:
  1. Asia accounts for the 58% share of total disease burden, while Africa stands at 24%, indicating the disease burden stress to be highly prominent in Asian region
  2. The largest disease burden comes from cardiovascular diseases which accounts for 14-15% of the total. This is followed by cancers, mental and neurological disorders, new born complications and other NCDs. Diarrhea and other infectious disease also account for 10%
  3. MVT is a burgeoning multi-billion dollar industry and likely to grow higher due to many benefits offered to patients
  4. 95% of the medical travelers from Africa prefer travelling to Asia for medical treatments. A high-quality treatment at lower healthcare costs coupled with the possibility to travel to exotic places made Asia the preferred region for foreign medical travelers
  5. India, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore are the most preferred countries for medical treatments globally due to advanced quality healthcare and affordable healthcare costs
  6. Countries like Costa Rica, Mexico, Barbados and Antigua are expanding their services faster thus attracting patients from North America and Europe. The UAE is also developing itself as MVT hub by promoting developments in Dubai. Huge amounts of investment have been made in Dubai by the government, as it envisages itself as the medical hub in coming years
  7. The lowest spending by the government has been observed in countries like Bangladesh and Myanmar indicating inadequate medical infrastructure. Thus, the inadequate infrastructure in source countries and higher prices of healthcare in developed economies like US and Canada, becomes the high potential region where India can focus for the development of MVT.

India Blooms |

India to help people all over the world be healthy and happy: Suresh Prabhu

Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu on Sunday inaugurated the session of the 4th edition of India Heals @Advantage Healthcare India (AHCI 2018) in Mumbai.

The event is being organized by Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC), along with Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India and FICCI.

According to SEPC, India Heals @ AHCI 2018 is a platform to showcase training capabilities of India in Medical, Pharmacy and Nursing sectors and endeavours to connect 250 plus foreign buyers from India’s main export markets to meet with reliable NABH/JCI accredited Hospitals, Clinics, Wellness and AYUSH Centres. Buyers will also visit establishments, tentatively in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Besides India, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Malawi, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Oman, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Ukraine and Uzbekistan are the other countries participating in the event.

Welcoming the delegates from participating countries, the Minister said that with rising life expectancy, the length of life should be commensurate with the quality of life.

"People should be able to stay healthy, thereby enabling them to stay happy and enjoy life. Health care is going to be a very important issue and a major challenge, for future generations," said the Minister.

He said that combating lifestyle diseases will be a bigger concern in the times to come.

"Given this challenge, India has decided to take it as a mission to help people all over the world be healthy and happy, in line with the Indian philosophy of universal brotherhood," said Prabhu.

Prabhu said that India Heals programme is a part of Government’s initiative to provide quality healthcare at affordable cost to everyone.

"Noting that medication is only a small portion of cost in the health care lifecycle, he said there is a need to make the health care lifecycle affordable and better," said he.

In order to do that, one possibility is to identify the root cause of the diseases, which he added is necessary to promote happiness and well-being.

He said that the programmes of the Ministry of AYUSH are aimed at providing a holistic health care solution, keeping this in mind.

"Mind, soul and body must be aligned amongst one another," he said.

Addressing the visiting foreign delegates, the Minister said that India would provide health care services for medical tourists visiting India.

Moreover, Prabhu said that India is very happy to send medical and paramedical professionals from India to their countries in order to provide health care training and improve medical capacity.

Citing the importance of paramedical courses and professionals, the Minister observed that many health conditions can be addressed at the grassroots level and at a tertiary level.

He said that especially with the advent of telemedicine, some cases can be dealt by paramedical professionals, even without a doctor being present.

The Minister spoke of the recent Cabinet decision to set up an institution will play the role of a standard-setter and facilitator for paramedical courses.

He said that the Government is working on a protocol to ensure that medical tourists are not taken for a ride, on their visit to India.

Stating that the highest potential for job creation lies in the services sector, the Minister said that almost 800 million dollars have been set aside by the Government for 12 champion sectors and that the Government would be very happy to work with all stakeholders in taking this forward.

Asian News Service |

India has decided to take it as a mission to help people all over the world be healthy and happy: Suresh Prabhu

With rising life expectancy, the length of life should be commensurate with the quality of life. People should be able to stay healthy, thereby enabling them to stay happy and enjoy life: Union Commerce Minister at India Heals @Advantage Healthcare India

Working on a protocol to ensure that inbound medical tourists are not taken for a ride: Commerce Minister

The Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu was Chief Guest at the inaugural session of the 4th edition of India Heals @Advantage Healthcare India (AHCI 2018) in Mumbai today December 2, 2018. The event is being organized by Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC), along with Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India and FICCI.

According to SEPC, India Heals @ AHCI 2018 is a platform to showcase training capabilities of India in Medical, Pharmacy and Nursing sectors and endeavours to connect 250 plus foreign buyers from India’s main export markets to meet with reliable NABH/JCI accredited Hospitals, Clinics, Wellness and AYUSH Centres. Buyers will also visit establishments, tentatively in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Besides India, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Malawi, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Oman, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Ukraine and Uzbekistan are the other countries participating in the event.

Welcoming the delegates from participating countries, the Minister said that with rising life expectancy, the length of life should be commensurate with the quality of life. People should be able to stay healthy, thereby enabling them to stay happy and enjoy life. Health care is going to be a very important issue and a major challenge, for future generations, said the Minister. He said that combating lifestyle diseases will be a bigger concern in the times to come. Given this challenge, India has decided to take it as a mission to help people all over the world be healthy and happy, in line with the Indian philosophy of universal brotherhood.

Shri Prabhu said that India Heals programme is a part of Government’s initiative to provide quality healthcare at affordable cost to everyone. Noting that medication is only a small portion of cost in the health care lifecycle, he said there is a need to make the health care lifecycle affordable and better. In order to do that, one possibility is to identify the root cause of the diseases, which he added is necessary to promote happiness and well-being. He said that the programmes of the Ministry of AYUSH are aimed at providing a holistic health care solution, keeping this in mind. Mind, soul and body must be aligned amongst one another, he said.

Addressing the visiting foreign delegates, the Minister said that India would provide health care services for medical tourists visiting India. Moreover, Shri Prabhu said that India is very happy to send medical and paramedical professionals from India to their countries in order to provide health care training and improve medical capacity.

Citing the importance of paramedical courses and professionals, the Minister observed that many health conditions can be addressed at the grassroots level and at a tertiary level. He said that especially with the advent of telemedicine, some cases can be dealt by paramedical professionals, even without a doctor being present.

The Minister spoke of the recent Cabinet decision to set up an institution will play the role of a standard-setter and facilitator for paramedical courses. He said that the Government is working on a protocol to ensure that medical tourists are not taken for a ride, on their visit to India.

Stating that the highest potential for job creation lies in the services sector, the Minister said that almost 800 million dollars have been set aside by the Government for 12 champion sectors and that the Government would be very happy to work with all stakeholders in taking this forward.

Director General, SEPC, Ms. Sangeetha Godbole; Chairman, SEPC, Shri Vivek Nair; and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Shri Sudhanshu Pandey were among other dignitaries present.

The New Indian Express |

Private hospitals urged to focus more on poor patients

Dr S Geethalakshmi, Vice-Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University, on Tuesday urged private healthcare providers to work in a more dedicated manner to provide affordable medical facilities to the poor to bridge the disparity available in the health care sector in the state.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the 11th edition of TANCARE, a conference organised by FICCI and Tamil Nadu government in association with The New Indian Express to discuss the key issues faced by the healthcare industry, Geethalakshmi expressed concern over the fact that the underprivileged sections in the State are yet to get appropriate healthcare facilities from the non-government hospitals.

“There are specific guidelines for private hospitals to provide free treatment to certain percentage of the poor and needy persons at the outdoor and indoor facility. But in reality how many hospitals follow and implement it is a worrying question. We need to have a proper regulatory system through which such schemes can be implemented properly in the state,” said Geethalakshmi.

“Along with looking at the profits, the private hospitals should also concentrate on the ethical values of the profession. I would also urge the non-government hospitals to venture into remote areas to provide quality healthcare to the needy,” she added.Delivering the welcome address, chairman of FICCI TNSC, Ar Rm Arun urged the Tamil Nadu government to focus on manufacturing medical devices in the state as it would boost the healthcare industry and immensely benefit the patients also.

Dr V Balaji, convener of the healthcare panel of the FICCI TNSC and senior consultant vascular surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, said, “Events like TANCARE will foster innovative thinking in our healthcare entrepreneurs and it will create awareness about the latest trends in the healthcare industry among the various stake-holders,” said Balaji.On the occasion, different institutions were awarded for the outstanding achievements in the healthcare sector in the state.

Apollo Hospitals, Chennai was awarded in the transforming healthcare category while best government hospital award was bagged by TB Hospital, Thoppur. The government Primary Health Centre at Medavakkam was awarded as the best PHC while Cancer Institute, Chennai was awarded for being the best non-profit hospital. The Banyan received the award for the best NGO working in health sector. Alma Siddha Care Multi-Specialty Hospital received award for being the best hospital in the traditional medicine sector.

Besides, four special awards were given to four hospitals for providing specialty services. Prashant Fertility Research Centre was awarded in the reproductive medicine category while in the diabetes care category, MV Hospital for Diabetes received the award. Similarly, Parvathy Hospital and Sankara Nethralaya received the awards for orthopedic and ophthalmology respectively.

News Today |

Parvathy Hospital gets award for trauma care

FICCI Tamilnadu State Council and the Government of Tamilnadu honoured Parvathy Hospital with the coveted ‘Orthopedic Emergency & Trauma Care Award’ for its contribution to the healthcare sector.

The award under ‘Specialty Medicine’ category was presented to Parvathy Hospital at TANCARE (Tamilnadu Health Care) and this year’s theme is ‘Affordable and Quality Healthcare for all’ the healthcare conference of FICCI held here recently, a press release said.

Parvathy Hospital chairman Dr S Muthukumar and chief executive officer Sujay Sambamoorthy received the award on behalf of the hospital.

“The award shows the good work done by Parvathy Hospital in the healthcare segment and this recognition will motivate us further to achieve more in the field,” said Sujay Sambamoorthy.

FICCI TNSC chairman Arun, head Ruban Hobday, Tamilnadu Dr MGR Medical University Vice-Chancellor Dr S Geethalakshmi, FICCI TNSC healthcare panel convener Dr V Balaji were among those present.

The Week |

Parvathy Hospital Named Best Orthopaedic and Emergency Medicine Hospital by TN Govt and FICCI

FICCI Tamil Nadu State Council and the Government of Tamil Nadu honoured Parvathy Hospital with the coveted 'Orthopaedic Emergency & Trauma Care Award' for its contribution to the healthcare sector.

The award under 'Specialty Medicine' category was presented to Parvathy Hospital at TANCARE (Tamil Nadu Health Care), the Flagship Healthcare Conference of FICCI, on Tuesday, 27 November 2018 at Hotel ITC Grand Chola, Guindy, Chennai.

Dr. C. Vijaya Baskar, Hon'ble Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu along with Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Tamil Nadu participated in the event.

Sujay Sambamoorthy, Chief Executive Officer, Parvathy Hospital, received the award on behalf of the hospital. Mr. Ar Rm Arun, Chairman, FICCI TNSC & Chairman, Valingro Group; Mr. Ruban Hobday, Head, FICCI Tamil Nadu State Council; Dr. V. Balaji, Convener, Healthcare Panel, FICCI TNSC and other top dignitaries were present at the event.

Commenting on Parvathy Hospital being selected for the honour, Sujay Sambamoorthy said, "It gives us immense happiness to receive this award from FICCI and the Tamil Nadu Government. This shows the good work done by Parvathy Hospital in the healthcare segment and this recognition will motivate us further to achieve more in the field. The entire team at Parvathy Hospital is elated and proud."

About Parvathy Hospital:

Parvathy Hospital is a multi-specialty hospital specialises in Bone and Joint care based in Chromepet, Chennai. It was founded by Dr. S. Muthu Kumar. It is fully accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Hospital and Healthcare providers.

The hospital always serves the patients with best care, state-of-the-art technology, systems and the best talent India has to offer - medical or managerial. Its constant focus on clinical excellence and in attracting and retaining clinicians has become the cornerstone of its success.

The EN Bulletin |

MAHE Chancellor conferred FICCI Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr Ramdas M Pai, chairman emeritus – Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG) and president and chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), was awarded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award 2018‘ in recognition of his enormous contributions in the fields of Education and Healthcare by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi on October 30.

The award was received by Dr Vinod Bhat, vice chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education from secretary, Ministry of HRD as Dr Pai was unable to attend the function owing to other commitments.

Dr Pai, a recipient of “Is an epitome of dedication and perseverance, who has contributed immensely at national and international level. He has spent his entire life working with all the Group of Institutions and his name has till date been synonymous with perseverance, dedication and attaining a larger purpose in all human endeavor,” says the citation.

Dr Ranjan Pai, chairman, MEMG said: “This is a proud moment for us. I take this opportunity to congratulate him personally, as well as on behalf of the entire Manipal family. His untiring industry, dedicated perseverance and devotion to his causes have won him this award and other accolades earlier. May his unremitting endeavor go on with undiminished vigor”.

“He has contributed immensely to making our Manipal Brand a respected and trusted name not just in India but internationally as well. His principled stance, his unwavering commitment to promoting affordable and accessible education and healthcare has greatly benefited the public at large, Ranjan added.

“His quiet and unassuming generosity through the , stand eloquent testimony to his care for the vulnerable sections of our society. We are privileged to have his guidance thus far in our journey and we seek his continued guidance as we take many more steps forward in realizing the dreams of late Dr TMA Pai and Dr Pai himself,” he added.

The New Indian Express |

Healthcare conference ‘TANCARE’ today, to focus on affordable treatment

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Tamil Nadu government, in association with The New Indian Express, is organising TANCARE, a one day- healthcare conference here, on Tuesday.

This will be the 11th edition of TANCARE and this year’s theme is ‘Affordable and Quality Healthcare for all’. TANCARE is a platform to bring health professionals and medical experts to discover ways to improve health indices in the State.

The event, which will be inaugurated by chairman of FICCI Tamil Nadu State Council, Ar Rm Arun, will see participation from top names in the healthcare industry in the state. J. Vignesh Kumar, senior vice president, Marketing, of The New Indian Express, will deliver the special address at the event. A wide range of issues related to the healthcare sector will be addressed in the conference. Besides, the experts will have brainstorming panel discussions on improving public health and medical education in the state, role of information technology in the growth of the healthcare industry and the need of insurance in the industry. There will also be discussions to explore the opportunities to develop the state into a global medical tourism destination.

Top achievers in the healthcare industry will also be felicitated at the event, which will be held at Hotel ITC Grand Chola here.

Business Standard |

Parvathy Hospital Named Best Orthopaedic and Emergency Medicine Hospital by TN Govt and FICCI

FICCI Tamil Nadu State Council and the Government of Tamil Nadu honoured Parvathy Hospital with the coveted 'Orthopaedic Emergency & Trauma Care Award' for its contribution to the healthcare sector.

The award under 'Specialty Medicine' category was presented to Parvathy Hospital at TANCARE (Tamil Nadu Health Care), the Flagship Healthcare Conference of FICCI, on Tuesday, 27 November 2018 at Hotel ITC Grand Chola, Guindy, Chennai.

Dr. C. Vijaya Baskar, Hon'ble Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu along with Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Tamil Nadu participated in the event.

Sujay Sambamoorthy, Chief Executive Officer, Parvathy Hospital, received the award on behalf of the hospital. Mr. Ar Rm Arun, Chairman, FICCI TNSC & Chairman, Valingro Group; Mr. Ruban Hobday, Head, FICCI Tamil Nadu State Council; Dr. V. Balaji, Convener, Healthcare Panel, FICCI TNSC and other top dignitaries were present at the event.

Commenting on Parvathy Hospital being selected for the honour, Sujay Sambamoorthy said, "It gives us immense happiness to receive this award from FICCI and the Tamil Nadu Government. This shows the good work done by Parvathy Hospital in the healthcare segment and this recognition will motivate us further to achieve more in the field. The entire team at Parvathy Hospital is elated and proud."

About Parvathy Hospital:

Parvathy Hospital is a multi-specialty hospital specialises in Bone and Joint care based in Chromepet, Chennai. It was founded by Dr. S. Muthu Kumar. It is fully accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Hospital and Healthcare providers.

The hospital always serves the patients with best care, state-of-the-art technology, systems and the best talent India has to offer - medical or managerial. Its constant focus on clinical excellence and in attracting and retaining clinicians has become the cornerstone of its success.

Devdiscourse |

First National Summit on Invest in AYUSH to be held on Nov 4

To encourage various public sector undertakings and private firms to invest in AYUSH, the Centre will organise an all-India meet here on November 4, Union Minister Shripad Yesso Naik said Wednesday.

The "First National Summit on Invest in AYUSH" is to be held at Ambedkar International Centre jointly by NITI Aayog and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, he said.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH Naik chaired Tuesday a preparatory meeting for the summit.

On the occasion, Naik said his ministry has taken many new initiatives to increase the market size of AYUSH and is working in close cooperation with the industry chambers like FICCI, CII, PHD Chambers and ASSOCHAM to achieve the goal.

He said the Ministry of AYUSH has also signed an MoU with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to develop entrepreneurs in AYUSH sector and to strengthen the existing sectoral players, including the manufacturers of AYUSH drugs, cosmetics and food supplements.

"We will be working with MSME to organise 50 Entrepreneurship Development Programs in next one year in different cities covering all the states across the country," he said.

The minister said his ministry has taken a challenge to create one lakh job opportunities in AYUSH sector and is working with the Union Commerce Ministry to support non-government sector to establish many Ayurveda and AYUSH Hospitals of international standard.

The minister said his ministry is also developing horizontal integration with other ministries.

Business Standard |

First national meet to promote investment in AYUSH to be held in Nov: Minister

To encourage various public sector undertakings and private firms to invest in AYUSH, the Centre will organise an all-India meet here on November 4, Union Minister Shripad Yesso Naik said Wednesday.

The "First National Summit on Invest in AYUSH" is to be held at Ambedkar International Centre jointly by NITI Aayog and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, he said.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH Naik chaired Tuesday a preparatory meeting for the summit.

On the occasion, Naik said his ministry has taken many new initiatives to increase the market size of AYUSH and is workingin close cooperation with the industry chambers like FICCI, CII, PHD Chambers and ASSOCHAM to achieve the goal.

He said the Ministry of AYUSH has also signed an MoU with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to develop entrepreneurs in AYUSH sector and to strengthen the existing sectoral players, including the manufacturers of AYUSH drugs, cosmetics and food supplements.

"We will be working with MSME to organise 50 Entrepreneurship Development Programs in next one year in different cities covering all the states across the country," he said.

The minister said his ministry has taken a challenge to create one lakh job opportunities in AYUSH sector and is working with the Union Commerce Ministry to support non-government sector to establish many Ayurveda and AYUSH Hospitals of international standard.

The minister said his ministry is also developing horizontal integration with other ministries.

5 Dariya News |

Preparatory meeting for the First National Summit on Invest in AYUSH held

On the occasion of Ayurveda Day celebrations, Ministry of AYUSH is organising First National Summit on Invest in AYUSH at Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi on 4th November, 2018. The summit is to encourage public sector undertakings (PSUs) under different Ministries/Departments of the Government and private companies to invest in AYUSH. NITI Aayog and Department of Industrial and Policy and Promotion are the partner organisations of this first National summit in AYUSH.A preparatory meeting for the summit was organised on 16th October 2018, which was presided by union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH Shri Shripad Yesso Naik. On this occasion Shri Naik said that Ministry has taken many new initiatives to increase the market size of AYUSH and we are in close cooperation with Industry Chambers like FICCI, CII, PHD Chambers and ASSOCHAM etc. to achieve this goal. He appreciated the initiatives taken by these chambers by constituting Ayurveda or AYUSH committees to give special emphasis on AYUSH sector.The AYUSH Minister also said that Ministry of AYUSH has signed MoU with Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) to develop entrepreneurs in AYUSH sector and to strengthen the existing AYUSH Industry sector including manufacturers of AYUSH drugs, cosmetics, food supplements, hospital industry, etc. He further said that we will be working with MSME to organize 50 Entrepreneurship Development Programs in next one year in different cities covering all the states across the country.

The Minister also said that the Ministry has taken a challenge to create one lakhs job opportunities in AYUSH Sector under the Champion Sector Scheme as devised by Union Cabinet and the Ministry is working with Commerce Ministry to support non-government sector to establish many international standard Ayurveda and other AYUSH Hospitals.The Minister further added that the ministry is also developing horizontal integration with other Ministries of Government of India. He said that Ministry of railways has agreed to set up AYUSH wing in 5 railway hospitals. Likewise, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Home Ministry, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Labour is also setting AYUSH wings in hospitals under their respective ministries. Shri Naik said that many PSUs have also come forward to set up AYUSH hospitals.Ministry of AYUSH has taken many initiatives for promotion and propagation of AYUSH systems. There is growth of 15.38% in the number of patients treated with AYUSH systems of Medicine through AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries in last four years. The Government of India has allowed hundred percent foreign direct investments in health sector. Due to resurgence in the global demand for AYUSH and Herbal products the total value of Export the AYUSH and Herbal products has increased to from USD 354.68 million in year 2014 -15 to USD 401.68 million in year 2016-17 in global market.

United News of India |

Ist Nat'l summit for investment in AYUSH on Nov 4

Ministry of AYUSH is organising 'First National Summit on Invest in AYUSH' to encourage public sector undertakings under different Ministries, departments of the Government and private companies to invest in Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.

The event will be held at Ambedkar International Centre here on November 4, 2018.

A preparatory meeting for the summit was held on Tuesday, which was presided by AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik.

On this occasion, Mr Naik said the Ministry has taken many new initiatives to increase the market size of AYUSH and we are in close cooperation with Industry Chambers like FICCI, CII, PHD Chambers and ASSOCHAM to achieve this goal.

He appreciated the initiatives taken by these chambers by constituting Ayurveda or AYUSH committees to give special emphasis on AYUSH sector.

Times of Oman |

Health exhibition to showcase latest strides in medical arena

Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Saidi inaugurated the eighth edition of the Oman Health Exhibition and Conference at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre on Monday.

The Oman Health Exhibition & Conference, organised by Oman’s biggest exhibitions and conferences organiser and recognised as the flagship health and medical event in Oman, will once again make its mark on the healthcare scene by bringing in close to 150 exhibiting partners from 12 countries.

Ahmed Sayed, exhibition director, Oman Health Exhibition & Conference, said, “We have nearly 150 companies from 12 countries, which will showcase the latest medical products and equipment, personal care products, diagnostic and laboratory equipment, pharmaceutical products, physiotherapy and orthopaedic technology that ranges from eye care and skin care, to cosmetics, infertility treatment consultancy and more. Visitors could also take advantage of the free medical consultations with specialists from the biggest hospitals and healthcare centres around the world.”

Range of products

“We are continuously finding ways to enhance our platform such that our exhibitors, stakeholders, and visitors are assured of a worthwhile return on investment by ensuring proper representation of all the key sectors within the health and medical industry, and offer a new and diversified range of products, services and technologies. We also want to help encourage new investments in Oman’s health resources and current projects,” he adds. This year’s edition will see the participation of the Iran, Taiwan and India pavilions. Iran will bring in a consortium of top manufacturers of medical devices and exporters.

The Taiwan pavilion will be represented by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), bringing in innovative medical and surgical products and technologies that include non-invasive detection methods and minimally invasive surgical applications. The India pavilion is represented by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

Concurrent to the exhibition is a three-day scientific conference, organised in conjunction with the Oman Medical Association.

The conference, accredited by the Oman Speciality Board (OMSB), will present topics, sessions and workshops covering general surgery, paediatrics, medicine, quality management, medical ethics and legal concerns, patient safety and risk management, and medical errors, and other topics reflective of the current issues in Oman’s health and medical sectors and in line with the government’s strategies outlined in its Health Vision 2050.

Business-to-business meetings are also taking place alongside the main sphere of action. The Oman Health Exhibition and Conference will continue from September 24-26 from 11am to 8pm.

MENAFN |

Oman- Indian Embassy to hold healthcare meet today

The Indian Embassy in Muscat will hold on Monday an India-Oman business-to-business (B2B) meeting related to healthcare and medical tourism.

The meet aims to facilitate interaction and tie-ups between 48 Indian hospital representatives visiting Oman to participate in the Oman Health Exhibition and Conference 2018 to be held at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC) from September 24-26.

India is the partner country of the expo and the 'India Pavilion' will see the largest participation from a single country at the event.

The Indian delegation for expo is being led by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Exhibitors from India in different spheres – telemedicine, pathology and diagnostic care, research, high-end medical tourism, education, e-health, medical and pharmaceutical equipment, etc – will showcase their technical capabilities and relevant technologies in the healthcare sector. They will also share success stories of research and development with various stakeholders in the sultanate.

The B2B meeting is part of embassy's endeavours to promote cooperation in health sector between India and Oman as there is huge potential for Indian and Omani companies to explore the formation of joint ventures and establishing operations in Oman as well as to facilitate Omani nationals to visit India for medical tourism.

H E Munu Mahawar, India's Ambassador to Oman said, 'Visa for treatment in India has a very simplified process and can be applied with just an appointment letter from any Indian hospital. Indian embassy has been constantly striving to ensure that Omanis seeking medical visa do not face any difficulty.'

He added, 'Medical visa fees have been reduced to RO30.900 for visas valid up to six months and RO46.300 for visas valid up to one year. There is also the option of 60-day e-medical visa valid for three visits to India, for only US$80 by submitting an appointment letter from an Indian hospital.

'In 2017, the embassy issued 24,575 medical visas, while 11,450 such visas have been issued up to August 2018. In addition, 2,635 e-medical visas were issued in 2017 and 6,579 e-medical visas have been issued up to August 2018.'

Muscat Daily |

150 Companies participate in Oman Health Expo

H E Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al Sa’eedi, Minister of Health, inaugurated the eighth edition of Oman Health Exhibition & Conference at Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre on Monday.

Organised by Omanexpo, it has brought together 150 companies from 12 countries.

On the occasion, H E Dr Sa’eedi said, “We are delighted to host this event alongside Oman Medical Association. It will definitely continue to bring added value to the healthcare sector in the country. New hospitals and medical facilities offering quality service can help create a positive image about the country’s healthcare sector.

“With all the efforts exerted to provide better healthcare, Oman has the potential to become a medical tourism destination in the future.”

According to Ahmed Sayed, exhibition director, participating firms are showcasing the latest medical products and equipment, personal care products, diagnostic and laboratory equipment, pharmaceutical products, physiotherapy and orthopaedic technology and offer infertility treatment consultancy.

“Visitors can also take advantage of free medical consultations with specialists from the biggest hospitals and healthcare centres around the world,” he said.

“We are continuously finding ways to enhance our platform such that our exhibitors, stakeholders and visitors are assured of a worthwhile return on investment by ensuring proper representation of all the key sectors within the health and medical industry, and offer a new and diversified range of products, services and technologies. We also want to help encourage new investments in Oman’s health resources and current projects,” he added.

This year’s edition has pavilions from India, Iran and Taiwan. Iran has brought a consortium of top manufacturers of medical devices and exporters. The Taiwanese pavilion is being represented by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council which is exhibiting innovative medical and surgical products and technologies that include non-invasive detection methods and minimally invasive surgical applications. The Indian pavilion is being represented by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

On the sidelines of the exhibition, a three-day scientific conference - organised in conjunction with the Oman Medical Association - is also being held.

Accredited by the Oman Medical Specialty Board, the conference will present sessions and workshops covering general surgery, paediatrics, medicine, quality management, medical ethics, patient safety, risk management, medical error and such other topics that reflect the current issues in Oman’s health and medical sector and in line with the government’s strategies outlined in its Health Vision 2050.

Business-to-business meetings are also taking place alongside the exhibition and conference. The exhibition will run till September 26 and is open from 11am to 8pm.

The Peninsula |

Dr Azad Moopen gets FICCI’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare, has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at 10th edition of The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI) Healthcare Excellence Awards. The prestigious accolade is in recognition of his valuable contribution and efforts in the field of healthcare. Under his leadership, Aster DM Healthcare in the last 31 years has become one of the few entities across the globe providing the complete circle of care from primary, secondary, tertiary to quaternary medical care, said a statement.

Starting with a single doctor clinic in Dubai in 1987, when healthcare was still in its primitive stages in the region, Dr Moopen has played a significant role in shaping the healthcare industry in the UAE and GCC.

Accepting the award at a ceremony in New Delhi, Dr Moopen paid tribute to Aster DM Healthcare’s 17,000 plus staff members for their efforts in providing “compassionate care to millions of patients” and hardwork to keep pushing the boundaries of healthcare excellence.

“Our journey over the last 30 years has been driven by our vision to provide quality healthcare at affordable costs at the doorstep of the people that we serve and pushing boundaries to achieve our mission has seen us set benchmarks in healthcare excellence. I would like to thank FICCI for this honour, and this serves as further motivation to continue making a positive difference in the lives of the people that we serve everyday,” Dr Moopen said.

Bio Spectrum |

India to achieve a hepatitis-free status by 2030

Union Health & Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda said that the government was keen to formalise a multi-stakeholder forum to arrive at policy decisions and formulate implementable strategies to make healthcare affordable and accessible to all. He was addressing FICCI HEAL 2018 with the theme 'Healthcare at Crossroads', jointly organised by FICCI and NITI Aayog.

"There is no formal structure for policy interaction and very soon we will have a forum where multi-stakeholders will join hands with the government for policy decisions and program implementation plans," he said and added that such synergies would be important to achieve a hepatitis-free India by 2030.

The Minister added that Ayushman Bharat (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna) looks at health holistically with twin pillars of Health and Wellness Centres for comprehensive Primary health Care and financial protection for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

Dr. V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India said that as course correction in healthcare takes place, quality and ethics will be the guiding force. He urged the private sector to engage with the government in providing quality care at reasonable rates, monitored by the government. He said, "PMJAY is not possible without the engagement of the private sector. We need to create a pipeline of specialists and private sector can help in filling that gap."

Sangita Reddy, Vice President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd. said, "India is no longer at crossroads with the launch of Ayushman Bharat. Healthcare has entered the Universal Collective Super Highway."

Setting theme of the conference, Brig. Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and CMD, Dr Lal PathLabs said that in order to ensure appropriate costs for procedures covered under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan, while maintaining the quality of services, it is important to derive rational and sustainable package rates. "There is a strong need to understand costs from the perspective of all relevant stakeholders, the government, the providers and the consumer."

Prof. (Dr.) Dinesh Bhugra, CBE, President, British Medical Association said, "There is need to shift the focus from secondary healthcare and hospitals to primary care. There is also a need to change the way we train the next generation of doctors and medical students."

The Health Minister also released the 'FICCI Code of Ethics for the Health Services Industry. A FICCI White Paper 'Demystifying Healthcare Costs', was also released during the session.

A major concern that the healthcare sector is facing today is the rising trust deficit - between the private sector and the government as well as between the provider and the patient. FICCI recognises the need for transparency and accountability in the functioning of all healthcare establishments - whether private or public.

Hence, the FICCI Task Force on Accountability, along with the stakeholders from the government and industry, has developed the 'Code of Ethics for the health services industry', which encourages members to voluntarily and collectively commit to ethical professional conduct for patient care.

Already, 7 other Associations, with more than 30,000 institutional and individual members and more than 15 healthcare organizations from across India, have endorsed the FICCI Code of Ethics.

UC News |

Forum to be developed soon for stakeholders to make health policy interventions: Nadda

There is no formal structure in the health sector as of now where interactions can be facilitated on policy matters, Union Health Minister J P Nadda today said, and asserted that a forum will be developed soon where stakeholders can join hands with the government for policy interventions.

He termed the government's Ayushman Bharat scheme, which aims to provide a cover of Rs 5 lakh per year to 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families, a "bold decision".

"As far as health sector is concerned, we are of the opinion that there is no formal structure where we can have an interaction on policy matters. I take the responsibility and declare that very soon, I will come out with a forum where multiple stakeholders can join hands with the government on policy interventions," he told a delegation during a FICCI event.

On the Ayushman Bharat, touted to be the world's largest such scheme, he said, "You can understand it is our journey where we are trying to go for protection and is still developing a robust system. We understand that it will take time to stabilize, but that doesn't mean we don't go forward."

Observing that there are chances of mistakes cropping up as the scheme reaches the people, he said the government is ready to correct them. "We will be able to correct those mistakes by your (industry) intervention and close watch," he said.

"You (private sector) should also join this programme and change the health scenario of the country. I will develop a forum where we will have interaction with stakeholders," he said.

The minister also welcomed ethics code of conduct for health sector introduced by the FICCI at the event.

ET HealthWorld |

Forum to be developed soon for stakeholders to make health policy interventions: Nadda

There is no formal structure in the health sector as of now where interactions can be facilitated on policy matters, Union Health Minister J P Nadda today said, and asserted that a forum will be developed soon where stakeholders can join hands with the government for policy interventions. He termed the government's Ayushman Bharat scheme, which aims to provide a cover of Rs 5 lakh per year to 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families, a "bold decision".

"As far as health sector is concerned, we are of the opinion that there is no formal structure where we can have an interaction on policy matters. I take the responsibility and declare that very soon, I will come out with a forum where multiple stakeholders can join hands with the government on policy interventions," he told a delegation during a FICCI event.

On the Ayushman Bharat, touted to be the world's largest such scheme, he said, "You can understand it is our journey where we are trying to go for protection and is still developing a robust system. We understand that it will take time to stabilize, but that doesn't mean we don't go forward."

Observing that there are chances of mistakes cropping up as the scheme reaches the people, he said the government is ready to correct them. "We will be able to correct those mistakes by your (industry) intervention and close watch," he said.

"You (private sector) should also join this programme and change the health scenario of the country. I will develop a forum where we will have interaction with stakeholders," he said.

The minister also welcomed ethics code of conduct for health sector introduced by the FICCI at the event.

Business Standard |

Forum to be developed soon for stakeholders to make health policy interventions: Nadda

There is no formal structure in the health sector as of now where interactions can be facilitated on policy matters, Union Health Minister J P Nadda today said, and asserted that a forum will be developed soon where stakeholders can join hands with the government for policy interventions.

He termed the government's Ayushman Bharat scheme, which aims to provide a cover of Rs 5 lakh per year to 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families, a "bold decision".

"As far as health sector is concerned, we are of the opinion that there is no formal structure where we can have an interaction on policy matters. I take the responsibility and declare that very soon, I will come out with a forum where multiple stakeholders can join hands with the government on policy interventions," he told a delegation during a FICCI event.

On the Ayushman Bharat, touted to be the world's largest such scheme, he said, "You can understand it is our journey where we are trying to go for protection and is still developing a robust system. We understand that it will take time to stabilize, but that doesn't mean we don't go forward."

Observing that there are chances of mistakes cropping up as the scheme reaches the people, he said the government is ready to correct them. "We will be able to correct those mistakes by your (industry) intervention and close watch," he said.

"You (private sector) should also join this programme and change the health scenario of the country. I will develop a forum where we will have interaction with stakeholders," he said.

The minister also welcomed ethics code of conduct for health sector introduced by the FICCI at the event.

Outlook |

Forum to be developed soon for stakeholders to make health policy interventions: Nadda

There is no formal structure in the health sector as of now where interactions can be facilitated on policy matters, Union Health Minister J P Nadda today said, and asserted that a forum will be developed soon where stakeholders can join hands with the government for policy interventions.

He termed the government's Ayushman Bharat scheme, which aims to provide a cover of Rs 5 lakh per year to 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families, a "bold decision".

"As far as health sector is concerned, we are of the opinion that there is no formal structure where we can have an interaction on policy matters. I take the responsibility and declare that very soon, I will come out with a forum where multiple stakeholders can join hands with the government on policy interventions," he told a delegation during a FICCI event.

On the Ayushman Bharat, touted to be the world's largest such scheme, he said, "You can understand it is our journey where we are trying to go for protection and is still developing a robust system. We understand that it will take time to stabilize, but that doesn't mean we don't go forward."

Observing that there are chances of mistakes cropping up as the scheme reaches the people, he said the government is ready to correct them. "We will be able to correct those mistakes by your (industry) intervention and close watch," he said.

"You (private sector) should also join this programme and change the health scenario of the country. I will develop a forum where we will have interaction with stakeholders," he said.

The minister also welcomed ethics code of conduct for health sector introduced by the FICCI at the event.

millenniumpost |

Govt keen to make healthcare affordable: Health Min Nadda

Union Health & Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda here on Thursday said the government was keen to formalise a multi-stakeholder forum to arrive at policy decisions and formulate implementable strategies to make healthcare affordable and accessible to all.

He was addressing FICCI HEAL 2018 with the theme 'Healthcare at Crossroads', jointly organised by FICCI and NITI Aayog.

"There is no formal structure for policy interaction and very soon we will have a forum where multi-stakeholders will join hands with the government for policy decisions and program implementation plans," he said and added that such synergies would be important to achieve a hepatitis-free India by 2030.

The Minister added that Ayushman Bharat (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna) looks at health holistically with twin pillars of Health and Wellness Centres for comprehensive Primary Health Care and financial protection for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

"Ayushman Bharat is a historic decision and has two pillars of preventive and promotive healthcare and converting 1.5 lakh sub-centres and PHCs into health and wellness centres. All support should be given to health centres to ensure preventive care. For this, we are going for universal health screening at the age of 30. This is a paradigm shift as far as health care is concerned and this is one area where the private sector can come in."

He said that healthcare services should also be credible accompanied by affordability, accessibility, and quality.

Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, said as course correction in healthcare takes place, quality and ethics will be the guiding force. He urged the private sector to engage with the government in providing quality care at reasonable rates, monitored by the government. He said, "PMJAY is not possible without the engagement of the private sector. We need to create a pipeline of specialists and the private sector can help in filling that gap."

Sangita Reddy, Vice President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd. in her welcome address, said, "India is no longer at crossroads with the launch of Ayushman Bharat. Healthcare has entered the Universal Collective Super Highway."

India |

Forum to be developed soon for stakeholders to make health policy interventions: Nadda

There is no formal structure in the health sector as of now where interactions can be facilitated on policy matters, Union Health Minister J P Nadda today said, and asserted that a forum will be developed soon where stakeholders can join hands with the government for policy interventions.

He termed the government’s Ayushman Bharat scheme, which aims to provide a cover of Rs 5 lakh per year to 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families, a “bold decision”. “As far as health sector is concerned, we are of the opinion that there is no formal structure where we can have an interaction on policy matters. I take the responsibility and declare that very soon, I will come out with a forum where multiple stakeholders can join hands with the government on policy interventions,” he told a delegation during a FICCI event.

On the Ayushman Bharat, touted to be the world’s largest such scheme, he said, “You can understand it is our journey where we are trying to go for protection and is still developing a robust system. We understand that it will take time to stabilize, but that doesn’t mean we don’t go forward.” Observing that there are chances of mistakes cropping up as the scheme reaches the people, he said the government is ready to correct them. “We will be able to correct those mistakes by your (industry) intervention and close watch,” he said.

“You (private sector) should also join this programme and change the health scenario of the country. I will develop a forum where we will have interaction with stakeholders,” he said.

The minister also welcomed ethics code of conduct for health sector introduced by the FICCI at the event.

Ten News |

FICCI Organises 12th edition of ‘FICCI HEAL 2018’ with theme of Healthcare at Crossroads!

FICCI on Thursday organized a Conference, ‘FICCI HEAL 2018’ on the theme, “Healthcare at Crossroads” at FICCI, New Delhi. The Conference objective was to deliberate on the challenges and opportunities to not only increase the penetration of quality health services in the country but also bridge the trust deficit amongst the stakeholders for better collaboration in the future.

The Conference was graced by the conglomeration of CEO’s, policy makers, national and international leaders from healthcare and allied industries where they discussed on policy framework and shared their knowledge and best practices to improve quality of Health care in India.

Giving briefing on FICCI Heal and FICCI costing study, Dr. Arvind Lal, chair, FICCI health services Committe and CMD, Dr Lal Pathlabs, said, “Healthcare has become one of the largest sectors in our economy, which has world class tertiary services. India is becoming a favourable destination in the healthcare sector all over the world. There are many factors such as more money, political willingness, good investment for public and primary healthcare system for delivering better health care for people is the need of the hour.”

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda released the FICCI Code of Ethics for the Healthcare Industry, in his address he said, “I have urge all the stockholders to come on a joint forum to discuss the policies & program implementation plans. Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna is a paradigm shift in India’s healthcare sector. We aim to provide quality health care to all through this innovative move.”

He further said, “We’re keen to have synergies with all players and make healthcare affordable to all, poor & marginal. Keen to partner on policies & programs with multi-stakeholders. A continuous process to fine tune programs with inputs from all.”

Speaking to Ten News, Dr Raj K Mani, CEO, Nayati Healthcare, said, “It was interesting to hear the discussions on Ayushman Bharat as we all work together in bringing health care closer to homes at the FICCI HEAL 2018 conference. I personally feel Health should not be seen in isolation but linked with education, management etc.”

EENADU INDIA |

Forum to be developed for health policy interventions by stakeholders

There is no formal structure in the health sector as of now where interactions can be facilitated on policy matters, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said on Thursday, and asserted that a forum will be developed soon where stakeholders can join hands with the government for policy interventions.

He termed the government's Ayushman Bharat scheme, which aims to provide a cover of Rs 5 lakh per year to 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families, a "bold decision".

"As far as health sector is concerned, we are of the opinion that there is no formal structure where we can have an interaction on policy matters. I take the responsibility and declare that very soon, I will come out with a forum where multiple stakeholders can join hands with the government on policy interventions," he told a delegation during a FICCI event.

On the Ayushman Bharat, touted to be the world's largest such scheme, he said, "You can understand it is our journey where we are trying to go for protection and is still developing a robust system. We understand that it will take time to stabilize, but that doesn't mean we don't go forward."

Observing that there are chances of mistakes cropping up as the scheme reaches the people, he said the government is ready to correct them. "We will be able to correct those mistakes by your (industry) intervention and close watch," he said.

"You (private sector) should also join this programme and change the health scenario of the country. I will develop a forum where we will have interaction with stakeholders," he said.

The minister also welcomed ethics code of conduct for health sector introduced by the FICCI at the event.

Devdiscourse |

Forum to be developed soon for stakeholders to make health policy interventions: Nadda

There is no formal structure in the health sector as of now where interactions can be facilitated on policy matters, Union Health Minister J P Nadda today said, and asserted that a forum will be developed soon where stakeholders can join hands with the government for policy interventions.

He termed the government's Ayushman Bharat scheme, which aims to provide a cover of Rs 5 lakh per year to 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families, a "bold decision".

"As far as health sector is concerned, we are of the opinion that there is no formal structure where we can have an interaction on policy matters. I take the responsibility and declare that very soon, I will come out with a forum where multiple stakeholders can join hands with the government on policy interventions," he told a delegation during a FICCI event.

On the Ayushman Bharat, touted to be the world's largest such scheme, he said, "You can understand it is our journey where we are trying to go for protection and is still developing a robust system. We understand that it will take time to stabilize, but that doesn't mean we don't go forward."

Observing that there are chances of mistakes cropping up as the scheme reaches the people, he said the government is ready to correct them. "We will be able to correct those mistakes by your (industry) intervention and close watch," he said.

"You (private sector) should also join this programme and change the health scenario of the country. I will develop a forum where we will have interaction with stakeholders," he said.

The minister also welcomed the ethics code of conduct for health sector introduced by the FICCI at the event.

The Asian Age |

Hospitals share recommendations for draft policy

There has been no final decision on the Delhi government’s draft profit capping policy for private hospitals yet as the committee which came out with the report is reviewing several concerns and objections raised by hospitals and associations.

Government officials sa-id that the hospitals have sent their suggestions to the committee about some of the recommendations like halving the bill amount in case a patient dies within six hours of coming to the emergency department and is looking into those concerns.

“We have received comments on the draft policy from some private hospitals and associations like IMA, DMA, FICCI, ASSO-CHAM, etc. Some of the concerns raised are valid and we are currently reviewing those,” said a committee member.

As per the draft poli-cy prepared by the nine-member committee, hospitals will have to halve the bill amount in case a patient dies within six hours of coming to the Emergency Department.

If a patient dies within 24 hours, hospitals have to waiver 20 per cent of the bill. “The comments we have received say that the maximum service provided by the hospitals to a serious or a critical patient is within the first six hours and they would run into a loss if they offer 50 per cent discount.

Some hospitals could refuse to admit really sick patients on the grounds that they are not sure if the patient would survive or not and they don’t want to run into losses,” said the member of the commitee.

“We have to think from all angles before finalising the policy,” he added.

The policy, announced in May by health minister Satyendar Jain, also caps the profit margin on drugs and consumables at 50 per cent on the purchase price and for implants at 35 per cent of the purchase price.

It was announced to control what the minister called “exploitative profit” made by private hospitals and nursing homes thro-ugh “overcharging patien-ts for medicines, investigations, and other medical procedures”.

Financial Express |

Can medical tourism be the tie that binds India and Pakistan?

Attempts to transform India-Pakistan relations are intensely complex endeavours, subject to political, cultural, social, economic and partisan dogmas. Our leaders have tried on several occasions but failed. Perhaps the new democratic leadership in Pakistan may signal a latent opportunity. One could argue that 70 years since the bloody partition is a long enough time to objectively look back to look ahead, to help transform the regressive narrative through positive catalytic projects. One such catalytic project is medical tourism that meets most if not all attributes of what could be transformative for bilateral relations.

A catalytic project is one that can activate a positive social coalition in both countries, release structural drivers and translate discourse into action. The idea is not to realise immediate gains, in fact, quite the opposite. Given the intertwined and volatile history of political and economic relations, a gradual approach is a much preferred option to preclude any economic gains from being nipped in the proverbial political bud. History is replete with instances of economic embargoes being imposed in the aftermath of a political face-off triggered by cross border incidents. Trade is often hostage to political relations with Pakistan and indeed it will continue to be so. If the objective is to reverse the causality i.e. make trade an instrument for peace, it will have to be a slow process, initially building a critical mass of early supporters with the objective of enabling a broader societal alliance over time. Once the broader societal alliance has been created, the project can be scaled up, emerging from under the shadow to the foreground, and embed itself in our collective consciousness. Such a virtuous cycle could take decades to stimulate but it is worth the effort.

It has been a widely held belief that economic interdependence and cooperation motivated by economic diplomacy, including free trade, can be a very effective tool in conflict prevention. The most obvious example of this type is the European Union “peace project”. The relationship between peace and prosperity is theoretically strong and has been empirically validated through several studies. Trade in general, and economic projects in particular, can help in attaining peace by facilitating interactions, fostering prosperity and sustainable development. In other words, economic engagement raises the opportunity cost of conflict. Although trade between India and Pakistan is capricious at best and taboo at worst, there have been several attempts to normalise it. Such efforts are founded on the premise that the two-way trade potential is estimated at $30 billion (at present it is $5 billion). That could make Pakistan amongst India’s top 10 trading partners. The potential is based on lasting liberalisation of the trading regime, including for visas and relaxation of non-tariff barriers amongst others.

The healthcare sector presents a persuasive case to be the vanguard for deeper economic engagement between India and Pakistan. The reason it enthuses confidence is because of several attributes that are intrinsic to the medical services offered. It offers gains all around, carries low political risk, and above all, has the inherent tendency to help build heart-warming narratives both in India and in Pakistan. Already the media of the two countries have reported positively on the limited trade in medical services that exists currently. And if more lives are saved, it will have an impact that is disproportionately bigger than the debit and credit entries in the respective countries’ balance of payments accounts. The reason the intangible impacts will be substantial and perhaps larger than the economic effects is because of the humanitarian aspect. An overwhelming component of trade in medical services involves people-to-people contact with patients travelling across borders for treatment. The bonds of such interactions last for a lifetime and if patient flows reach a critical mass, it holds the potential to snowball into a virtuous cycle.

India’s growing attractiveness as a hub for medical tourism is reflected in the fact that the numbers of medical tourists are rising every year as the rare combination of advanced facilities, skilled doctors, and low cost of treatment becomes recognised, and indeed celebrated, by patients across the world. Domestic and international accreditation has played its part in inspiring confidence among medical tourists in the quality of Indian healthcare. The total number of such visitors in 2017 was 495,056 (provisional) compared to 233,918 in 2015 and 427,014 in 2016 respectively. Bangladesh and Afghanistan dominate the number of medical tourists to India.

The Niti Aayog, India’s official think-tank, has identified medical value travel (MVT) as a major source of foreign exchange earnings. India currently has around 18% of the global medical tourism market. MVT was pegged at $3 billion in 2015 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 15%, according to a report by FICCI and IMS Health, a health industry information firm. It has been estimated that by 2020, India’s medical tourism industry could be worth $9 billion, and account for 20% of the global market share. The report pointed out that in curative care, India was the preferred destination for cardiology, orthopaedics, transplants, and ophthalmology. India also enjoys high credibility in wellness, preventive, and alternative medicine.

The opportunity that India-Pakistan healthcare trade offers goes beyond trade itself. As stated above, medical tourism embodies characteristics that can help change the dominant narrative of the past. In the words of Naipaul, a ‘plot is for those who already know the world; a narrative is for those who want to discover it’. People who have known the world of India-Pakistan relations have known it in a restricted way which is often justifiable from their own standpoint. Some have plotted to maintain the status quo. By using the instrument of medical tourism that was unavailable in the past, we can attempt to discover a new narrative, slowly but steadily building a coalition of committed stakeholders willing to give ‘peace a chance’.

The challenges are immense, and this is not the space for those looking for instant results. The existing literature on medical tourism between India and Pakistan lists several impediments, some of which are Pakistan specific. These constraints will need to be addressed along the way, keeping in mind the security threats. That the project is commercially and technically viable is reflected in the existing ventures already in place between the two countries. ICRIER’s research, led by Nisha Taneja, documents such partnerships. Peace Clinic is a collaboration between Apollo Hospitals in India and the Dr Ziauddin Hospital in Karachi. The two medical facilities have jointly set up a combined liver ward for pre- and post-transplant care at Dr Ziauddin Hospital where patients are assessed for their transplant needs and then referred to India for the procedure. Children’s Hospital in Lahore has collaborated with Apollo and Medanta hospitals wherein each year the Children’s Hospital sends equal number of patients to the two hospitals and the entire expenditure is borne by the Pakistan government.

Medical tourism has the potential to create substantial spillover benefits, or so called positive externalities, because of the compelling humanitarian angle associated with it. Driven by a strong people-to-people connect, the role of healthcare as an entry point for potentially transforming bilateral relations cannot be exaggerated. It is a hard task no doubt, but it would be more difficult if the basic structure were not in place. With the basic structure in place, promoting trade that is procedurally impeded seems an easier task even in the presence of strained and volatile bilateral relations. Let us for a moment examine the counterfactual. Were the procedures smooth but the medical facilities in India primitive, it would have been an even harder task to conceive and promote medical tourism as a catalytic project.

If promoted systematically, medical tourism can provide a virtuous platform for exploring greater economic engagement between the two countries. The humanitarian aspect embodied in healthcare produces helpful political incentives that can shape a good narrative to transform overall bilateral relations permanently and for the better.

Business World |

Prognosis: Tech Aided Disruption

Even as the indian healthcare sector has grown manifold over the past few years to become one of the largest contributors to the country’s GDP, it is still at nascent stage. Reason? Making quality healthcare accessible to a billion-plus population is a challenge that the government, entrepreneurs and medical practitioners are trying to overcome. But here lies the opportunity too.

The Indian healthcare market is growing at a CAGR of 17 per cent (2008-20) and is expected to reach $280 billion in 2020. Even then, the doctor-patient ratio in the country is abysmally low at 1:1,700, a report jointly published by KPMG and FICCI suggests. It states that India accounts for 21 per cent of world’s disease burden, and what’s worse is that the out-of-pocket expenditure in the country is as high as 62 per cent of total healthcare spending.

Another set of data available with healthcare-focussed fund Quadria Capital shows that the rural sector accounts for 70 per cent of communicable disease and 50-70 per cent of non-communicable diseases. At present, 60 per cent hospitals, 75 per cent dispensaries and 80 per cent doctors are located in urban areas servicing only about 30 per cent of the country’s population.

So, going by the current figures, what does the future of healthcare sector look like? What we need today is a unified approach for long-term solutions, which would help in optimising disease-care to preventive and promotive care as well as patient centricity through data-driven, efficient technologies.

Going forward, most services and therapy models will start moving away from concentrated locations such as hospitals and clinics to people’s phones and homes. There will be huge empowerment and self intervention, enabled through technology, by individuals and clinician intervention will move towards areas of serious illness and judgemental calls. Even there, clinicians will be hugely dependant on technology and innovations to deliver services. “Healthcare models for decades were designed for non-chronic ailments, which in the future will pivot to solving chronic ailments,” says Amit Varma, co-founder and managing partner of Quadria Capital.

Echoing the same sentiment, Nilaya Varma, Partner and Head, Government and Healthcare Practice, KPMG in India says, “In next 10-15 years, the Indian healthcare system is expected to leverage technology in revolutionising healthcare, streamlining processes and addressing traditional challenges.”

Newer platforms enabled by artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep learning will help low to mid-level therapy solutions without the need for direct clinician intervention and, in some cases, where clinician interventions will be required, they will be delivered without the need for visiting hospital or the physician. “Surgeries will be aided by live robotic interventions and implants will be custom made through 3D printing. Further, the use of genetic and other forms of specialised testing will be standard of care for all complex chronics and rare disease,” says Quadria Capital’s Varma.

While there is immense opportunity in the adoption of the disruptive and new models of delivery, the challenge lies in the pace of implementation wherein support from regulators and education to users will be key in bringing about this change. Besides, inadequate healthcare workforce, lack of healthcare infrastructure, low insurance penetration, high out-of-pocket expenditure and disparity in rural and urban healthcare are some of the ongoing issues plaguing the sector, says KPMG’s Varma.

According to data available with Nathealth, approximately 63 million people fall into poverty each year due to lack of financial protection for their healthcare needs. Going forward, Universal Health Coverage is the primary goal. The government’ National Health Policy 2017 and Ayushman Bharat- National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM) will go a long way to achieve the goal of ‘Health for All’. “Over the next 10-15 years, we will see a new Indian healthcare ecosystem with main focus on prevention and wellness, quality service, financial access and affordability, says Anjan Bose, Secretary General, Nathealth.

The government has announced an unprecedented Rs 5 lakh medical insurance cover per year for 10 crore families or 50 crore beneficiaries across the country. Besides, announcement of 24 new medical colleges should also have positive impact on health education. “With corpus of Rs 1,200 crore, setting up 1.5 lakh healthcare centres should bring good health closer to every household,” says Bose. “These centres will provide free essential drugs and diagnosis,” he adds. Private sector partnerships through health PPPs are slowly gaining acceptance in the market. This too is eventually expected to lead to improved healthcare access in the country.

All in all, healthcare is one of the largest sectors in the country, both in terms of employment generated and revenue earned, so much scope exists for enhancing healthcare services. So, which sectors within healthcare are expected to gain traction? Experts point out that primary care and wellness will benefit or change the most in terms of paradigm in the coming years. Governments and private sector are focusing to inculcate the habit managing health in order to lower the need for secondary and tertiary interventions.

And within the sector, healthcare IT, home healthcare, super-specialty market, and telemedicine and digital healthcare are the areas to watch out for. In terms of procedures, though, robot assisted surgeries, coronary interventions and IVF treatment, among others, are expected to dominate the market.

The Hindu Business Line |

Ayushman Bharat - A healthy step - Pankaj Patel, Immediate Past President, FICCI

A nation’s development and growth is gauged by the health of its population. The fact that even after 70 years of independence, 80 per cent of the Indian population is not covered under any health insurance scheme and the average cost of in-patient treatment is almost half of their annual household expenditure is bound to mar its growth story.

Hence, announcement of the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) under the Ayushman Bharat Programme, in the Union Budget 2018-19, is timely and can be a trigger to achieving the country’s growth aspirations.

The government intended to achieve ‘Universal Health Cover’ at one go, but covering 1.3 billion population with the existing healthcare infrastructure and human resource is an impossible task. This prompted the government to settle at covering 40 per cent of the population — 50 crore people in the first phase. Described as “the world’s largest government-funded healthcare programme”, the sheer scale of this programme magnifies many its systemic challenges.

In terms of economic commitment, healthcare spends as a percentage of GDP across most nations that have achieved more than 80 per cent coverage of population is 5-12 per cent. For countries with large population, it takes 5-10 years to achieve 100 per cent coverage.

A FICCI-EY study in 2012 estimated that to implement UHC in India by 2022, the government would need to allocate health expenditure between 3.7-4.5 per cent of the GDP, as against 1.4 per cent in 2017-18. The bed-to-population ratio needs to be raised to 1.7 beds per 1,000 population from the current 0.9 beds. The required number of beds can be lowered with focus on primary care, as studies indicate that a one per cent increase in primary care usage can reduce hospitalisation rate by 0.03 per cent. The country needs another 9 lakh graduate doctors for primary care and around 1.2 lakh specialist doctors for secondary and tertiary care services.

The hospital business, particularly the multi-speciality tertiary care business, is capital-intensive with a long gestation period. Several of the current operating assets in India are not delivering the expected returns. More financing options along with incentives and tax benefits need to be provided to the private sector to aid development of healthcare infrastructure in Tier II and Tier III cities.

Ayushman Bharat is an extremely ambitious and complex programme and could be as challenging if not more than the implementation of GST or Aadhaar. Since health is a State subject and States are expected to contribute 40 per cent funding for the scheme, it will be critical to streamline and harmonise the existing State health insurance schemes and RSBY to NHPS.

The choice of purchasing model and empanelling providers would be critical to the success of NHPS. Countries with both public and private health infrastructure, such as France, Germany, China and Indonesia, have opted for dual mechanism — “provision by government and contract in from private providers”.

Trust deficit

India also follows a dual mechanism, however, there is immense confusion, dissatisfaction and trust deficit amongst all stakeholders as the healthcare scenario in the country is still evolving and is rife with lack of standard practices. There is a pressing need to evaluate and re-consider existing public health insurance schemes where private healthcare providers have been facing huge challenges, particularly due to improper procedure for empanelment and costing and inordinate delay in reimbursement to hospitals.

While a basic criterion exists for the empanelment of providers, mechanisms are yet to be developed to enable standardisation of service quality across provider categories. Although NABH accreditation ensures quality, only a small number of the hospitals are accredited. Considering the massive coverage of NHPS, the payers will have to widen their network of hospitals. Therefore, categorisation of hospitals into Entry level, Progressive level and Accreditation level — as specified by NABH — is necessary to overcome issues related to diversity of providers. In 2016, IRDAI notified ‘Entry Level’ as the minimum empanelment criteria for healthcare facilities by the insurance companies.

Reimbursement slabs should be objective, transparent and linked to accreditation according to the hospital categories. National Costing Guidelines and a standard costing template should be used for calculating reimbursement packages.

To improve clinical and operational efficiencies in the supply side, standardisation in clinical practice and other processes needs to be implemented through:

  • Adoption of standard treatment guidelines, electronic health record standards, clinical audits etc. across public and private hospitals,
  • Framing of referral protocols and implementing effective mechanisms for supervision leveraging technology. The Accountable Care Organization (ACO) model used in the US and other developed countries could be piloted in India to test the effectiveness for maintaining the continuum of care and,
  • Integration of technology at each level of the healthcare continuum such as tele-medicine for remote locations, health call-centres, tele-radiology, app based emergency response etc.
Workforce woes

The limited health workforce available to deliver the promised services under Ayushman Bharat with its required outreach and effectiveness is a major concern. In addition to strengthening the number of healthcare professionals, we need focused skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling programmes for existing as well as additional workforce. Three key steps in this direction would be:

  • Providing technical as well as soft skill training to Ayushman Mitras, with adequate incentives and provisions for periodic re-training and upgradation of skills,
  • Making General Practitioners (GPs) responsible for overseeing the primary health network and and incentivising them to prevent the number of hospitalisations
  • Introducing a nurse practitioner system in strict compliance with established clinical protocols, where they are authorised to handle several clinical responsibilities.
Successful medical claims management and processing is one of the most tedious tasks under any insurance programme. The key problems arisefrom lack of training among insurance agents, missing or inaccurate documentation and time consumed in resolving claim denials. NHPS must use biometric enrolment process, mobile and app based technologies for claim processes and payment wallets for real-time payments to streamline claim management. A robust fraud and abuse control mechanism should be implemented through use of digital technologies, business intelligence frameworks and standards for de-empanelment.

A Grievance Redressal Forum should be created to ensure timely resolution of complaints without intervention of civil or consumer courts. The government must encourage and recognise transparency, self-regulation and third party ratings and reward clinical outcomes to help bridge the widening trustdeficit in the sector.

The writer is Immediate Past President FICCI and Chairman Zydus Cadila- Cadila Healthcare Ltd

live mint |

Expert panel rules against setting up new category of stents

Global stent makers’ attempt to skirt price caps in India by introducing advanced stents in a new category has failed, with a government committee deciding against creating such a category.

A year ago, the government capped the price of stents, a mesh tube placed in arteries to improve blood flow, forcing manufacturers to cut prices by up to 85%. Since then, many global stent makers withdrew their high-end devices from India, and have been pressing to create a new category of stents with advanced features.

An eight-member government sub-committee of experts that met on 25 January and considered stent makers’ arguments said there were “no grounds” to create a new category.

The companies did not “present adequate clinical evidence of superiority in terms of safety and benefit of their stents over currently available DES (drug eluting stents),” it said in a report. Mint has reviewed the report.

“The sub-committee noted that though the companies have claimed that their newer generation stents have incremental innovations in technology in terms of design, polymer coating and drug, they could not produce enough data for superiority in terms of safety and efficacy. The superiority in terms of safety and benefits of a newer stent of a company over the other currently available DES has not yet established through adequate clinical data. Hence, for the purpose of NLEM, (National List of Essential Medicines) the subcommittee reiterated its earlier categorization of coronary stents as bare metal stents (BMS) and DES,” the report said.

Following last year’s price cap recommended by India’s drug pricing watchdog—National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA), maximum retail price of bare metal stents and drug eluting stents fell from Rs45,000 and Rs1.21 lakh to Rs7,623 and Rs31,080, respectively. 

The sub-committee took up the matter after NPPA apprised the health ministry of representations it received from companies to include ‘new generation’ of stents with added features as a category within the DES category.

Among stent makers and importers who made representations before the committee on 25 January are Boston Scientific India Pvt. Ltd, Abbott Healthcare Pvt. Ltd, India Medtronic Pvt. Ltd, Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd. The companies said with a new category, quality and innovation would be rewarded and the segment kept viable.

Last year’s price cap is valid till 13 February, meaning NPPA has to settle price revision discussions before that date. Discussions started last Tuesday with NPPA meeting eminent cardiologists, who said the price cap has resulted in more angioplasties and fewer bypass surgeries. The NPPA will also meet various stakeholders on 5 February.

“While we are aligned with the government’s intent for broader access to healthcare, we’re disappointed that differences among stent generations have not been recognized, which could restrict future investment and innovation that benefits patients. Abbott will continue to participate in discussions with the government to find solutions, so that accessibility and innovation can co-exist,” an Abbott spokesperson said.

“Access to healthcare innovation extends well beyond affordability and pricing, and will require many people working together toward policy changes that address the entire landscape to support physicians and their patients,” the spokesperson added.

Emails sent to Boston Scientific and Medtronic India remained unanswered until press time.

Probir Das, chairman of FICCI Medical Devices Forum, said the price cap would limit patients’ choice.

“The industry seeks that Medtech innovation be recognised through an ‘innovation category’ in stents, one that is not based on just a claim, but validated through a matrix that balances global benchmarks, clinical — scientific features and patient benefits, especially for complex cases,” Das said.

In its submission before the sub-committee, Abbott said its Xience DES stent has an innovative delivery system. India Medtronic Pvt. Ltd said its new generation Onyx DES stent is superior based on platform and delivery system.

The committee had sought claims and suggestions from the companies to “re-consider” the issue and review if all DES are equal, or if a new category is required. However, it didn’t find adequate data to establish the superiority of newer stents in terms of safety and benefits in support of further categorization of DES.

The committee had earlier said that various incremental innovations in technology of the coronary stents may be considered for sub categorization if enough data and evidence are produced in terms of safety and benefits.

DNA |

Health savings account mooted

There is a need for the introduction of a Health Savings Account (HSA) scheme linked to a high deductible health insurance cover for end-to-end coverage of healthcare needs, said a joint report by FICCI-KPMG to understand the key imperatives for offering a comprehensive health plan in the Indian market recently.

This scheme will act as a catalyst to bring a major part of the population under the ambit of health insurance.

Also, the centralised health savings scheme should be managed by a government nominated body or privately managed by insurers with centralised fund management, the report said.

The analysis demonstrates that there exists a significant gap in coverage offered by current products and the need for a comprehensive ecosystem of financed healthcare.

The report has analysed these gaps to develop recommendations on a comprehensive health insurance product as well as the role of various stakeholders such as regulators, government, and the insurance industry.

"Healthcare costs today are going up by the day due to lifestyle diseases in particular and the only way the gap between rising healthcare costs and affordability can be bridged is if the insurance sector develops a sustainable and viable mechanism," Antony Jacob, co-chair, FICCI Health Insurance Committee and chief executive officer and whole time director, Apollo Munich Health Insurance said.

"The concept of a Health Savings Account could, therefore, prove to be a viable option for creating a corpus for meeting future healthcare needs.

This will ensure that more people have funds for accessing healthcare services, Shashwat Sharma, partner and head, Insurance, KPMG in India said.

Financial Express |

'Healthcare insurance key to MSME workforce'

The healthcare insurance industry needs to develop infrastructure and deliver affordable healthcare to the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector, which has a 117 million strong work force, according to a report.

The country's health insurance penetration is less than 30% of the population covered by any type of health insurance policy in the country, it elaborated.

"MSMEs form the larger part of India's unorganized sector, which leaves a majority of the sector's workforce without any social security. This section of the society along with their families need to be brought in the fold of healthcare protection not only as a part of a social initiative but also as a lever for improving workforce productivity," FICCI and KPMG said in its report titled, "MSME group health insurance penetration in India".

"Providing healthcare coverage is also an important aspect of employee welfare and this remains underpenetrated among MSMEs," it added.

The survey said that approximately 90% MSMEs do not offer any financial aid for medical purposes to the families of employees and almost no micro and medium enterprises offer financial support to their employees and their families.

The Hindu |

'Out of pocket spend makes up 62% of health care costs'

Out of pocket medical expenses make up about 62% of all healthcare costs in India, said Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) Chairman T.S. Vijayan.

‘Need to reduce’

“There is a need to bring down out of pocket expenses of patients, currently at about 62% of all healthcare costs,” Mr. Vijayan said at a FICCI event on Monday.

“This is extremely high and leads to impoverishment of patients. In comparison, out of pocket hospital expenses in developed countries such as the U.S. and the U.K. is 20% and in BRICS countries about 20-25%.”

Mr. Vijayan also highlighted the need to create health insurance products that were simple and intelligible to customers, provided coverage to the aged and infirm and those suffering from chronic ailments, brought down distribution costs, and ensured that there was no profiteering to the detriment of the insured.

“The time is perhaps ripe to look at introducing community group insurance products to bring down distribution costs and determine the genuineness of health insurance claims,” he said.

“The veracity of claims by an insured person can be verified through members of a community or group so that insurance companies are not unnecessarily burdened with fictitious claims.”

Focus News |

IRDAI Chief calls for devising simple health insurance products to enhance coverage

Mr. T S Vijayan, Chairman, Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has underscored the need to devise health insurance products that are simple and intelligible to the customers, provide coverage to the aged and infirm and those suffering from chronic ailments, bring down distribution costs and ensure that there is no profiteering to the detriment of the insured. Inaugurating the 10th edition of 'FICCI Health Insurance Conference 2017' here today, Mr. Vijayan said the goal of achieving inclusive, accessible and affordable health insurance by 2025 was laudable and was in keeping with the millennium development goals. To this could be added another aim, that of responsibility and responsiveness in the delivery of health insurance service as suggested by Dr. Sanjaya Baru, Secretary General of FICCI. Mr. Vijayan said that the time was perhaps ripe to look at introducing community group insurance products to bring down distribution costs and determining the genuineness of health insurance claims. The veracity of claims by an insured person could be verified through members of a community or group so that insurance companies were not unnecessarily burdened with fictitious claims. The IRDAI chief also underlined the need for standardization of costs of healthcare from one hospital to another in a city. This analysis could be done procedure-wise in a particular city to allow the insured to opt for a hospital of his choice. Mr. Vijayan spoke of the need to bring down out of pocket expenses of patients, currently reckoned at 62% of all healthcare costs. This was extremely high and leads to impoverishment of the patients, he said. In comparison, out of pocket hospital expenses in developed countries such as the US and UK were 20% and in BRICS countries about 20-25%. On the occasion, Mr. Vijayan released three knowledge papers -- FICCI-KPMG Knowledge Paper on 'MSME Group Health Insurance Penetration in India', FICCI-KPMG Knowledge Paper on 'Health Savings Account in India' and FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper on 'Distribution2.0 - Improving Distribution in Health Insurance'. In his Theme Address, Mr. G Srinivasan, Chairman, FICCI Health Insurance Committee and Chairman & Managing Director, The New India Assurance, said that while life expectancy in India has gone up significantly, the disease burden is still very high. The health insurance penetration was abysmally low in India at 30% and therefore there was a long way to go. Dr. Sanjaya Baru, said that there was a need to address the anxiety of the customers as they avail of the benefits of health insurance since many remain in the dark with regard to costs and the services offered to them. He therefore stressed the imperative of responsibility amongst healthcare providers in dealing with patients.

Focus News |

FICCI-KPMG Report suggests Health Savings Account scheme linked to a high deductible health insurance cover

The healthcare sector in India is largely underpenetrated with government expenditure constituting approximately 1.4 per cent of India's GDP. Private sector expenditure constitutes 70 per cent of the total healthcare expenditure out of which 62 per cent is out of pocket while only 8 per cent is covered through pre-financed instruments, as per World Bank Data (2014). Moreover, less than 30 per cent of India's population has healthcare cover indicating considerable potential for the health insurance industry. The health insurance industry, as of today, caters largely to institutional treatment, leading to considerable opportunities in targeting outpatient treatment in areas such as consultation fees, diagnostics and medicine expenses. The outpatient treatment, with medical inflation at ~15 per cent has created a strong need of developing a health savings account product combined with a robust health insurance plan in order to bring in spend efficiencies and protection for the Indian population. In order to understand the key imperatives for offering a comprehensive health plan in the Indian market and suitability of Health Savings Accounts, FICCI and KPMG in India conducted a joint study. A report titled 'Health savings account in India' released by Mr. T S Vijayan, Chairman, IRDAI at FICCI's 10th Annual Health Insurance Conference provides key insights and recommendations from this study. Sharing his views on the occasion, Mr. Antony Jacob, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Insurance Committee and Chief Executive Officer & Whole Time Director, Apollo Munich Health Insurance said, "Healthcare costs today are going up by the day due to lifestyle diseases in particular and the only way the gap between rising healthcare costs and affordability can be bridged is if the insurance sector develops a sustainable and viable mechanism. Today with out of pocket expenses accounting for nearly twice as much as institutional expenses there exists a real need for an all-inclusive solution towards healthcare in the Indian market". Speaking on the report, Mr. Shashwat Sharma, Partner and Head, Insurance, KPMG in India said, "A key imperative for enabling social security for the population is ensuring they have access to quality healthcare. Currently, 73 per cent of the population does not have access to pre-financed instruments for healthcare leading to 90 per cent of private sector expenditure being done through Out of Pocket spends. The concept of a Health Savings Account could therefore prove to be a viable option for creating a corpus for meeting future healthcare needs. This will ensure that more and more people have funds for accessing healthcare services, thereby going a long way in realising India's goal of providing healthcare to all".

Key highlights of the analysis:
  • The Indian healthcare industry is driven by out of pocket expenditure at 62 per cent of the entire expenditure
  • Health cover is provided to only 27 per cent of the population while remaining 73 per cent is uninsured.
The analysis demonstrates that there exists a significant gap in coverage offered by current products and the need for a comprehensive ecosystem of financed healthcare. The joint report by FICCI and KPMG in India has analysed these gaps to develop recommendations on a comprehensive health insurance product as well as role of various stakeholders such as regulators, government and the insurance industry. The recommended models include a centralised health savings scheme managed by a government nominated body or privately managed by insurers with centralised fund management. The report delves into key regulatory interventions for ease of execution of either model. The report concludes by suggesting introduction of a Health Savings Account (HSA) scheme linked to a high deductible health insurance cover, thereby allowing for end-to-end coverage of healthcare needs, which could be the catalyst to bring a major part of the population under the ambit of health insurance.

The Pioneer |

Need standardisation of hospital healthcare costs within a city: IRDA

The Indian insurance regulator on Monday called for standardisation of hospital healthcare costs within a city as it suggested a string of steps like introducing community group insurance products to bring down distribution costs and ensure companies are not burdened with fictitious claims.

Aim of "responsibility and responsiveness" in delivering health insurance services should be added to the goal of achieving affordable health insurance in the country by 2025, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) Chairman TS Vijayan said after inaugurating a health insurance conference here organised by industry chamber FICCI.

"The time is perhaps ripe to look at introducing community group insurance products to bring down distribution costs and determining the genuineness of health insurance claims," Vijayan said, while noting that the authenticity of claims by the insured could be verified through members of a community or group so that insurance companies were not "unnecessarily burdened with fictitious claims."

The IRDAI chief also underlined the need for standardisation of costs of healthcare from one hospital to another in a city. "This analysis could be done procedure wise in a particular city to allow the insured to opt for a hospital of his choice," he said.

Moreover, Vijayan emphasised the need to bring down out-of-pocket expenses of patients, currently estimated to be a t 62 per cent of all healthcare costs.

G Srinivasan, Chairman, FICCI Health Insurance Committee and Chairman & Managing Director, The New India Assurance, said that while life expectancy in India has gone up significantly, the disease burden is still very high. The health insurance penetration was abysmally low in India at 30 per cent and therefore there was a long way to go.

Dr. Sanjaya Baru, Secretary General of FICCI, said that there was a need to address the anxiety of the customers as they avail of the benefits of health insurance since many remain in the dark with regard to costs and the services offered to them. He therefore stressed the imperative of responsibility amongst healthcare providers in dealing with patients.

The Statesman |

Randomly shutting hospitals not in public interest: FICCI

Closing down hospitals "randomly" due to individual errors is not in the interest of the public and nation and will directly affect the health and well-being of patients undergoing treatment, FICCI said on Thursday, asking the media and the government not to "pre-judge" in any case.

FICCI's stand comes against the backdrop of alleged medical negligence and overcharging by two private hospitals recently.

While Fortis in Gurgaon came under a cloud because of the death of a 7-year-old girl from dengue and overcharging issues, a premature baby was wrongly declared dead by Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh.

"India is already grappling with extremely low bed density at 1.3 beds per 1,000 population, as compared to WHO recommendation of 3.5 beds. Hence, it is not in the interest of public and nation if hospitals are randomly shut down due to individual errors," said the industry chamber.

It observed that such a move will only widen the gap further and directly affect the health and well-being of patients undergoing treatment in hospitals.

"Rational and appropriate action is necessary in case of negligence or failure of the healthcare system based on proper investigation, validation based on the principles of natural justice and not based on emotional outburst," FICCI said.

While the chamber did not name any particular hospital, it asserted that the Indian healthcare industry is concerned and worried over the recent onslaught of negativity generated following a few unfortunate cases.

"While we fully support the legal and medico-legal actions that need to be taken against those found guilty by the Medical Council or by legal authorities, our request to the government and public is to give cognisance to the good work carried out by the private healthcare industry that is now being vilified," FICCI said.

It said the need of the hour is to bridge the widening trust deficit between the private healthcare providers and the government as also between the doctor and the patient.

The Pioneer |

Ayush involves SHGs for managing herbal produce

With more than 80 per cent medicinal plants being sourced from the forest in the country, the Union Ayush Ministry has started involving self-help groups (SHGs) and joint forest management committee for proper drying and storage of herbal produce so as to ensure quality and adequate availability.

Given that people are gradually turning towards herbal-based alternate traditional medicines like Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani, a three-fold increase in market size of Ayurvedic products - from $2.5 billion to $8 billion is expected by 2022.

This means, in coming years there will be greater demand for the medicinal plant species in Ayush sector which comprises Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha.

“Forests remain a major source for raw materials such as medicinal plants which are said to be rich in disease-curing properties. Therefore, it is necessary that there is adequate availability and sustainable utilizations of these plants through their large scale conservation and resource augmentation,” said an official from the Ministry.

At a meeting recently to examine the draft of National Policy of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Ayush Minister SY Naik echoed similar views. “The herbal medicine sector could also provide new job opportunities to the people and India could play a leading role in the global market of herbal products and drugs,” he said.

For the creation of market linkages, the Government is mulling to identify potential buyer and seller of medicinal plants through the regular buyer seller meets to be organized in the regions, producer of medicinal plants to be educated to take part/involved in medicinal plants mandies.

For providing market to the herbal products, the government has already made a beginning. The Ayush Ministry recently held first-ever “International Arogya 2017”, conference which saw participation of delegates from more than 70 countries while more than 250 traditional manufacturers showcased their herbal products.

As was evident at the conference, eying the growing export and domestic market, a large number of big pharma companies have started to redirect their business strategy by investing large amount of finance in research and manufacturing of herbal medicines. Some Government institutions too have jumped the fray.

For instance, Lukoskin, a traditional herbal formulation made from over ten plants by the extensive R& D by the scientists of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has found huge market. It is used to treat vitiligo or leucoderma which is still considered as stigma here, said Sanchit Sharma from Delhi-based AIMIL Pharma, which is marketing Lukoskin among a string of herbal products. Worldwide incidence of leucoderma is reported to be 1 to 2 per cent while in India, it’s around 4 to 5 per cent, he noted.

Similarly, anti-diabetes drug BGR-34, made from the extracts of four herbal plants has been developed by the CSIR.

Another Government agency, the Central Council of Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has developed a new anti-diabetic drug namely AYUSH-82 from five ayurvedic medicinal plants. The Ayush minister had informed the Parliament last year that the Council has initiated action to commercialise AYUSH-82 and till now Dabur India, Kudos Laboratory India and La Granade Herbs and Pharma have been given licenses for manufacturing it.

Some other herbal drugs from CCRAS house include Puskura Guguluu for heart diseases, Varuna for UTI, Brahmi and Mandukparni to promote mental health among others.

“We are witnessing a highly receptive environment where the value of AYUSH systems is widely recognised worldwide, translating into growing global demand,” said Dr Sanjaya Baru, Secretary General of FICCI which had co-sponsored the International Arogya 2017 here.

Shomita Biswas, CEO of the NMPB stressed on the need of 365 days national campaign on medicinal plants for creating awareness among the general masses, signing of MoU with ISRO for involving space technology in relevance to medicinal plants for Geo-referencing. She also suggested that Government pharmacies can intervene in direct sales/purchase of medicinal plants produce from the clusters.

DNA |

Stall fined Rs1k for selling cigarettes at exhibition

The Delhi State Tobacco Control Society conducted an awareness cum enforcement drive at the International Arogya 2017 Exhibition on Tuesday. It also issued a fine of Rs 1,000 to a stall which was selling cigarettes claiming it to be herbal in nature.

"The counter had not displayed the mandatory display board mentioning that sale of cigarettes and other tobacco is prohibited to minors below the age of 18 years. A fine of Rs 1,000 was issued but they refused to pay the challan and refused to sign and accept the challan as well. The matter was brought to the notice of the organiser of the exhibition-FICCI," said Dr SK Arora, Additional Director (Health), Delhi government.

The stall owners refused to submit the relevant papers as well as the samples for the analysis. According to the officials, the case will be filed with the court under section 4 & 5 of COTPA for the necessary action.

"It is worth mentioning that even if these are herbal but tar is produced and Carbon monoxide & other toxic gases are also released which are harmful. Second hand smoking with harmful effects does occur, therefore it needs regulation," said Dr Arora.

The Tobacco Control Cell on Monday issued the notice to the cricket association on December 2 for violating provisions under section five of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), which prohibits direct and indirect advertisements of tobacco products. It also sought to know why appropriate punitive action would not be initiated against the directors and office bearers of the DDCA as per the provisions under COTPA.

According to the notice, any wrong communication and promotion on the part of celebrities, especially cricket stars, will have disastrous impact on the society including youngsters. The Health Department had in 2016 written to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Govinda, Arbaaz Khan and Sunny Leone along with Ajay Devgn, urging them not to endorse pan masala products as they contain areca nuts, a potential cancer causing agent.

The Delhi government has also asked actors to join its campaign.

India Education Diary |

First ever International Conference cum Exhibition on AYUSH and Wellness inaugurated in New Delhi

The First Ever International Conference on AYUSH and Wellness ‘Arogya 2017’ was inaugurated by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Suresh Prabhu and Minister of State for AYUSH, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik in New Delhi today. The three day exhibition cum conference is being held at Vigyan Bhawan from 4th to 7th December, 2017. ‘Arogya 2017’ has been jointly organized by Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Government of India including Pharmexcil in partnership with FICCI to showcase the strength and scientific valuation of traditional system of medicine. Nearly 1500 delegates from India and 60 countries are participating in ‘Arogya 2017’.

Addressing the delegates, the Commerce and Industry Minister, Shri Suresh Prabhu said that ‘Arogya 2017’ is the first of its kind International Conference which has been organized in India. Through ‘Arogya 2017’, we have decided to share the traditional medicine knowledge of India with humanity across the world, the Minister explained. India, he said, however is not the only country with traditional medicine knowledge. Through this conference we also hope to learn from participants from other countries of the world and the Government of India will be very happy to work with all the countries in this sector, he said.

Minister of State for AYUSH, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik said that Ministry of AYUSH is trying to achieve comprehensive integration of AYUSH in the health services. Through the Ministry of AYUSH, we are not only promoting developmental activities of traditional medicine at National level but also looking at more international cooperation and collaboration opportunities at bilateral, multi lateral, regional and global levels. In this direction, declaration of 21st June as International Day of Yoga by the United Nations has generated global interest for yoga as well as lot of cooperation opportunities for exchange of Yoga information, expertise and qualified, certified and accredited trainers of Yoga. Similarly, through our collaboration agreement with WHO we intend to develop AYUSH technical guidelines and documents for the benefit of member countries, the Minister added. Shri Shripad Naik said that India has signed MoUs with some country Governments and also with International Universities for fostering cooperation in the area. We should build up the institutional mechanisms and the health systems with the evidence-based approaches, shared practical experiences and best practices of traditional medical systems, he added.

Secretary AYUSH, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said that India is perhaps the only country in the world with a separate ministry of traditional medicine which reflects government’s commitment towards development of AYUSH system of medicines. We hope to increase the size of AYUSH sector three fold over the next five years including products and services, the AYUSH Secretary said. It is for this reason that the Government is following a multi prong strategy including signing of MoUs and agreements with large number of countries, collaborative research and academic activities and offering international scholarship in AYUSH among others.

DG Pharmxcil, Mr. Udaya Bhaskar; Secretary General FICCI, Dr. Sanjaya Baru; Deputy Secretary General FICCI, Mr. Vinay Mathur; DG Gyan Bharti, A. Jaykumar; AYUSH Expert in WHO, Dr. G Geeta Krishnan; MD Sri Sri Tattva, Shri Arvind Varchaswi also highlighted the steps taken by India in promoting the AYUSH Sector at home and abroad.

‘Aroyga 2017’ is a comprehensive exhibition cum conference on Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddhha, Sowa Rigpa, Homoeopathy and wellness. More than 250 manufacturers of alternative medicine are showcasing their products and services at International Arogya 2017. The mega event has brought key stakeholders of AYUSH sector together under one roof to showcase latest research and developments in alternative medicine systems of India and boost exports of AYUSH products.

A White Paper “AYUSH for the World” by Frost & Sullivan was launched at the event to offer a roadmap for AYUSH regulations and registration in ASEAN and BIMSTEC countries. It notes that India is the second largest exporter of Ayurvedic and alternate medicine to the world and has a potential to generate 3 million job opportunities. The Indian herbal market is valued at around Rs 5,000 crore currently, with an annual growth rate of 14%.

DNA |

India 2nd largest exporter of herbal meds after China

For the first time ever, luminaries from across the world met in Delhi to discuss the strengthening and scientific validation of traditional systems of medicine.

The four-day event — International Arogya 2017 — is hosting 1,500 delegates from across 60 countries. India is the world's second largest exporter of medicinal plants after China and both countries together produce more than 70 per cent of the total global demand for herbal products, a whitepaper launched at the event notes.

The event will see discussions around Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy (AYUSH), Naturopathy, and ancient Tibetan practice of medicine — Sowa-Rigpa. The Indian domestic market for AYUSH is estimated to be Rs 500 crore, while exports amount to Rs 200 crore.

Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce & Industry said, "With a wealth of 6,600 medicinal plants, India is the second largest exporter of AYUSH and herbal products in the world. We now have an opportunity to bring the Indian system of medicine in the mainstream, and integrate the AYUSH infrastructure into the Indian healthcare system. This infrastructure consists of 1,355 hospitals with 53,296-bed capacity, 22,635 dispensaries, 450 undergraduate colleges, 9,493 licensed manufacturing units, and 7.18 lakh registered practitioners. We want to tap the maximum potential of AYUSH systems in imparting preventive, promotive, and holistic healthcare to the people."

Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of AYUSH, said, "An agreement has been signed with the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop benchmarks for Yoga, Ayurveda, Unani and Panchkarma. Five AYUSH information cells have been set up in Israel, Tajikistan, Peru, Russia, and Tanzania."

More than 250 manufacturers of alternative medicine are showcasing their products and services at the International Arogya 2017. A whitepaper released in the event notes that India is the second largest exporter of Ayurvedic and alternate medicines to the world and has the potential to generate three million job opportunities. The Indian herbal market is valued at Rs 5,000 crore currently, with an annual growth rate of 14 per cent. More than 30,000 branded and 1,500 traditional AYUSH products are available in the country.

The Hindu Business Line |

AYUSH industry jobs to grow: Suresh Prabhu

The AYUSH industry is expected to grow in double digits and provide direct employment to 1 million people and indirect jobs to 25 million persons by 2020, Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said on Monday. The government is eyeing a three-fold increase in the AYUSH sector by 2022.

“The Indian domestic market of AYUSH is estimated to be ₹500 crore, while exports amount to ₹200 crore. Young Indian entrepreneurs planning a start-up could find a lot of opportunities in holistic healthcare,” Prabhu said.

Business Standard |

Yoga, Ayurveda may create 26 million jobs through AYUSH by 2020: Prabhu

The AYUSH industry is expected to grow in double digits and provide direct employment to 1 million people and indirect jobs to 25 million persons by 2020, Union minister Suresh Prabhu said on Monday.

The government is eyeing a three-fold increase in the AYUSH sector by 2022.

AYUSH stands for traditional systems of medicine and healthcare such as Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.

"The Indian domestic market of AYUSH is estimated to be Rs 500 crore, while exports amount to Rs 200 crore. Young Indian entrepreneurs planning a start-up could find a lot of opportunities in holistic healthcare," Prabhu said.

Addressing the conference on wellness, Arogya 2017, here, the commerce and industry minister said the government will be happy to work with all countries to create a good proposition wherein knowledge of traditional medicine can be transmitted to people, whereby a win-win situation can be developed.

He pointed out that the government has allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in AYUSH, and highlighted the need for stakeholders to pool in their resources to harness the sector's vast potential.

"With a wealth of 6,600 medicinal plants, India is the second largest exporter of AYUSH and herbal products in the world. We now have the opportunity to mainstream the Indian system of medicine and integrate the AYUSH infrastructure into Indian healthcare system," Prabhu said.

The secretary in the AYUSH ministry, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, said the ministry is committed to increasing the size of AYUSH sector three-fold in the next five years.

The Pioneer |

World benefiting from yoga as no one has patent on IT: Prabhu

Emphasising that the entire world was benefiting from Yoga, Union Commerce and Industries Minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday said this was possible only because nobody has a patent or proprietary rights over it due to which the practice could spread all over the world.

"No one knows who invented Yoga due to which no one gets royalty for it. This is the reason that knowledge of Yoga is available to all and entire humanity is benefiting. We believe it should be available to the entire world," said Prabhu, addressing the first International Summit on AYUSH and Wellness here.

Noting that India in the recent times had taken initiatives to promote its traditional medicine system, Prabhu questioned patents on matters related to knowledge, which can otherwise benefit the world to a great extent.

"I am happy that we are taking initiatives... In fact it is bounding duty to share knowledge and let the world benefit from it. Knowledge should never be preserved in one country and it should be allowed to spread across the world.

"Just imagine everything that we discover, everything that we can offer as a knowledge is patented or someone has proprietary right on it. How will one benefit from it? How will the world benefit from it?," asked Prabhu

The four-day Yoga event is being held in the backdrop of National Health Policy 2017 strongly advocating mainstreaming the potential of AYUSH within a pluralistic system of Integrative health care.

It will showcase the strength and scientific validation of traditional Indian systems of medicines in the global context, including Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homeopathy (AYUSH), and facilitate their worldwide promotion, development and recognition.

The conference is being attended by 1,500 delegates from 60 countries.

Shripad Naik, the AYUSH Minister, said the government has taken many initiatives to popularise alternatives systems of medicine.

"The National AYUSH Mission was started in 2014. An agreement has been signed with WHO to develop benchmarks for Yoga, Ayurveda, Unani and Panchkarma. Five AYUSH information cells have been set up in Israel, Tajikistan, Peru, Russia, and Tanzania," said Naik in his inaugural speech.

A white paper, titled AYUSH for the World by Frost & Sullivan, was launched to offer insights into the regulatory requirements for herbal medicines in Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation nations.

Among the other senior dignitaries who attended the summit were AYUSH Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha and business chamber FICCI's Secretary General Sanjaya Baru.

bdnews24.com |

India eyes more global AYUSH market

Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturapathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homeopathy all together are called AYUSH.

“The AYUSH industry is expected to grow in double digits and provide direct employment to 1 million people and indirect employment to 25 million people by 2020. All stakeholders need to pool their resources to harness this vast potentials,” Minister for Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu said while inaugurating the conference on Monday at Vigyan Bhavan.

The government of India, along with the oldest chamber FICCI, and Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council or Pharmexcil is hosting the 'Arogya 2017' to boost exports of AYUSH products and showcase the strength and scientific validation of traditional systems of medicine.

The four-day event is being held against the backdrop of the National Health Policy 2017 that strongly advocates "mainstreaming the potential of AYUSH within a pluralistic system of integrative healthcare."

More than 250 manufacturers are showcasing their products at the event.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi created a separate ministry for AYUSH after he came to power in 2014. Due to his initiatives, the UN has also recognised an international day for yoga.

AYUSH is also being seen effective in managing life-style diseases such as diabetes.

India has signed MoUs with a number of countries for international promotion, including Bangladesh.

Professional chairs for Ayurveda have also been created in universities in Trinidad and Tobago and Hungary. One chair of Unani has been established in South Afirca.

The commerce minister said India’s domestic AYUSH market is estimated to be Rs 5 billion while exports amount to Rs 2 billion.

“Young Indian entrepreneurs planning a start-up could find a lot of opportunities in holistic healthcare. The government has allowed 100 percent FDI in AYUSH."

State minister for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik said the patient-centric approach of AYUSH systems holds significant potential for finding solutions to India’s public health challenges.

The government has taken many initiatives to popularise alternative systems of medicine.

They signed an agreement with the WHO to develop benchmarks for Yoga, Ayurveda, Unani and Panchkarma.

Five AYUSH information cells have been set up in Israel, Tajikistan, Peru, Russia and Tanzania.

The All India Institute of Ayurveda has been established at Delhi.

The government is also offering incentives to AYUSH industry for international cooperation and encouraging certification of AYUSH products to facilitate exports.

“We are witnessing a highly receptive environment where the value of AYUSH systems is widely recognised worldwide, translating into growing global demand,” said Dr Sanjaya Baru, Secretary General of FICCI.

A White Paper titled ‘AYUSH for the World’ by Frost and Sulivan was launched to offer insights into the regulatory requirements for herbal medicines in ASEAN and BIMSTEC nations.

The document notes that the Indian herbal market is valued at Rs 50 billion currently, with an annual growth rate of 14 percent.

More than 30,000 branded and 1,500 traditional AYUSH products are available in the country.

India is the world’s second largest exporter of medicinal plants after China and both the countries together produce more than 70 percent of the total global demand for herbal products.

According to the WHO, the global herbal market is estimated to reach about $5 trillion by 2050 from the current level of $6.2 billion.

Homeopathy360 |

International Arogya 2017, Global Summit on AYUSH and Wellness, Begins in Delhi Today: Dec 4

The first international conference and exhibition on AYUSH and wellness systems, International Arogya 2017, is being organized in Delhi from December 4-7, 2017 by FICCI in collaboration with Govt. of India’s Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Commerce & Industry, and Pharmaexcil.

The four-day event will showcase the strength and scientific validation of traditional Indian systems of medicine in the global context, including Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), and facilitate their worldwide promotion, development and recognition.

International Arogya 2017 will be inaugurated by Shri Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India, in the presence of Shri Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India; Smt. Rita Teaotia, Secretary, Dept. of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India; and Dr. Sanjaya Baru, Secretary General, FICCI, and other dignitaries.

Thousands of delegates from India and abroad, as well as over 200 Hosted Delegates from more than 60 countries – including importers, regulators and Government officials — will attend the show. More than 250 manufacturers of alternative medicine will showcase their products and services. The mega event will bring key stakeholders of AYUSH sector under one roof, help boost exports of AYUSH products, and showcase latest research and developments in alternative medicine systems of India.

Daily World |

World benefiting from Yoga as no one has patent on it: Prabhu

Emphasising that the entire world was benefiting from Yoga, Union Commerce and Industries Minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday said this was possible only because nobody has a patent or proprietary rights over it due to which the practice could spread all over the world.

“No one knows who invented Yoga due to which no one gets royalty for it. This is the reason that knowledge of Yoga is available to all and entire humanity is benefiting. We believe it should be available to the entire world,” said Prabhu, addressing the first International Summit on AYUSH and Wellness here.

Noting that India in the recent times had taken initiatives to promote its traditional medicine system, Prabhu questioned patents on matters related to knowledge, which can otherwise benefit the world to a great extent.

“I am happy that we are taking initiatives… In fact it is bounding duty to share knowledge and let the world benefit from it. Knowledge should never be preserved in one country and it should be allowed to spread across the world.

“Just imagine everything that we discover, everything that we can offer as a knowledge is patented or someone has proprietary right on it. How will one benefit from it? How will the world benefit from it?,” asked Prabhu

The four-day Yoga event is being held in the backdrop of National Health Policy 2017 strongly advocating mainstreaming the potential of AYUSH within a pluralistic system of Integrative health care.

It will showcase the strength and scientific validation of traditional Indian systems of medicines in the global context, including Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homeopathy (AYUSH), and facilitate their worldwide promotion, development and recognition.

The conference is being attended by 1,500 delegates from 60 countries.

Shripad Naik, the AYUSH Minister, said the government has taken many initiatives to popularise alternatives systems of medicine.

“The National AYUSH Mission was started in 2014. An agreement has been signed with WHO to develop benchmarks for Yoga, Ayurveda, Unani and Panchkarma. Five AYUSH information cells have been set up in Israel, Tajikistan, Peru, Russia, and Tanzania,” said Naik in his inaugural speech.

A white paper, titled AYUSH for the World by Frost & Sullivan, was launched to offer insights into the regulatory requirements for herbal medicines in Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation nations.

Among the other senior dignitaries who attended the summit were AYUSH Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha and business chamber FICCI’s Secretary General Sanjaya Baru.

The Speed Post |

First Intl. conference on Ayush and Wellness kickstarts in Delhi

The First Ever International Conference on AYUSH and Wellness ‘Arogya 2017’ was inaugurated by the Minister for Commerce and Industry, Suresh Prabhu, and Minister of State for AYUSH, Shripad Yesso Naik in New Delhi on December 4, 2017.

The three- day exhibition cum conference is being held at Vigyan Bhawan. It has been jointly organized by Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Government of India including Pharmexcil in partnership with FICCI to showcase the strength and scientific valuation of traditional system of medicine. Nearly 1,500 delegates from India and 60 countries are participating at ‘Arogya 2017’.

Addressing the delegates, Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu said that ‘Arogya 2017’ is the first of its kind International Conference organized in India. Through ‘Arogya 2017’, we have decided to share the traditional medicine knowledge of India with humanity across the world, the Minister explained. India, he said, however is not the only country with traditional medicine knowledge. ” Through this conference we also hope to learn from participants from other countries of the world and the Government of India will be very happy to work with all the countries in this sector,” he said, according to a PIB release.

Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik said that Ministry of AYUSH is trying to achieve comprehensive integration of AYUSH in the health services. Through the Ministry of AYUSH, we are not only promoting developmental activities of traditional medicine at National level but also looking at more international cooperation and collaboration opportunities at bilateral, multi- lateral, regional and global levels, he said.

The Pioneer |

1 per cent of India's hospitals apply for NABH accreditation

India’s focus on medical tourism notwithstanding, just one per cent of all hospitals/nursing homes put together in the country has come forward to obtain the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH) accreditation that emphasises on patient safety aspects and stringent quality assessment norms.

There are about 79,000 hospitals in the public and private sector in the country. Nearly 1,000 hospitals have applied and are in the process of being reviewed on quality parameters, as per the website of the NABH, a constituent board of Quality Council of India, set up to establish and operate accreditation programme for healthcare organisations.

"Unfortunately, even after 12 years of the establishment of the NABH, less than 700 hospitals have bagged accreditation tag till date, which accounts for only 1 per cent of hospitals/nursing homes put together," said Dr Girdhar J Gyani, a well-known quality expert and brain behind NABH standards.

Gyani, who now heads the Association of Healthcare Providers, said that at a time when the Government is promoting medical tourism and is in the midst of announcing new policy in this regard, it is also important that it ensures best professional operational framework in hospitals.

According to a paper by FICCI and QuintilesIMS, over 5,00,000 foreign patients seek treatment in India each year. SAARC countries such as Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Maldives are the major sources of medical value travel, followed by African countries such as Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya. Proximity, cultural connect and connectivity are the key reasons for inflow of patients to India from these regions.

If India is to made healthcare destination then it is also important that that people are made aware of the best healthcare services they are entitled to at every stage from consultation to complete treatment in hospitals and clinics, Gyani said.

The NABH accreditation which involves around 636 elements related to patient care and infection-free ambience that would instill confidence among patients, particularly foreign patients.

Gyani welcomed the recent Insurance Regulator and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) move mandating 33,000 hospitals empanelled with it to meet the pre-accreditation entry-level standards laid down by the NABH within two years.

He said that in the West, 80 per cent of hospitals have insurance schemes which has prompted the hospitals to adopt best healthcare standards. In India, we hope the IRDAI move would drive the hospitals to ensure NABH tag and in the process better patient-care.

He talked about the three-layer certification process of the NABH. Last year, entry-level certification was introduced to ensure small and medium-sized hospitals follow a set of minimum required norms for offering effective health care services.

Unhappy at the poor response of the hospitals towards NABH accreditation, Dr KK Kalra, CEO, NABH said it was time that we move from voluntary accreditation of health delivery institutions to a mandatory system as being done by many developed nations.

"We have already mooted the proposal of mandatory accreditation of hospitals and asked the Medical Council of India (MCI) to use its powers to direct all medical colleges with hospitals in India to get accredited," he said.

Bio Spectrum |

India is among the fastest growing medical tourism destinations in Asia: Teaotia

The government of India recently, has been proactively pushing the idea of medical tourism. Now since the wheels of this concept have churning rapidly, the government estimates it will reach a US $9 billion mark by 2020, making India the fastest growing medical tourism destinations in Asia.

“During the early days of medical tourism, the attention was always given to developed countries,” said Rita Teaotia, Secretary, Ministry of Commerce.

“It has now shifted to Asia, and India is among the fastest growing medical tourism destinations in Asia,” she said, addressing the third edition of Advantage Healthcare India 2017 summit, being held by FICCI.

Medical tourism, wherein people travel outside their countries for medical treatment, is estimated to be a $3 billion-worth industry.

Ayurveda, yoga and wellness industry in India set it apart from other medical tourism destinations in the world, the official said.

“Ayurveda has managed to catch the attention of many countries, especially European countries. The government will continue to focus on global acceptance of Ayurveda on the lines of Chinese medicine,” she said.

Gaurav Gupta, Principal Secretary of Department of IT, Biotechnology and Tourism for Karnataka, said: “Karnataka, with direct connectivity to world capitals, and 56 medical colleges, and 19 National Accreditation for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accredited hospitals, is soon going to come out with a medical and wellness tourism policy.”

India can be a $9 billion-worth medical tourism destination by 2020, Gupta said.

According to a recent FICCI report, over 500,000 foreign patients seek treatment in India every year.

The international summit on medical tourism is being organised by FICCI, along with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and its Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC).

The three-day summit has over 700 delegates taking part in it from over 50 countries like the US, Russia, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, among others.

Pharmabiz.com |

Nova IVI Fertility bags Medical Value Travel IVF Specialist Hospital award

Nova IVI Fertility, one of the leading chains of IVF clinics in India, has been honoured at the Advantage Healthcare India 2017 global summit as the winner of ‘Medical Value Travel Specialist Hospital’ in IVF/Infertility category.
The award is a testimony of the unparalleled contribution by Nova IVI Fertility and its commitment to offer standardised and ethical infertility treatment in the country. The award was jointly presented by the ministry of commerce and industry – Government of India, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) in Bengaluru, said the company.

“With infertility becoming a growing concern, India is considered the top destination for fertility treatment because of the unique combination of top quality care with high cost effectiveness. At Nova, we follow three core values – Integrity, Transparency and Excellence. These principles have ensured that the best of treatments is offered to our patients. Adhering to high ethical and clinical standards at all times has been our utmost priority, according to Vinesh Gadhia, chief operating officer, Nova IVI Fertility.

Advantage Healthcare India 2017 is an international summit organised to promote India as a premier global healthcare destination and enable streamlined healthcare services exports. The recognition comes to Nova for providing the best in class IVF treatment & care to patients, access to the latest technologies in IVF, and for the calibre of the highly qualified fertility specialists and embryologists across centres, said the company.

Nova currently operates 19 fertility centres across the country at Mumbai (2), New Delhi (2), Ahmedabad (2), Bangalore (3) one each at Chennai, Coimbatore, Hisar, Hyderabad, Indore, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Pune, Surat, and Vijayawada.

Pharmabiz.com |

Union govt to launch dedicated medical & wellness tourism policy next year

The Union government is working to introduce the medical tourism policy going by the importance of the country’s contribution to the international patient care. India’s medical expertise with qualified and trained personnel along with the access to accredited hospital infrastructure on par with international standards and treatment available at one sixth of the cost compared to the developing world will only accelerate the medical tourism growth.

As a precursor to the policy, the government launched a healthcare portal www.indiahealthcaretourism.com in three languages: Arabic, Russian and French, which provides comprehensive information to medical travellers.

The Grant Thornton report estimated that India's medical tourism market will grow from US$ 3 billion to US$ 8 billion by 2020. Over the last 2 decades, scores of international patients have been accessing treatment for cardiac diseases, hip, knee replacement, gastric bypass, spine surgery and ophthalmological interventions. This has prompted the government to devise a dedicated policy for the sector.

Karnataka government is working to bring out a medical and wellness tourism policy as the Central Government. 'But that will be next year', said Satyajeet Rajan, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India.

“Some interventions by the Ministry of Tourism to facilitate medical value travel (MVT) to India have been path-breaking, such as the introduction of e-medical visas ranging from 60 days to 6 months and doing away with the requirement for foreign patients to report to FRROs. We are going to set up six facilitation enters in Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Delhi, and Goa by January next year to cater to medical tourists. We are also focusing on promoting homestays for medical tourists to bring down their cost of stay in India”, said Rajan, at the Advantage Healthcare India 2017, the third global summit on medical value travel jointly organized by FICCI; Dept. of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, and Service Export Promotion Council (SEPC) in Bengaluru.

According to Rita Teaotia, Secretary, Union government’s department of commerce, medical value travel is a win-win for patients and providers. It creates jobs and encourages interchange of cultures across borders while fulfilling healthcare needs of people. As the focus on medical tourism shifts to Asia, India has emerged as one of the fastest growing markets.

Gaurav Gupta, Principal Secretary, Karnataka Department of IT, Biotechnology & Tourism, said that the state holds immense potential in wellness and medical tourism. Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Mangaluru have some of the best hospitals in Asia, while Udipi, Gokarna, Mysore and Bijapur have developed as wellness destinations. There are 19 NABH accredited hospitals in Bengaluru alone. In addition, the state s home to 56 medical colleges and offers the highest number of MBBS seats in India.

“Considering this, we are shortly going to come out with a medical and wellness tourism policy for Karnataka. A marketing fund to promote MVT destination and give financial assistance to entrepreneurs for wellness tourism is on the cards”, he added.

Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, Principal Secretary, Karnataka Health & Family Welfare, views that the state has 26,000 modern clinics and hospitals in the private sector, in addition to 40,000 Ayush practitioners. There are 30,000 traditional healers not well known globally, but have as many foreign clients as Indian ones.

Zee News |

India among fastest growing medical tourism destinations: Official

Estimating that medical tourism in the country can grow to become a $9 billion industry by 2020, a government official on Thursday said India is among the "fastest growing medical tourism destinations in Asia".

"During the early days of medical tourism, the attention was always given to developed countries," said Rita Teaotia, Secretary, Ministry of Commerce.

"It has now shifted to Asia, and India is among the fastest growing medical tourism destinations in Asia," she said, addressing the third edition of Advantage Healthcare India 2017 summit, being held here by FICCI.

Medical tourism, wherein people travel outside their countries for medical treatment, is estimated to be a $3 billion-worth industry.

Ayurveda, yoga and wellness industry in India set it apart from other medical tourism destinations in the world, the official said.

"Ayurveda has managed to catch the attention of many countries, especially European countries. The government will continue to focus on global acceptance of Ayurveda on the lines of Chinese medicine," she said.

Gaurav Gupta, Principal Secretary of Department of IT, Biotechnology and Tourism for Karnataka, said: "Karnataka, with direct connectivity to world capitals, and 56 medical colleges, and 19 National Accreditation for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accredited hospitals, is soon going to come out with a medical and wellness tourism policy."

India can be a $9 billion-worth medical tourism destination by 2020, Gupta said.

According to a recent FICCI report, over 500,000 foreign patients seek treatment in India every year.

The international summit on medical tourism is being organised by FICCI, along with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and its Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC).

The three-day summit has over 700 delegates taking part in it from over 50 countries like the US, Russia, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, among others.

New Delhi Times |

Fortis La Femme launches Amaara The First Public Medical Milk Bank in Bengaluru

Fortis La Femme (hospital for women & children), Richmond Road in association with the Breast Milk Foundation (BMF), a non-profit organization within the GNS Foundation has launched Bengaluru’s first public Human Milk Bank, ‘’Amaara’’ today. The centre recognizes that breast milk is the best nutritional food source for infants and should be available to babies deprived of mother’s milk.

Amaara is an initiative in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) Millennium Development Goals of reducing Infant Mortality rate. The WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recommend that the best feed for a baby who cannot be breastfed, is milk expressed from own mother or from another healthy mother.

Over the last year, Amaara has successfully collected milk from 66 donor mothers and delivered it to 206 vulnerable new born babies across more than 10-12 hospitals in Delhi/NCR.

Anika Parashar, COO, Fortis La Femme said, “We at Fortis La Femme are overwhelmed with the successful launch of Amaara Human Milk Bank in our Bangalore Hospital after Delhi. We have pioneered a collection system in which a mother can express the milk in the comfort of her home, a carrier from the bank will collect the milk in specialized freezer boxes and transport it to the bank to be sent to a premature baby whenever needed. Amaara strengthens our promise to be a globally respected woman and child care provider known for exemplary clinical & holistic wellness care!’’

Dr. Raghuram Mallaiah, Director Neonatology, Fortis La Femme & Co-Founder Amaara said, “In India prematurity and low birth weight are the biggest contributors of neonatal/infant mortality. According to recent government surveys prematurity is one of the 10 most common causes of mortality in all age groups. Donor human milk goes a long way in helping save these very vulnerable babies in our society and thereby decrease infant mortality. We are proud to set up Bengaluru’s first public human milk bank at Fortis La Femme to create a better space for infants to thrive.”

Dr. Ankit Srivastava, Co-Founder Amaara said, “I feel joyous to be able to extend the ‘Amaara’ family and lend a hand to the needful preemies in another city. The milk-bank is definitely making progress, and we are overwhelmed with the response received from the people and hospitals of Delhi/NCR, and hope to see the same in Bengaluru.”

He further added “It makes me feel proud to be a part of such a remarkable peerless initiative and to be able to be assist and aid high risk newborns with the nurturing care that formula milk lacks to offer”.

The milk bank was inaugurated and supported by Hon. Mr. Ryszard Czarnecki, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium. He is also a member of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs and substitute for the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and a member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of South-East Europe.

About Fortis La Femme

Fortis La Femme takes an integrated approach to women’s health and covers every medical aspect in Obstetrics, Gynecology, Neonatology, Anesthesia, General & Laparoscopic Surgery, Cosmetic Surgery, Genetic and Fetal Medicine. La Femme currently operates four hospitals across Delhi, Bengaluru and Jaipur.

La Femme also has a unique department catering to the holistic birthing care needs of a woman called Mamma Mia, which complements the Fortis La Femme brand, offering a range of services from pre conception, Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting. La Femme is also the winner of Most Popular Maternity Hospital by Child Magazine in 2013 & 2014. La Femme was ranked No. 5 amongst Top Gynecological Hospitals in India (No. 1 Private Gynecological Hospital in North India) in Nielsen Survey 2015 conducted by THE WEEK magazine.

About Breast Milk Foundation

Amaara Human Milk bank was started in Delhi in 2016 by the Breast Milk Foundation (BMF) which is a not for profit organization. BMF was co-founded by Dr Raghuram Mallaiah and Dr Ankit Srivastava in 2015 with the aim to establish Human milk banks across India so as to provide breast milk for the most vulnerable babies in our society.

Amaara Milk Bank, Fortis La Femme won the FICCI Health Excellence Award in the Category of Social Initiative (Corporate) on 17th August’17. Amaara was proudly felicitated for its contributions to the industry by innovating for increased efficiency, affordability and improved performance of healthcare delivery at large.

Business Standard |

Hospital brands: Reputation, convenience matter

The Indian health consumer has evolved over time and this has resulted in the health care industry shifting its focus to corporate branding, marketing campaigns and investing heavily in brand building to draw more patients. Though treatment remains the most crucial element in providing health care services, the increased number of choices for the consumer has made it mandatory for the health care providers to change their approach and focus on not only providing better treatment but also on pricing, trust, transparency, cleanliness and other factors which enhance their brand.

A survey by FICCI and Kantar IMRB highlights the course correction by health care providers and what needs to be done to give consumers a seamless experience. Praveen Nijhara, senior executive director, Kantar IMRB and head, Stakeholder Management Division said, “Today, the hospitals, especially the large ones are investing both time and money in aspects like infrastructure, corporate branding, marketing campaigns, free clinics etc. In an increasingly corporatised culture, one needs to ensure that there is adequate focus on strengthening core values of trust, empathy and engagement in health care organisations as well to improve patient experience, since the patient is a vulnerable consumer, Nijhara added.

The survey indicates that hospitals may soon need to understand that the health care customer is not homogenous; despite similar ailments, expectations vary between age groups and even within similar urban pockets. The young, for instance, want convenience and expect little waiting time whether it is to meet the doctor or complete the discharge process.

Expectedly, in terms of experience, private hospitals outperform their government counterparts. But the gap is narrowed down between the two competing factions when treatment, competence, knowledge and skills of doctors are concerned. Government hospitals lag behind in infrastructural advances such as quality of diagnostics facilities, parking, cafeteria, drinking water, toilets and even cleanliness.

Nijhara said, it is imperative for health care businesses to understand that the customers’ expectations is being shaped not only by their own past experiences but also by technology influenced categories like e-commerce as well as hospitality, retail etc. Hence, hospitals today need to look at and learn from hospitality, retail (brick-mortar), where the quantum of human interaction is higher and perhaps more involved.

Medical Dialogues |

FICCI awards Dr KR Balakrishnan for his contribution to Healthcare

Dr K R Balakrishnan, Director, Cardiac Sciences, Fortis Centre for Heart Failure & Transplant, Fortis Malar Hospital in Chennai, leading cardiac transplant surgeon on international repute, was awarded FICCI Special Jury Award for his contributions to healthcare and medical research at an event here recently. The award was presented in a special medical conference ‘Indian Healthcare: A Patient’s View’ in the presence of Ms Anupriya Patel – Union Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, Mr Rahul Khosla – Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee; President, Max Group & Chairman, Max India Ltd and other eminent dignitaries.

The Federation of India Chamber Of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) organizes this annual conference with an aim to facilitate organizations and individuals for their contributions to the industry by innovating for increased efficiency, affordability and improved performance of healthcare delivery at large. The FICCI Awards have emerged as the definitive recognition for contribution to healthcare in the country over the years based on Innovation, Sustainability, Impact and Scalability which forms the four criteria’s for evaluation.

FICCI, in a first-of-its-kind move, also curated an exclusive Special Jury Award to recognize the contributions of Dr K R Balakrishnan in the Indian medical ecosystem. Dr Balakrishnan has done more than 156 heart transplants, 9 heart and lung transplants and 14 lung transplants; in the process saving as many as 179 lives. Credited with India’s First LVAD in 2012 and HVAD pump implant in 2013 as destination therapy, Dr Balakrishnan has performed India’s first Paediatric heart transplant surgery on a two-year nine-month-old international patient from Russia. He also saved a patient with cardiac arrest using a new artificial Heart Pump. He implanted a mechanical device (LVAD) as an alternative to heart transplant on a 58-year old. Last year, a man was revived, 45 minutes after his heart had stopped beating, with a heart transplant.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. K R Balakrishnan, Director – Cardiac Sciences, Fortis Centre for Heart Failure & Transplant, said,“It is indeed a great honor to be recognized by an institution like FICCI for our collaborative work at Fortis Malar Hospital. We at Fortis Malar strive to offer world-class medical experience without compromising on patient care. Our every step, every initiative is undertaken with utmost importance to place India as a Healthcare capital on the International map.”

The Hindu Business Line |

Uniform healthcare norms on the cards, says health secretary

The Centre is looking to develop uniform healthcare norms across the country so as to ensure parity between public and private healthcare systems, a top Health Ministry official said.

Plans are afoot to cover hospital performance levels, their ratings or even their rates under such norms, Union Health Secretary C.K.Mishra indicated at a PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) event on Health Insurance here recently.

“There is very little information available in the public domain about hospitals performance level, their ratings or even their rates. The system is bit opaque and we need to work on that”, Mishra added.

He said that Centre had earlier come up with standard treatment guidelines, but it had not gone into the cost of treatment.

"With industry associations like CII and FICCI, we have been trying to work out a mechanism to do cost of treatment for certain forms of treatment. We haven't really been successful", Mishra said.

Mishra felt that if there is good competition among the private sector, then one need not tell them on aspects like pricing, hospital performance etc. However, right now, the supply side is weak, he added.

HEALTH REGULATOR

Mishra said that there is a thinking going on to put in place a health regulator.

"Once you move to electronic health records and it is universally applied, several issues of privacy and rights will come up...then perhaps you will need a regulator", he said.

He also said that the recently announced National Health Policy had talked of a National Health Regulator. Bringing in a health regulator is expected to sort out many of the pricing issues and also bring down out-of-pocket expenses significantly.

RSBY

Mishra also said that the Centre's flagship scheme Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) would be merged with the proposed National Health Protection Scheme, which is expected to be rolled out from April 1 next year.

"RSBY is precursor to the National Health Protection Scheme. The RSBY and some other schemes will get merged into that. Beneficiaries of RSBY will get transferred to new scheme. We will not run two schemes", Mishra said.

RSBY is very much in vogue. Many of the States ---TN, Maharashtra and AP---have improved upon it. The problem is how to subsume other schemes (besides RSBY) into the National Health Protection Scheme, he added.

India Education Diary |

Columbia Asia Hospitals CEO awarded "Healthcare Personality of The Year" by FICCI

Indian healthcare is growing at a tremendous pace today, owing to its strengthening expansion and services by both public and private players in the sector. Several healthcare organizations and individuals, through their dedication and determination for innovative solutions have contributed positively in countering the challenges that lurk large, on the healthcare sector.

The Healthcare Excellence Awards by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), is an attempt in recognizing the contributions of those who have set benchmarks of excellence in the healthcare space.

Dr. Nanda Kumar Jairam, CEO, Chairman and Group Medical Director, Columbia Asia Hospitals, India, has been awarded as the ‘Healthcare Personality of the Year’ in the ninth Healthcare Excellence Awards by FICCI, held at The Le Méridien, New Delhi, on August 17. The program was supported by Quality Council of India.

With 40+ years in the profession, Dr. Jairam has been associated with Columbia Asia Hospitals for more than twelve years now. Besides, he is also the Chairman of the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) under the auspices of QCI (Quality Council of India), and was Chairman of the health services committee of FICCI. He is the founder member of NATHEALTH and GAPIO as well as the founder trustee for Terry Fox Foundation Bangalore until its existence. He founded Krishna charitable trust.

“I am honored that FICCI has bestowed this award on me. I cherish and value the award and the decision of the jury and commit to continue my journey towards quality healthcare in India,” said Dr. Jairam on receiving the award.

The ‘Healthcare Personality of the Year’ award has been crafted for healthcare professional who has significant achievements during the past year in terms of business growth, mergers and acquisitions, positive regulatory change, betterment of academia, research, global expansion, etc.

The FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards was conceptualized in 2009, with an aim to facilitate organizations and individuals for their contributions to the industry by innovating for increased efficiency, affordability and improved performance of healthcare delivery at large.

Medical Dialogues |

Key Doctor-Patient Issues discussed at FICCI HEAL 2017

Inauguration of eleventh edition of FICCI HEAL was done on the theme “Indian Healthcare: A Patient’s View” by Mr. C K Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. He underlined the need for investing two-thirds of the spending in primary healthcare and enhancing preventive care to keep the requirement of diagnostic care and admission to hospitals in check. “As financial resources are limited, it is essential to invest in the right place for optimal results”, he said.

Mr. Mishra said that infrastructure in remote areas was weak and only government establishments were functional in such places; therefore active private sector participation was needed to make quality and affordable healthcare accessible to all.

He said that the new National Health Policy 2017 with the three pillars of accessibility, affordability and quality of care are in line with a patient’s needs. He added that there was a need to customize care and value the choices of a patient.

Recognizing FICCI’s efforts in the health care space, Mr. Mishra said that the industry had been forthcoming with policy and reform suggestions, which enabled the government to strengthen its policies. He urged FICCI to develop a framework in conjunction with the government to step the country’s healthcare delivery system.

On the occasion, Mr. Mishra released a Knowledge Paper ‘The healthcare consumer: Understanding expectations & experiences in the patients journey’ prepared by FICCI in collaboration with KANTAR-IMRB. The report is based on interviews with over 5000 patients pan-India from both public and private hospitals. Some key findings show that 61% of the patients rated their overall experience in private hospitals positively as compared to 45% for government hospitals. The report delves on the experiences and expectations of the patient and provides recommendations for the government and healthcare providers.

Mr. Pankaj Patel, President, FICCI, said that the government’s intent to increase the public health spend to 2.5%, efforts should be made to increase it to 4% of GDP to meet the universal healthcare goals of the country. He added that long-term financing options from banks are still not available to healthcare providers and this was hampering the penetration of private healthcare in the country. He said that while retention of healthcare services in the tax exemption list under the GST regime is thoughtful and will enable flow of seamless tax credit and improve overall tax compliance, the services rendered by the hospital are exempted from taxes, several input services are subject to GST, which will result in increase in overall cost of care for the patient. Mr. Patel said that FICCI assures the government, its complete support for achieving affordable, accessible and quality healthcare to all Indians.

Sharing a patient’s perspective, Mr. M Damodaran, Founder Chairperson, Excellence Enablers P Ltd & Former Chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), said that care, patience, dignity and empathy are the four key words that stakeholders must understand to appreciate a patient’s needs. Referring to Gorakhpur tragedy, he said that it is a wake-up call for all and it is time to take stock of the situation and find solutions.

Mr. Damodaran said that there is a need to recognize and reward skilled workforce such as the nursing staff to enable them to render quality services. Challenges would always be there but the need is to find and deliver the best in such situations and not settle for sub-optimal services. He added that while there is a demand to increase outlays for healthcare, it must be understood that outlays do not result in outcome; what is required is action and execution.

Mr. Rahul Khosla, Chair-FICCI Health Services Committee; President, Max Group & Chairman, Max India Ltd., said that healthcare financing is a huge issue. Healthcare is a sector with infrastructure status, and needed low cost financing options. This will enable creation of last mile connectivity. Besides, there was an acute shortage of skilled manpower and capacities. The need is to build new capacities and re-vitalize existing capacities. He added that there was an urgent need for the government and stakeholders to work collaboratively.

Mr. Varun Khanna, Co-Chair-FICCI Health Services Committee and Managing Director, BD India, delivered the vote of thanks. Also, on the dais was Mr. Ashok Kakkar, Co-Chair-FICCI Health Services Committee; Sr. MD, Varian Medical Systems International India Pvt. Ltd. Ms. Shobha Mishra Ghosh, Assistant Secretary General, FICCI, moderated the session.

ET Healthworld |

Today we need to build trust that comes through transparency and credibility in engagement with patients: Ashok Kakkar

In an interview with ETHealthworld, Ashok Kakkar, Co-chair, FICCI Health Services Community and Managing Director, Varian Medical Systems, Mumbai, talks about the highlight of FICCI HEAL Conference 2017 and shares his views on the recent healthcare amendments. Edited excerpts:

FICCI HEAL Conference 2017 is based on the theme ‘Indian Healthcare: A Patient’s View’. Where do you think the Indian healthcare industry stands today when it comes to patient centricity?

If you look at the Indian healthcare scenario today, there are some excellent examples of patient centricity and excellence in care. Today India ranks almost at par with Western models when it comes to quality healthcare at affordable cost. Yet we also hear almost on a daily basis that today the Indian healthcare scenario lacks trust and the way the patients and the general consumers perceive especially the private healthcare with lot of suspicion. So I think, first and foremost what the sector needs to do and what the Indian hospitals need to do, is to build trust which comes through transparency and credibility in their engagement with their patients. The second piece, which again is corollary to the first one is how does hospitals today empower patients, whether it is through technology or otherwise and make them participate in the decision-making in the health decision-making and not treat it as a transaction or an episodial situation when a patient comes to the hospital he is discharged and then, you know, it’s all done with. It’s very important to ensure that the followships-survivorships are closely linked and patient remains in the center of the decision-making.

What are the areas where the FICCI Health Services Committee’s activities have brought in significant impact?

FICCI is an excellent platform for exchange of ideas, where thought leaders both from public as well as private sectors engage and work towards betterment of the industry, and in this case in Healthcare sector. FICCI has very actively worked on issues of industry, working with the government whether it was related to taxation, custom duties, penetration of healthcare insurance in this country, and now we will look at the scenario around price-controls or standard treatment guidelines, public-private partnerships. So there are bunch of areas where FICCI has, and the teams, and the taskforces which FICCI creates, so that to ensure that there is inclusive approach in working on these subjects.

How do you think GST will impact the healthcare sector and in particular the hospitals and medical technology companies? Would the cost of healthcare for a patient get affected?

I believe GST is good for the country, as well as for the healthcare sector, because it rationalizes and simplifies the environment. Having said that, and given the fact that healthcare services are exempt from GST, but, there could be an increase in input costs because lot of things that the hospitals buy, whether its medical equipment or other infrastructure, the impact of GST could be different, for example medical equipment especially capital equipment because of GST there is an increase in the custom-duty by two-two and a half points, so those will lead to increase in input costs for the hospitals. And given that, they cannot use this to set off, because there is no on-the-end GST, it make some increase in the cost but I think overall hospitals will have to find ways to be more productive and I don’t foresee that it would increase patient cost or the patient treatment channel.

How do you think the new pricing policy of the government is impacting the medical devices sector?

The pricing policy unfortunately has added a lot of confusion in this sector, while the intent may be good on part of the government to ensure that the patients are not exploited, because there have been cases around that. But what is very important is, for all the stakeholders again, government as well as the hospital providers to keep the entire care continuum and the costs around the care continuum in mind because it’s not just the device cost which is important, one has to look at the entire treatment, at what cost it can be delivered, say Angioplasty, at what price the Angioplasty gets delivered in the end to the patient is critical, is not just the cost of the stent for instant and I think, the government should've engaged the private sectors and the medical technology companies and the hospital providers in a manner that ultimately the patient would benefit, which unfortunately has not happened and that's where the confusion is.

How do you see and appreciate the changing landscape of PPPs for Oncology Care in India and what models can a global company like Varian share from their global PPP experience? What has been the role of FICCI?

I believe there is a huge opportunity around public-private participation and the good news is that the government at the center is supporting it. The NITI Aayog had already been tasked to build models and NITI Aayog very actively has sought inputs from FICCI as an industry forum, they have invited even World Bank to help them build those models. We have done lot of PPPs in U.K and other parts of the world so we are helping t he government to create models which can then be adopted by the state governments. So that there is template available, and no one has to reinvent the wheel as far as PPPs are concerned because PPPs in healthcare can be very complex, and it’s important that in the end we build a model which is win-win and in the interest of patients at the large.

When we talk about public-private participation or even private - private participation, example especially in the oncology space of private - private participation given the space in oncology is a little difficult the incubation is very long it requires a lot of regulatory approvals from AERB and so on. You will find some of the oncology chains in India going and setting up Oncology departments in existing hospitals. For instance, DMC in Ludhiana is a very good hospital run for several years doing excellent patient care but they had no oncology department so they invited a group called CTSI, Cancer Treatment Services International who run hospitals in Hyderabad to come and setup the Onco department and run it, so this is also a public private-private participation, it's not a public-private so we see these kind of models especially in oncology getting stronger there are companies like CTSI, Healthcare global, International Oncology, many of them who specialized in oncology. I see it’s a good step because building a hospital is not easy.

Traditionally in India, it has been a doctor and his son and they will setup or a wife, to setup a hospital, but then it would normally be a one hospital phenomenon they would provide good service but they would not be able to expand because it requires huge amount of capital. So given now all the groups are coming in big corporates like this Apollo, Fortis, Max and they are expanding private equity funding which is coming in. CTSI got funded through TPG capital for instance so that gives them the breath and the muscle to then expand and reach out even to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities where there is a dearth of a good hospitals.

The Hindu Business Line |

Dr Nanda Kumar Jairam bags FICCI’s Healthcare Personality award

Dr Nanda Kumar Jairam, CEO, Chairman and Group Medical Director, Columbia Asia Hospitals, India, has been awarded the ‘Healthcare Personality of the Year’ award.

Dr Jairam was given the award at the ninth Healthcare Excellence Awards instituted by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The programme is supported by the Quality Council of India.

The Healthcare Excellence Awards by FICCI is an attempt to recognise the contributions of those who have set benchmarks of excellence in the healthcare space.

Bio Spectrum |

Mr. C K Mishra underlines the need to invest in primary healthcare during the inauguration of FICCI Heal 2017

Inauguration of eleventh edition of FICCI HEAL was done on the theme “Indian Healthcare: A Patient’s View” by Mr. C K Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. He underlined the need for investing two-thirds of the spending in primary healthcare and enhancing preventive care to keep the requirement of diagnostic care and admission to hospitals in check. “As financial resources are limited, it is essential to invest in the right place for optimal results”, he said.

Mr. Mishra said that infrastructure in remote areas was weak and only government establishments were functional in such places; therefore active private sector participation was needed to make quality and affordable healthcare accessible to all.

He said that the new National Health Policy 2017 with the three pillars of accessibility, affordability and quality of care are in line with a patient’s needs. He added that there was a need to customize care and value the choices of a patient.

Recognizing FICCI’s efforts in the health care space, Mr. Mishra said that the industry had been forthcoming with policy and reform suggestions, which enabled the government to strengthen its policies. He urged FICCI to develop a framework in conjunction with the government to step the country’s healthcare delivery system.

On the occasion, Mr. Mishra released a Knowledge Paper ‘The healthcare consumer: Understanding expectations & experiences in the patients journey’ prepared by FICCI in collaboration with KANTAR-IMRB. The report is based on interviews with over 5000 patients pan-India from both public and private hospitals. Some key findings show that 61% of the patients rated their overall experience in private hospitals positively as compared to 45% for government hospitals. The report delves on the experiences and expectations of the patient and provides recommendations for the government and healthcare providers.

Mr. Pankaj Patel, President, FICCI, said that the government’s intent to increase the public health spend to 2.5%, efforts should be made to increase it to 4% of GDP to meet the universal healthcare goals of the country. He added that long-term financing options from banks are still not available to healthcare providers and this was hampering the penetration of private healthcare in the country. He said that while retention of healthcare services in the tax exemption list under the GST regime is thoughtful and will enable flow of seamless tax credit and improve overall tax compliance, the services rendered by the hospital are exempted from taxes, several input services are subject to GST, which will result in increase in overall cost of care for the patient. Mr. Patel said that FICCI assures the government, its complete support for achieving affordable, accessible and quality healthcare to all Indians.

Sharing a patient’s perspective, Mr. M Damodaran, Founder Chairperson, Excellence Enablers P Ltd & Former Chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), said that care, patience, dignity and empathy are the four key words that stakeholders must understand to appreciate a patient’s needs. Referring to Gorakhpur tragedy, he said that it is a wake-up call for all and it is time to take stock of the situation and find solutions.

Mr. Damodaran said that there is a need to recognize and reward skilled workforce such as the nursing staff to enable them to render quality services. Challenges would always be there but the need is to find and deliver the best in such situations and not settle for sub-optimal services. He added that while there is a demand to increase outlays for healthcare, it must be understood that outlays do not result in outcome; what is required is action and execution.

Mr. Rahul Khosla, Chair-FICCI Health Services Committee; President, Max Group & Chairman, Max India Ltd., said that healthcare financing is a huge issue. Healthcare is a sector with infrastructure status, and needed low cost financing options. This will enable creation of last mile connectivity. Besides, there was an acute shortage of skilled manpower and capacities. The need is to build new capacities and re-vitalize existing capacities. He added that there was an urgent need for the government and stakeholders to work collaboratively.

Mr. Varun Khanna, Co-Chair-FICCI Health Services Committee and Managing Director, BD India, delivered the vote of thanks. Also, on the dais was Mr. Ashok Kakkar, Co-Chair-FICCI Health Services Committee; Sr. MD, Varian Medical Systems International India Pvt. Ltd. Ms. Shobha Mishra Ghosh, Assistant Secretary General, FICCI, moderated the session.

Business Standard |

'Government has limited understanding of health providers' pricing position'

Supporting the efforts to address rising costs of health care, health experts on Friday however noted that the government, with a limited understanding of the health care providers' expenses, may not be accurately reflecting their pricing positions.

On the final day of the two-day FICCI Health Conference 2017, they held that the most favourable outcomes can be achieved through a multi-stakeholder collaborative approach towards identifying real solutions for delivering high quality, affordable, and effective health care. They also sought higher investment in the sector.

"Almost 70 per cent of health care delivery happens in private sector and is dominated by the health care services that is hospitals, labs, physicians and other services.. Policies by the government should be focused on disease handling and must view health care in totality.

"Reducing prices to increase accessibility will not bear fruit till the time real barrier to access such as infrastructure and manpower constraints are not addressed," said Varun Khanna, co-chair of the business chamber's Health Services Committee.

Panellists at the session titled "New wave of transparency pricing in health care" said that adopting strategies to provide clarity in pricing is crucial to increase patient engagement, safeguard the doctor-patient relationship and optimize revenue in a health ecosystem.

They called on decision makers for the health system to have a clear understanding of the long-term objective and define an appropriate road map to achieve it.

Fortis Health Care President Daljit Singh said that the health care sustainability model is very complex and needs to invest in talent, technology and infrastructure, but held that the recent actions by the government "are giving rise to uncertainty and lack of predictability as we do not have clarity about the government's intentions".

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority Chairman Bhupendra Singh, who was also present, said that the government understands the need to have a multi-pronged strategy and wants to create a win-win situation to bring affordability to all and for this, price control may not be the most desirable approach.

Two recent moves by NPPA, which has affected private health care providers in India, are the slashing of prices for cardiac stents and knee implants.

The Times of India |

India making a strong statement in medical tourism: Teaotia

India has started to make its presence felt very strongly in the medical tourism sector that was initially dominated by developed countries like the US, Singapore and Malaysia, Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia said today.

She was speaking at a conference here on the third edition of 'Advantage Healthcare India' Summit, slated to be held in Bengaluru on October 12-14.

Over 70 countries and 600 buyers from Africa, the Middle-East, Europe, the US, the UK, and Asia are set to take part in the event. The summit is meant to promote India as a premier global healthcare destination and streamline healthcare services export.

The government, she said, has liberalised rules to make it "very easy" for foreign tourists to get a visa for medical treatment in India.

"Last November, the Government of India actually liberalised the visa regime to make it very easy now to get a visa for medical treatment. If anybody is still facing any problems on that, we would be happy to support them," Teaotia said at the conference organised by FICCI here.

However, she suggested that the domestic healthcare industry should come together and analyse the policy interventions needed to boost the sector's prospects.

"... The domestic (healthcare) industry must also come together to talk about what it is that we need to do together, what are the policy interventions we need or the regulatory framework we need in order to serve our clients much better, whether they are domestic or international to look at the quality issues," the secretary added.

FICCI Secretary General A Didar Singh, who also spoke, felt that medical value travel can be a USD 9 billion opportunity for India by 2020. "To fully exploit this potential, the country needs to diversify its sources of medical tourism and create a strong value proposition for foreign patients by focusing on parameters like cost effectiveness, alternative medicine, clinical outcomes, tourism friendliness, accreditation, and patient centricity," he said.

Advantage Healthcare India 2017 will showcase the country's medical capabilities and create opportunities for collaboration between India and other nations to boost healthcare services export.

The medical value travel industry has emerged as one of the fastest growing segments of Indian tourism industry. According to a FICCI-IMS report, more than 500,000 foreign patients seek treatment in India each year, making it a key medical tourism destination in Asia.

Focus News |

Advantage Healthcare India 2017 global summit on medical value travel to begin in Bengaluru on Oct 12

Advantage Healthcare India 2017 [http://(www.ahcindia.in](www.ahcindia.in), the third international summit on medical value travel (medical tourism) jointly organized by FICCI, Dept. of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India, and Service Export Promotion Council (SEPC), will be held at Bengaluru from October 12-14, 2017.

The launch of the mega event was officially announced by Smt. Rita Teaotia, Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Shri Sudhanshu Pandey, Joint Secretary with Dept. of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry; Ms Sangeeta Godbole,Director General, SEPC and Dr. A Didar Singh, Secretary General, FICCI.

Advantage Healthcare India 2017 is meant to promote India as a premier global healthcare destination and enable streamlined healthcare services exports. Over 70 countries and 600 hosted buyers from Africa, Middle East, Europe, US, UK, and Asia (including SAARC) would participate, with thousands of international and national business visitors.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms Rita Teaotia said, “I am happy to see that many Ayush companies and institutions are also participating in Advantage Healthcare India 2017 this year. I wish that even the finest hospitals also have Ayush facilities. The finest hospitals of India should also provide Ayurvedic treatment”.

Dr. A Didar Singh, Secretary General, FICCI, said: “Medical value travel can be a USD 9 billion opportunity for India by 2020. To fully exploit this potential, the country needs to diversify its sources of medical tourism and create a strong value proposition for foreign patients by focusing on perimeters like cost effectiveness, alternate medicine, clinical outcomes, tourism friendliness, accreditation, and patient centricity. Advantage Healthcare India 2017 will bring Indian healthcare providers and global healthcare stakeholders under one roof. It will showcase India’s medical capabilities and create opportunities for healthcare collaboration between India and other nations to boost healthcare services exports. The last two summits have been a great success, and I look forward to the 2017 event being a great facilitator and enabler of Indian medical tourism.”

The medical value travel (MVT) industry has emerged as one of the fastest growing segments of Indian tourism industry. According to a FICCI-IMS report, more than 500,000 foreign patients seek treatment in India each year, making it a key medical tourism destination in Asia. However, coordinated efforts are required by key stakeholders to turn India into “The Provider to the World” and accelerate MVT growth from the existing 15% to 25%. The Indian medical tourism industry gets maximum patients for heart surgery, knee transplant, cosmetic surgery and dental care, as the cost of treatment here is considered the lowest in Asia, much lower than Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Advantage Healthcare India 2017, spread across three days, will have more than 40 speakers, 600 hosted buyers and over 5,000 business visitors. The exhibition will host more than 160 exhibitors to showcase medical services and expertise. Thousands of reverse buyer-seller meetings will offer opportunities for tie-ups with Indian hospitals and healthcare centers for medical tourism.

A Roundtable Session with Health Ministers from select countries will be organized to discuss issues encompassing medical value travel and formulate the way forward. They will also visit the Exhibition. The event will showcase India’s medical devices sector to encourage foreign companies to start manufacturing locally with Indian partners. Internationally renowned Indian doctors and AYUSH experts will deliver lectures on different topics.

A key highlight of the event will be Medical Value Travel Awards 2017 which will recognize and showcase innovations which have helped promote India as a premier medical travel destination.

Participants at Advantage Healthcare India 2017 would include international hospitals, government organizations, insurance firms, medical tourism organizations, global medical associations, medical journalists, doctors, and investors.

Advantage Healthcare India 2017 supporting partners include EEPC India and Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil).

The Indian Express |

Cadila signs MoU with Phibro Israel

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel earlier this week, 12 MoUs were signed between Indian and Israeli companies. Among the MoU’s signed, Cadila Healthcare Ltd has inked a partnership with Phibro Israel to set up a poultry vaccine project in India on technology transfer basis at an estimated project cost of around
$154.7 million.

During the Prime Minister’s visit, the first formal meeting of India-Israel CEOs forum was also held in Tel-Aviv.

Pankaj Patel, FICCI President and chairman of Zydus-Cadila Healthcare Ltd who was Indian Co-Chair of the Forum, led a 16-member delegation of Indian CEOs to participate in the CEOs Forum Meeting in a bid to foster Indo- Israel economic and investment relations.

The forum identified and stressed on the need to realise opportunities in focus sectors discussed during its first meeting. Commenting on the significance of the forum, Patel said, “The India-Israel CEOs Forum has been constituted at the time when we are commemorating 25 years of our relationship to extend an institutionalised platform to harness the economic complementariness of our vibrant economies for collectively staking claim to global business and investment opportunities.”

Deccan Chronicle |

SOS to doctors, nurses: Karnataka needs you

In a first of its kind initiative, Karnataka has invited specialists to quote their price online for moving to towns and cities where posts are vacant in public healthcare facilities. This can be called desperation but the present condition of state hospitals calls for such a step. As many as 1,221 specialist posts are unoccupied and there is a shortage of nurses. Joyeeta Chakravorty reports.

Starved of health specialists, the state appears to be willing to pay them their quoted price to fill the many vacancies in its hospitals across Karnataka. In a first of its kind initiative, it has called on specialists to quote their price online for moving to towns and cities where the posts are vacant in public healthcare facilities. The desperation seems to stem from the fact that as many as 1,221 specialists posts are vacant in various health centres, including district hospitals in the state, going by state Health Minister, K.R. Ramesh Kumar.

“It is a new idea in which we have tried to let go of the traditional approach to fill vacancies. We want to capture the talent that is out there and so have given specialists the option to mention their monetary expectation from the government and the place they would be interested to serve in online," explains Health Commissioner, Subodh Yadav.

While acknowledging that not many states have adopted such an approach, he says the few that have, have received an enthusiastic response. “This prompted us to adopt the same approach,” he reveals.

Ironically, Karnataka has a massive shortage of specialists despite having the largest number of medical colleges and the third largest number of doctors trained in the country.

"There is a severe shortage of health workers (especially specialists) in the most vulnerable regions of the state, namely north Karnataka and Hyderabad-Karnataka. With an irrationally large number of primary health centers in southern Karnataka, the actual shortage of human power in these regions is disproportionately high,” observes Dr Giridhar R Babu, Additional Professor, Indian Institute of Public Health(IIPH), e Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI).

"Contrary to the increase in the number of doctors trained in Karnataka, the shortage of specialists went up from 32 per cent to 39 per cent going by the Rural Health Statistics for 2015. The shortage of Junior Health Assistants (female) commonly called as ANMs at Health Sub-Centres increased from 13 per cent in 2005 to 28.5 per cent in 2015," he points out, regretting that despite the strong recommendations of the Karnataka Health Task Force, 2001 and the Halagi committee, 2012 for the establishment of a public health cadre, nothing has been done about this as yet in the state. Whether it is due to a lack of specialists or other factors, more people both in the rural and urban areas of the state appear to be relying more on private healthcare facilities rather than government. Going by the 71st round of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) 81.7 per cent of the urban population received treatment in private healthcare facilities, as did 73.2 per cent of the rural population.

While only a meagre 18.3 per cent of the urban population relied on public healthcare facilities, the figure was a low 26.8 per cent in rural areas too.

Public sector needs to revamp package

The Lancet 2015 report on human resources for health in India says:

India has a severe shortage of human resources for health. It has a shortage of qualified health workers and the workforce is concentrated in urban areas.

Bringing qualified health workers to rural, remote, and under-served areas is very challenging. Many Indians, especially those living in rural areas, receive care from unqualified providers. The migration of qualified allopathic doctors and nurses is substantial and further strains the system. Nurses do not have much authority or say within the health system, and the resources to train them are still inadequate. Little attention is paid during medical education to the medical and public health needs of the population, and the rapid privatisation of medical and nursing education has implications for its quality and governance. Such issues are a result of under-investment in and poor governance of the health sector—two issues that the government urgently needs to address.

A comprehensive national policy for human resources is needed to achieve universal healthcare in India. The public sector will need to redesign appropriate packages of monetary and non-monetary incentives to encourage qualified health workers to work in rural and remote areas. Such a policy might also encourage task-shifting and mainstreaming doctors and practitioners, who practice traditional Indian medicine (ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, and siddha) and homoeopathy to work in these areas while adopting other innovative ways of augmenting human resources for health. At the same time, additional investments will be needed to improve the relevance, quantity, and quality of nursing, medical, and public health education in the country.

NSSO 71ST Round recommends

When looked at from a health system perspective, it is important to recognise the differences in performance of different states and the need for a differentiated healthcare strategy for different states. Since a greater number of poorer households tend to seek care from the government facility on account of financial constraints or access barriers, we need to pay much greater attention to enforcing accountability, improving their quality of service and seeking better value for the tax money spent on it.

The many reasons behind dearth of nurses

Besides being short of specialists, hospitals are finding it hard to find nurses as many are switching to different careers or leaving the country for lucrative jobs abroad.

Confirming this , Dr Girdhar Babu, Additional Professor at the Public Health Foundation of India(PHFI), Bengaluru branch, says a lot of nurses are either switching careers or leaving for better jobs abroad because of the poor pay they get in hospitals here.

“The hospitals in this country are not willing to pay nurses well. The nursing profession is not given its due respect," he regrets.

According to a recent report released by FICCI’s Health Services Committee and EY, nursing as a sector in India continues to experience challenges in terms of 'Availability, Distribution and Retention.'

As compared to other professions, compensation in the nursing sector has lagged behind, contributing to the decreased appeal of nursing as a career choice, it says.

The report explains that nurses are not given a chance to grow within an organisation and have a say in important administrative and policy decisions.

This gives them very limited opportunity to expand or challenge their boundaries, prompting many to give up nursing altogether. Going by the report, the monotony of their lives generates apathy among nurses and creates a vacuum of role models for those entering the profession. It observes that at present, they don’t have a strong representation in hospital administration across the country, except in a few organisations.

One of them happens to be the Bangalore Baptist Hospital , which has started introducing nurses as administrative officers post 4.30 pm and coaxes them to take the lead in decision- making, and taking care of law and order, ambulance facility and security. "This helps them feel important and included in decision-making. It also helps change their mindset and makes them more assertive, which is reflected in their day to day job," says Dr Alexander Thomas of the hospital.

"If you look at the nursing community, we are two million short of the total requirement across the country which indicates that the profession is not given its due. I don't see why their income should not be equal to that of doctors," he adds.

Realising the need to make the profession more lucrative and attractive to the nursing community, the Association of Healthcare Providers (India) of which Dr Thomas is executive director, has been championing the introduction of nurse intensivists courses and has started a nursing leadership programme. "Hopefully, in a few years with the introduction of such courses and programmes mindsets will change and the job will become more lucrative just like in the West,” he says.

State Times |

Making healthcare better

With the Goods and Services Tax (GST) all set to be implemented the country, industries and the people are getting ready to embrace this herculean reform in indirect taxation. The introduction of GST is likely to affect the way businesses work as far as industry is concerned. It is also likely to benefit the consumers by overall decrease in prices. The healthcare sector is no exception to this.

India is the largest producer for generic medicines and by 2020 India is likely to be among the top three pharmaceutical markets by incremental growth and sixth largest market globally in absolute size. As the population continues to grow, the need for better healthcare services is also growing. Currently, five per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product is expended on the healthcare sector. The total industry size is expected to touch $160 billion by 2017 and $280 billion by 2020.

The country’s healthcare industry has been growing exponentially in the last few years. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare targets for the development of new technologies for treating diseases by the end of the year – such as tuberculosis and cancer. Also, India has made its place in the world of medical tourism. According to a study, India is placed among the top three medical tourism destinations in Asia; mainly due to the low cost of treatment, quality healthcare infrastructure and availability of highly-skilled doctors, as per medical value travel by KPMG and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

GST is the most important indirect tax reform measure taken by the Government since independence. It is going to be a game-changer for many industries, including Indian pharmaceutical industry and healthcare in general. Nearly 17 federal and State taxes will be replaced with one uniform tax, thereby eliminating the troubles arising out of cascading of taxes, multiple taxes and different rates of tax on the same commodity in different parts of the country. For example, the rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) on medicines is 5.5 per cent in Maharashtra and five per cent in Tamil Nadu whereas it is 6.25 per cent in Punjab levied at the first stage i.e. on the importer. In Kerala, the tax is on Maximum Retail Price. With GST our nation will be unified economically, as there will be uniform rate of tax, making the whole nation a single market. There are four slabs of tax rates under GST i.e five per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent and 28 per cent.

Healthcare has been exempted from GST altogether, which means, for example, no GST can be charged on healthcare services by a clinical establishment. An authorised medical practitioner or para-medic and on services provided by way of transportation of a patient in an ambulance etc. There are primarily two slabs on the pharmaceuticals – 5 per cent for the life saving drugs, 12 per cent for the rest of the drugs. As far as the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry is concerned, the new GST legislation would benefit the consumers by making affordable healthcare a reality. The multitude of taxes which were incurred on pharmaceuticals, like excise duty at the time of manufacturing, Central Sales Tax (CST), additional duties of custom on imports, service tax on propagated services and other levies of the States were creating a lurching effect on the pharmaceutical industry. Below is a broad example of how GST will affect the pharmaceutical industry and the consumers.

Whenever a dealer purchase any goods from another dealer who was a tax payer, the purchaser got credit for that tax paid. He could further utilise this credit for discharging his tax liabilities or as in VAT regime of some States, he could seek refund of excess credit. In pre-GST regime credit was available only under the law under which tax had been paid. This is to say that the Cenvat Credit scheme from paying excise duty could not be utilised to discharge VAT liability and vice versa. Furthermore, no credit was available on CST paid on inter-State movement of goods. This led to cascading of taxes which were added to the cost of the dealer. So, when the cost of the commodity increased for dealer it was passed on to the consumer as increase in prices.

Under GST all the taxes enumerated above are being subsumed under one tax and full availability of credit on tax paid at any stage whether on manufacturing or on inter-State movement or within a State will make the Indian pharmaceutical industry competitive in international market by reducing their input costs. This will benefit when passed on to the consumer which will result in reduced prices and benefit the consumers. GST is expected to be a win-win situation for drug makers as it will not only simplify tax structure but also create a level-playing field for pharmaceutical companies. Currently, there are some area based exemptions for example, Tax Holiday Scheme in certain States like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand which implied exemption from excise duty. This was giving pharmaceutical industry, set up in these States, an advantage over the industry in States without any such exemptions. These exemption schemes will most likely be converted to reimbursement schemes to create a level playing field.

Further, post-GST any exemptions that will be given will be on a pan-India basis. Any rate of tax that is to be charged will apply throughout the country. The law, the rules and regulations governing business will be the same throughout India. All this will create a level playing field for pharmaceutical companies irrespective of their geographical location within the country.

Business Wire India |

FICCI Organizes TANCARE to Promote Tamil Nadu as a Global Healthcare Destination

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) organized TANCARE, a one day healthcare conference in Hotel Hilton here, to promote Tamil Nadu as a global healthcare destination. The event which witnessed participation from top names in healthcare industry was presided over by the honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

TANCARE, which could be referred to as a holistic health conference, addressed a range of key issues faced by the healthcare sector in Tamil Nadu today. Some of the major focus points of the discussion include recent advancements in reproductive medicine, the challenges and opportunities to establish Tamil Nadu as a leading hub for healthcare in the biomedical technology industry and steps to be taken to build the state as a leading global medical tourism destination.

Post the panel discussions, Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, IAS, Principal Secretary to Govt. Dept. of Health and Family Welfare handed over the TANCARE awards for the Best Government Hospital (Government Headquarters Hospital), Best Private Hospital (Kauvery Hospital, Tamil Nadu), Best Primary Health Center Award (Sayalkudi PHC Kadaladi Block, Paramakudi, Ramnad District), Best Not for Profit Hospital (Sri Narayani Hospital & Research Centre, Vellore), Special Award presented to Dr. K R Balakrishnan, Director - Cardiac Sciences, Chief Cardiothoracic & Transplant Surgeon, Fortis Malar Hospital for Maximum Heart Transplants in India, and Life Time Achievement Award (Dr. G. Bakthavathsalam, Chairman, K G Hospital, Coimbatore). Eminent dignitaries from healthcare who participated in the event include Dr. GSK Velu, Founder and Managing Director, Trivitron Healthcare & Convener, Healthcare Panel, FICCI TNSC, Mr. Ruban Hobday, Head, FICCI TNSC, Mr. P Murari IAS, Advisor to FICCI President & Former Secretary to President of India, Dr. A. Edwin Joe, Director, Directorate of Medical Education, Govt. of Tamil Nadu.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. GSK Velu, Founder and Managing Director, Trivitron Healthcare & Convener, Healthcare Panel, FICCI TNSC said, “With improved connectivity, availability of advanced indigenous med tech and personalized services by experienced doctors, Tamil Nadu has earned the distinct recognition of being a destination for affordable and quality healthcare. Forums like TANCARE will foster innovative thinking in our healthcare entrepreneurs to set new benchmarks of excellence in the state’s patient care, technology and research development.”

Mr. Ruban Hobday, Head, FICCI TNSC, added, “TANCARE pools together the right minds and ideas by acting as a one stop knowledge sharing platform for the health and related sectors in the state.”

Mr. P. Murari IAS (Retd), Advisor to FICCI President & Former Secretary to President of India said, “Despite Tamil Nadu’s healthcare matching international standards, the costs of treatments offered here comes to a fraction of what one pays in countries like the United States of America. Modern methods of treatments are available in the state at the most affordable prices throughout the year. Therefore, it is high time we promoted the state as the finest health tourism destination in the country.”
About Trivitron Healthcare

The genesis of Trivitron Healthcare Private Limited, dates back to 1997, when Dr. Velu, a first generation entrepreneur decided to build a company on the premise of delivering cost-effective medical technology solutions and services to the underserved. Today, Trivitron Healthcare, through successful inorganic synergies with local and global firms, has a revenue turnover of 750 crores, and is the largest medical technology company of Indian origin, with products exported to over 165 countries.

Business Standard |

New Mental Healthcare Bill 2016 awaiting Presidential assent

The new Mental Healthcare Bill 2016, which has been approved Parliament and is awaiting the President's assent should be implemented in letter and spirit to ensure mental healthcare and services to persons with mental illness. This was stated by Mr. Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Mr. Aggarwal said that a multi-pronged approach was needed to identify and treat clinical depression and mental disorder as it required overall life course correction. There was a need to integrate mental health services with regular healthcare services as it would allow reduction in isolation of patients afflicted with such disorders. Furthermore, mass awareness campaigns were essential to remove the social stigma attached to it and community based approach should be adopted.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognised mental health as being a primary concern for well-being of individuals and instated depression as the theme for World Health Day this year. Depression has become an increasingly fatal disease accounting for the highest number of disabilities that occur after cardiac illnesses. The presence of an undiagnosed depression is known to be the cause of 90% suicides that happen across the world. Between 1990 and 2013 the number of people suffering from depression and anxiety disorders increased by nearly 50%. Mental illnesses affected 300 million of the global population in 2015. WHO statistics place the prevalence of depression in South East Asian countries at 86 million. Mr. Sumant Narain, Director, Health, NITI Aayog, said that today the ecosystem was far more conducive to recognizing depression and partnerships were needed between public and private sectors to deal with the illness. There has been a behavioral change in the society but sustained and systematic efforts were required to circumvent clinical depression. Although there were known and effective treatment for depression available but a very small proportion of the affected population in the world receive such treatment.

He said that in addition to limited availability of resources and trained health-care providers, the social stigma attached to mental disorders was a major challenge. Hence it was imperative for people to learn and understand depression. It will not only benefit the patient but also the caregivers and family members. With the passage of the revised Mental Health Bill 2016, it is now time to implement it with the support of all stakeholders.

Prof. Mathew Varghese, Professor of Psychiatry, NIMHANS, said awareness campaigns should clearly spell out that depression was an illness that can be treated and depression relating to physical illness was prevalent. Also, depression as a disorder could be responsible for disability, morbidity and mortality. He added that each available medium must focus on bringing to the fore these messages.

Prof. Varghese said that the way ahead should be to organize universal prevention programmes, targeted interventions for people at high risks and teaching and training general physicians and specialists to screen and identify patients with clinical depression at an early stage and treatment should be evidence-based. In his concluding remarks, Mr. Daljit Singh, President, Fortis Healthcare Ltd., said that capacity building wasrequired in treating mental disorders and technology could be of great assistance in this regard. Recognition of depression as a disease in India was a positive transformation in society and with the government's new Mental Health Bill was a step in the right direction.

Dr Samir Parikh, Consultant Psychiatrist & Director, Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences, Fortis Healthcare, said that there was a need for a national policy on suicide prevention and creation of awareness about depression as a recent survey has shown that 60 per cent of the people consider it a rare disease while in reality it was one of the major causes for suicides.

Dr. Parikh said that role models especially of youth should speak on the issue as it is bound to be more impactful. Everywhere people need to talk about mental health for recognizing it and treating it in time. He added that there was not adequate number of doctors to treat depression in the county and the majority of existing doctors were in the private sector. Therefore the need was to have accessible and affordable psychiatrists in the outskirts of the country. Technology should be leveraged to treat patients in the periphery.

Dr. Parikh said that the private sector needed to play a proactive role and with collaborative efforts from the industry, private and public healthcare providers, government and media, a program was needed to increase awareness and accessibility of expert help to incidence of depression in the country.

Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor - FICCI Health Services, Board Member & Former Chairman, NABH, said that in India one in every five person was suffering from depression and still it remained under-diagnosed, under-reported and under-treated. The stigma attached with depression has dissuaded people to talk about it openly and with lack of awareness it was often equated with madness.

Dr Puri said that suicides caused by depression were highest among medical professionals and the primary reason was that doctors were usually surrounded by patients with depression and there was easy access to mood elevating drugs. He added that India lacked medical practitioners in the field besides the medical curriculum did not give due weightage to identification and treatment of depression.

Dr Puri said that women suffer from depression more than men and while it was easier to treat a stroke, understanding the emotive brain functions still remained a mystery. Therefore, it was necessary to empower medical students through curriculum and train general physicians enabling them to recognize depression.

Ms. Shobha Mishra Ghosh, Assistant Secretary General, FICCI, said that such collaborative initiatives which bring together different stakeholders from the health fraternity and various facets of society can help initiate a concentrated and comprehensive approach to reduce the morbidity and disability due to depression in the country. She also announced the launch of a series of Webinars in association with Fortis on 'Depression and Well-being' for corporate employees. These free of cost webinars will be conducted by experts from the mental health team of Fortis Healthcare.

The Free Press Journal |

Indore: Unani, ayurveda and siddha experts offer free treatment

Good news for those who believe in naturopathy. A four-day Arogya Mela, jointly organised by the state government and Central, will kick-start on Friday.

Experts of ayurveda, yoga & naturopathy, Unani, siddha and homoeopathy would treat people free of charge at the fair. The fair would also provide a place for business to business (B2B) meeting between medicinal plant growers and companies.

The fair, jointly organised by state government, ministry of AYUSH and FICCI, would open from 11 am to 8 pm. “The aim of the mela is to highlight capabilities and requirements in modern-day health care, current research trends and exhibiting work of research institutions under ministry of AYUSH and to promote health care through ayurveda, yoga & naturopathy, Unani, siddha and homeopathy (AYUSH) system,” said collector P Narahari. Arogya would provide an all-encompassing platform to all AYUSH stakeholders to come together to project all facts of AYUSH sector, he added.

SP Singh Rewari, consultant trade fair, FICCI, said that during the mela more than 100 manufacturers of ayurvedic, Unani, siddha and homeopathy drugs from various parts of country would display and sell their products on concessional prices. Rewari further said that over five separate check-up rooms are being set-up where expert practitioners of AYUSH would extend free health check-up service and free of charge medicines.

In a separate section, medicinal plants would be displayed and sold. People can also obtain information on growing medicinal plants in their kitchen garden and its use from this section. Yoga experts would give live demonstration of yoga asans and would provide guidance for treatment of various diseases through yoga.

Research councils, national institutes participate in fair

All five research councils of government of India – Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN), Central Council for Research in Unani (CCRU), Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) and Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) would display their research at their stalls. Similarly, all five national Institutes of AYUSH also would have their stalls in the fair.

Lecture on Spondylitis

Renowned homoeopath Dr AK Dwivedi would deliver lecture on spondylitis and its management by homoeopathy. He would deliver a lecture on April 8 and would highlight the cause and preventions of the disease. Dr Dwivedi is the member of a research committee constituted by AYUSH ministry to research and to circulate policies for the welfare of patients.

BW Disrupt |

healthi - Revolutionizing Preventive Healthcare in India

healthi is Indian digital preventive health startup, empowering its users to make smart choices about their health so that they can avoid chronic illnesses. The company, which has been serving users since April 2014, was founded by Rekuram Varadharaj (RV) and Krishna Ulagaratchagan and who are alumni of top global MBA programmes at INSEAD (France and Singapore) and Stanford (US) respectively.

As with most innovations, healthi was born out of dissatisfaction with the status quo. Co-founder Krishna’s family has a history of heart disease and high blood pressure, a common occurrence amongst India’s population. Anxious about whether he would suffer the same fate, Krishna diligently invested in health check-ups every year. He grew increasingly frustrated that the outcome of his health tests was a report that was unintelligible to people like him. In conversations with his friend (and later, co-founder) RV, he found that this dilemma was not an exception. RV too had gone through his share of routine annual health check-ups. Since he had always considered himself to be reasonably fit, leading a healthy lifestyle (vegetarian, non-smoker, etc.), RV was taken aback when some of his results were not as rosy as he had assumed. With timely information, he thought that he would have taken appropriate steps to prepare and much sooner. In this age of technology and predictive analytics, surely there had to be a better way to empower people to seek personalized help ahead of time! This was how healthi was born.

Today, healthi is a one-stop digital preventive health guide providing access to the best practitioners and raising awareness on the prevention and management of lifestyle diseases. With healthi, the user embarks on a personalized and comprehensive preventive health journey, which begins with a health check-up. healthi helps users choose the most suitable packages available at leading providers. It provides easy-to-understand and comprehensive reports to clearly translate the results for the user, so that they may seek expert help and guidance from practitioners and specialists after understanding their health status.

Business success thus far

Since inception, healthi has marked noteworthy milestones. The startup has grown 9x year-over-year in the first two years of operations and matched its second-year performance in just one quarter in the next year. The company boasts of having facilitated more than 10 lakh tests with an over 95% user satisfaction rating and over 90% customer retention. healthi counts among its partners reputed healthcare industry and research leaders. For its health check offering, it has tied up with most of the leading diagnostic and imaging laboratories, clinics, and hospitals in India, thus offering 500+ high-quality venue options for users. It has made significant strides within a short span of time and now serves users in over 130 Indian cities.

A cut above the rest

healthi has a research partnership with the Government of India on the efficacy of chronic disease prediction models. It also has a content partnership with Mayo Clinic to deliver personalized, clinically validated, and relevant preventive health content to users. It has developed scientifically validated Intellectual Property (IP) around chronic disease risk prediction models and analytics. healthi has used such predictive analytics, personalization algorithms and machine learning models to improve healthcare outcomes for employees in many leading companies in India. The same big data models and predictive analytics have been used as a foundation to personalize a health check from among 9.7 million options. Thus, combining scientifically validated predictive analytics, machine learning technology, user-friendly design, strong partnerships with healthcare majors and cutting-edge research, healthi is revolutionizing the preventive healthcare market.

healthi has a 40-member team comprising experts from universities such as Oxford University, University of Michigan, UCSF, ISB, IISc, IIT, and REC. Its medical board is headed by former Asia medical director of Sanofi-Aventis. Apart from this, the venture has also partnered with leading healthcare brands and diagnostic labs making the service the best in the industry.

Opportunity and future outlook

According to a recent report by FICCI, the wellness and preventive health care sector as a whole is expected to nearly double by 2020. healthi aims to be the go-to smart personalized preventive health service for the digital Indian. The company plans to empower 1.5 million users to make smart choices about their health by 2018.

To do so, it is ramping up its engagement with companies who invest on behalf of their employees and will also be reaching out to users directly through digital and select offline channels. healthi also intends to double down on its research partnerships to improve efficacy of chronic disease prediction and management in India. Outputs from research and product development would build on healthi’s personalized and easy-to-understand approach to preventive health, thus further empowering users to make healthy lifestyle choices.

Medical Dialogues |

Dr Pawanindra Lal, MAMC, conferred with Dr BC Roy award 2016

Dr Pawanindra Lal, Director Professor of Surgery at Maulana Azad Medical College ( MAMC), New Delhi, has been chosen for the prestigious Dr BC Roy award for the year 2016.

Dr Pawanindra Lal, an award winning graduate from MAMC and post graduate from UCMS, Delhi, Dr Lal joined his alma mater in 1999 after having worked as a faculty in GMC Chandigarh. Since then, he has done pioneering work in Laparoscopic surgery including Basic Laparoscopy, TEP, GERD, Colorectal surgery and is now stepping into Metabolic surgery.

He has been instrumental in setting up the first Clinical Skills Centre at Maulana Azad Medical College in 2006, which is first of its kind in any medical college in the country; to impart simulated hands on skills based training to undergraduate and postgraduate students. This was awarded the FICCI Healthcare Award for Skills development in 2014.

He has been also contributed in starting the 2-year FNB Programme in Minimal Access Surgery (MAS) at MAMC from 2011 under National Board of Examinations and is the Chair of the Division of MAS in MAMC. This is the only such course running in any government institution in the country.

Keenly interested in teaching and research, laparoscopic surgery, Dr Lal has more than 90 publications in national and international journals and more than 200 paper presentations. He is the first Indian working in India who has contributed a chapter in the 25th & 26th Editions of Bailey & Love’s Short Practice of Surgery in 2008. He has also authored a Handbook on Critical Care and Fluid Management in 2008. He was chosen as the International Editor for the 6th Edition of Principles & Practice of Surgery, UK. He is possibly the only Indian with 5 original publications in Surgical Endoscopy, the official journal of SAGES, USA. His works are widely referenced.

He is recipient of the Commonwealth Fellowship in Laparoscopic colorectal surgery at UK in 2007, Travelling fellowship of the Royal College with Sir Alfred Cuschieri in 1998 and several other awards. He was awarded FRCS England (ad hominem) in the year 2010. He has been awarded the prestigious International Guest Scholarship of the American College of Surgeons for the year 2012.

The Financial Express |

Healthcare in India: As Indian economy turns cashless, Narendra Modi government must aim at digitised medicare

Neither the original nor the modern Hippocratic Oath touches upon the commerce of healthcare, which is a travesty. About 70% Indians pay for their own healthcare, while a dismal 25% have insurance. Private hospitals and practitioners along with private health insurers are often maligned for their malpractice. This can be very easily termed as black health, akin to the black economy. Black health is more of an administrative failure, which can only be solved by administrative innovations.

In the wake of the demonetisation, digitising the economy has taken the centre stage, but a very critical part of economy has been hitherto ignored—healthcare. Making healthcare digital and cashless would increase access and decrease the cost of service.

Healthcare like any other public service suffers from the rigid iron triangle of cost, quality and access with an added dimension of timeliness to it. It has been a conniving conundrum for the policy-makers and civil society to break this iron triangle. Ushering in radical innovation which involves a new service and an expanded user base is a possible solution.

But this cannot be envisaged without citizens accepting and internalising new practices. For-profit businesses push such disruptions to reap enormous dividends and attain competitive advantage. There is little reward for policymakers to innovate, but huge disincentive if the innovation fails. In such a scenario, it is imperative for the government to incubate social enterprises and partner with tech start-ups to scale bottom-up innovations in services and social sectors. More than 100 health-tech start-ups were founded in 2016, and it’s time philanthropy shared its burden with business solutions, so that managerial and commercial success can better serve the market.

The present government has revamped the archaic Planning Commission; introduced and re-packaged projects like Swachh Bharat and Rashtriya Swathya Bima Yojana. But, these are all top-down innovations leaving the citizens to get their heads around them. Demonetisation, however, changed that and made everyone a part of radical change in weeding out black economy. But, is anyone thinking about weeding out black health?

Demonetising healthcare

Seventy percent of expenditure incurred on health is out of pocket and 70% of this is used to buy medicines. Besides, India spends Rs 400,000 crore on health but commercial health insurance covers only about Rs 16,000 crore. FICCI has pointed out that the commercial health insurers, i.e, the ‘organized’ corporate sector is only able to cover an abysmal 0.7 % of the population. Also, only about 25 % Indians are covered by the government funded social health insurance schemes.

The radical step of demonetising is not only a welcome step for digital wallets, it should also become a catalyst in digitising the healthcare. The whole ecosystem of healthcare services, medication and health insurance can be made cash free. This would not only encourage transparency, but also encourage data management like the maintenance of Electronic Health Records (EHR), which would go a long way in eradicating the problem of irrational medication and drug overdoses.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences had started booking OPD slots through Aadhaar cards. It’s time all public hospitals and health centres followed suit.

India is the second largest exporter of generic drugs and supplies the world to the tune of Rs 45,000 crore. And yet, buying medicines is the biggest health expense for an ordinary man, where pharma companies do not hesitate in earning 1,000% as profit margins. A radical innovation in the garb of free distribution of generic drugs to BPL patients was successfully implemented in Rajasthan. Among other things, it also broke the nefarious nexus of doctors and pharma lobby. Few states which have instituted this model are marred by hoarding and depend heavily on pharmacists’ integrity. This can be taken care of by digitising the whole supply chain of procuring and distributing generic medicines.

Most of the developed world has initiated Electronic Health Records (EHR) and telemedicine projects. With abysmal coverage and poor quality of health services, India would do a world of good by investing in technology driven innovations. Digitising the whole ecosystem will benefit from ushering in uniformity and transparency. Primary Healthcare Centres can be linked to Aadhaar, which can be used for both health records and insurance coverage. Duplicity in terms of BPL and RSBY cards along with MGNREGA job cards can also be taken care of.

Mother and Child Tracking System (MCTS) has not only utilised technology at every step of pre-natal and post-natal care, but also used social innovation as a medium to implement as well as to communicate the benefits of the program for pregnant women by roping in the local village ladies as Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA). The success story of MCTS should be studied and replicated across programmes and geographies.

Healthcare is an immediate need of our young and progress-hungry nation, but it cannot develop unless our healthcare systems are robust, universally accessible and immune to corruption. The Holy Grail for breaking the iron triangle would be digitisation and providing cashless services by using JAM trinity with social innovation as an outcome. Rewarding bureaucrats and social entrepreneurs and generously incentivising community participation can be another successful recipe.

Scroll.in |

The price of cardiac stents: It is industry against civil society once more

In an attempt to make life-saving cardiac stents more affordable, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority or NPPA has proposed fixing prices ranging between Rs 21,881 and Rs 67,272. The price of stents, which are tiny devices used to unblock diseases arteries, currently starts at Rs 23,000 and goes up to as much as Rs 2.5 lakh per piece.

The NPPA’s moves on cardiac stents have been watched closely by manufacturers, doctors and health activists, ever since the authority announced on January 2 that it would not use the formula it normally uses to cap drug prices. As per procedure set out in Drug Price Control Orders, the authority usually sets a ceiling price by averaging the retail prices of drugs that have at least 1% of the market share each and marking it up by 16% for the retailer.

However, considering that stents are sold by hospitals at varying prices and, often at outrageous profits, the NPPA has come up with different formulae that do not consider the maximum retail price as the base price.

One formula being considered for calculating the ceiling price is based on the price of the device to distributor. Another includes the landed cost, with reference to imported devices, and accounts for manufacturing, shipping, and customs duties. Another formula is based on the cost of production or the cost of the stent under Central Government Health Scheme that amounts to Rs 23,675.

The Medical Devices Forum of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce, which largely represents companies manufacturing foreign stents, had made a representation to the NPPA asking for price to hospital to be the base for calculations. The price to hospital is a much higher base price, because it includes the profit margins of the distributor. On January 4, the NPPA added price to hospital as a possible base price to fix the ceiling price.

As expected, when the NPPA calculated ceiling prices using these different starting points, the price calculated using “price to hospital” was the highest at Rs 67,272.

In the next one month while the NPPA finalises the ceiling price for stents, stakeholders like pharmaceutical companies, doctors and civil society will lobby before the authority to protect interests of either the industry or patients, depending on where they stand.

Different kinds of stents

A stent is a short wire mesh tube that acts as a scaffold to keep a previously blocked artery of the heart open. A bare metal stent is an older generation device that consists only of the scaffolding. The newer drug-eluting stent has a coat of medicine, which it releases in the artery after its insertion. The drug prevents further blockage in the artery of the heart. More than 2 lakh stents are used annually, of which drug-eluting stents constitute 78%.

The NPPA has, so far, decided to fix prices based on these two categories – bare metal and drug-eluting

However, FICCI is asking that the authority take note of further differentiation in drug-eluting like drug-eluting stents used in the majority of cardiovascular procedures, drug-eluting stents for highly complex disease subsets including diabetes, and innovative drug-eluting stents. The innovative category, FICCI said, should not be covered by Drug Price Control Order.

“If the prices for all the drug-eluting stents remain the same, then only the older generation stents will be brought to the country,” said Probir Das, chairman of the FICCI’s Medical Devices Forum. “The newer, more sophisticated ones will not come to India.”

The newer generation stents are better, Das said, because they reduce chances of re-stenosis, which is when the blood vessel becomes blocked again.

The views of cardiologists in the private sector is aligned with the foreign manufacturers.

However, a report submitted by a committee of doctors from the public hospitals across India on the essentiality of coronary stents noted that there is no superiority among the current available drug-eluting stents in terms of clinical outcomes deaths or heart attacks. The committee also said that the superiority of bio-absorbable stents, a new type of stent that dissolves in the body, has not been demonstrated yet.

A study published in November 2016 in the journal Lancet showed that bio-absorbable stents, which are classified as innovative products by FICCI, posed “increased risk” of artery blockage. Other studies show bypass surgeries that do not require stents work better for diabetic patients as compared to angioplasties that are the procedures to place stents. Despite this research, FICCI has demanded a separate category for disease subsets to allow higher pricing of innovative stents that may not always be effective.

However, the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry does not support differential pricing of stents. “We are aligned with the consumer,” said Rajiv Nath, co-ordinator of the association.

Deciding the baseline

Currently, the various stakeholders are fighting to be heard on pricing by the NPPA. Civil society groups such as All India Drug Action Network, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, and the Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare are happy with the formula based on the Central Government Health Scheme that throws up the lowest price.

The “price to hospital” formula is with the NPPA itself saying that hospital data is not reliable as the prices change continuously.

Malini Aisola from the All India Drug Action Network said, “The data shows very clearly that the “price-to-hospital” formula is unworkable and does not serve the purpose of affordability. Public policy involving people’s health should not be predicated upon non-verifiable, inflated industry data. The industry itself has admitted that it has imperfect knowledge of the actual price. Government and political leadership should not legitimise the exploitation of the people.”

But the FICCI body wants hospitals at least have their say before any decision is made. “A retailer just dispenses with the product,” said Das. “A hospital is deploying and implanting the product. It also creates a cathlab which costs at least Rs 2 crore. It also maintains an inventory,” said Das. Cathlab is short for catheterisation laboratory where diagnostic imaging equipment is used to visualise the heart and its arteries.

When pointed out that hospitals charge for implanting stents, Das said that if stent prices fall, hospitals will compensate by raising costs of the medical procedure.

Fixing the price of stents can end another unethical practice. It is an open secret that the hospitals demand a cut from the pharmaceutical companies for using devices, which leads to irrational use of stents. Dr Anil Kumar Pathak from the Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare recounted a case of a patient in his late 30s who was implanted with the stent, even though he had only 50% blockage in his arteries and did not need one.

“The fixing of the price will increase the rational use of stents,” said Dr Arun Mitra, also a member of the alliance. “The cuts have so far encouraged doctors to implant stents when it was not required.”

The Financial Express |

New India Assurance IPO may take 6-months after govt nod: CMD

Public sector insurer New India Assurance (NIA) on Thursday said it will take six-month time to divest its stake through the IPO after it gets government approval.

"We are awaiting cabinet approval for the Initial Public Offer (IPO) plan. Once it happens, we will start the process (of IPO). And it can take about six-month time," Srinivasan told reporters on the sidelines of FICCI's Annual Health Insurance Conference here.

For the IPO process, the company's board has already given the approval and has recommended it to the government.

Mumbai-headquartered NIA is a 100 per cent government owned multinational general insurance company operating in 28 countries.

The company is expecting over 20% growth in the current fiscal, he said, adding lot of growth is driven by agricultural insurance.

"Even other lines of business, we are seeing tremendous growth. So, we are looking at crossing Rs 21,000 crore business in the current financial year. There is a lot of growth from various sectors," he added.

The company's global premium growth was at 14.46% in 2015-16 at Rs 18,371 crore.

millenniumpost |

'Health care is a social justice issue, must be accessible & affordable to all'

T S Vijayan, Chairman, Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India (IRDAI), on Thursday underlined the critical role of infrastructure and how a sustained focus is required to link the available health systems, both public and private in rural and remote areas with health insurance, which will hold the key to successful implementation of any universal health scheme. He also mentioned to scale up the health insurance penetration, financing for care in public health infrastructure which is quite substantial in India, needs to be looked at.

Inaugurating the ninth FICCI Health Insurance Conference, the annual flagship event on the theme – Making Health Insurance Universal and Sustainable, the IRDAI Chief said, “health spending is seen as a superior good and only taken by people who are risk taking, and hence for the people who are risk averse, it is important to incentivize them, by offering some value to them like free health check-ups or discounts, which will help in realizing our goal to make health insurance universal”.

In his Theme Address, Mr G Srinivasan, Chairman, FICCI Health Insurance Committee & CMD – The New India Assurance, opined that the one of the major socio-economic issues the country is facing is making health insurance accessible to all, the other being its sustainability. He said, the health insurance sector can only grow, if it is commercially viable for all stakeholders.

In his Keynote Address, Mr Narendra Bhooshan– DDG (Enrolment & Updation Division and Direct Benefit Transfer Cell), UIDAI, mentioned about Aadhar being the biggest disruptor as well as enabler in digital society today, and health insurance sector, is one of the biggest beneficiaries. He stated, “Integrating Aadhar with health insurance enrolment, beneficiary identification, claim processing, hospital reimbursement, E-KYC will ensure a paperless, cashless, interoperable, secure, healthcare ecosystem in the country, and ultimately help in the growth in the health insurance sector.

On the occasion, IRDAI Chairman along with other dignitaries released two Knowledge Papers, namely the FICCI - QuintilesIMS Knowledge Paper on ‘Health Insurance in Digital India’ and the FICCI – EY Knowledge Paper on ‘Value Added Services’.

The FICCI - QuintilesIMS study was commissioned in order to identify the appropriate roadmap for all stakeholders involved digitization across health insurance industry. The study details out several initiatives taken up by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GoI and IRDAI to drive digitization across health insurance sector in India. The key initiatives that need to be taken up for digitizing the health insurance market.

According to the FICCI – EY report, the three major actionable that can empower the wellness and preventive healthcare market in India are wellness incentives embedded innovative insurance and healthcare products, wellness marketplace to support or drive the wellness benefits and an organized and co-existing ecosystem.

The Pioneer |

NIA IPO may take 6-month time after Govt nod: CMD

Public sector insurer New India Assurance (NIA) on Thursday said it will take six-month time to divest its stake through the IPO after it gets Government approval. “We are awaiting cabinet approval for the Initial Public Offer (IPO) plan. Once it happens, we will start the process (of IPO). And it can take about six-month time,” Srinivasan told reporters on the sidelines of FICCI’s Annual Health Insurance Conference.

For the IPO process, the company’s board has already given the approval and has recommended it to the Government. Mumbai-headquartered NIA is a 100 per cent government owned multinational general insurance company operating in 28 countries. The company is expecting over 20 per cent growth in the current fiscal, he said, adding lot of growth is driven by agricultural insurance.

“Even other lines of business, we are seeing tremendous growth. So, we are looking at crossing Rs 21,000 crore business in the current financial year. There is a lot of growth from various sectors,” he added. The company’s global premium growth was at 14.46 per cent in 2015-16 at Rs 18,371 crore.

The Economic Times |

Incentives, discounts to make health insurance universal: IRDAI

IRDAI Chairman T S Vijayan today said there is a need to incentivise people who are not inclined to buy health insurance in form of free check-ups or discounts as part of efforts to deepen market penetration in this particular segment.

The spending on healthcare is seen as a superior good and only taken by people who are risk-taking, so it is required to incentivise those who don't buy health insurance, Vijayan said at FICCI's Annual Health Conference here today.

"For the people who are risk averse, it is important to incentivize them by offering some value to them like free health check-ups or discounts, which will help in realising our goal to make health insurance universal," he said.

The New India Assurance CMD G Srinivasan, said it is a socio-economic challenge in India that health insurance is not accessible to all and it lacks sustainability as well.

Srinivasan who is also the Chairman of the FICCI Health Insurance Committee said health insurance sector can only grow, if it is commercially viable for all stakeholders.

UIDAI DDG for Enrollment & Updation Division and Direct Benefit Transfer Cell Narendra Bhooshan in his keynote address said Aadhaar is the biggest disruptor as well as enabler in digital society today and health insurance sector is one of the biggest beneficiaries.

"Integrating Aadhaar with health insurance enrolment, beneficiary identification, claim processing, hospital reimbursement, E-KYC will ensure a paperless, cashless, interoperable, secure, healthcare ecosystem in the country, and ultimately help in the growth in the health insurance sector," Bhooshan said.

The Conference also saw release of FICCI-QuintilesIMS knowledge paper 'Health Insurance in Digital India' said the Unique Identification (UID) of stakeholders within healthcare ecosystem such as providers, diagnostic centers and doctors will play a critical role in the growth of digitisation of health insurance in India.

According to the study, digitization and IT are changing the landscape of healthcare and health insurance ecosystem in the country.

"This will enable seamless interoperability of data that will facilitate patient safety and lead to better patient outcomes. With the health insurance sector poised for major growth in the coming decade, demand for more efficient systems of data storage and transfer is set to increase," said the study.


The Economic Times |

HDFC Life, Max Life working on issues raised by Irdai: Irdai chief

HDFC Life and Max Life are working on the issues raised by insurance regulator last month with respect to their merger, Irdai Chairman T S Vijayan said today.

"There are some issues, the companies are working on it. That is a complex issue. I won't be able to explain it," Irdai Chairman T S Vijayan told reporters on the sidelines of the FICCI Annual Health Insurance Conference when asked about hurdles to the merger.

"Time taken for approval depends on the companies. Some discussions are going on."

Last month, Irdai had expressed reservations about the current form of amalgamation of Max Life and HDFC Life into a single entity.

The scheme proposes merging of insurance business in an agreement among Max Financial Services (MFSL), the subsidiary Max Life Insurance Company (Max Life), HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company (HDFC Life) and Max India

HDFC Life and Max Life had filed an application seeking in-principle approval of Irdai for the proposed amalgamation scheme on September 21, 2016.

Asked if any other insurance company has approached the regulator to raise funds from the public, Vijayan answered in the negative, saying "no body else has applied for listing".

Clarifying on extension of policy renewal period post demonetisation on November 8, he said: "Usually, for the renewal of the policy, one month grace period is given. Companies have agreed to extend it to two months. So, even if temporary cash flow problems are there, premium will come in future."

He added: "Anti-money laundering (measures) are there... if they (customers) are paying high premium amount in cash, they need to provide PAN number. So, that type of money doesn't come into the system at all."

India Today |

Incentives, discounts to make health insurance universal:Irdai

Irdai Chairman T S Vijayan today said there is a need to incentivise people who are not inclined to buy health insurance in form of free check-ups or discounts as part of efforts to deepen market penetration in this particular segment.

The spending on healthcare is seen as a superior good and only taken by people who are risk-taking, so it is required to incentivise those who dont buy health insurance, Vijayan said at FICCIs Annual Health Conference here today.

"For the people who are risk averse, it is important to incentivize them by offering some value to them like free health check-ups or discounts, which will help in realising our goal to make health insurance universal," he said.

The New India Assurance CMD G Srinivasan, said it is a socio-economic challenge in India that health insurance is not accessible to all and it lacks sustainability as well.
Srinivasan who is also the Chairman of the FICCI Health Insurance Committee said health insurance sector can only grow, if it is commercially viable for all stakeholders.

UIDAI DDG for Enrollment & Updation Division and Direct Benefit Transfer Cell Narendra Bhooshan in his keynote address said Aadhaar is the biggest disruptor as well as enabler in digital society today and health insurance sector is one of the biggest beneficiaries.

"Integrating Aadhaar with health insurance enrolment, beneficiary identification, claim processing, hospital reimbursement, E-KYC will ensure a paperless, cashless, interoperable, secure, healthcare ecosystem in the country, and ultimately help in the growth in the health insurance sector," Bhooshan said.

The Conference also saw release of FICCI-QuintilesIMS knowledge paper Health Insurance in Digital India said the Unique Identification (UID) of stakeholders within healthcare ecosystem such as providers, diagnostic centers and doctors will play a critical role in the growth of digitisation of health insurance in India.

According to the study, digitization and IT are changing the landscape of healthcare and health insurance ecosystem in the country.

"This will enable seamless interoperability of data that will facilitate patient safety and lead to better patient outcomes. With the health insurance sector poised for major growth in the coming decade, demand for more efficient systems of data storage and transfer is set to increase," said the study.

India Today |

HDFC Life, Max Life working on issues raised by Irdai: Vijayan

HDFC Life and Max Life are working on the issues raised by insurance regulator last month with respect to their merger, Irdai Chairman T S Vijayan said today.

"There are some issues, the companies are working on it. That is a complex issue. I wont be able to explain it," Irdai Chairman T S Vijayan told reporters on the sidelines of the FICCI Annual Health Insurance Conference when asked about hurdles to the merger.

"Time taken for approval depends on the companies. Some discussions are going on."
Last month, Irdai had expressed reservations about the current form of amalgamation of Max Life and HDFC Life into a single entity.

The scheme proposes merging of insurance business in an agreement among Max Financial Services (MFSL), the subsidiary Max Life Insurance Company (Max Life), HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company (HDFC Life) and Max India.

HDFC Life and Max Life had filed an application seeking in-principle approval of Irdai for the proposed amalgamation scheme on September 21, 2016.

Asked if any other insurance company has approached the regulator to raise funds from the public, Vijayan answered in the negative, saying "no body else has applied for listing".

Clarifying on extension of policy renewal period post demonetisation on November 8, he said: "Usually, for the renewal of the policy, one month grace period is given. Companies have agreed to extend it to two months. So, even if temporary cash flow problems are there, premium will come in future."

He added: "Anti-money laundering (measures) are there... if they (customers) are paying high premium amount in cash, they need to provide PAN number. So, that type of money doesn't come into the system at all."

Northeast Today |

Sikkim to Host North East Health Care Summit

In an effort to strengthen the public healthcare system in the entire Northeast India, the Public Health Foundation of India (PFHI) has started gearing up for North East Health Care Summit 2017. The summit is slated to be held in Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim.

The North East Health Care Summit 2016 was held in Guwahati.

In view of the 2017 Summit, PHFI representatives met with officials from the Sikkim government, STNM Hospital and Sikkim Manipal University on November 22. With the aim to make the summit bigger and better, the delegation has decided to focus on issues ranging from environmental health to mental health and addictions, and strengthening health systems in Northeast.

Envisioning in creating better accessibility to healthcare in the region, PHFI in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) orgainised the North East Health Care Summit 2016 in Guwahati.

Nagaland Post |

Sikkim to host NE health care summit

In an effort to strengthen the public healthcare system in the entire Northeast India, the Public Health Foundation of India (PFHI) has started gearing up for North East Health Care Summit 2017. The summit is slated to be held in Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim.

The North East Health Care Summit 2016 was held in Guwahati. In view of the 2017 Summit, PHFI representatives met with officials from the Sikkim government, STNM Hospital and Sikkim Manipal University on November 22. With the aim to make the summit bigger and better, the delegation has decided to focus on issues ranging from environmental health to mental health and addictions, and strengthening health systems in Northeast.

Envisioning in creating better accessibility to healthcare in the region, PHFI in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) orgainised the North East Health Care Summit 2016 in Guwahati.

The Hindu Business Line |

Preventive focus to healthcare

Healthcare providers need to address the issue of trust deficit in their patients, notes a FICCI – EY report titled ‘Re-engineering Indian health care: Empowered patient (consumer), enhanced outcome and efficient business’. The report cites a survey conducted by EY among 1,000 respondents, where 38 per cent believed hospitals do not always act in their best interest, while 24 per cent believed that doctors may not act in their best interest.

The report takes a view on the overall scenario of health in the country and calls for action from all stakeholders — including the government, healthcare providers, academicians and entrepreneurs – to adapt to the evolving consumer and health needs in the country so as to be best prepared for the next phase of growth.

The emerging consumerism in healthcare necessitates a focus on patient experience and not just care. Sixty per cent of the survey respondents expressed the need for reviews and feedback from their peers to allow them to make an informed choice while selecting a provider.

The report calls on the various stakeholders to immediately address the issue of trust deficit, infuse efficiency into processes, especially the ones which are consumer-facing, empower patients with information regarding their health and make access to healthcare convenient.

It recommends healthcare providers to embed patient-centricity in the designing and execution of core operating processes and systems, and for entrepreneurs to create a social media platform for patients to express their feedback in an impactful way.

The healthcare system in the country has to move from being a curative one to being preventive. Stakeholders must leverage technology, allowing for a more proactive approach. In line with this, there’s a need to focus on a robust primary care system and integrated care, promote the adoption of healthy behaviour among individuals, focus on health performance and not just services, and improve access to healthcare for all.

Health Management Services, a new health care service focused on effective measuring, monitoring and management of health enabled by digital technologies and a virtually integrated network of care providers, is estimated to present an opportunity of ₹8-14 billion over the next five years.

The report also recommends investing in artificial intelligence-based clinical decision support systems, and building services that positively influence patient behaviour through the use of technologies, social networks, games and contracts.

While there is a dire need to address the changing healthcare scenario in the country, the report also calls on healthcare providers to plan hospital projects with the aim of being successful, focus on cost efficiency to counter operating margin pressures and sustain operational efficiency by not only managing but also teaching efficiency to clinicians.

Business Standard |

6- 8% of investments in B2C start-ups in India are made in the healthcare sector : FICCI - KPMG paper

Growing investments to give boost to the industry

The road ahead for Indias healthcare sector is set to be revolutionized with the rising base of healthcare start-ups that recognize the need for making quality healthcare accessible to Indias billion plus population, according to a joint study by FICCI and KPMG in India titled Indian healthcare start-ups; An inside look into funding.
Dr. Nandakumar Jairam, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee; Chairman, NABH and Chairman and Group Medical Director, Columbia Asia Hospitals India said, "What we need today is a unified approach for long-term solutions that would help in optimizing disease-care to preventive and promotive care as well as patient centricity though data - driven efficient technologies. Fostering Start-ups and Entrepreneurship will provide the requisite innovative approach for achieving these reforms."

Mr. Vishal Bali Chair, FICCI HEAL 2016 Organizing Committee; Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Co-founder & Chairman, Medwell Ventures said, "Start-ups are already disrupting the way healthcare is delivered in India. According to the NASSCOM Start-up Ecosystem Report 2015, India serves as the fastest growing start-up-base worldwide and 6-8% of the recent B2C Start-ups in India have been in the Health-tech sector. This means that the sector has already secured ample traction from investors owing to its huge potential."

Mr. Ashok Kakkar, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Senior MD, Varian Medical Systems International India said, "80 per cent of the Indian population is uninsured, resulting in medical costs being paid by people from their own reserves. Start-ups combat this challenge and come up with innovative models to help people get insured on a large scale."

Mr. Nilaya Varma, Partner and Head, Government and Healthcare, KPMG in India, said, "Healthcare start-ups in India have potential to emerge as new enabler of accessible and affordable healthcare services. Many start-ups have moved away from traditional healthcare delivery models to asset light, technology based and enabling platforms for patients & healthcare providers. However, start-up continue to face some encounters in terms of funding, incubation and regulatory environment. The government's Start-up India initiative intends to bridge some of the challenges and provides encouraging ecosystem for start-ups. In the recent past increasing number of HNIs, seed funds, incubators and other private investors have extended support to start-ups. The creation of conducive ecosystem for healthcare start-ups will be boon for the healthcare sector."

With a doctor patient ratio as low as 1:1700 (in proportion to the total population), stumped penetration of healthcare in rural areas and a low medically insured population, the potential for healthcare start-ups to emerge as a key member in the healthcare ecosystem is vast. Domestically, healthcare start-ups have not yet received a steady stream of funding to support their ventures with capital as low as USD27 million in the first four months of 2016. The challenges to garner fund flow is hindering multiple projects, ideas, concepts and approaches from taking off.

Private sector investments alone are not sufficient to boost the necessary change and the government needs to shoulder the dual responsibility of a guide and an investor to create a sound healthcare system to keep up with global standards. India's healthcare system is vast and disorganized; however it contributes largely to the total workforce. Healthcare start-ups are likely to engage in extended innovative Research and Development (R&D), in turn increasing their accessibility to the larger population and creating greater scope for employment generation.

Other key finding presented in the knowledge paper are as follows:

Start-ups can act as a much needed facilitator to help approximately 70 per cent of the rural population with limited or no access to hospitals or clinics.

Mobile and internet platforms can be one of the means to address India's deficient healthcare facilities, via innovation in technology and telemedicine. This could result in better diagnosis by doctors making the history of patients available on cloud platforms.

The start-up domain is struggling to rope in the right investors and arrange for adequate funding, which could largely be attributed to the slow pace of growth in the sector. It takes anywhere between 10 to 15 years to introduce a new product in the market with very few prevalent business models to compare with.

Indias public spending on the healthcare sector comprises of only 1.4 per cent of the GDP and is amongst the lowest in the world.

Private sector stakeholders could play a crucial hand in the growth and development of healthcare start-ups, by investing in high-risk which could enable entrepreneurs to bring medical advancements and generate higher returns for them.

Healthcare start-ups could transform the future of the sector by bridging the gap between supply and demand, especially in rural areas through smartphones and digitization of healthcare practices

Focus News |

Urge private sector to give priority to innovations and best practices: J P Nadda

“Superior outcomes in healthcare in India will be better achieved with innovations in health practices and products, and I urge private sector to give priority to innovations and best practices”. This was stated by J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare at the FICCI’s annual flagship event FICCI HEAL, here today. The theme of the event was “Re-engineering Indian Healthcare”. Speaking on the occasion, the Shri Nadda stated that for any innovation we must think of scale, skill and speed.

Nadda said that the Ministry welcomes suggestions and intervention of the private sector to address some of the challenges faced by the Government. He said the private sector must not be concentrated only in urban areas but vulnerable sections of the society and people living in rural areas should also be able to access their services. The Health Minister further said that some formidable challenges still need to be addressed in many states due to lack of sturdy infrastructure and shortage of skilled manpower among other things. “We should not work in silos. There is urgent need to interact and work together in making a meaningful change,” Shri Nadda added.

Highlighting the benefits of the Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) outlets, the Health Minister said that the AMRIT clinics have sold drugs worth Rs 28 Crores as per the MRP. However, the costs to the patients through these outlets have only been Rs 9 crores. This has resulted in saving of Rs 19 Crore out of pocket expenditure to the patients.

Nadda said that the government is making strides in the field of Telemedicine also. The facility with three remote locations, namely Community Health Centre, Pooh in District Kinnour of Himachal Pradesh; Pampa Hospital, Sabrimala in Kerala and Sheshnag base camp on way to Amarnath Shrine has been started. Minister told that these three telemedicine nodes in remote areas have been connected with Telemedicine node at PGI to provide remote health care over telemedicine platform. Health Minister reiterated the resolve of his Government to strengthen Tertiary Health Care in all its premium institutions by inducting State-of-Art technology, training and capacity building of human resource and providing affordable and convenient tertiary health care through various steps.

J P Nadda stated that as most of the major Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), generally labeled as ‘lifestyle diseases’ are acquired, there is an urgent need for paying attention to their preventive aspects. Social behaviour change plays a major role in preventing the NCDs, he stated. Emphasizing on the need for creating wide awareness among the people regarding healthy living the Minister further added that the support of the Private Sector in this area will be crucial, especially in designing curriculum for the children at school so that we can inculcate healthy lifestyle in them in their formative years.

The Hindu Business Line |

Call for more private-public partnerships in health sector

To achieve more cost-effective healthcare solutions, Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda called for more public-private partnerships to leverage technology.

While addressing the Ministerial Session at FICCI HEAL, Nadda said the biggest challenge for the government was to provide quality and affordable healthcare services in far-flung corners of the country as healthcare services were concentrated in urban areas and not available to vulnerable sections of the society.

In this endeavour to provide accessible and affordable healthcare across the country, he said the private sector needs to help create a common platform for public and private players that could help enhance qualitative and quantitative aspects of healthcare services.

He further urged private sector players to focus on primary healthcare in rural areas.

Meanwhile, Harshavardhan Neotia, President, FICCI, sought the government’s help to ‘ease’ business for private players in the healthcare space and said the exemption from service tax enjoyed by the industry currently should continue when Goods and Services Tax comes into force.

He also requested help in getting banks to provide low-interest loans and long-term moratorium to healthcare providers.

The Pioneer |

FICCI: There are 1.7 nurses per 1k people, needs curriculum revision

Noting that there is a huge gap in nursing sector with just 1.7 nurses per thousand people, a FICCI report has called for revision of the nursing curriculum-still governed by the Indian Nursing Act framed in 1947 and revised in 1948-to make it relevant to the current health care industry requirements.

As per a FICCI-EY report ‘Nursing reforms: Paradigm shift for a bright future’ which was released on Wednesday noted that the country needs an additional 2.4 million nurses to meet the growing demand and it is expected to increase to increase further in the coming years.

The report said the nursing sector in India continues to experience challenges in terms of availability, distribution and retention, with the lack of a rewarding career progression, individual welfare, and income parity being cited as key reasons, amongst others.

At FICCI flagship annual healthcare conference - FICCI HEAL 2016, Vineet Chhatwal, Partner, EY India said, “The report has suggested 30 key recommendations to improve the sector. Nurses have a direct influence and role in determining the quality of care that is rendered to a patient. We need to make a concerted effort to ensure that this capability is recognised.”

The Economic Times |

Healthcare startups attract 8% B2C investments

The road ahead for India's healthcare sector is set to be revolutionised with the rising base of healthcare startups that recognize the need for making quality healthcare accessible to India's billion plus population, according to a joint study by FICCI and KPMG in India titled - 'Indian healthcare start-ups - An inside look into funding'.

Launched on Thursday at FICCI HEAL 2016, the knowledge paper evaluates the role and need for healthcare startups in India, their evolution in the sector and the funding scenario. It also assesses the future of these startups, highlights some of the challenges being faced by them and suggests a way forward.

FICCI Health Services Committee chair, Nandakumar Jairam said, "Fostering startups and entrepreneurship will provide the requisite innovative approach for achieving these reforms."

Co founder and chairman of Medwell Ventures, Vishal Bali said, "Startups are already disrupting the way healthcare is delivered in India. According to the NASSCOM Startup Ecosystem Report 2015, India serves as the fastest growing startup-base worldwide and 6-8% of the recent B2C startups in India have been in the health-tech sector. This means that the sector has already secured ample traction from investors owing to its huge potential."

Partner and Head, Government and Healthcare, KPMG in India, Nilaya Varma said, "Healthcare startups in India have potential to emerge as new enabler of accessible and affordable healthcare services. However, startups continue to encounter problems like funding, incubation and regulatory environment. The government's Startup India initiative intends to bridge some of the challenges.In the recent past increasing number of HNIs, seed funds, incubators and other private investors have extended support to start-ups. The creation of conducive ecosystem for healthcare start-ups will be boon for the healthcare sector".

Some of the key finding presented in the knowledge paper are:

Startups can act as a much needed facilitator to help approximately 70% of the rural population with limited or no access to hospitals or clinics.

Mobile and internet platforms can be one of the means to address India's deficient healthcare facilities, via innovation in technology and telemedicine. This could result in better diagnosis by doctors making the history of patients available on cloud platforms.

The startup domain is struggling to rope in the right investors and arrange for adequate funding, which could largely be attributed to the slow pace of growth in the sector. It takes anywhere between 10 to 15 years to introduce a new product in the market with very few prevalent business models to compare with.

India's public spending on the healthcare sector comprises of only 1.4 per cent of the GDP and is amongst the lowest in the world.

Private sector stakeholders could play a crucial hand in the growth and development of healthcare start-ups, by investing in high-risk which could enable entrepreneurs to bring medical advancements and generate higher returns for them.

The Financial Express |

Need to pay urgent attention towards preventive aspects of NCDs: JP Nadda

Union Health Minister J P Nadda today said support of private sector is crucial in designing school curriculum to inculcate healthy lifestyles among children and stressed the need to pay urgent attention towards preventive aspects of non-communicable diseases).

Nadda said that most of the major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) generally labeled as ‘lifestyle diseases’ are acquired and social behaviour change plays a major role in preventing them.

“The support of the private sector in this area will be crucial, especially in designing curriculum for the children at school so that we can inculcate healthy lifestyle in them in their formative years,” an official statement quoting Nadda, who was speaking at FICCI HEAL event said.

“Superior outcomes in healthcare in India will be better achieved with innovations in health practices and products, and I urge private sector to give priority to innovations and best practices,” he said.

The Health Minister further said that some formidable challenges still need to be addressed in many states due to lack of sturdy infrastructure and shortage of skilled manpower among other things.

“We should not work in silos. There is urgent need to interact and work together in making a meaningful change,” he said.

Highlighting the benefits of the Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) outlets, the Health Minister said that these clinics have sold drugs worth Rs 28 crores as per the MRP.

However, the costs to the patients through these outlets have only been Rs 9 crores and has thus resulted in saving of Rs 19 crore out of pocket expenditure to the patients.

Noting that the government is making strides in the field of telemedicine, Nadda said the facility with three remote locations – Community Health Centre, Pooh in Kinnour, Himachal Pradesh, Pampa Hospital, Sabrimala in Kerala and Sheshnag base camp on way to Amarnath Shrine has been started.

He also reiterated the government’s resolve to strengthen tertiary health care in all its premium institutions by inducting state-of-art technology, training and capacity building of human resource and providing affordable and convenient tertiary health care through various steps.

Meanwhile, according to a FICCI statement, Nadda said that there was a need to educate children at an early age about lifestyle choices and the government was planning to come out with a pictorial leaflet – a lifestyle guide – as a part of the school curriculum, which would educate students about healthy lifestyle choices.

The Hindu Business Line |

Leverage technology for cost-effective healthcare solutions: Nadda

Minister for Health and Family Welfare, JP Nadda, called for more public-private partnerships to leverage technology in the attempt to achieve more cost-effective healthcare solutions.

While addressing the Ministerial Session at FICCI HEAL, Nadda said the biggest challenge for the government was to provide quality and affordable healthcare services in far-flung corners of the country as healthcare services were concentrated in urban areas and not available to vulnerable sections of the society.

In this endeavour to provide accessible and affordable healthcare across the country, he said the private sector needs to help create a common platform for public and private players that could help enhance qualitative and quantitative aspects of healthcare services.

He further urged private sector players to focus on primary healthcare in rural areas.

Meanwhile, Harshavardhan Neotia, President, FICCI, sought the government’s help to ‘ease’ business for private players in the healthcare space and said the exemption from service tax enjoyed by the industry currently should continue when Goods and Services Tax comes into force.

He also requested help in getting banks to provide low-interest loans and long-term moratorium to healthcare providers.

Hindustan Times |

Startups revolutionising India’s heathcare sector

Healthcare startups are coming up in a big way in India, recognising the need for making quality healthcare accessible to country’s billion plus population.

Six to eight percent of investments in Business-to-Consumer (B2C) startups in India are made in the healthcare sector, reveals a joint study by FICCI and KPMG in India titled – ‘Indian healthcare startups – An inside look into funding’.

Launched on Thursday, the knowledge paper evaluates the role and need for healthcare startups in India, their evolution in the sector and the funding scenario.

“Superior outcomes in healthcare in India will be better achieved with innovations in health practices and products, and I urge private sector to give priority to innovations and best practices,” said Union health minister JP Nadda at the FICCI HEAL, 2016, conference.

The joint report was launched during the conference.

“What we need today is a unified approach for long-term solutions that would help in optimizing disease-care to preventive and promotive care as well as patient centricity though data-driven efficient technologies. Fostering Start-ups and Entrepreneurship will provide the requisite innovative approach for achieving these reforms,” said Dr Nandakumar Jairam, chair, FICCI health services committee.

Startups are the way forward to deliver quality healthcare.

“According to the NASSCOM Start-up Ecosystem Report 2015, India serves as the fastest growing startup base worldwide. The sector has already secured ample traction from investors owing to its huge potential,” said Vishal Bali, co-chair, FICCI health services committee.

Many startups have moved away from traditional healthcare delivery models to asset light, technology based and enabling platforms for patients and healthcare providers. However, start-ups continue to face some encounters in terms of funding, incubation and regulatory environment.

“The government’s Startup India initiative intends to bridge some of the challenges and provides encouraging ecosystem for start-ups. The creation of conducive ecosystem for healthcare start-ups will be boon for the healthcare sector,” said Nilaya Varma, partner and head, government and healthcare, KPMG-India.

With a doctor patient ratio as low as 1:1700 (in proportion to the total population), stumped penetration of healthcare in rural areas and a low medically insured population, the potential for healthcare startups to emerge as a key member in the healthcare ecosystem is vast.

*Key findings

*Start-ups can act as a much needed facilitator to help approximately 70% of the rural population
* Mobile and internet platforms can be one of the means to address India’s deficient healthcare facilities
*It takes 10 to 15 years to introduce a new product in the market
*India’s public spending on the healthcare sector: 1.4% of the GDP
*Private sector could play a crucial hand in the growth and development of healthcare start-ups

The Times of India |

Healthcare startups struggling to rope in the 'right investors'

Indicating the rising importance of healthcare startups in India, a report has revealed that 6-8% of investments in B2C (business-to-consumer) startups in India are made in the healthcare sector. Despite the buoyancy, the startup domain is struggling to rope in the 'right investors' and arrange for adequate funding, which could largely be attributed to the slow pace of growth in the sector.

The report prepared by FICCI - KPMG titled - 'Indian healthcare start-ups - An inside look into funding', revealed that it takes anywhere between 10 to 15 years to introduce a new product in the market with very few prevalent business models to compare with.

"Healthcare startups in India are characterized by low levels of funding. In fact they received a sum of only $27 million in the first four months of 2016. During the period 2009-16 (till April), the sector received a cumulative investment of more than $338 million. Startups, with the potential to bridge the significant demand-supply gap in the Indian healthcare system, were able to attract only a small fraction of the overall investments in the healthcare sector," the report said.

It added that private sector stakeholders could play a crucial role in the growth and development of healthcare startups by investing in high-risk business models, which could enable entrepreneurs to usher in medical advancements.

India Education Diary |

Urge private sector to give priority to innovations and best practices: J Nadda

“Superior outcomes in healthcare in India will be better achieved with innovations in health practices and products, and I urge private sector to give priority to innovations and best practices”. This was stated by Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare at the FICCI’s annual flagship event FICCI HEAL, here today. The theme of the event was “Re-engineering Indian Healthcare”. Speaking on the occasion, the Shri Nadda stated that for any innovation we must think of scale, skill and speed.

Shri Nadda said that the Ministry welcomes suggestions and intervention of the private sector to address some of the challenges faced by the Government. He said the private sector must not be concentrated only in urban areas but vulnerable sections of the society and people living in rural areas should also be able to access their services. The Health Minister further said that some formidable challenges still need to be addressed in many states due to lack of sturdy infrastructure and shortage of skilled manpower among other things. “We should not work in silos. There is urgent need to interact and work together in making a meaningful change,” Shri Nadda added.

Highlighting the benefits of the Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) outlets, the Health Minister said that t the AMRIT clinics have sold drugs worth Rs. 28 Crores as per the MRP. However, the costs to the patients through these outlets have only been Rs 9 crores. This has resulted in saving of Rs. 19.00 Crore out of pocket expenditure to the patients.

Shri Nadda said that the government is making strides in the field of Telemedicine also. The facility with three remote locations, namely Community Health Centre, Pooh in District Kinnour of Himachal Pradesh; Pampa Hospital, Sabrimala in Kerala and Sheshnag base camp on way to Amarnath Shrine has been started. Minister told that these three telemedicine nodes in remote areas have been connected with Telemedicine node at PGI to provide remote health care over telemedicine platform. Health Minister reiterated the resolve of his Government to strengthen Tertiary Health Care in all its premium institutions by inducting State-of-Art technology, training and capacity building of human resource and providing affordable and convenient tertiary health care through various steps.

Shri J P Nadda stated that as most of the major Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), generally labeled as ‘lifestyle diseases’ are acquired, there is an urgent need for paying attention to their preventive aspects. Social behaviour change plays a major role in preventing the NCDs, he stated. Emphasizing on the need for creating wide awareness among the people regarding healthy living the Minister further added that the support of the Private Sector in this area will be crucial, especially in designing curriculum for the children at school so that we can inculcate healthy lifestyle in them in their formative years.

Shri Nadda also released two knowledge papers at the conference – FICCI-EY paper on ‘Re-engineering Healthcare Ecosystem’ and FICCI KPMG paper on ‘Indian healthcare start-ups: An inside look into funding.

Also present at the function were Shri Harshavardhan Neotia, President FICCI, Smt Sangita Reddy, Chairperson, FICCI National Services Council and Dr Nandakumar Jairam, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee.

Business Today |

'India in dire need of more nurses'

Due to rising demand for tertiary and quaternary care in India, the need to have trained nurses is expected to grow in the coming years.

According to FICCI - EY report titled 'Nursing reforms: Paradigm shift for a bright future', India has only 0.7 doctors and 1.7 nurses available per thousand people. The country also ranks 75th amongst 133 developing countries with regards to the number of nurses.

Despite being a major supplier of the health workforce, the health care industry in India is suffering a wide gap. To narrow it down, India needs an additional 2.4 million nurses to meet the growing demand.

The nursing sector in India continues to experience challenges, states the report. Some of them being availability, distribution and retention, with the lack of a rewarding career progression, individual welfare, and income parity being cited as key reasons, amongst others.

Also, alternative careers with better remuneration and less stressful work environments and opportunities to migrate abroad tend to better attract nurses.

"Nurses have a direct influence and role in determining the quality of care that is rendered to a patient. A special emphasis has to be given to their continuous training and development for them to be able to leverage investments in initiatives such as digital health.", says Vineet Chhatwal, Partner, EY India.

The report also notes that there is a dire need for for nursing transformation at the national and state levels in both the government and private sectors. New opportunities for nurses to participate in shaping the future health care delivery system should be provided.

Additionally, there exists a manpower skew and uneven opportunity of nursing education across the country. To counter this, nursing studies should be advanced in order to remains relevant for the current technological environment, and rising customer centricity.

The Pioneer |

2.4 million more nurses required: FICCI

India needs 2.4 million more nurses to fulfill the burgeoning demand in the nursing sector, says a report published on Wednesday by FICCI-EY (Ernst & Young) during the former's annual health conference FICCI HEAL 2016.

According to the report, 'Nursing reforms: Paradigm shift for a bright future', the demand for more nurses owes to better medical facilities, increased life expectancy, bigger geriatric (elderly) population as well as rising medical tourism among others.

India ranks 75th among 133 developing countries regarding the number of nurses, with only 0.7 doctors and 1.7 nurses available per 1,000 people. Despite being a leading supplier of nurses to the rest of the world, its own healthcare industry is suffering from a wide gap.

The report also mentioned that the country's public health expenditure remains bleak at 1.4 percent of GDP, which is lower than many low income countries.

"Nurses have a direct influence and role in determining the quality of care that is rendered to a patient. We need to make a concerted efforts to ensure that this capability is recognized and rewarded in order to attract and retain qualified nursing professionals.

"A crucial segment of human resources in the health sector, there needs to be a focus on improving the participation of these professionals in the policy and decision making process, and special emphasis placed on their training and development in line with evolving technologies in healthcare," said Vineet Chhatwal, Partner, EY India.

Of the 30 recommendations the report ends with, revision of the Indian Nursing Act, 1947, to make it more in tune with contemporary healthcare; and an even distribution of nursing training programmes, are two major recommendations which seeks to address the skewed demand supply ratio.

It also points out that 52 percent of the total nurse training facilities are located in south India.

India Today |

India ranks 75th among 133 developing countries with regard

India ranks 75th amongst 133 developing countries with regards to the number of available nurses and country needs an additional 2.4 million nurses to meet the growing demand, a new report today said.

The FICCI - EY report titled Nursing reforms: Paradigm shift for a bright future released today said that only 0.7 doctors and 1.7 nurses are available per thousand people.

"India ranks 75th amongst 133 developing countries with regards to the number of nurses, with only 0.7 doctors and 1.7 nurses available per thousand people.
"The country needs an additional 2.4 million nurses to meet the growing demand. Despite being a major supplier of the health workforce, the healthcare industry in India
is suffering a wide gap," the report said.

It noted that the nursing sector in India continues to experience challenges in terms of availability, distribution and retention with the lack of a rewarding career progression, individual welfare and income parity being cited as key reasons, amongst others.

Additionally, alternative careers with better pay-outs and less stressful work environments and opportunities to migrate overseas tend to better attract nurses, it said.

The report also highlighted the need to revise the nursing curriculum - still governed by the Indian Nursing Act framed in 1947 and revised in 1948 ? to make it relevant to the current healthcare industry requirements.

"Additionally, there exists a manpower skew and uneven opportunity of nursing studies across the country, with almost 52 per cent of the nursing institutions concentrated in the south," it said.

It said that there is an urgent need for nursing transformation at the national and state levels in both the government and private sectors that can change the practice of nurses, expand current nursing roles while continuing to create new ones and open up opportunities for nurses to participate in shaping the future healthcare delivery system.

The report carves out 30 key suggestions to strengthen the nursing sector, which primarily deal with policy reforms, human resource development, strengthening the nursing practice, and education.

India Today |

Need to improve medical delivery system: Govt

The government today stressed on the need for "radically" improving the medical delivery system and make healthcare provisions patient centric.

Health secretary C K Mishra said re-engineering the three pillars - people, processes and technology are the key to provide quality healthcare to all.

He was speaking at the annual healthcare conference, FICCI HEAL on the theme Re-engineering Indian Healthcare organised by FICCI in association with National Health Mission.

"There was a need to radically improve the medical delivery system, make the provision of healthcare patient centric and reassess the fundamentals of domestic healthcare system in India," Mishra was quoted by a FICCI statement as saying.

There was a need to bring in new technology and adapt it according to the requirements of the Indian healthcare system, the health secretary said, adding that re-engineering in thought process was also needed to bridge the gap between the available technology and its use.

Mishra said the public and private sectors must work in tandem to scale up innovations in the sector and reach out affordable and quality healthcare to all.

He said the states like Andhra Pradesh and others have been innovating and experimenting new healthcare models that need to be replicated and scaled up.

Noting that government alone could not provide healthcare to all, Mishra said the active participation of the private sector is also needed.

He said the stakeholders should encourage Make in India in fields of medical devices and pharma.

zeenews.com |

'More than 8 lakh additional hospital beds required in Northeast to equal world average'

A two-day Northeast Health Care Summit was successfully organized by FICCI and PHFI in Guwahati, with the key message foccusing on investment and infrastructure in healthcare in the region.

The initiative was inaugurated by Mr Lalthanzara, Hon’ble Minister, Health and FW, Mizoram along with Mr Ranjit Barthakur, Chairman, FICCI NE Advisory Council, Dr K Srinath Reddy, President Public Health Foundation of India (through VC), and Mr Jayanto Narayan Choudhury, Vice president PHFI.

“Poor healthcare services in the Northeast and the need to enhance manpower, including setting up of more medical colleges in the region are the requirement of the day. There is an urgent need to review the progress of schemes sanctioned by centre or the NEC towards the improvement of healthcare services in the region, especially infrastructure, in addition to finding out better ways and means to remove health problems and inaccessibility to quality healthcare especially in rural areas of the region. At present, only Assam, Tripura and Manipur have been able to set up their own medical colleges, while states like Mizoram, which grapple with cancer are yet to get any college,” said Mr Lalthanzara.

Mr PD Rai, Member of Parliament from Sikkim stressed that there is an urgent need to engage corporates for enhancing public health and advancing technology in this region, ensuring better reach, quality and coverage of health services.

Mr Ranjit Barthakur, Chairman, FICCI NE Advisory Council said, “The northeastern region has the potential to become the new growth driver for the Indian economy but this can happen only if the population can function to its full potential, unbridled by the burden of diseases”.

“Globally, an average of 2.9 beds are available per 1000 population, therefor to even reach anywhere close to the global average, with a population of 45.45 million people, the North East would need over 8 lakh additional hospital beds” he added.

Dr K Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India, in his video address said, “Northeast is one of the most vibrant regions in India, but its health indicators have unfortunately lagged behind rest of India on many counts”.

Over 200 delegates including doctors from the Northeastern states, national and regional speakers and stakeholders representing hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, medical devices companies and others participated in the deliberations.

The two day summit discussed various problems in the health sector in the Northeastern states including - shortage of trained medical manpower, providing access to sparsely populated, remote, far flung areas, improvement of governance in the health sector, need for improved quality of health services and making effective and full utilization of existing resources.

On the sidelines of the summit, a Healthcare Exhibition was showcased, with a view to explore the emerging opportunities for healthcare providers in the Northeast, build a strong connect between healthcare providers and other stake holders.

newKerala.com |

FICCI to organize 'North East Healthcare Summit' in Guwahati

Recognizing that North-East India has a great potential to develop not only as a self-sustaining socio-economic unit of India, but also as a major healthcare centre in South East Asia, apex business body, FICCI in partnership with Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), the country's apex public health think-tank, will be organizing the "The North East Healthcare Summit" on 8th and 9th July in Guwahati.
Critical issues and challenges in Health Care System from a North East perspective will be discussed during the two day summit, which will have representation from over 250 delegates, national and international speakers and stakeholders from all over the NE region.

The main agenda will be to generate public health awareness amongst healthcare professionals and discuss recent developments in the critical areas of Quality healthcare and capacity building, Universal access to healthcare, Financing world class healthcare infrastructure, Prospect of alternative medicines.

Dr. Himanta Biswa Sharma, Minister, Health and FW, Assam, Lalthanzara, Hon'ble Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mizoram, will be inaugurating the two day healthcare summit along with Ranjit Barthakur, Chairman, FICCI NE Advisory Council, Dr K Srinath Reddy, President Public Health Foundation of India (through VC), Dr. Sandeep Bhalla, Program Director (Trainings), Centre for Chronic Conditions and Injuries, Public Health Foundation of India. State Health Ministers from Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim along with Members of Parliaments from North East will also be speaking at the summit on challenges and way forward. Aroster of notable speakers, doctors, academicians and honorees from the fields of healthcare, entrepreneurship, business, and experienced professionals will be participating at the two day Summit.

One the sidelines of the summit, a Healthcare Exhibition will be showcased, with a view to explore the emerging opportunities for health care providers in the North East, build a strong connect between healthcare providers and sources of finance including, private equities, social funds, banks, venture capitals and highlight budding academic institutions such as Indian Institute of Public Health, Shillong (IIPH-S) etc.

Business Medical Dialogues |

KIMS Hospital Hyderabad to raise money through IPO

The Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Ltd (KIIMS), a Hyderabad based Super specialty is planning to become a public healthcare facility and is already talking to investment banks for an initial public offering.

According to two sources who refused to reveal their names to Deal Street Asia, the IPO plan could have the healthcare unit raise upto a valuation of Rs 600 crore. Talks have been underway for the same for the past few months. According to the two anonymous sources, “The management has been meeting with bankers over the last two-three months. They are planning an IPO, the size of which could be around Rs.500-600 crore, but they are yet to mandate banks for managing the process.” The IPO is expected be a calendar 2017 event according to them.

With interest growing in public issues of healthcare firms, the hospital’s share- sale plan comes at an appropriate time. Last years IPO collection of 21 firms amounted to Rs. 13,614 Crore; this year the figure from initial sales for nine firms being- Rs.5,941.7crore reported Deal Street Asia.

Since December last, four healthcare firms have approached the primary markets to raise money for expansion and help their private equity investors to move out. The four firms Dr Lal Pathlabs Ltd, Narayana Hrudayalaya Ltd, HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd and Thyrocare Technologies Ltd in unison have raised almost Rs.2,375 crore. Apart from the share- sale of Healthcare Global, the other three IPOs also witnessed a strong demand from investors. The issues of Thyrocare, Dr Lal Pathlabs and Narayana Hrudayalaya were subscribed 73, 33 and 8 times, respectively.

Besides the above named, two other companies that have also decided to go public are : Aster DM Healthcare and New Delhi-based Centre for Sight.

A few healthcare facilities to choose from and limited penetration of quality healthcare units are the two reasons driving investors towards these acquisitions, say experts. “There is a shortage of healthcare infrastructure in the country. We are not only behind the western countries in terms of important standards such as bed-to-patient ratio, but also behind our neighboring countries. So, from a growth perspective, investors can see a long-term demand visibility and, hence, any well-managed hospital asset will see interest from investors,” says Hitesh Sharma, partner and national leader-life sciences at auditing and consulting firm EY.

The healthcare service sector’s projected market size predictions are going to be $280 billion by 2020, according to the FICCI and KPMG report; the growth path in all likelihood will be dominated by the private sector, which happens to constitute 70% of outpatient and 60% of inpatient services, according to FICCI.

In the face of limited healthcare companies to choose from , demand seems to be growing incessantly. KIMS, which was started in 1996, today has almost 1,800 beds across five super-specialty hospitals in the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh reported Sharma. Hyderabad, Nellore, Kondapur, Rajahmundry and Srikakulam being the cities of location for the five other hospitals.

ICICI Venture, a private equity firm and an investor in KIMS Hospitals, will analyze the selling part of its stake in the company through the public offer, said the source, requesting anonymity again.

Holding a 28% stake as of 31st March,2015, the ICICI venture had picked up this fund in 2014 by investing around Rs.220 crore. The company refused to comment on the same when contacted. Calls to Dr B. Bhaskar Rao, Managing Director and Chief Executive of KIMS Hospitals, got no answers either. This will be the 3rd IPO venture for the ICICI, in recent times.The earlier one being that of Teamlease services, which helped the company raise Rs. 423Crore , Adlab Entertainments ltd also listed on the stock exchange in 2015.

The primary objective of the IPO is to raise capital to fund the hospital chain’s operations and growth plans, the sources explained “They are looking at raising the money to fund organic growth and to invest in technology,” they further added.

KIMS Hospitals’ revenue grew to Rs.409.6 crore in financial year 2014-15, from Rs.353.6 crore the previous year. The hospital chain reported a profit of Rs.11.4 crore in 2014-15, compared with Rs.6.8 crore the previous year, according to the company’s filings with the registrar of companies,

livemint |

Apoorva Patni plans to invest Rs100 crore in healthcare sector

Apoorva Patni, son of Patni Computers co-founder Ashok Patni, plans to deploy nearly Rs.100 crore in the healthcare sector through his fund Currae Healthtech Fund. Patni, who has invested about Rs.10 crore in seven healthcare technology start-ups since 2015, plans to expand the fund’s portfolios to 20 companies with an expected investment of about Rs.100 crore.

“We realized healthcare was one area where there is a need for services. By 2015, the healthcare industry was $100 billion, by 2017 it will be $160 billion business. Hence, there is phenomenal growth in healthcare sector,” Apoorva Patni, director, Patni Healthcare Ltd said.

The firm has invested in healthcare start-ups such as BabyChakra, Allishealth, Mapmygenome, Wrig Nanosystems among others.

Mapmygenome is in the molecular diagnostics business which provides customers with health insights based on their genetic data.

Mapmygenome, which offers predictive tests like Genomepatri, is also backed by Aarti Grover, managing director, CMS Computers Ltd and Rajan Anandan, managing director, Google India.

Another portfolio company, BabyChakra is a Bengaluru-based website that helps young parents find playschools, paediatricians and gynaecologists. The two-year old start-up, which is backed by Mumbai Angels and Singapore Angel Network, claims to have connected more than 250,000 parents to 5,500 local services providers so far.

“Angel Investors invest in companies with ‘need to have’ propositions rather than ‘nice to have’ and healthcare is critical need,” said Padmaja Ruparel, an angel investor and president of the Indian Angel Network.

“Technology enablement allows companies to not only scale but also reduce costs for the ultimate consumer and therefore these ventures attract angel investors,” said Ruparel.

The Indian healthcare sector is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16% till 2020, according to an August 2015 FICCI-KPMG report.

“While the government has taken significant measures to improve access to quality care, this sector has also seen emergence of private players due to the growing healthcare needs of the population, with an inflow of both domestic and foreign investments. Recently, the private sector has seen emergence of innovative delivery models, helping improve access to healthcare not only in metros, but also in smaller towns in the country,” said the report titled Healthcare: The Neglected GDP Driver.

This potential has attracted investors and entrepreneurs. Last week, G.S.K. Velu, chairman and managing director of Trivitron Group of Companies, launched Stakeboat Capital LLP, a venture capital fund targeting to raise $100 million with healthcare investments as a major theme.

Apoorva Patni, who also runs Currae Hospitals, is planning an investment of Rs.500 crore to set up 30 hospitals by 2020. Four hospitals in areas of ortho-spine, mother and child, and eye-care have been set up in Kolkata and Mumbai with an investment of Rs.100 crore.

The Patni family, owners of Patni Computer Systems Ltd, diversified into newer areas after Patni Computers was acquired by a consortium of iGate Corp. and Apax Partners Llp in 2011.

Brothers Gajendra, Narendra and Ashok Patni sold their 45.6% stake in Patni Computers, along with the 17% held by private equity firm General Atlantic Partners, to the consortium in a deal worth $1.22 billion (Rs.5,500 crore).

Following the deal, Amit and Arihant Patni, sons of Gajendra Patni, launched a venture capital firm Nirvana Venture Advisors in 2011.

After its maiden fund of $40 million, Nirvana is in process of raising second fund worth $75-100 million.

Financial Chronicle |

Med in India

The Indian medical device market is worth over three billion dollars Contributing 6 per cent to India’s $40 billion healthcare sector, it is growing at an annual rate of 15 per cent as a result of increasing demand for healthcare facilities, such as sophisticated devices and equipment. The medical devices list is long. FICCI estimates about 14,000 product types from the high end stent or a ball-and-socket knee joint to the humble clip or blood pressure-monitoring cuff, devices play a crucial role. While India is the world’s third-largest pharmaceutical market, its share of the medical devices market is way behind. According to WHO, medical devices are at the core of public health interventions for the prevention of death or disability, and for treating diseases. Yet, most developing countries, including India, either do not recognise that management of medical devices is a public health priority, or lack the capacity to build their strength in it. In India, it tends to be both, thereby setting in a negative cycle.

The key drivers of medical technology are national policies, GDP, overall health expenditure and the research and development environment in the country. In India, the penetration of medical devices is low and inadequate because of archaic regulations, inadequate quality standards and high import dependency.

Much of what sells in India is not made in India. Although the medical technology sector is worth over Rs 35,000 crore, the import of medical devices accounts for 75 per cent or Rs 27,000 crore and could burgeon to Rs 85,000 crore soon. About 30 per cent of the import is from the USA. The country is years away from making any meaningful reduction in the percentage of its medical device imports, because newer technologies continue to emerge overseas. Most Indian medical device makers are small and medium-cap firms, making basic, often disposable, equipment. We fulfill 80 per cent of our requirement for technologically advanced high-risk medical devices through imports. Doctors prefer a refurbished imported machine over a new India-made ones as the latter often lack government certification. Weak regulatory framework not only discourages use of indigenously manufactured medical devices, it also allows poorly-controlled companies to export low-priced equipment of questionable quality to this country. CT and MRI scanners, ventilators, dialysis machines — all can be brought in without regulation.

A flip side to import dependency is that often phased out devices are ‘dumped’ or ‘sold at inflated prices’ by first-world countries and trading companies. A 2012 report in the journal The Lancet exposed that about 40 per cent of healthcare equipment in poor countries is out of service mainly because of ill-conceived donations — for instance, oxygen concentrators donated to a Gambian hospital worked on a voltage incompatible with the country’s power supply. A landmark clinical trial on stents in the USA, in 2009, proved angioplasties don’t necessarily help more than aggressive medical management in patients with stable coronary artery disease. After the trial, there was drop in stent use across the US. Foreign manufacturers flocked to countries such as India to promote stent use and divert unwanted stocks.

Nevertheless, because of our compulsion to import crucial medical equipment, the government reduced duty on imported medical devices. This benefit, however, was not always passed on to patients. For example, many companies get stents at Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000, but charge patients Rs 75,000.

Consumer awareness is low in India. Indian patients do not ask questions about the device that they are paying for. For example, cardiac and orthopaedic devices are in high demand, costly to the patient and grossing high revenues to companies and hospitals. Approximately three lakh Indians undergo heart procedures and one lakh knee-replacement surgeries, costing between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh. The US Food & Drug Administration lists 150 types of medical devices used during angioplasties and cardiac bypass surgeries and over 120 types for orthopaedic operations. Indians pay unquestioningly not knowing what they have paid for and if that is determined by their need or the availability of a device or its profit margins.

To bring down costs of medical treatment, it is vitally important to make medical devices in India. The fulcrum for this ‘make in India’ is financial commitment, and comprehensive policy reform. India spends 1.3 per cent of GDP on public health expenditure, while China spends 3 per cent. (World Bank, 2012) Though with smaller GDP than India, Vietnam and Thailand spend 2.8 per cent and 3 per cent of their GDP, respectively.

Although the government has opened up the sector to 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI), this would not solve the problem. In one view, this can, in fact, simply serve up Indian companies to foreign buyers on a platter. To prevent this from happening, the government could consider a caveat that 70 per cent of the products be made locally as this would bring down the price for consumers. China and America give preference to locally-made goods. A preferential market access (PMA) policy for medical equipment and device is under consideration by which goods produced within the country would be given preference in government procurement. Such policies have been in place in telecom and IT sector for several years. However, a predominant view in the industry is that mandating local sourcing norms and quotas for domestic manufacturers would be pointless, if domestic manufacturing in India is not helped. Without the availability of indigenous components, the PMA policy would not yield results as has been the case in the electronics and IT hardware sector for the past four years.

Lack of tax incentives and meager government funding to promote innovation inhibit indigenous manufacturing. Unfavourable duty structure makes devices manufactured in India more expensive than low priced imported ones.

Local manufacturers deal with an inverted duty structure. Import duty on finished products is less than on raw materials, which makes it easier to import a product than make it locally, defeating the ‘make in India’ objective. For example, despite being the diabetes capital of the world, India imports nearly 95 per cent of glucose meters because making it locally needs electrodes, circuitry, software, metal, with high import duties which in turn increase the price. Importing these products as a finished good is cheaper.

The government needs to address the import-export tax duty anomaly so that it is viable for indigenous companies to import raw materials at low costs and compete with foreign companies.

While labour costs are lower in the country, low labour productivity and high capital investment, with procedural delays constrain manufacturing. Measures suggested by the industry to strengthen the manufacturing base for medical devices, include access to low cost capital, through possibly a venture investment fund to address the lack of early stage venture capital. Another suggestion is setting up medical technology hubs all over the country with common facilities for development, calibration, testing, quality control, waste management along with subsidised land and concessional power tariff to create an ecosystem for focusing on medical technology manufacturing. R&D needs encouragement through greater collaboration between medical centres and technology universities.

The government is taking some steps. The ministry of health has proposed amendments to the country’s medical device and pharmaceutical laws, the country’s first effort to regulate an industry that covers everything from thermometers to prostheses and to boost local manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports. Hopefully, this would also clean up the policy confusion that lumps together under one set of regulations all medical devices as varied as disposables, consumable, electronics, equipment, implants, diagnostic and surgical instruments. This would lead to a more rational regulatory regime that matches global quality standards. The government also plans to boost domestic investment through small and medium enterprises through start-up India.

It is believed that the Indian medical devices market could touch $50 billion by 2025, riding the middle class consciousness of better medical treatment. Can this be advantage India, where robust indegenous efforts to make medical devices usher in a more universally affordable healthcare era?

Business Line |

To push India as a medical destination, govt mulls easier visa norms for patients

The government is focusing on easier visa norms to make India a global destination for healthcare services, Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia said here on Monday.

Addressing a Commerce Ministry-FICCI event on ‘Advantage Healthcare India 2015’ here on Monday, Teaotia said the government was taking steps “in terms of making visas more easy to obtain and much more flexible in terms of the administration.”

Focus on quality

The Commerce Secretary also called for the need to focus on quality standards and accreditation of hospitals and laboratories to enhance the confidence of medical tourists.

Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia are currently the market leaders in the global healthcare sector but “India is right up there and it is moving ahead” in terms of performance and market share over the years, she said, adding that the cost of treatment in India was very low compared with Western countries. “In India, you can get allopathy, ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy,” she added.

Tourism Secretary Vinod Zutshi said about 1.27 million medical tourists visit India annually from countries, such the US, the UK, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and China.

16-point agenda

On the occasion, the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), in a 16-point agenda paper, suggested easier fiscal laws and medical visa norms for foreign patients, including visa on arrival, faster immigration and multiple entry.

“Medical visa for India is often a lengthy procedure taking five days to two months depending upon the country of visa application. This long delay encourages patients to consider other countries over India for their treatment,” said the paper, which seeks to capitalise on the opportunities in the Medical Value Travel (MVT) market in India, whose size is expected to increase to $160 billion by 2017 from $79 billion currently.

“The current concerns of the Indian MVT industry are that it attracts only 3 per cent of MVT traffic,” said FICCI, adding that this was mainly due to absence of effective marketing strategies, strict and lengthy visa process for foreign patients, lack of credible information, non-availability of insurance portability, among others.

The Pioneer |

India emerging as major destination for quality healthcare, says Teaotia

Government is focusing on several areas including quality standards and easy visa processes to make India a global destination for healthcare services, Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia on Monday said.

Teaotia said the country was emerging as a major destination for quality and affordable healthcare sector. She added that the Government is taking steps “in terms of making visas much more easy to obtain, much more flexible in terms of the administration.”

The secretary was addressing foreign and domestic delegates at the 'Advantage Healthcare India 2015' event here organised by FICCI and the Commerce Ministry. Delegates from 65 countries are participating in the three-day event.

She emphasised on the need to focus on quality standards and accreditation of hospitals and laboratories to enhance confidence of visiting medical tourists in the Indian healthcare system. Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia are currently the market leaders in the global healthcare sector but “India is right up there and it is moving ahead" in terms of performance and market share overthe years, she said.

She said India is a great location for foreign patients ‘because this is a place where entire gamut of healthcare sector finds place’. The market size of India's healthcare sector is expected to increase to $160 billion by 2017 from around $79 billion currently. Teaotia said that growing population and increasing income have triggered the demand for quality healthcare services.

Further she said that the cost of treatment in India is also very low compared to western countries. “In India, you can get allopathy, ayurveda, yoga and nathuropathy,” she added.

Speaking at the event, Tourism Secretary Vinod Zutshi said that there is a need to market India as a top medical tourist destination. About 1.27 million medical tourists are visiting India annually from countries including the US, the UK, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and China.

Facility of electronic-tourist visas have been extended by India to as many as 130 counties and in the coming years it will be increased to 150 countries. Meanwhile, a white paper released during the event suggested several steps to tap the potential of the sector.

millenniumpost |

FICCI draws up 16-point agenda report on healthcare in India

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has laid down a 16-point agenda to leverage the competitive advantages and position of India as the most preferred healthcare destination.

The agenda that talks about opportunities in the Medical Value Travel (MVT) market recommends simplified and relaxed medical visa regulations for patients, including visa on arrival, multiple entry medical visa to facilitate follow-up treatments, promotion of MVT by Indian embassies, medical facilitation desk at Indian airports for medical visa holders to eliminate the problem of touts, faster immigration facilities at Indian airports and others. The current concerns of the Indian MVT industry attracts only 3 per cent of traffic.

These concerns create absence of effective marketing strategies, strict and lengthy visa process for foreign patients, lack of credible information, non-availability of insurance portability, highly unorganized sector, non availability of direct flights from several countries, supplying a major chunk of medical tourists and the presence of a large number of middlemen operating in the sector.

The 16-point agenda on medical value travel to conduct a background study and develop a framework to position India as the most preferred healthcare destination.

millenniumpost |

FICCI draws up 16-point agenda report on healthcare in India

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has laid down a 16-point agenda to leverage the competitive advantages and position of India as the most preferred healthcare destination.

The agenda that talks about opportunities in the Medical Value Travel (MVT) market recommends simplified and relaxed medical visa regulations for patients, including visa on arrival, multiple entry medical visa to facilitate follow-up treatments, promotion of MVT by Indian embassies, medical facilitation desk at Indian airports for medical visa holders to eliminate the problem of touts, faster immigration facilities at Indian airports and others. The current concerns of the Indian MVT industry attracts only 3 per cent of traffic.

These concerns create absence of effective marketing strategies, strict and lengthy visa process for foreign patients, lack of credible information, non-availability of insurance portability, highly unorganized sector, non availability of direct flights from several countries, supplying a major chunk of medical tourists and the presence of a large number of middlemen operating in the sector.

The 16-point agenda on medical value travel to conduct a background study and develop a framework to position India as the most preferred healthcare destination.

The New Indian Express |

Government Can Help Private Sector to Set up Medical Facilities: Dr. Jitendra Singh

Minister of State for the Prime Minister Office, Dr. Jitendra Singh, on Monday suggested that the government could provide public facilities and other support to the private sector for setting up clinics, medical schools, medical colleges and diagnostic facilities in order to supplement the efforts of the government in providing healthcare services.

Addressing 'FICCI HEAL 2015', the annual flagship healthcare conference of FICCI on the theme, ‘India’s Healthcare: Time for Paradigm Shift’ organized in association with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Singh said the Prime Minister’s call for ‘Make in India’ should also focus on ‘Make in India strategies for Indian healthcare’, aimed at management of diseases in the country. He added that there was a need for prioritization in healthcare delivery.

Referring to the gap in healthcare services delivery in urban and rural areas, Dr. Singh stated that there was a need for providing 600 million people in the rural areas with affordable health services. Rural areas largely remain without quality healthcare and lack equipment, and this issue merits attention immediately, he added.

Dr. Singh said that India as a nation was evolving at a fast pace and for a paradigm shift in healthcare, global influence needs to be considered. No more one would work in isolation as globalization was impacting every sphere of life. He added that there was a need to find radical solutions to India’s healthcare issues by experimenting and adapting new technologies.

On the occasion, the minister along with other dignitaries released two papers, namely, FICCI-KPMG Thematic Paper on ‘Healthcare: The Neglected GDP Driver’ and FICCI-IMS ‘Health Knowledge Paper on ‘Raising Capital in Healthcare’.

Dr. Arvind Virmani, Mentor - Public Policy and Economics, FICCI & Founder Board Member, Forum for Strategic Initiative, said that ‘Digital India’ platform should be leveraged to provide e-health, e-medicine and e-learning to rural areas. Private sector should help the government in making e-platforms more effective by strengthening public health systems.

Emphasizing the importance of data and scientific analysis to derive at information, Dr. Virmani said that public health education has been long neglected and now it must be focused on. Citing an example, he said that earlier it was perceived India suffered from malnutrition due to lack of food and nutrition on food. But studies have shown that bad sewage systems leading to bad sanitation, was a major cause of malnutrition. Hence, it is essential to spread public health education.

Pankaj Patel, Vice President, FICCI and CMD, Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd., said that the national movement for ‘Swachh Bharat’ can be viewed as ‘Swastha Bharat’, as it comprises a series of public health initiatives. FICCI believes that a ‘fourth layer, the pre-primary layer’, below the primary care needs to be created to ensure continuum of care for a billion plus population as the traditional three tier system has not delivered the desired result. Also there was a need to evolve workable PPP strategies to collectively face the challenges and build on each other’s strengths.

He added that FICCI Health Services Committee has been supporting and partnering with the Health Ministry and other stakeholders towards creating the building blocks for quality healthcare by developing Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) for tertiary, secondary and primary care, National Costing Guidelines, Categorisation of healthcare providers and standardization of quality indicators. Now is the time to create appropriate mechanisms and awareness for seamless implementation.

In his theme address, Dr. Nandakumar Jairam, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman and Group Medical Director, Columbia Asia Hospitals India, said that there was a need to look at preventive healthcare and take a holistic view of the healthcare scenario. Also, the cost of healthcare services delivery has emerged as one the biggest challenges for the sector. He added that healthcare sector could provide employment to a large section of society and there was need to demonstrate a thought-process to move ahead in this direction.

He said that health of the nation was important as it had an impact on country’s economy and growth. In India, 70 per cent healthcare services were being delivered by the private sector and the government was largely playing the role of a facilitator. In the last few decades, India witnessed a change in its diseases where now the focus is on 60 per cent non-communicable diseases rather than communicable diseases. Hence, there was a need to not just focus on preventive healthcare but also in services delivery to deal with both communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Ashok Kakkar, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and MD, Varian Medical Systems International India Pvt Ltd., said that the conference brought to light many valuable insights and showed how the a paradigm shift in healthcare could be looked at from multiple perspectives. He added that FICCI Heal is designed to allow stakeholders to deliberate on the current and relevant issues faced by the industry.

Also, present on the dais were Vishal Bali, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Asia Head - Healthcare, TPG Growth and Shobha Mishra Ghosh, Senior Director, FICCI.

Pharmabiz.com |

Govt can support private sector to set up clinics, medical schools, colleges & diagnostic facilities: minister

The government could provide public facilities and other support to the private sector for setting up clinics, medical schools, medical colleges and diagnostic facilities in order to supplement the efforts of the government in providing healthcare services, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, minister of state for development of NE Region and minister of state for prime minister office.

Addressing the 'FICCI HEAL 2015', the annual flagship healthcare conference of FICCI on the theme, ‘India’s Healthcare: Time for Paradigm Shift’ organised in association with the ministry of health and family welfare, government of India, Dr. Singh said that the Prime Minister’s call for ‘Make in India’ should also focus on ‘Make in India Strategies for Indian healthcare’, aimed at management of diseases in the country. He added that there was a need for prioritisation in healthcare delivery.

Referring to the gap in healthcare services delivery in urban and rural areas, Dr. Singh stated that there was a need for providing 600 million people in the rural areas with affordable health services. Rural areas largely remain without quality healthcare and lack equipment, and this issue merits attention immediately, he added.

Dr. Singh said that India as a nation was evolving at a fast pace and for a paradigm shift in healthcare, global influence needs to be considered. No more one would work in isolation as globalisation was impacting every sphere of life. He added that there was a need to find radical solutions to India’s healthcare issues by experimenting and adapting new technologies.

On the occasion, the minister along with other dignitaries released two papers, namely, FICCI-KPMG Thematic Paper on ‘Healthcare: The Neglected GDP Driver’ and FICCI-IMS Health Knowledge Paper on ‘Raising Capital in Healthcare’.

Dr. Arvind Virmani, mentor - public policy & economics, FICCI & founder board member, Forum for Strategic Initiative, said that ‘Digital India’ platform should be leveraged to provide e-health, e-medicine and e-learning to rural areas. Private sector should help the government in making e-platforms more effective by strengthening public health systems.

Emphasizing the importance of data and scientific analysis to derive at information, Dr. Virmani said that public health education has been long neglected and now it must be focused on. Citing an example, he said that earlier it was perceived India suffered from malnutrition due to lack of food and nutrition on food. But studies have shown that bad sewage systems leading to bad sanitation, was a major cause of malnutrition. Hence, it is essential to spread public health education.

Pankaj Patel, vice president, FICCI & CMD, Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd., said that the national movement for ‘Swachh Bharat’ can be viewed as ‘Swastha Bharat’, as it comprises a series of public health initiatives. FICCI believes that a ‘fourth layer, the pre-primary layer’, below the primary care needs to be created to ensure continuum of care for a billion plus population as the traditional three-tier system has not delivered the desired result. Also there was a need to evolve workable PPP strategies to collectively face the challenges and build on each other’s strengths.

He added that FICCI Health Services Committee has been supporting and partnering with the health ministry and other stakeholders towards creating the building blocks for quality healthcare by developing Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) for tertiary, secondary and primary care, National Costing Guidelines, categorisation of healthcare providers and standardisation of quality indicators. Now is the time to create appropriate mechanisms and awareness for seamless implementation.

In his theme address, Dr. Nandakumar Jairam, chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and chairman & group medical director, Columbia Asia Hospitals India, said that there was a need to look at preventive healthcare and take a holistic view of the healthcare scenario. Also, the cost of healthcare services delivery has emerged as one the biggest challenges for the sector. He added that healthcare sector could provide employment to a large section of society and there was need to demonstrate a thought-process to move ahead in this direction.

He said that health of the nation was important as it had an impact on country’s economy and growth. In India, 70 per cent healthcare services were being delivered by the private sector and the government was largely playing the role of a facilitator. In the last few decades, India witnessed a change in its diseases where now the focus is on 60 per cent non-communicable diseases rather than communicable diseases. Hence, there was a need to not just focus on preventive healthcare but also services delivery to deal with both communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Ashok Kakkar, co-chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and MD, Varian Medical Systems International India Pvt Ltd., said that the conference brought to light many valuable insights and showed how the a paradigm shift in healthcare could be looked at from multiple perspectives. He added that FICCI Heal is designed to allow stakeholders to deliberate on the current and relevant issues faced by the industry.

Also, present on the dais were Vishal Bali, co-chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Asia head - healthcare, TPG Growth and Shobha Mishra Ghosh, senior director, FICCI.

The Economic Times |

Indian healthcare sector to grow to $280 billion by 2020: Report

India's healthcare sector is expected to be $280 billion in size by 2020, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 16 per cent, but it is in "dire need" of right policy framework and infrastructure push, says a FICCI-KPMG report.

With the healthcare industry seeing a robust growth trajectory, workforce in the sector is expected to be at 7.4 million in 2022, said the report -- 'Healthcare: The Neglected GDP Driver'.

The sector, which was at $73.92 billion in 2011, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16 per cent to $280 billion in 2020, it said.

The report added however that it was high time the country realised the significance of healthcare as an economic development opportunity at national and state levels.

"With the increasing disease burden, the healthcare sector in the country is in dire need to get the right policy framework and infrastructure impetus. Granting infrastructure status may not only help the sector receive investments, but also bring down the cost of healthcare delivery," it said.

The report further said healthcare is traditionally seen as a social sector in India, with less government focus and low budget allocation.

"India currently spends cumulatively 4.2 per cent of its GDP on healthcare, with just 1 per cent being contributed by the public sector, amongst the lowest globally," it added.

As per the report the healthcare sector impacts the country's GDP through various routes. It is also one of the largest sectors in India in terms of employment generation. If appropriate investments are made in areas, such as healthcare delivery and education, they are expected to further increase the employment rate and positively impact the country's GDP.

Commenting on the need to increase investment in the sector, KPMG in India Government & Healthcare Partner and Head Nilaya Varma said: "...investment in healthcare propels overall economic growth and is more than just social expenditure in India. Improvements in the health of citizens contributes to overall economic prosperity of the nation."

The Indian healthcare workforce is expected to double to 7.4 million in 2022 from 3.6 million in 2013, the report said.

The share of healthcare FDI has almost doubled since 2011, highlighting the growing interest of foreign players in the sector, it added.

"Investment opportunities in the Indian healthcare sector have increased significantly and the sector is expected to be one of the most attractive investment targets for private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) companies," the report said.
The FICC-KPMG report said that medical tourism has emerged as a strong segment due to India's growing strength in healthcare delivery.

People from different parts of the world travel to India to benefit from the comparative cost advantage and quality services. This market is expected to triple to $10.6 billion in 2019 from $2.8 billion in 2014, it added.

India's telemedicine market is also growing significantly due to its potential to offer increased access, lower costs, better patient outcomes, greater patient engagement and improved safety, the report said.

Though in a nascent stage, it is growing by about 20 per cent a year. It is expected to more than double to about $19 million by 2017 from $8 million in 2012, it added.

"There is an urgent need for a paradigm shift towards wellbeing that includes both emotional and physical, instead of just focusing on the physical sick care. We have a unique opportunity to adopt healthcare models that can deliver superior outcomes at much lesser costs," FICCI Health Services Committee Co-Chair Ashok Kakkar said.

Deccan Chronicle |

Indian healthcare to grow to $280 billion by 2020: report

India's healthcare sector is expected to be USD 280 billion in size by 2020, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 16 per cent, but it is in "dire need" of right policy framework and infrastructure push, says a FICCI-KPMG report. With the healthcare industry seeing a robust growth trajectory, workforce in the sector is expected to be at 7.4 million in 2022, said the report - 'Healthcare: The Neglected GDP Driver'.

The sector, which was at USD 73.92 billion in 2011, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16 per cent to USD 280 billion in 2020, it said. The report added however that it was high time the country realised the significance of healthcare as an economic development opportunity at national and state levels. "With the increasing disease burden, the healthcare sector in the country is in dire need to get the right policy framework and infrastructure impetus. Granting infrastructure status may not only help the sector receive investments, but also bring down the cost of healthcare delivery," it said.

The report further said healthcare is traditionally seen as a social sector in India, with less government focus and low budget allocation. "India currently spends cumulatively 4.2 per cent of its GDP on healthcare, with just 1 per cent being contributed by the public sector, amongst the lowest globally," it added. As per the report the healthcare sector impacts the country's GDP through various routes. It is also one of the largest sectors in India in terms of employment generation. If appropriate investments are made in areas, such as healthcare delivery and education, they are expected to further increase the employment rate and positively impact the country's GDP.

Commenting on the need to increase investment in the sector, KPMG in India Government & Healthcare Partner and Head Nilaya Varma said: " Investment in healthcare propels overall economic growth and is more than just social expenditure in India. Improvements in the health of citizens contributes to overall economic prosperity of the nation." The Indian healthcare workforce is expected to double to 7.4 million in 2022 from 3.6 million in 2013, the report said. The share of healthcare FDI has almost doubled since 2011, highlighting the growing interest of foreign players in the sector, it added. "Investment opportunities in the Indian healthcare sector have increased significantly and the sector is expected to be one of the most attractive investment targets for private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) companies," the report said.

The FICC-KPMG report said that medical tourism has emerged as a strong segment due to India's growing strength in healthcare delivery. People from different parts of the world travel to India to benefit from the comparative cost advantage and quality services. This market is expected to triple to USD 10.6 billion in 2019 from USD 2.8 billion in 2014, it added.

The Economic Times |

Indian healthcare sector to grow to $280 billion by 2020: Report

India's healthcare sector is expected to be $280 billion in size by 2020, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 16 per cent, but it is in "dire need" of right policy framework and infrastructure push, says a FICCI-KPMG report.

With the healthcare industry seeing a robust growth trajectory, workforce in the sector is expected to be at 7.4 million in 2022, said the report -- 'Healthcare: The Neglected GDP Driver'.

The sector, which was at $73.92 billion in 2011, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16 per cent to $280 billion in 2020, it said.

The report added however that it was high time the country realised the significance of healthcare as an economic development opportunity at national and state levels.

"With the increasing disease burden, the healthcare sector in the country is in dire need to get the right policy framework and infrastructure impetus. Granting infrastructure status may not only help the sector receive investments, but also bring down the cost of healthcare delivery," it said.

The report further said healthcare is traditionally seen as a social sector in India, with less government focus and low budget allocation.

"India currently spends cumulatively 4.2 per cent of its GDP on healthcare, with just 1 per cent being contributed by the public sector, amongst the lowest globally," it added.

As per the report the healthcare sector impacts the country's GDP through various routes. It is also one of the largest sectors in India in terms of employment generation. If appropriate investments are made in areas, such as healthcare delivery and education, they are expected to further increase the employment rate and positively impact the country's GDP.

Commenting on the need to increase investment in the sector, KPMG in India Government & Healthcare Partner and Head Nilaya Varma said: "...investment in healthcare propels overall economic growth and is more than just social expenditure in India. Improvements in the health of citizens contributes to overall economic prosperity of the nation."

The Indian healthcare workforce is expected to double to 7.4 million in 2022 from 3.6 million in 2013, the report said.

The share of healthcare FDI has almost doubled since 2011, highlighting the growing interest of foreign players in the sector, it added.

"Investment opportunities in the Indian healthcare sector have increased significantly and the sector is expected to be one of the most attractive investment targets for private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) companies," the report said.

The FICC-KPMG report said that medical tourism has emerged as a strong segment due to India's growing strength in healthcare delivery.

People from different parts of the world travel to India to benefit from the comparative cost advantage and quality services. This market is expected to triple to $10.6 billion in 2019 from $2.8 billion in 2014, it added.

India's telemedicine market is also growing significantly due to its potential to offer increased access, lower costs, better patient outcomes, greater patient engagement and improved safety, the report said.

Though in a nascent stage, it is growing by about 20 per cent a year. It is expected to more than double to about $19 million by 2017 from $8 million in 2012, it added.

"There is an urgent need for a paradigm shift towards wellbeing that includes both emotional and physical, instead of just focusing on the physical sick care. We have a unique opportunity to adopt healthcare models that can deliver superior outcomes at much lesser costs," FICCI Health Services Committee Co-Chair Ashok Kakkar said.

Financial Chronicle |

Indian healthcare to grow to $280b by 2020: Report

India's healthcare sector is expected to be $280 billion in size by 2020, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 16 per cent, but it is in "dire need" of right policy framework and infrastructure push, says a FICCI-KPMG report.

With the healthcare industry seeing a robust growth trajectory, workforce in the sector is expected to be at 7.4 million in 2022, said the report -- 'Healthcare: The Neglected GDP Driver'.

The sector, which was at $73.92 billion in 2011, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16 per cent to $280 billion in 2020, it said.

The report added however that it was high time the country realised the significance of healthcare as an economic development opportunity at national and state levels.

"With the increasing disease burden, the healthcare sector in the country is in dire need to get the right policy framework and infrastructure impetus. Granting infrastructure status may not only help the sector receive investments, but also bring down the cost of healthcare delivery," it said.

The report further said healthcare is traditionally seen as a social sector in India, with less government focus and low budget allocation.

"India currently spends cumulatively 4.2 per cent of its GDP on healthcare, with just 1 per cent being contributed by the public sector, amongst the lowest globally," it added.

As per the report the healthcare sector impacts the country's GDP through various routes. It is also one of the largest sectors in India in terms of employment generation. If appropriate investments are made in areas, such as healthcare delivery and education, they are expected to further increase the employment rate and positively impact the country's GDP.

Commenting on the need to increase investment in the sector, KPMG in India Government & Healthcare Partner and Head Nilaya Varma said: "...Investment in healthcare propels overall economic growth and is more than just social expenditure in India. Improvements in the health of citizens contributes to overall economic prosperity of the nation."

The Indian healthcare workforce is expected to double to 7.4 million in 2022 from 3.6 million in 2013, the report said.

The share of healthcare FDI has almost doubled since 2011, highlighting the growing interest of foreign players in the sector, it added.

"Investment opportunities in the Indian healthcare sector have increased significantly and the sector is expected to be one of the most attractive investment targets for private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) companies," the report said.

millenniumpost |

Manufacture low cost medical devices: Govt to private cos

Giving a clarion call to private players to manufacture low cost medical devices, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh stressed on devising Make in India healthcare strategies to address the issue.

“The Centre is mulling to provide public facilities and other support to private sector for setting up clinics, medical schools, medical colleges and diagnostic facilities in order to supplement the efforts of the government in providing healthcare services,” Singh said while inaugurating FICCI HEAL 2015, the annual flagship healthcare conference of FICCI. Referring to Indian guidelines for treatment of diseases like Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus which also form the basis of the guidelines adopted by certain other countries, Singh said, “The changing spectrum of disease prevalence in the country required specifically oriented healthcare strategies involving all the stake-holders including medical professionals, pharma industry and public as well as private healthcare agencies.”

“The Indian society as a whole is fast evolving and at the same time in recent years, the country too has become a part of a shrunken global world and this phenomenon is impacting every sphere of life, including the healthcare system,” Singh said, adding, “On the one hand, disorders like diabetes and heart disease, which were hitherto confined to urban population, are now also on the rise in rural areas, while on the other hand, the access to modern facilities of treatment are confined
only to cities.”

Referring to the gap in healthcare services delivery in urban and rural areas, Singh stated that there was a need for providing 600 million people in the rural areas with affordable health services. Rural areas largely remain without quality healthcare and lack equipment, and this issue merits attention immediately, the minister added.

Singh said that the Prime Minister’s call for ‘Make in India’ should also focus on ‘Make in India strategies for Indian healthcare’, aimed at management of diseases in the country, adding that there was a need for prioritization in healthcare delivery.

On the occasion, the minister along with other dignitaries released two papers, namely, FICCI-KPMG Thematic Paper on ‘Healthcare: The Neglected GDP Driver’ and FICCI-IMS ‘Health Knowledge Paper on ‘Raising Capital in Healthcare’.

Emphasising on the utilisation of new age technologies in health sector by leveraging the Digital India platform, FICCI’s Mentor on Public Policy and Economics Arvind Virmani said, “The Digital India platform should be leveraged to provide e-health, e-medicine and e-learning to rural areas. Private sector should help the government in making e-platforms more effective by strengthening public health systems.”

Stressing on importance of data and scientific analysis to derive at information, Virmani said, “The public health education has been long neglected and now it must be focused on. Earlier it was perceived India suffered from malnutrition due to lack of food and nutrition on food. But studies have shown that bad sewage systems leading to bad sanitation, was a major cause of malnutrition. Hence, it is essential to spread public health education.”

On the occasion, FICCI vice president Pankaj Patel said, “The national movement for ‘Swachh Bharat’ can be viewed as ‘Swastha Bharat’, as it comprises a series of public health initiatives. The FICCI believes that a ‘fourth layer, the pre-primary layer’, below the primary care needs to be created to ensure continuum of care for a billion plus population as the traditional three tier system has not delivered the desired result.”

The Statesman |

'Indian healthcare to grow to $280 bn by 2020'

India's healthcare sector is expected to be $280 billion in size by 2020, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 16 per cent, but it is in "dire need" of right policy framework and infrastructure push, says a FICCI-KPMG report.

With the healthcare industry seeing a robust growth trajectory, workforce in the sector is expected to be at 7.4 million in 2022, said the report -- 'Healthcare: The Neglected GDP Driver'.

The sector, which was at $73.92 billion in 2011, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16 per cent to $280 billion in 2020, it said.

The report added however that it was high time the country realised the significance of healthcare as an economic development opportunity at national and state levels.

"With the increasing disease burden, the healthcare sector in the country is in dire need to get the right policy framework and infrastructure impetus. Granting infrastructure status may not only help the sector receive investments, but also bring down the cost of healthcare delivery," it said.

The report further said healthcare is traditionally seen as a social sector in India, with less government focus and low budget allocation.

"India currently spends cumulatively 4.2 per cent of its GDP on healthcare, with just 1 per cent being contributed by the public sector, amongst the lowest globally," it added.

As per the report the healthcare sector impacts the country's GDP through various routes. It is also one of the largest sectors in India in terms of employment generation. If appropriate investments are made in areas, such as healthcare delivery and education, they are expected to further increase the employment rate and positively impact the country's GDP.

Commenting on the need to increase investment in the sector, KPMG in India Government & Healthcare Partner and Head Nilaya Varma said: "...investment in healthcare propels overall economic growth and is more than just social expenditure in

India. Improvements in the health of citizens contributes to overall economic prosperity of the nation."

The Indian healthcare workforce is expected to double to 7.4 million in 2022 from 3.6 million in 2013, the report said.

The share of healthcare FDI has almost doubled since 2011, highlighting the growing interest of foreign players in the sector, it added.

"Investment opportunities in the Indian healthcare sector have increased significantly and the sector is expected to be one of the most attractive investment targets for private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) companies," the report said.

The Financial Express |

Govt may provide public facilities to private sector to set up clinics, & diagnostic facilities

The announcement was made by Dr Jitendra Singh, MoS for NE Region and PMO, at the inauguration of two-day ‘FICCI Heal 2015’

Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Development of NE Region and Minister of State for Prime Minister Office, Government of India, today suggested that the government could provide public facilities and other support to the private sector for setting up clinics, medical schools, medical colleges and diagnostic facilities in order to supplement the efforts of the government in providing healthcare services.

Addressing ‘FICCI HEAL 2015′, the annual flagship healthcare conference of FICCI on the theme, ‘India’s Healthcare: Time for Paradigm Shift’ organised in association with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, Dr Singh said that the Prime Minister’s call for ‘Make in India’ should also focus on ‘Make in India Strategies for Indian healthcare’, aimed at management of diseases in the country. He added that there was a need for prioritisation in healthcare delivery.

Referring to the gap in healthcare services delivery in urban and rural areas, Dr Singh stated that there was a need for providing 600 million people in the rural areas with affordable health services. Rural areas largely remain without quality healthcare and lack equipment, and this issue merits attention immediately, he added.

Dr Singh said that India as a nation was evolving at a fast pace and for a paradigm shift in healthcare, global influence needs to be considered. No more one would work in isolation as globalisation was impacting every sphere of life. He added that there was a need to find radical solutions to India’s healthcare issues by experimenting and adapting new technologies.T

On the occasion, the Minister along with other dignitaries released two papers, namely, FICCI-KPMG Thematic Paper on ‘Healthcare: The Neglected GDP Driver’ and FICCI-IMS ‘Health Knowledge Paper on ‘Raising Capital in Healthcare’.

Dr Arvind Virmani, Mentor – Public Policy & Economics, FICCI & Founder Board Member, Forum for Strategic Initiative, said that ‘Digital India’ platform should be leveraged to provide e-health, e-medicine and e-learning to rural areas. Private sector should help the government in making e-platforms more effective by strengthening public health systems.

Emphasizing the importance of data and scientific analysis to derive at information, Dr Virmani said that public health education has been long neglected and now it must be focused on. Citing an example, he said that earlier it was perceived India suffered from malnutrition due to lack of food and nutrition on food. But studies have shown that bad sewage systems leading to bad sanitation, was a major cause of malnutrition. Hence, it is essential to spread public health education.

Pankaj Patel, VP, FICCI & CMD, Zydus Cadila Healthcare, said that the national movement for ‘Swachh Bharat’ can be viewed as ‘Swastha Bharat’, as it comprises a series of public health initiatives. FICCI believes that a ‘fourth layer, the pre-primary layer’, below the primary care needs to be created to ensure continuum of care for a billion plus population as the traditional three tier system has not delivered the desired result. Also there was a need to evolve workable PPP strategies to collectively face the challenges and build on each other’s strengths.

He added that FICCI Health Services Committee has been supporting and partnering with the Health Ministry and other stakeholders towards creating the building blocks for quality healthcare by developing Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) for tertiary, secondary and primary care, National Costing Guidelines, Categorisation of healthcare providers and standardisation of quality indicators. Now is the time to create appropriate mechanisms and awareness for seamless implementation.

In his theme address, Dr Nandakumar Jairam, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman & Group Medical Director, Columbia Asia Hospitals India, said that there was a need to look at preventive healthcare and take a holistic view of the healthcare scenario. Also, the cost of healthcare services delivery has emerged as one the biggest challenges for the sector. He added that healthcare sector could provide employment to a large section of society and there was need to demonstrate a thought-process to move ahead in this direction.

He said that health of the nation was important as it had an impact on country’s economy and growth. In India, 70 per cent healthcare services were being delivered by the private sector and the government was largely playing the role of a facilitator. In the last few decades, India witnessed a change in its diseases where now the focus is on 60 per cent non-communicable diseases rather than communicable diseases. Hence, there was a need to not just focus on preventive healthcare but also in services delivery to deal with both communicable and non-communicable diseases. .

Ashok Kakkar, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and MD, Varian Medical Systems International India, said that the conference brought to light many valuable insights and showed how a paradigm shift in healthcare could be looked at from multiple perspectives. He added that FICCI Heal is designed to allow stakeholders to deliberate on the current and relevant issues faced by the industry.

Also, present on the dais were Vishal Bali, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Asia Head – Healthcare, TPG Growth and Shobha Mishra Ghosh, Senior Director, FICCI.

Business Standard |

Indian healthcare to grow to $280 bn by 2020: Report

India's healthcare sector is expected to be $280 billion in size by 2020, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 16 per cent, but it is in "dire need" of right policy framework and infrastructure push, says a FICCI-KPMG report.

With the healthcare industry seeing a robust growth trajectory, workforce in the sector is expected to be at 7.4 million in 2022, said the report -- 'Healthcare: The Neglected GDP Driver'.

The sector, which was at $73.92 billion in 2011, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16 per cent to $280 billion in 2020, it said.

The report added however that it was high time the country realised the significance of healthcare as an economic development opportunity at national and state levels.

"With the increasing disease burden, the healthcare sector in the country is in dire need to get the right policy framework and infrastructure impetus. Granting infrastructure status may not only help the sector receive investments, but also bring down the cost of healthcare delivery," it said.

The report further said healthcare is traditionally seen as a social sector in India, with less government focus and low budget allocation.

"India currently spends cumulatively 4.2 per cent of its GDP on healthcare, with just 1 per cent being contributed by the public sector, amongst the lowest globally," it added.

As per the report the healthcare sector impacts the country's GDP through various routes. It is also one of the largest sectors in India in terms of employment generation. If appropriate investments are made in areas, such as healthcare delivery and education, they are expected to further increase the employment rate and positively impact the country's GDP.

Commenting on the need to increase investment in the sector, KPMG in India Government & Healthcare Partner and Head Nilaya Varma said: "...Investment in healthcare propels overall economic growth and is more than just social expenditure in India. Improvements in the health of citizens contributes to overall economic prosperity of the nation."

The Indian healthcare workforce is expected to double to 7.4 million in 2022 from 3.6 million in 2013, the report said.

The share of healthcare FDI has almost doubled since 2011, highlighting the growing interest of foreign players in the sector, it added.

"Investment opportunities in the Indian healthcare sector have increased significantly and the sector is expected to be one of the most attractive investment targets for private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) companies," the report said.

Business Standard |

Dr Jitendra Singh calls for indigenous healthcare strategies

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh called for indigenous or, as he put it, Make in India healthcare strategies which could optimally address the healthcare issues from Indian perspective and in Indian conditions. He was delivering the inaugural address at the Healthcare Conference organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), here today. Dr. Jitendra Singh referred to Indian guidelines for treatment of diseases like Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus which also form the basis of the guidelines adopted by certain other countries and said that the changing spectrum of disease prevalence in the country required specifically oriented healthcare strategies involving all the stake-holders including medical professionals, pharma industry and public as well as private healthcare agencies.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said, the Indian society as a whole is fast evolving and at the same time in recent years, India too has become a part of a shrunken global world and this phenomenon is impacting every sphere of life including the healthcare system. While on the one hand, disorders like Diabetes and heart disease, which were hitherto confined to urban population, are now also on the rise in rural areas, on the other hand, the access to modern modalities of treatment are confined only to cities or big towns as a result of which, 70% of rural population gets access only to 1/3rd of hospitalization facilities and over 600 million people in the country are deprived of access to affordable healthcare.

The emergence of private sector is an inevitable phenomenon, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, but cautioned that for a country like India, public sector healthcare was still very much relevant and therefore called for a healthy synergization between public sector and private sector healthcare agencies. He cited the experience from Northeast where he had motivated some of the countrys leading corporate sector hospital groups to set up healthcare outlets of different magnitudes depending on the viability of the location, in the form of OPD clinics or diagnostic centres or even full-fledged hospitals.

Dr. Jitendra Singh reiterated that over 65 percent of Indias population is below the age of 35 and at the same time, diseases like Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus are showing a rapid upsurge in the young. A major challenge would be to strategize our future approach to avoid incapacitation on account of such long term diseases among the younger age group because youth are going to be the major potential strength of 21st century India.

He said, in the present set up under Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, this is one of the best opportunities for the healthcare holders of the country to realise their full potential with appropriate support from the government sources.

Among prominent speakers who made their presentations on the occasion were Dr Nandkumar Jairam, Chairman, FICCI Health Services Committee, Dr Arvind Virmani, Dr Arvind Lal, Dr Narottam Puri and Mr Pankaj Patel.

The Financial Express |

Indian healthcare to grow to $280 bn by 2020: Report

India’s healthcare sector is expected to be USD 280 billion in size by 2020, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 16 per cent, but it is in “dire need” of right policy framework and infrastructure push, says a FICCI-KPMG report.

With the healthcare industry seeing a robust growth trajectory, workforce in the sector is expected to be at 7.4 million in 2022, said the report — ‘Healthcare: The Neglected GDP Driver’.

The sector, which was at USD 73.92 billion in 2011, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16 per cent to USD 280 billion in 2020, it said.

The report added however that it was high time the country realised the significance of healthcare as an economic development opportunity at national and state levels.

“With the increasing disease burden, the healthcare sector in the country is in dire need to get the right policy framework and infrastructure impetus. Granting infrastructure status may not only help the sector receive investments, but also bring down the cost of healthcare delivery,” it said.

The report further said healthcare is traditionally seen as a social sector in India, with less government focus and low budget allocation.

“India currently spends cumulatively 4.2 per cent of its GDP on healthcare, with just 1 per cent being contributed by the public sector, amongst the lowest globally,” it added.

As per the report the healthcare sector impacts the country’s GDP through various routes. It is also one of the largest sectors in India in terms of employment generation. If appropriate investments are made in areas, such as healthcare delivery and education, they are expected to further increase the employment rate and positively impact the country’s GDP.

Commenting on the need to increase investment in the sector, KPMG in India Government & Healthcare Partner and Head Nilaya Varma said: “…investment in healthcare propels overall economic growth and is more than just social expenditure in India. Improvements in the health of citizens contributes to overall economic prosperity of the nation.”

The Indian healthcare workforce is expected to double to 7.4 million in 2022 from 3.6 million in 2013, the report said.

The share of healthcare FDI has almost doubled since 2011, highlighting the growing interest of foreign players in the sector, it added.

“Investment opportunities in the Indian healthcare sector have increased significantly and the sector is expected to be one of the most attractive investment targets for private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) companies,” the report said.

The FICC-KPMG report said that medical tourism has emerged as a strong segment due to India’s growing strength in healthcare delivery.

People from different parts of the world travel to India to benefit from the comparative cost advantage and quality services. This market is expected to triple to USD 10.6 billion in 2019 from USD 2.8 billion in 2014, it added.

India’s telemedicine market is also growing significantly due to its potential to offer increased access, lower costs, better patient outcomes, greater patient engagement and improved safety, the report said.

Though in a nascent stage, it is growing by about 20 per cent a year. It is expected to more than double to about USD 19 million by 2017 from USD 8 million in 2012, it added.

“There is an urgent need for a paradigm shift towards wellbeing that includes both emotional and physical, instead of just focusing on the physical sick care. We have a unique opportunity to adopt healthcare models that can deliver superior outcomes at much lesser costs,” FICCI Health Services Committee Co-Chair Ashok Kakkar said.

Business Standard |

Jitendra Singh to inaugurate 'FICCI HEAL 2015'

Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the FICCI Heal 2015, which will be held here on Monday on the theme of 'India's Healthcare

The event will be held from 10 a.m. at Federation House here.

This two-day flagship healthcare conference is being organised in association with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Pankaj Patel, CMD, Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd.; Dr. Arvind Virmani, Mentor - Public Policy and Economics, FICCI and Dr. Nandakumar Jairam, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman and Group Medical Director, Columbia Asia Hospitals India are also slated to address the inaugural session.

Two knowledge papers 'FICCI - KPMG Thematic Paper on 'Healthcare: The Neglected GDP Driver' and 'FICCI - IMS Health Knowledge Paper on 'Raising Capital in Healthcare' are also scheduled to be released during the inaugural session.

The FICCI Healthcare Excellence Award" function will be also held on Monday evening to recognise the contribution of healthcare organisations in various spheres of healthcare.

Dr. V K Subburaj, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, and Shivinder Mohan Singh, Executive Vice President, Fortis Healthcare Limited, will be the guests of honour for the event.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minster of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences will also attend the awards ceremony.

The FICCI HEAL 2015 will address the various opportunities and challenges to promote innovation which can change the current paradigms and move towards better, efficient and cheaper methods for accessible, affordable and quality healthcare in India.

Leading policy makers and national and international captains from healthcare and allied industries from India and abroad are joining to attend this important conference.

Business Line |

Indigenous medicine packs a punch

There is no denying that India has an unmatched heritage of ancient systems of medicine which are a treasure-house of knowledge for both preventive and curative healthcare. This could be harnessed in achieving the goal of ‘Healthcare for All’. In the recent past, we have also seen a resurgence of interest in other forms of Indian system of medicine — ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy (AYUSH) — due to their immense utility in tackling lifestyle disorders, not only in India but all across the globe.

Although India has made significant progress in the last six decades in providing healthcare, we are witnessing a significant change in the disease pattern in the country, with an increasing number of people suffering from communicable and non-communicable diseases.

India ranks somewhere at the bottom of 193 countries on various critical health parameters such as number of doctors, nurses, and beds. We need to double the number of our doctors, from 0.7 to 1.5 million, for which we need at least 600 new medical colleges. We also need to triple our nurses count and quadruple the number of paramedics. This will entail considerable investment of our scarce financial resources. Further, this demands increased focus on preventive and promotive care.

AYUSH infrastructure

With a new health policy on the anvil, we have an opportunity to mainstream the Indian system of medicine and integrate the available AYUSH infrastructure into the healthcare system. This infrastructure consists of 1,355 hospitals with 53,296-bed capacity, 22,635 dispensaries, 450 undergraduate colleges, 99 colleges with postgraduate departments, 9,493 licensed manufacturing units, and 7.18 lakh registered practitioners.

The AYUSH sector has an estimated annual turnover of around ₹120 billion and more than 8,000 licensed manufacturing units involved in the country. India, with a wealth of 6,600 medicinal plants, is the second largest exporter of AYUSH and herbal products in the world, estimated at ₹22.7 billion in 2013-14. And yet, according to the recent NSSO survey, 90 per cent of the population, both rural and urban, prefers allopathy over AYUSH.

This ironical situation could be attributed to low awareness of the enormous scope of these time-tested ancient systems. There is need for greater advocacy, increased regulation as well as promotion of evidence-based research.

The government has taken a positive step by elevating the department of Indian system of medicine and homoeopathy (ISM&H) to an independent ministry, AYUSH, in November 2014. The allocation of ₹50 billion to this ministry and launch of an independent ‘National AYUSH Mission’ aimed at capacity building for the sector and creation of centres of excellence will help in the promotion and mainstreaming of AYUSH. It is encouraging that the government is considering setting up a central regulatory regime for yoga, ayurveda and other traditional systens.

There is need for the creation of a separate drug controller general for the AYUSH sector. These steps will bring more business maturity, standing and much required competitiveness at the national and global levels.

We also need better clarity about the role envisaged for AYUSH doctors in the delivery of assured primary healthcare. Since they have completed a five-year course in AYUSH, they could become the most appropriate human resource to tide over the longstanding shortage of trained doctors in India.

Some State governments such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Delhi, have introduced a bridge course extending from six months to one year, for trained AYUSH practitioners, which then permits them to prescribe 47 listed drugs that are commonly used in primary health centres (PHCs). Hence, there are solutions that can be considered in order to achieve optimum utilisation of AYUSH facilities to address the enormous healthcare needs and generate employment opportunities in India.

Medical tourism

According to the FICCI-KPMG report, the inflow of medical tourists into India is likely to cross 3.2 million soon, generating a market that may cross $4 billion in 2015.

Medical tourism in India started with AYUSH. People from all across the world come to India for health-restorative cum alternative treatments through a combination of ayurveda, yoga, acupuncture, herbal massages, nature therapies, and some ancient Indian healthcare methods. There should be no doubt that medical value travel has the potential to become the next IT/ITES sector, attracting big investments and generating significant employment opportunities.

The time has come when all the stakeholders need to pool in their resources and move towards harnessing the vast potential of AYUSH.

The AYUSH industry looks forward to a regulatory regime with better clarity and a greater push from the government.

The writer is the Secretary-General of FICCI

Business Line |

We have a sound draft health policy

In India, public investment in health has failed to cover the entire spectrum of healthcare needs. In this context, the draft national health policy (dNHP) is progressive in outlook. It recognises the public health system as distinct from health services, human resources, and investment; and acknowledges upfront that trained human capital is abysmally inadequate, that financial resources are unrealistic, and that achievements have fallen short.

The remedy has much more to do with governance than has been highlighted. The dNHP 2015 has not emphasised sufficiently the primary role and responsibility for stewardship vested with the Centre and the ministry of health and family welfare. India is short of 3 million doctors, and 6 million nurses (according to a PwC study), with a virtually non-existent para-medical training programme.

Big reforms required

Continuing to build more AIIMS-like institutions is not helping to bridge this gap. The government needs to reform medical, nursing and para-medical education. It can begin by equalising the number of UG and PG seats in medical colleges, extending PG education beyond medical colleges, and providing career progression prospects for GPs and nurses. The Centre the State governments should remove restraints on State-owned medical universities, and enable them to train medical specialists, nursing and para-medical professionals.

We need immediate revival of district-level ANM training schools and state of the art nursing colleges in every State. We cannot continue to endorse a regimen of MBBS-centric healthcare and desist from empowering nurses.

The government needs to ensure that the Medical Council of India or other professional bodies focus on their core responsibility of regulating the registered medical practitioners’ compliance with prescribed professional standards. Although the Clinical Establishments Act 2010 has been notified, there is need to build consensus and ensure that standard treatment and practice guidelines across all specialities are implemented, and regularly updated.

Cooperative federalism forces State governments to improve their fiscal management in order to assign at least 8 per cent of expenditure for population health and wellbeing, to integrate public health programmes with public interventions, and to energise health systems so that they become responsive, efficient and effective.

The Centre and the State governments need to ensure approval of new drugs, prioritise the conduct of clinical trials, mandate appropriate regulation, facilitate and support local manufacturing, update health legislation, mainstream the access to affordable drugs and incentivise medical ethics.

Towards comprehensive care

The dNHP 2015 promises “assured comprehensive primary healthcare” as an entitlement. Some suggestions for moving towards this objective include the following.

(i) Adopt ICT technologies, and democratise all tasks concerning prevention of ill health, and promotion of healthy living, at ‘pre-primary level’. Use health coupons and/or vouchers to incentivise wellness and compliance. For example, issue “no smoking” and “no gutka” health vouchers; issue health vouchers for compliance in respect of household toilets, and so on.

(ii) Train and certify non-medical persons so that they may be assigned specified tasks. (iii) Make an almost asymmetrical investment in human resources to significantly expand the availability of doctors, qualified nurses, and generalist and specialist para-medical personnel. Cuba adopted this approach and has an excellent healthcare record.

(iv) Reorganise primary healthcare as a speciality. Bring in the GP, the nurse practitioner, and the family-based medicine model, successfully demonstrated by the NHS in the UK.

(v) Put in place accountable care organisations in every district, in public-private partnership mode. (vi) Regulate all providers at the primary and secondary care levels to ensure strict compliance with the national accreditation board initiative in the interest of patient safety, rational use of drugs, and observance of medical ethics. (vii) Integrate initiatives for publicly funded health assurance, with publicly funded health insurance at pre-primary, primary and secondary care levels.

Further, the role of the private sector in healthcare provision needs to be recognised where 78 per cent of outpatients and 60 per cent of inpatients are being serviced by private providers; they, however, have control over only 20 per cent of the existing health infrastructure.

It is, therefore, imperative to evolve public-private partnership to achieve the desired targets..

Increase expenditure

The dNHP 2015 is seeking a raise in public health expenditure over five years, from 1.2 per cent to 2.5 per cent of GDP. This translates into a four-fold per capita increase from ₹957 to ₹3,800. This hike has been promised in the Twelfth Plan.

Making this commitment by the end of the Plan (March 31, 2017) will significantly help strengthen a base for introducing universal health cover.

This is required to stabilise provisioning of patient-centric assured comprehensive primary healthcare in partnership with the non-government sector and enable the patient to access and navigate healthcare seamlessly between public and private health facilities.

The financial and institutional ecosystem must support widespread adoption of ICT technologies, updated medical devices, electronic health records, consultation between academia and industry for R&D, and a national data repository on key diseases.

To address all infirmities and shortfalls in achievement so far, the NHP 2015 must seek assignment of not less than 70 per cent budgetary resources towards primary care, 20 per cent towards secondary care, and 10 per cent towards tertiary care.

Jairam is chairman of the FICCI health services committee. Datta Ghosh is chairperson of the FICCI group on NHP 2015

Mail Today |

Universal health plan to cost Rs 1.6 lakh crore

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious universal health plan, which will include free drugs, diagnostic treatment and insurance cover for serious ailments, will be one of the major health projects in coming years with an estimated cost of Rs 1.6 lakh crore.

The government plans to roll out the National Health Assurance Mission in phases from April 2015 and officials aim to cover the entire population by the end of March 2019. The plan is also aimed at reducing out-of-pocket spending on healthcare by the common man.

A group has been formed by the Health and Family Welfare Ministry to prepare a comprehensive background paper on the plan. The Health Ministry is also set to present the expected expenditure to the Finance Ministry.

“The Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) has prepared the report and we will soon put it before the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan. Thereafter the proposal will be sent to the Finance Ministry,” Lov Verma, Secretary in the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, told Mail Today.

“We can tell the exact figure of the expenditure once it is passed from the Finance Ministry. It is a considerable amount, so we need to see how much is approved. It will take some more time in approval and then we will start the planning to execute the mission,” said Verma.

India currently spends 1.04 per cent of GDP on healthcare and a 2012 study by FICCI estimated that government spending would have to be increased by 3.7 to 4.5 per cent to execute the mission.

Reviewing the National Health Assurance Mission in a recent issue of the prestigious Lancet journal, Mahaveer Golechha of the Health Economics and Financing Unit of Public Health Foundation of India said: “Barriers to healthcare are not only technical, but also political. Coordinated political action at both the state and central levels is needed to accomplish the NHAM on a sustainable basis.

“Hence, a complete overhaul of the health system is warranted to achieve the NHAM,” Golecha added.

“Higher amounts of public health finance are pivotal to provide a wide range of essential health services and to create an improved infrastructure, expansion of the healthcare workforce. The new government should increase public spending on health to 3 per cent of GDP by 2020, and 4 per cent by 2025,” said Golechha.

The government should also address causal factors responsible for ill health and start campaigning for a healthy India.

Reuters |

India's universal healthcare rollout to cost Rs 1.6 Trillion

India's universal health plan that aims to offer guaranteed benefits to a sixth of the world's population will cost an estimated 1.6 trillion rupees ($26 billion) over the next four years, a senior health ministry official said.

Under the National Health Assurance Mission, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government would provide all citizens with free drugs and diagnostic treatment, as well as insurance cover to treat serious ailments.

The proposed plan would be rolled out in phases from April 2015 and will cover the entire population by March 2019, C.K. Mishra, an additional secretary at the health ministry, told Reuters. When the entire population is covered, it would cost an estimated $11.4 billion annually.

"If you want to deliver the service, that is what it will take," Mishra said, disclosing for the first time an expert group's cost estimates that will be considered by the finance ministry for inclusion in the government's spending plans.

Healthcare experts caution that it could take decades before India's 1.2 billion people are adequately covered and that the costs of provision could face significant upward pressure.

If approved, India would need to drastically raise its healthcare spending. In the current financial year, the budget allocated about $5 billion to healthcare.

"We are not in a position to implement it across the regions, states (right now). It's impossible. So we are choosing number of districts each year," said Mishra.

Despite rapid economic growth in the last 20 years, the government spends only about 1 percent of gross domestic product on healthcare. That compares to 3 percent in China and 8.3 percent in the United States.

More newborns die in India than in poorer neighbours such as Bangladesh, and preventable illnesses such as diarrhoea kill more than a million children every year.

Government hospitals are overcrowded and lack resources to meet the growing demand, while access to basic health services in rural areas and smaller towns remains poor.

"I can say that you are covered, but your closest facilities are 100 kilometres away. You are limited by that fact," said Rana Mehta, leader of healthcare at consultants PwC India.

"To build infrastructure and then provide care over a period of time would obviously take decades."

A 2012 study by Indian business lobby FICCI and consultants EY estimated that universal health cover in India was feasible in a decade and would require government health spending to rise to 3.7-4.5 percent of GDP.

PLAN STRUCTURE

The new plan will focus on improving preventive healthcare services by ensuring adequate availability of medical practitioners in rural areas, while new infrastructure will be created under existing welfare programmes, Mishra said.

Tertiary care services would be provided through an insurance-based model and the government will offer more than 50 drugs free to all its citizens.

Along with the drugs, about 12-15 diagnostic treatments will be offered in the package.

Mishra said states will be encouraged to enter into outsourcing agreements for the provision of treatment.

In recent years, thousands of small private hospitals and test centres have flourished, betting on high demand created by lack of adequate public facilities. Such providers opened 80 percent of India's new hospital beds during 2002-2012, according to a PwC-NatHealth report.

While private players will be involved in the ambitious programme, the government will need to ensure speedy payments for the partnership to work, said Harish Pillai, chief operating officer at private healthcare group Indus Health.

"Private providers can definitely help and execute it better, but the government should not only see us as commercially-driven entities," said Pillai.

The World Bank and Britain's health cost-effectiveness agency NICE are also assisting India, providing technical assistance and advice on treatments the government should offer in the package, the bank said last week.

The Financial Express |

'Narendra Modi govt's National Health Assurance Mission roll out to cost Rs 1.6L cr'

India's universal health plan that aims to offer guaranteed benefits to a sixth of the world's population will cost an estimated 1.6 trillion rupees ($26 billion) over the next four years, a senior health ministry official said.

Under the National Health Assurance Mission, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government would provide all citizens with free drugs and diagnostic treatment, as well as insurance cover to treat serious ailments.

The proposed plan would be rolled out in phases from April 2015 and will cover the entire population by March 2019, C K Mishra, an additional secretary at the health ministry, told Reuters. When the entire population is covered, it would cost an estimated $11.4 billion annually.

"If you want to deliver the service, that is what it will take," Mishra said, disclosing for the first time an expert group's cost estimates that will be considered by the finance ministry for inclusion in the government's spending plans.

Healthcare experts caution that it could take decades before India's 1.2 billion people are adequately covered and that the costs of provision could face significant upward pressure.

If approved, India would need to drastically raise its healthcare spending. In the current financial year, the federal budget allocated about $5 billion to healthcare.

"We are not in a position to implement it across the regions, states (right now). It's impossible. So we are choosing number of districts each year," said Mishra.

Despite rapid economic growth in the last 20 years, the Indian government spends only about 1 percent of gross domestic product on healthcare. That compares to 3 percent in China and 8.3 percent in the United States.

More newborns die in India than in poorer neighbours such as Bangladesh, and preventable illnesses such as diarrhoea kill more than a million children every year.

Government hospitals are overcrowded and lack resources to meet the growing demand, while access to basic health services in rural areas and smaller towns remains poor.

"I can say that you are covered, but your closest facilities are 100 kilometres away. You are limited by that fact," said Rana Mehta, leader of healthcare at consultants PwC India.

"To build infrastructure and then provide care over a period of time would obviously take decades."

A 2012 study by Indian business lobby FICCI and consultants EY estimated that universal health cover in India was feasible in a decade and would require government health spending to rise to 3.7-4.5 percent of GDP.

PLAN STRUCTURE

The new plan will focus on improving preventive healthcare services by ensuring adequate availability of medical practitioners in rural areas, while new infrastructure will be created under existing welfare programmes, Mishra said.

Tertiary care services would be provided through an insurance-based model and the government will offer more than 50 drugs free to all its citizens.

Along with the drugs, about 12-15 diagnostic treatments will be offered in the package.

Mishra said states will be encouraged to enter into outsourcing agreements for the provision of treatment.

In recent years, thousands of small private hospitals and test centres have flourished, betting on high demand created by lack of adequate public facilities. Such providers opened 80 percent of India's new hospital beds during 2002-2012, according to a PwC-NatHealth report.

While private players will be involved in the ambitious programme, the government will need to ensure speedy payments for the partnership to work, said Harish Pillai, chief operating officer at private healthcare group Indus Health.

"Private providers can definitely help and execute it better, but the government should not only see us as commercially-driven entities," said Pillai.

The World Bank and Britain's health cost-effectiveness agency NICE are also assisting India, providing technical assistance and advice on treatments the government should offer in the package, the bank said last week.

The Tribune |

Maulana Azad college gets healthcare award

Maulana Azad Medical College has bagged the coveted FICCI Healthcare Excellence Award-2014 in skill development. The FICCI awards are the first of their kind to recognise healthcare providers who have used innovation to increase efficiency.

The college received the award for its clinical skills centre which was established in 2006 with a view to imparting hands-on training pertaining to the skills required in surgical specialties.

Bio Spectrum |

Report: India imports 75% of its medical devices

Emphasizing on the immediate need to reduce medical equipment imports in India, a report released by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), pointed out that about 75 percent of the medical devices in the country are imported.

The report titled ‘Universal Health Cover for India 2013' stressed that there is a need to focus on indigenous healthcare technology to make procedures and services affordable for all.

"About 75 percent of the medical devices in India are imported, so there is a need to promote indigenous medical technology in low-resource settings to drive down the cost of healthcare," the report said.

Prepared in collaboration with Ernst and Young, the report further highlighted the need to look after reimbursement mechanisms of the government.

"The government of India does not provide enough funds to support local innovation. Our government has not been able to take cognizance of the situation like in China and Brazil," Mr G S K. Velu, co-chair of FICCI health services committee said in the media statement.

Further, Mr Murli Nair from Ernst and Young added, "When we talk about the reimbursement rates, there is a need for the government to focus on patients' safety and award incentive models for hospitals that work to provide good healthcare services."

The report has further led to discussion on the need for bringing public-private partnership into play, to achieve universal healthcare. "The number of people covered under the different government-sponsored healthcare schemes has increased from 37 million (in 2004) to 243 million (in 2010), and is expected to cross 500 million by 2015, which requires that the government has to spend $36.66 billion. For that, it requires to buy healthcare services from private health care," the report said.

The report also added however that the revenues from medical tourism have been constantly increasing in the country. While medical tourism brought $6.70 billion in 2010, revenues from this source are expected to rise to $9.11 billion by 2020.

"If the government relaxes the visa fee and makes away with the police verification procedure for people coming to India for health services, then this industry will be one of the largest revenue-generating sectors," said FICCI health services committee Chairman Sangita Reddy.

The Siasat Daily |

Africa can follow India's example in AIDS prevention, says Datta Ghosh

Meenakshi Datta Ghosh, Senior Consultant, Independent Evaluation Government of India, today commended the private sector for its initiative in the prevention and treatment of AIDS in India and emphasized that the African community could follow India's lead and successfully curb the spread of the disease.

"The primary drivers of public private participation across the management, care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS are the business organizations like FICCI, who persuade their strong member base to initiate, participate, sustain and lead some good management practices and the donor community along with the strong, community oriented NGOs," said Datta Ghosh, while speaking at the first 'HIV/AIDS Health Conclave' under the South to South HIV/AIDS Resource Exchange Project, 'Partnerships beyond Borders', organized by FICCI.

This conclave set the stage for productive deliberations with the industry and government stakeholders from India and the focus on African countries like Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.

Speaking about the role of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), Datta Ghosh said that NACO has been providing powerful leadership in the sphere and envisions an India where every person living with HIV has access to quality care and is treated with dignity.

On the occasion, a Knowledge Paper 'Partnership beyond Borders - Catalysing Solution' was also released.

Drug Today |

India, Africa join hands to contain HIV/AIDS through private partnership

In light of current emerging priorities and the economic scenario in the third world nations, a programme, “Partnerships Beyond Borders” between Indian and African companies has been launched here today to promote HIV/AIDS best practices and innovations.

Lauding the role of private sector in India, Meenakshi Datta Ghosh, Senior Consultant, Independent Evaluation, Government of India, said its investments and engagements are key to ensure HIV/AIDS management in the long run. She emphasised that the African community could follow India’s lead and successfully curb spread of the dreaded disease.

Speaking at the first HIV/AIDS Health Conclave, she further said, “Partnerships Beyond Borders” will assess existing policies, strategies, and guidelines in African countries to identify opportunities for private sector engagement in HIV/AIDS programs.”

According to Ms Ghosh, the programme will also support market assessments for key HIV/AIDS products and services; establish linkages between Indian and African private sector; and strengthen these companies to promote HIV/AIDS products and services in both nations.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr John Beed, director, USAID India Mission, greeted the Indian Government for its success in HIV/AIDS and polio programmes and emphasised the need for trilateral partnerships and partnerships with private sector for creating an AIDS-free generation.

Prof Jayanta K Das, director, National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, highlighted the actions that corporate sector can engage in service delivery such as HIV testing for PPTCT, access to ART, HIV &TB testing, STI clinics, care & support for PLHIV, support private blood banks, IEC & BCC in workplace and support good NGOs to develop targeted intervention sites for HRGs.

Oussama Tawil, country director, UNAIDS India, said, “The achievements on AIDS in India – anchored on prevention, but also closely followed by treatment, care and support – should not be diluted. To ensure, that nobody is left behind, in addition to conventional partners in the AIDS response including the communities, we need to engage the private sector.”

This South-To-South HIV/AIDS Resource Exchange (SHARE) project collaborates closely with the Department of AIDS Control in India and the National AIDS Councils of several African countries, including Angola, Ghana, Nigeria, and Zambia.

This pivot conclave facilitated by SHARE-VHS and FICCI set the stage for productive deliberations with the industry and government stakeholders from India and the focus African countries, namely Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.

DNA |

India to curb technology import for universal healthcare

"About 75% of the medical devices in India are imported, so there is a need to promote indigenous medical technology in low-resource settings to drive down the cost of healthcare," read the report, "Universal Health Cover for India 2013".

There is a need in India to curb the import of medical equipment and focus on indigenous healthcare technology to make procedures and services affordable for all, a report released Monday said.

"About 75% of the medical devices in India are imported, so there is a need to promote indigenous medical technology in low-resource settings to drive down the cost of healthcare," read the report, "Universal Health Cover for India 2013".

The report has been released by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in collaboration with Ernst and Young, a leading professional services organisation, during FICCI Heal 2013.

"The government of India does not provide enough funds to support local innovation. Our government has not been able to take cognisance of the situation like in China and Brazil," said G.S.K. Velu, co-chair of FICCI health services committee.

The report also highlights the need to look after reimbursement mechanisms of the government.

"When we talk about the reimbursement rates, there is a need for the government to focus on patients' safety and award incentive models for hospitals that work to provide good healthcare services," Murli Nair of Ernst and Young said.

The industry leaders also reiterated the need for bringing public-private partnership into play, to achieve universal healthcare.

"The number of people covered under the different government-sponsored healthcare schemes has increased from 37 million (in 2004) to 243 million (in 2010), and is expected to cross 500 million by 2015, which requires that the government has to spend Rs.2,493 billion. For that, it requires to buy healthcare services from private health care," the report said.

However, there is good news for the health industry: Revenues from medical tourism have been constantly increasing. While medical tourism brought Rs.456 billion in 2010, revenues from this source are expected to rise to Rs.620 billion by 2020.

"If the government relaxes the visa fee and makes away with the police verification procedure for people coming to India for health services, then this industry will be one of the largest revenue-generating sectors," said Sangita Reddy, chairman FICCI health services committee.

The Economic Times |

'India ranks among top 3 medical tourism destinations in Asia'

India is placed among the top three medical tourism destinations in Asia, mainly due to the low cost of treatment, quality healthcare infrastructure and availability of highly-skilled doctors, says a study.

"Within Asia, India, Thailand and Singapore are the three countries that receive maximum medical tourists owing to low cost of treatment, quality healthcare infrastructure, and availability of highly-skilled doctors.

"These three countries together accounted for about 60 per cent of the total Asian revenue in 2012," the report Medical Value Travel in India by KPMG and FICCI said.

The research was conducted in India and other Asian countries and interviewed public sector stakeholders and domestic company heads or CEOs of renowned hospitals between July and August 2014.

Estimated at $ 78.6 billion as of 2012, the sector has emerged as one of the largest sectors in India and is poised to grow at an annual rate of 15 per cent to reach about $ 158.2 billion by 2017, it said.

It pointed out that Asian countries have introduced various marketing strategies to attract medical tourists.

In the past few years, Asia has taken the lead as one of the most preferred destination for medical value travel. Primary growth levers in this regard include low priced treatment options, availability of variety of treatments, improved infrastructure in terms of healthcare facilities and attractive locations for spending time after treatment.

While Thailand positions itself as a dual purpose destination for both medical and economic holiday with an attractive location, Singapore promotes itself as a destination for fine quality in medical treatment.

India is known mostly for its cost-effective medical treatments along with high standards in cardiology, orthopaedics, nephrology, oncology and neuro surgery, it said.

The country is also known for its alternative treatment options such as yoga and ayurveda, it said.

The leading destinations of medical tourism in India are Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, New Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, the report said.

India receives medical tourists from across the globe, however, developing and underdeveloped countries form a major portion of the pie.

SAARC countries in particular, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka are a major source of medical tourists owing to the physical proximity and political co-operation agreements, it said.

It further said that the private sector has been largely responsible for improvement in the Indian healthcare services.

While India scores over other countries in certain parameters like affordable hotels, cultural adaptability, there is still a long way to go, the report said.

To make India the most preferred destination for medical care there is a need to improve air connectivity, food options, cultural adaptability, language interpretors, affordable accommodation and less waiting time at airport, as these parameters help patients make a decision in choosing a destination for medical travel, it added.


Business Standard |

Govt considering to set up Innovation Health Fund: Home Secy

With the need to making health care affordable and accessible to all, Union Health Secretary Lov Verma today said the Government is considering to set up an 'Innovation Health Fund' under the national health policy.

"New systems will be put in place in the National Health Policy and the Government may even consider setting up an Innovation Health Fund," he said at 'FICCI Heal 2014' function here.

Verma also urged the industry to compile best practices and innovations of the industry and submit it to the Ministry for consideration.

Speaking on various innovations in the health sector, he said that the colour coded linen in hospitals is a simple method of differentiating various linen, hence reducing the risk of cross-infection.

The coding should be followed by hospitals right up to district level health care centres, he suggested.

"Ayush is another initiative of the Government which has the potential but has not been utilised to its full capacity till now. There is great scope for popularising alternative medicine and mainstreaming it with general medicine," he said.

The Secretary also dwelt on the importance of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and appreciated FICCI for supporting the government in this initiative.

Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director-SEARO, World Health Organisation (WHO), emphasised the need for innovation to make health care affordable and accessible to all.

"There is the need for innovations in developing new drugs, vaccines and diagnostics. Then there is the 'Health Systems' innovation need such as the use of technologies such as mobile phones by health workers for patient referrals, event reporting and disease surveillance.

"Similarly, further innovation is needed in tele-health for tele-consultations and their scale up is quite clear. And finally there is need for 'Household' level innovations that should bring better health to people by themselves and their community efforts but supported by innovative approaches that are sustainable," she said.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr A Didar Singh, Secretary General, FICCI said, "We propose to create a virtual pooling of industry CSR funds by creating IISH (Indian Industry in Solidarity for Health) Kosh to channelise funds into priority area in health care identified by the government.

The New Indian Express |

'India Ranks Among Top 3 Medical Tourism Destinations in Asia'

India is placed among the top three medical tourism destinations in Asia, mainly due to the low cost of treatment, quality healthcare infrastructure and availability of highly-skilled doctors, says a study.

"Within Asia, India, Thailand and Singapore are the three countries that receive maximum medical tourists owing to low cost of treatment, quality healthcare infrastructure, and availability of highly-skilled doctors.

"These three countries together accounted for about 60 per cent of the total Asian revenue in 2012," the report Medical Value Travel in India by KPMG and FICCI said.

The research was conducted in India and other Asian countries and interviewed public sector stakeholders and domestic company heads or CEOs of renowned hospitals between July and August 2014.

Estimated at USD 78.6 billion as of 2012, the sector has emerged as one of the largest sectors in India and is poised to grow at an annual rate of 15 per cent to reach about USD 158.2 billion by 2017, it said.

It pointed out that Asian countries have introduced various marketing strategies to attract medical tourists.

In the past few years, Asia has taken the lead as one of the most preferred destination for medical value travel.

Primary growth levers in this regard include low priced treatment options, availability of variety of treatments, improved infrastructure in terms of healthcare facilities and attractive locations for spending time after treatment.

While Thailand positions itself as a dual purpose destination for both medical and economic holiday with an attractive location, Singapore promotes itself as a destination for fine quality in medical treatment.

India is known mostly for its cost-effective medical treatments along with high standards in cardiology, orthopaedics, nephrology, oncology and neuro surgery, it said.

The country is also known for its alternative treatment options such as yoga and ayurveda, it said.

The Times of India |

Tech boost to ambitious health project

An ambitious project of the union health ministry, currently in the planning stage, aims at providing health services using telecommunication technology even in remote areas. Apart from providing medical diagnostics and consultation, the e-health project would enable a doctor to examine any patient electronically from several hundred kilometres away and also connect hospitals and health insurance services. Work on the detailed project report is in progress which will lay out the project timeline and outlay.

"A comprehensive document looking at the portfolio of services and technology costs etc is ready to go for approval to the competent authority," said J Satyanarayana, secretary of the department of electronics and information technology (DeitY), who was speaking at an event at a FICCI meet in the capital on Thursday. DeitY, a department of the union ministry of communication and information technology, is providing technical expertise to the Union health ministry project.

The venture is a "mission mode project" (MMP), designed under the umbrella of the larger National e-Governance Programme (NeGP). Earlier MMPs include projects like core-banking and passport seva kendra. The project was approved earlier this year and a document detailing its scope was ready in July. However, its success would depend heavily on the quality of connectivity and internet penetration which is considerably low in India, especially in rural areas.

"The private sector should be involved in a project like this. 1.2 billion citizens cannot be served by the government alone. Players like insurance companies and private hospitals should be connected to ensure delivery of services to citizens," said Satyanarayana. DeitY joint secretary Rajendra Kumar added that the prevalence of Unique Identification Number (UID) would allow integration and inter-operability of hospitals and even easy availability of health records.

Harish Krishnan, director of global policy and government affairs at Cisco India, said the project's implementation can improve with better connectivity in rural areas, where access to medical care is often a problem. "60 per cent of the problem can be solved through telemedicine, and remote instruments like electronic stethoscopes. We have held 64,000 consultations in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh and have seen acceptability for these solutions," says Krishnan.

A smaller project along the e-services lines called the Mother and Child Tracking System was implemented earlier this year. As of May 2013, they had registered 4.06 crore pregnant women and 3.3 crore children. However, the focus of the project was only on sending routine SMSes on healthcare to the women registered and those on registration updates to the officers in charge.

"If we are able to launch and implement the MMP in the next five years, in ten years, it can transform health services in the country," said Kumar.

Business Standard |

Indian healthcare companies tap African market

As 30 of India's largest healthcare providers tap the growing African market, the Indian High Commission here dismissed media charges that it is pushing medical tourism to India by encouraging Nigerians needing critical care to go to that country.

About 30 of India's largest healthcare providers are participating in a seminar with the theme "India: Medical Tourism and Wellness Destination". The seminar is the prelude to an exhibition on medical tourism to be opened in Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos later this week.

"We believe it to be a strictly humanitarian issue. The people who cynically see medical tourism as a zero-sum game of Nigeria's loss and India's gain, would perhaps be singing a different tune if either they themselves or their near and dear needed it," High Commissioner Mahesh Sachdev said when he opened a seminar on medical tourism here Monday.

Sachdev said the high commission does not actively "promote medical tourism to India - as is sometimes alleged. At the same time, we consider it our duty to help a fellow human being in anguish looking at India with hope - to do otherwise would be inhuman.

"This stereotyping is also belied by many Indian providers endeavouring to open healthcare facilities in Nigeria, so as to obviate need to travel to India," he said, adding that, "they need to be encouraged, not doubted. Above all, the patient need being given dignity and his choice respected. Indeed, critical health conditions can never be weighed in monetary terms."

Sahdev commended the organisers who have collaborated with the Indian High Commission in Abuja, India's Ministry of Tourism and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for the initiative which has brought together concerned stakeholders to discuss opportunities for bilateral synergy in this vital sector.

"Against this evolving positive backdrop, organisation of this event was long overdue. I do hope that it would provide a valuable forum for the patients, in first place, and concerned stake-holders ranging from hospitals, professionals, logistics providers, etc. They should consider ways to improve the entire gamut of activities so as to better serve the esteemed end-user," he said.

In the light of the growing need of Nigerians travelling to seek medical care in India, Sachdev said the time has come for the start of direct flights between Nigeria and India.

"India has long been Nigeria's privileged partner in health sector - and our engagement is expanding. India has traditionally been Nigerians' first source of pharmaceuticals. While a large number of Indian medical professionals served here during 1970s and 80s, most have returned.

"Nevertheless, a number of doctors here have Indian links. Past four years have witnessed a steady rise in Nigerian patients travelling to India for medical interventions. Initially, these "medical tourists" went for relatively simple surgeries and were driven by lower costs. However, more complex, and expensive interventions are now quite common," Sachdev added.

He said India has become Nigerian patients' "destination of choice" for a number of reasons. "Apart from highly competitive costs, these reasons include seamless facilitation through pre-diagnostics in Nigeria itself and smoother visa, greater choice of Indian hospitals and better patient-doctor interface leading to higher mutual comfort and trust," Sachdev said.

He used the opportunity to dispel some persistent myths about medical tourism, in general, and from Nigeria to India, in particular. "By definition, a medical tourist is not someone travelling abroad for fun or luxury. He or she is reluctantly going to distant destination such as India despite his vulnerable condition - mostly because his life is in critical danger. Such conditions can visit anyone, anytime. It is natural for such a person - or his or her family members and friends - to seek best possible cure at closest possible point."

SME Times |

'Indian companies tap African market'

As 30 of India's largest healthcare providers tap the growing African market, the Indian High Commission here dismissed media charges that it is pushing medical tourism to India by encouraging Nigerians needing critical care to go to that country.

About 30 of India's largest healthcare providers are participating in a seminar with the theme "India: Medical Tourism and Wellness Destination". The seminar is the prelude to an exhibition on medical tourism to be opened in Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos later this week.

"We believe it to be a strictly humanitarian issue. The people who cynically see medical tourism as a zero-sum game of Nigeria's loss and India's gain, would perhaps be singing a different tune if either they themselves or their near and dear needed it," High Commissioner Mahesh Sachdev said when he opened a seminar on medical tourism here Monday.

Sachdev said the high commission does not actively "promote medical tourism to India - as is sometimes alleged. At the same time, we consider it our duty to help a fellow human being in anguish looking at India with hope - to do otherwise would be inhuman.

"This stereotyping is also belied by many Indian providers endeavouring to open healthcare facilities in Nigeria, so as to obviate need to travel to India," he said, adding that, "they need to be encouraged, not doubted. Above all, the patient need being given dignity and his choice respected. Indeed, critical health conditions can never be weighed in monetary terms."

Sahdev commended the organisers who have collaborated with the Indian High Commission in Abuja, India's Ministry of Tourism and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for the initiative which has brought together concerned stakeholders to discuss opportunities for bilateral synergy in this vital sector.

"Against this evolving positive backdrop, organisation of this event was long overdue. I do hope that it would provide a valuable forum for the patients, in first place, and concerned stake-holders ranging from hospitals, professionals, logistics providers, etc. They should consider ways to improve the entire gamut of activities so as to better serve the esteemed end-user," he said.

In the light of the growing need of Nigerians travelling to seek medical care in India, Sachdev said the time has come for the start of direct flights between Nigeria and India.

"India has long been Nigeria's privileged partner in health sector - and our engagement is expanding. India has traditionally been Nigerians' first source of pharmaceuticals. While a large number of Indian medical professionals served here during 1970s and 80s, most have returned.

"Nevertheless, a number of doctors here have Indian links. Past four years have witnessed a steady rise in Nigerian patients travelling to India for medical interventions. Initially, these "medical tourists" went for relatively simple surgeries and were driven by lower costs. However, more complex, and expensive interventions are now quite common," Sachdev added.

He said India has become Nigerian patients' "destination of choice" for a number of reasons. "Apart from highly competitive costs, these reasons include seamless facilitation through pre-diagnostics in Nigeria itself and smoother visa, greater choice of Indian hospitals and better patient-doctor interface leading to higher mutual comfort and trust," Sachdev said.

He used the opportunity to dispel some persistent myths about medical tourism, in general, and from Nigeria to India, in particular. "By definition, a medical tourist is not someone travelling abroad for fun or luxury. He or she is reluctantly going to distant destination such as India despite his vulnerable condition - mostly because his life is in critical danger. Such conditions can visit anyone, anytime. It is natural for such a person - or his or her family members and friends - to seek best possible cure at closest possible point."

DNA |

India must curb technology import for universal healthcare : FICCI

There is a need in India to curb the import of medical equipment and focus on indigenous healthcare technology to make procedures and services affordable for all, a report released Monday said.

"About 75% of the medical devices in India are imported, so there is a need to promote indigenous medical technology in low-resource settings to drive down the cost of healthcare," read the report, "Universal Health Cover for India 2013".

The report has been released by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in collaboration with Ernst and Young, a leading professional services organisation, during FICCI Heal 2013.

"The government of India does not provide enough funds to support local innovation. Our government has not been able to take cognisance of the situation like in China and Brazil," said G.S.K. Velu, co-chairperson of FICCI health services committee.

The report also highlights the need to look after reimbursement mechanisms of the government.

"When we talk about the reimbursement rates, there is a need for the government to focus on patients' safety and award incentive models for hospitals that work to provide good healthcare services," Murli Nair of Ernst and Young said.

The industry leaders also reiterated the need for bringing public-private partnership into play, to achieve universal healthcare.

"The number of people covered under the different government-sponsored healthcare schemes has increased from 37 million (in 2004) to 243 million (in 2010), and is expected to cross 500 million by 2015, which requires that the government has to spend Rs.2,493 billion. For that, it requires to buy healthcare services from private health care," the report said.

However, there is good news for the health industry: Revenues from medical tourism have been constantly increasing. While medical tourism brought Rs.456 billion in 2010, revenues from this source are expected to rise to Rs.620 billion by 2020.

"If the government relaxes the visa fee and makes away with the police verification procedure for people coming to India for health services, then this industry will be one of the largest revenue-generating sectors," said Sangita Reddy, chairman FICCI health services committee.

The Hindu |

Meet on sustainable quality healthcare

Experts will gather here at a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) meet on sustainable quality healthcare to discuss challenges faced by private healthcare sector in providing affordable services.

The two-day FICCI HEAL-2013 starts on September 2.

A FICCI release said the conference will discuss hospital planning, infrastructure, operations, innovation in technology and practice and cost of delivery of services. Integrating and mainstreaming AYUSH system of medicine will also be discussed. They will share insights into the myth that adherence to quality standards will raise cost.

The Hindu |

Seminar held

A seminar on ‘quality in diagnostics and hospital care’ was organised here on Saturday by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)and the Tamil Nadu branch of Indian Medical Association (IM).

More than 200 doctors, pathologists, and hospital administrators took part in the seminar, which was part of a series organised by Ficci Diagnostics Committee core group members.

Addressing the seminar, A.K. Ravikumar, State Secretary, Private Hospital and Nursing Home Board, said that accreditation norms must be separate for small, medium and corporate hospitals besides those set up at urban and rural areas.

M. Mani, director of Microbiological Laboratory here, said that proper diagnosis had a direct impact on the quality of medical treatment provided to the patient. Reena Nakra, member, FICCI Diagnostics Committee core group, said that around 1,000 medical professionals have benefited from the six seminars held earlier in cities such as Puna, New Delhi and Kolkata. Such seminars would be held in tier II and III cities also and would not be confined solely to metros.

L.P. Thangavelu, president, IMA-Tamil Nadu Branch, K. Bakthavatchalam, chairman of K.G. Hospital, spoke.

The Times of India |

Work together for TN healthcare: Experts

Despite the government touting Tamil Nadu as the mecca of healthcare, there is a lot of scope for improvement to consolidate its position as the country's No. 1 medical services provider, say experts.

Speaking at TANCARE-2013, organised by FICCI and The Times Group on Thursday, experts said the government, private and non-profit establishments should join hands to provide quality healthcare at affordable rates. Recommendations from participants at the conference, whose theme was 'Sustainable Quality Healthcare', will be presented to chief minister J Jayalalithaa to be considered for inclusion in her Vision 2023 plan for the state.

Health department special secretary P Senthil Kumar said 77% of the people who receive medical treatment in the state do so at government hospitals. "The CM's health insurance scheme has made quality treatment affordable for even economically backward people," he said, while inaugurating the conference.

Though health indicators show Tamil Nadu as one of the best healthcare destinations in terms of location, feasibility and government support, some impediments still hinder the growth of the sector, said Metropolis Health Services co-founder and vice-chairman G S K Velu. "While government hospitals are not state-of-the-art and do not have properly maintained equipment, private hospitals are infamous for their exorbitant charges," he said. "The government and the private healthcare service providers have to come together."

Aum Hospitals, Puducherry, CEO Gitanjali J B agreed with Velu, saying a multi-disciplinary approach was needed to treat patients effectively.

"While everyone talks about achievements they have made in treatment, no one talks about preventive measures. Prevention should take priority over cure," she said.

SME Times |

Innovation council formed for healthcare ecosystem

The union health ministry has formed a national innovation council to build an ecosystem for healthcare products and services across the country.

As a leading national trade body, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) will be the industry partner in the initiative.

A working paper on 'reinventing affordable and universal health care through innovation', released by biotechnology department Secretary K. Vijaya Raghavan at an event recently, recommended a supporting ecosystem to translate benefits of science to society and help citizens access affordable healthcare.

"There is an urgent need to leverage the human capital in our research institutions. The social impact of translating the medical knowledge into innovation can transform health care delivery," Raghavan said at the Healthcare Innovation Sandbox, organised by FICCI at the Robert Bosch Centre in Bangalore.

As a platform, Sandbox facilitates stakeholders to partner with tech-entrepreneurs to develop products and components and help the industry gain global competitiveness.

"Sandbox brings inventors, innovators, investors, industry, academia and the government on a common platform to mentor and build an ecosystem for providing universal and affordable health care," FICCI director Shobha Mishra Ghosh said on the occasion.

With the central government declaring this decade (2010-2020) as the 'Decade for Innovations', a new science, technology and innovation policy was framed early this year to increase the research and development (R&D) expenditure to two percent of the GDP (gross domestic product) from the current 0.84 percent out of which 74 percent is public funded.

"There is a need to develop sustainable innovation strategies to tackle the multifarious health related challenges and increase private sector participation in R&D in innovation," Ghosh pointed out.

The high cost of healthcare is pushing three percent of the 1.27-billion population to slip below poverty line (BPL) every year. About 80 percent of urban households and 90 percent of their rural counterparts find average cost of in-patient treatment to be half of their annual expenditure.

"As a result, 12-15 percent of reported ailments remain untreated due to unaffordable cost. With the country's unique demographic needs becoming challenging, innovative technologies should be developed for use by community health workers," FICCI healthcare innovation task force chairman and Johnson and Johnson India managing director Sushobhan Dasgupta said on the occasion.

Innovations such as No Touch Breast Scan developed by Drexel University, telemedicine model by World Health Partners, HD Phonodoc for screening of rheumatic heart disease in school children and Lullaby LED PT for curing neonatal jaundice by Wipro GE Healthcare were flagged at the day-long event.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) director P. Balaram said the need of the hour was to industry and academia to engage in taking the results of advanced scientific research to the benefit of society.

"The objective of the novel initiative is to promote and nurture entrepreneurial efforts of small and medium industries to leverage innovations," OneBreath Inc chief executive A. Vijaysimha noted.

Daily News |

Innovation council formed for healthcare ecosystem

The union health ministry has formed a national innovation council to build an ecosystem for healthcare products and services across the country.

As a leading national trade body, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) will be the industry partner in the initiative.

A working paper on 'reinventing affordable and universal health care through innovation', released by biotechnology department Secretary K. Vijaya Raghavan at an event recently, recommended a supporting ecosystem to translate benefits of science to society and help citizens access affordable healthcare.

"There is an urgent need to leverage the human capital in our research institutions. The social impact of translating the medical knowledge into innovation can transform health care delivery," Raghavan said at the Healthcare Innovation Sandbox, organised by Ficci at the Robert Bosch Centre here.

As a platform, Sandbox facilitates stakeholders to partner with tech-entrepreneurs to develop products and components and help the industry gain global competitiveness.

"Sandbox brings inventors, innovators, investors, industry, academia and the government on a common platform to mentor and build an ecosystem for providing universal and affordable health care," Ficci director Shobha Mishra Ghosh said on the occasion.

With the central government declaring this decade (2010-2020) as the 'Decade for Innovations', a new science, technology and innovation policy was framed early this year to increase the research and development (R&D) expenditure to two percent of the GDP (gross domestic product) from the current 0.84 percent out of which 74 percent is public funded.

"There is a need to develop sustainable innovation strategies to tackle the multifarious health related challenges and increase private sector participation in R&D in innovation," Ghosh pointed out.

The high cost of healthcare is pushing three percent of the 1.27-billion population to slip below poverty line (BPL) every year. About 80 percent of urban households and 90 percent of their rural counterparts find average cost of in-patient treatment to be half of their annual expenditure.

"As a result, 12-15 percent of reported ailments remain untreated due to unaffordable cost. With the country's unique demographic needs becoming challenging, innovative technologies should be developed for use by community health workers," Ficci healthcare innovation task force chairman and Johnson and Johnson India managing director Sushobhan Dasgupta said on the occasion.

Innovations such as No Touch Breast Scan developed by Drexel University, telemedicine model by World Health Partners, HD Phonodoc for screening of rheumatic heart disease in school children and Lullaby LED PT for curing neonatal jaundice by Wipro GE Healthcare were flagged at the day-long event.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) director P. Balaram said the need of the hour was to industry and academia to engage in taking the results of advanced scientific research to the benefit of society.

"The objective of the novel initiative is to promote and nurture entrepreneurial efforts of small and medium industries to leverage innovations," OneBreath Inc chief executive A. Vijaysimha noted.

India Medical Times |

Innovation council formed for healthcare ecosystem

The union health ministry has formed a national innovation council to build an ecosystem for healthcare products and services across the country.

As a leading national trade body, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) will be the industry partner in the initiative.

A working paper on ‘reinventing affordable and universal healthcare through innovation’, released by biotechnology department Secretary K VijayRaghavan at an event recently, recommended a supporting ecosystem to translate benefits of science to society and help citizens access affordable healthcare.

“There is an urgent need to leverage the human capital in our research institutions. The social impact of translating the medical knowledge into innovation can transform healthcare delivery,” Raghavan said at the Healthcare Innovation Sandbox, organised by FICCI at the Robert Bosch Centre here.

As a platform, Sandbox facilitates stakeholders to partner with tech-entrepreneurs to develop products and components and help the industry gain global competitiveness.

“Sandbox brings inventors, innovators, investors, industry, academia and the government on a common platform to mentor and build an ecosystem for providing universal and affordable healthcare,” FICCI director Shobha Mishra Ghosh said on the occasion.

With the central government declaring this decade (2010-2020) as the ‘Decade for Innovations’, a new science, technology and innovation policy was framed early this year to increase the research and development (R&D) expenditure to two per cent of the GDP (gross domestic product) from the current 0.84 per cent out of which 74 per cent is public funded.

“There is a need to develop sustainable innovation strategies to tackle the multifarious health related challenges and increase private sector participation in R&D in innovation,” Ghosh pointed out.

The high cost of healthcare is pushing three per cent of the 1.27-billion population to slip below poverty line (BPL) every year. About 80 per cent of urban households and 90 per cent of their rural counterparts find average cost of in-patient treatment to be half of their annual expenditure.

“As a result, 12-15 per cent of reported ailments remain untreated due to unaffordable cost. With the country’s unique demographic needs becoming challenging, innovative technologies should be developed for use by community health workers,” FICCI healthcare innovation task force chairman and Johnson and Johnson India managing director Sushobhan Dasgupta said on the occasion.

Innovations such as No Touch Breast Scan developed by Drexel University, telemedicine model by World Health Partners, HD Phonodoc for screening of rheumatic heart disease in school children and Lullaby LED PT for curing neonatal jaundice by Wipro GE Healthcare were flagged at the daylong event.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) director P Balaram said the need of the hour was for the industry and the academia to engage in taking the results of advanced scientific research to the benefit of society.

“The objective of the novel initiative is to promote and nurture entrepreneurial efforts of small and medium industries to leverage innovations,” OneBreath chief executive Vijay Simha noted.

Daily News |

Innovation council formed for healthcare ecosystem

The union health ministry has formed a national innovation council to build an ecosystem for healthcare products and services across the country.

As a leading national trade body, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) will be the industry partner in the initiative.

A working paper on 'reinventing affordable and universal health care through innovation', released by biotechnology department Secretary K. Vijaya Raghavan at an event recently, recommended a supporting ecosystem to translate benefits of science to society and help citizens access affordable healthcare.

"There is an urgent need to leverage the human capital in our research institutions. The social impact of translating the medical knowledge into innovation can transform health care delivery," Raghavan said at the Healthcare Innovation Sandbox, organised by FICCI at the Robert Bosch Centre here.

As a platform, Sandbox facilitates stakeholders to partner with tech-entrepreneurs to develop products and components and help the industry gain global competitiveness.

"Sandbox brings inventors, innovators, investors, industry, academia and the government on a common platform to mentor and build an ecosystem for providing universal and affordable health care," FICCI director Shobha Mishra Ghosh said on the occasion.

With the central government declaring this decade (2010-2020) as the 'Decade for Innovations', a new science, technology and innovation policy was framed early this year to increase the research and development (R&D) expenditure to two percent of the GDP (gross domestic product) from the current 0.84 percent out of which 74 percent is public funded.

"There is a need to develop sustainable innovation strategies to tackle the multifarious health related challenges and increase private sector participation in R&D in innovation," Ghosh pointed out.

The high cost of healthcare is pushing three percent of the 1.27-billion population to slip below poverty line (BPL) every year. About 80 percent of urban households and 90 percent of their rural counterparts find average cost of in-patient treatment to be half of their annual expenditure.

"As a result, 12-15 percent of reported ailments remain untreated due to unaffordable cost. With the country's unique demographic needs becoming challenging, innovative technologies should be developed for use by community health workers," FICCI healthcare innovation task force chairman and Johnson and Johnson India managing director Sushobhan Dasgupta said on the occasion.

Innovations such as No Touch Breast Scan developed by Drexel University, telemedicine model by World Health Partners, HD Phonodoc for screening of rheumatic heart disease in school children and Lullaby LED PT for curing neonatal jaundice by Wipro GE Healthcare were flagged at the day-long event.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) director P. Balaram said the need of the hour was to industry and academia to engage in taking the results of advanced scientific research to the benefit of society.

"The objective of the novel initiative is to promote and nurture entrepreneurial efforts of small and medium industries to leverage innovations," OneBreath Inc chief executive A. Vijaysimha noted.

Business Standard |

Innovation council formed for healthcare ecosystem

The union health ministry has formed a national innovation council to build an ecosystem for healthcare products and services across the country.

As a leading national trade body, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) will be the industry partner in the initiative.

A working paper on 'reinventing affordable and universal health care through innovation', released by biotechnology department Secretary K. Vijaya Raghavan at an event recently, recommended a supporting ecosystem to translate benefits of science to society and help citizens access affordable healthcare.

"There is an urgent need to leverage the human capital in our research institutions. The social impact of translating the medical knowledge into innovation can transform health care delivery," Raghavan said at the Healthcare Innovation Sandbox, organised by FICCI at the Robert Bosch Centre here.

As a platform, Sandbox facilitates stakeholders to partner with tech-entrepreneurs to develop products and components and help the industry gain global competitiveness.

"Sandbox brings inventors, innovators, investors, industry, academia and the government on a common platform to mentor and build an ecosystem for providing universal and affordable health care," FICCI director Shobha Mishra Ghosh said on the occasion.

With the central government declaring this decade (2010-2020) as the 'Decade for Innovations', a new science, technology and innovation policy was framed early this year to increase the research and development (R&D) expenditure to two percent of the GDP (gross domestic product) from the current 0.84 percent out of which 74 percent is public funded.

"There is a need to develop sustainable innovation strategies to tackle the multifarious health related challenges and increase private sector participation in R&D in innovation," Ghosh pointed out.

The high cost of healthcare is pushing three percent of the 1.27-billion population to slip below poverty line (BPL) every year. About 80 percent of urban households and 90 percent of their rural counterparts find average cost of in-patient treatment to be half of their annual expenditure.

"As a result, 12-15 percent of reported ailments remain untreated due to unaffordable cost. With the country's unique demographic needs becoming challenging, innovative technologies should be developed for use by community health workers," FICCI healthcare innovation task force chairman and Johnson and Johnson India managing director Sushobhan Dasgupta said on the occasion.

Innovations such as No Touch Breast Scan developed by Drexel University, telemedicine model by World Health Partners, HD Phonodoc for screening of rheumatic heart disease in school children and Lullaby LED PT for curing neonatal jaundice by Wipro GE Healthcare were flagged at the day-long event.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) director P. Balaram said the need of the hour was to industry and academia to engage in taking the results of advanced scientific research to the benefit of society.

"The objective of the novel initiative is to promote and nurture entrepreneurial efforts of small and medium industries to leverage innovations," OneBreath Inc chief executive A. Vijaysimha noted.

News Track India |

Innovation council formed for healthcare ecosystem

The union health ministry has formed a national innovation council to build an ecosystem for healthcare products and services across the country.

As a leading national trade body, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) will be the industry partner in the initiative.

A working paper on 'reinventing affordable and universal health care through innovation', released by biotechnology department Secretary K. Vijaya Raghavan at an event recently, recommended a supporting ecosystem to translate benefits of science to society and help citizens access affordable healthcare.

"There is an urgent need to leverage the human capital in our research institutions. The social impact of translating the medical knowledge into innovation can transform health care delivery," Raghavan said at the Healthcare Innovation Sandbox, organised by FICCI at the Robert Bosch Centre here.

As a platform, Sandbox facilitates stakeholders to partner with tech-entrepreneurs to develop products and components and help the industry gain global competitiveness.

"Sandbox brings inventors, innovators, investors, industry, academia and the government on a common platform to mentor and build an ecosystem for providing universal and affordable health care," FICCI director Shobha Mishra Ghosh said on the occasion.

With the central government declaring this decade (2010-2020) as the 'Decade for Innovations', a new science, technology and innovation policy was framed early this year to increase the research and development (R&D) expenditure to two percent of the GDP (gross domestic product) from the current 0.84 percent out of which 74 percent is public funded.

"There is a need to develop sustainable innovation strategies to tackle the multifarious health related challenges and increase private sector participation in R&D in innovation," Ghosh pointed out.

The high cost of healthcare is pushing three percent of the 1.27-billion population to slip below poverty line (BPL) every year. About 80 percent of urban households and 90 percent of their rural counterparts find average cost of in-patient treatment to be half of their annual expenditure.

"As a result, 12-15 percent of reported ailments remain untreated due to unaffordable cost. With the country's unique demographic needs becoming challenging, innovative technologies should be developed for use by community health workers," FICCI healthcare innovation task force chairman and Johnson and Johnson India managing director Sushobhan Dasgupta said on the occasion.

Innovations such as No Touch Breast Scan developed by Drexel University, telemedicine model by World Health Partners, HD Phonodoc for screening of rheumatic heart disease in school children and Lullaby LED PT for curing neonatal jaundice by Wipro GE Healthcare were flagged at the day-long event.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) director P. Balaram said the need of the hour was to industry and academia to engage in taking the results of advanced scientific research to the benefit of society.

"The objective of the novel initiative is to promote and nurture entrepreneurial efforts of small and medium industries to leverage innovations," OneBreath Inc chief executive A. Vijaysimha noted.

The Indian Express |

Over 5,000 visit AYUSH health camp, ‘Arogya’

Arthritis and diabetes seem to be common problems, with hundreds of patients of the disease having visited 'Arogya', a four day-long national level health fair at Chandigarh.

Dr Meenakshi Sundaram, MD, Siddha from National Institute of Siddha said, "For the last three days, around 5,000 people from all age groups have visited the camp. The majority of the cases were regarding arthritis and people complaining about shoulder pain, joint pains and others."

Nisha Sharma, Yoga Instructor, Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) said that they cure diseases through the natural way. "We do not prescribe any medicine, but cure the disease in a natural way like through steam bath, mud pack and other ways," she said.

More than 400 persons have visited the CCRYN camp so far and the majority of them shares a common problem of backache, cervical and diabetes. She added, "People suffering from backaches should not bend forward and they are advised to do yoga and exercise for back pain."

Further, medicinal plants curing diabetes and obesity are in great demand. Gurpreet Kaur, a staff member of the Forest and Wildlife Department said, "In the last three days, we have freely distributed more than 600 medicinal plants. These included Stevia (treating diabetes), Giloi, Brahmi (sharp memory), Sadabahar (diabetes), Aloevera, Ashwagandha (weight loss) and many more medicinal plants."

She said, "There was a great demand for Stevia plant, its medicinal properties help in curing diabetes. Apart from his, brahmi for sharp memory was in demand."

Another doctor of Unani medicine said, "Most of the people are complaining about arthritis, vitiligo (skin disease) and hair fall. More than 1000 people have paid a visit and the majority share the problems of arthritis."

'Arogya' is a national level health fair, organized by the Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India in collaboration with Government of Punjab, Haryana, UT Administration and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FICCI).

The health fair is showcasing Indian systems of medicine which are Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani and Siddha along with live Yoga demonstration, free health check up camps and public lectures on home remedies for common ailments.

Business Standard |

Raising investment limit for insurers will be imprudent: Irda

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority ( Irda) on Monday said raising investment limit for insurance companies to 30 per cent would be “imprudent” and insurers should be conservative in their approach, not as aggressive as venture capitalists.

“Generally investment, which are proposed, are much higher than what the Insurance Act contemplates and the level of exposure which the draft they (government) had suggested was very high. It is about the level venture capital companies were investing as per Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India) norms,” Irda Chairman J Hari Narayan said on the sidelines of an event organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry ( FICCI).

“So, the question is whether insurance investment must be as aggressive as venture capitalist. I think not. I think insurance companies must be more conservative in their approach,” he said. On the government’s proposal to raise investment limit for Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) to 30 per cent of the paid-up capital in a company, he said, “Government had proposed a certain pattern of investment with certain prudential limit for LIC and called our comments which we have given them.”

The Insurance Act stipulates that an insurance company can invest 10 per cent of the fund or 10 per cent of the company’s stake, whichever is lower.

“I have not seen any (final) notification of the government on that though the government had sent draft notification and we have offered our comments on it. So, I suppose it is under examination,” he said.

Asked if the regulator would permit private sector insurers to invest beyond 10 per cent ceiling if the government notifies increase in investment exposure for LIC to 30 per cent, Hari Narayan said, “No, certainly not. I think it’s very very imprudent.”

“... It is important that insurance investments are governed by prudence ... About government and its role vis-a-vis the investment regulations governance in LIC they are defined in Insurance Act and Life Insurance Act. The government has right to define the insurance parameters. Even if that being so, I would urge that prudence should be hallmark of insurance,” he added.

Explaining rationale behind not increasing investment ceiling, he said, “Number one is once you get to 30 per cent, takeover code kicks in. If you buy 30 per cent then the company will be compelled to purchase another 20 per cent. So, in no time, it will be owing 50 per cent of the company. In which case insurance companies are supposed to own some companies. Then it will be running some steel companies.”

It may be correct in case of venture capital firm, he said, adding, “they are aggressive investors and they are willing to play risk reward game in that manner. Would it be wise thing to do for the insurance companies? The way I think is insurance and pension have to be necessarily very conservative.”

Narayan said the government should look at bringing out a National Health Insurance Scheme by combining existing health insurance schemes to improve the level of insurance coverage. “The government should look at combining the benefits of schemes like the Aarogyasri scheme and the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna,” he said.

The Hindu |

FICCI award for Fortis Escorts

Jaipur-based Fortis Escorts Hospital has bagged the prestigious FICCI Healthcare Excellence Award-2012 for operational excellence in the category of private hospitals with super speciality having more than 100 beds. The hospital's track record in patient care, efficiency of staff and excellence in functioning were taken into account for its selection.

The award, instituted by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, aims at felicitating institutions and individuals for their contribution to the industry through innovations in health care delivery and increasing efficiency of the medical and para-medical staff. Fortis Escorts Hospital director prateem Tamboli said here on Thursday that the hospital was the first in Rajasthan to get the coveted national award. Fortis was selected from among 270 hospitals across the country which had applied for the award.

Mr. Tamboli, accompanied by medical superintendent Shrikant Swami, received the award at a ceremony organised by FICCI in New Delhi recently, where president Pranab Mukherjee was the chief guest.

The hospital's infrastructure, quality of support staff and performance of doctors and nursing personnel were judged on the basis of norms laid down by the Quality council of India.

A delegation of medicos and corporate staff of Fortis met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot here after getting the award.

Business Line |

GE Healthcare's innovation gets FICCI award

Wipro GE Healthcare, GE Healthcare’s business arm in India, has bagged the FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) Healthcare Excellence Award for its efforts to solve maternal/infant care challenge in India. This recognition from FICCI is for GE Healthcare’s innovation ‘In India, for India’ to make healthcare affordable and accessible. GE Healthcare’s Lullaby LED Phototherapy system was chosen as the best innovation by FICCI from among 120 innovations from India. The company release said the Lullaby Phototherapy system equips clinicians with a safe, efficient and easy-to-use tool to deliver high intensity phototherapy to treat infants with hyperbilirubinemia (neonatal jaundice), a condition caused when there is too much bilirubin in the blood.

The Financial World |

‘PPP in health is need of hour’

Even as the pharmaceutical sector demands an increase in government spending on healthcare to 4.5 percent of the GDP, President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday assured 3 percent of total GDP expenditure by 2022.

“Government looks at scaling up expenditure of health from the current level to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2017 and 3 percent by 2022. Government cannot handle healthcare issues single-handedly. We should encourage cooperation between the public and private sectors in achieving health goals,” said Mukherjee at the launch of a FICCI-Ernst & Young paper on Universal Health Coverage for India. The report suggests a hike in healthcare spending to 3.7-4.5 percent of GDP within 10 years.

India, according to a World Health Organisation report, spends $132 per person on health services per year, as compared to that of the US, which spends $639 per person per year. China spends 5.1 percent of its GDP on health, said the latest FICCI report.

Stressing upon universal healthcare for all, cutting across rural and urban India, the former finance minister, in his first public appearance as the President, highlighted the need of private and public sector working side by side to improve heath services.

“Some private hospitals provide world-class facilities, so much so that people from third world countries come here for treatment giving impetus to medical tourism. At the other end of the scale is the lack of access to even basic medical care to many people,” he said.

“The estimated economic loss for India due to deaths caused by various diseases in 2005 was 1.3 percent of its GDP. With an increase in the number of non-communicable diseases, this loss is expected to increase to 5 percent of GDP by 2015. Therefore, a healthcare coverage that assures access to medicines and treatment at affordable prices is an objective,” said Mukherjee.

“Merely constructing hospitals is not enough. It needs human resources to make them functional and effective,” he said.

Financial Chronicle |

Apollo's multi-specialty clinic count to reach 150

Healthcare major Apollo Hospitals Enterprise said on Tuesday it will take the strength of its multi-specialty clinics to 150 by October 2014.

“As part of our retail healthcare sector expansion plans, the number of our multi-speciality clinics will go up to 150 by the end of two years,” Apollo Hospitals executive director operations Sangita Reddy said.

The company, which has 87 clinics at present, will be investing Rs 63 crore for this expansion, she added.

“We will also be opening cosmetic surgery centres, day surgery centres so that we can target high-end work in our hospitals,” Reddy said on the sidelines on health care event ‘FICCI Heal 2012’.

On the financing of the expansion, she said it would be through a mix of debt and internal accruals.

The healthcare major is also adding 3,000 beds to its hospital chain in the next three years at an investment of Rs 1,800 crore.

At present, it has over 8500 beds across over 50 hospitals and is also running 11 nursing and hospital management colleges. It also has 1,364 pharmacies across the country.

When asked if the group intended to hive off its retail pharmacy business into a separate entity, she said, “There are no immediate plans at present”.

The Hindu |

Make universal healthcare a reality, says Pranab

Even as President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday called upon all stakeholders in the health sector to make universal healthcare a reality, the private sector believes that the expenditure on rolling out the programme would require 5.5 to 6 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and a 10-year time frame to accomplish it.

Speaking at the Heal Annual International Conference 2012, organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, on the theme of “Universal Healthcare: Dream or Reality?” the President said any healthcare system would need to be country-specific and India would need to look at achieving universal health coverage based on its own perspective and requirements.

Human resource vital

India's medical healthcare system must be developed to cater to all sections, in rural as well as in urban areas, he said while emphasising that merely constructing hospitals was not enough. Human resource was required to make them functional and effective. There was a need to augment medical colleges, nursing institutions, and training schools for paramedical professions, he added.

On the issue of affordability, Mr. Mukherjee said technology-based initiatives including telemedicine could be employed to broaden the reach of healthcare. Ways to encourage cooperation between the public and private sectors in achieving health goals also must be identified and emphasised the need to promote preventive healthcare.

A FICCI and Ernst & Young’s Knowledge Paper on “Universal health cover for India: Demystifying financing needs,” released at the conference suggests that including out of pocket expenditure, the estimated total spending on health would be between 5.5 per cent and 6 per cent of GDP. China, which has embarked on a journey toward universal health care (UHC) and covered 84 per cent of its population, spends 5.1 per cent of the GDP on health, of which 2.7 per cent was spent by the government

“The implementation of the UHC is likely to increase the consumption of health care services. A sharper increase is anticipated in the short-term, when a large latent need is addressed. Hence, total expenditure on health is likely to increase. Given the scale of implementation and infrastructure constraints, it may be prudent to assume a 10-year timeframe to accomplish the UHC in totality. We, thus, estimate government health expenditure of 3.7 per cent to 4.5 per cent of GDP in 2022 to implement the UHC programme, which covers out-patient [consultation fee, drugs, diagnostic tests] and in-patient [ailments covered under the Rashtriya Swasthya BimaYojana and the Aarogyasri] services for the entire population,” the paper said.

According to it, the key factors that will decide the success of the UHC programme would be focus on health outcomes by reducing disease burden through a robust and functioning primary care system, quality in-patient care and facilitating effective utilisation of the available infrastructure.

The paper also favoured an integrated approach to ensure focus on allied determinants that have a critical impact on health, mainly nutrition, sanitation and wellness.

Business Standard |

Medical needs of all sections should be met:Prez

Noting that there is a "high variance" in the quality of service available in public and private sector hospitals, President Pranab Mukherjee today said the country's healthcare system should be developed to meet medical requirements of all sections.

He said good health of its people is the very foundation of a nation as a person who is not healthy is unable to access opportunities for learning, growth and productive work.

In India, a number of rights are guaranteed to its citizens but none of these can be utilised or enforced by persons who are sick, enfeebled and spend their entire energy on treatment and medical care, the President said.

Observing that delivery of health services in India is by both the public sector and private sector, he said, "There is a high variance in the quality of service available as well."

"Some private hospitals provide world class facilities, so much so that people from third countries come here for treatment giving impetus to medical tourism.

"On the other hand, is the lack of access to even basic medical care for many people particularly the poor and disadvantaged. Our medical healthcare system has to be developed to cater to medical requirements of all sections of society, both in rural and urban areas," he said inaugurating 6th FICCI HEAL 2012 annual international conference here.

At the national level, according to a WHO study, the estimated economic loss for India due to deaths caused by all diseases in 2005 was 1.3 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product.

"With an increase in the number of non-communicable diseases, this loss is apprehended to increase to 5 per cent of GDP by 2015 if it is not checked.

"Therefore, a healthcare coverage that assures access to medicines and treatment at affordable prices is an objective, essential for the full utilisation of the human resource capacity and one to which India is committed to achieve. The task is-how to make this a reality,?" he said during his first public function after becoming President.

Mukherjee was sworn in as 13th President on July 25.

DNA |

Medical needs of all sections should be met: President Pranab Mukherjee

Noting that there is a "high variance" in the quality of service available in public and private sector hospitals, President Pranab Mukherjee today said the country's healthcare system should be developed to meet medical requirements of all sections.

He said good health of its people is the very foundation of a nation as a person who is not healthy is unable to access opportunities for learning, growth and productive work.

In India, a number of rights are guaranteed to its citizens but none of these can be utilised or enforced by persons who are sick, enfeebled and spend their entire energy on treatment and medical care, the President said.

Observing that delivery of health services in India is by both the public sector and private sector, he said, "There is a high variance in the quality of service available as well."

"Some private hospitals provide world class facilities, so much so that people from third countries come here for treatment giving impetus to medical tourism.

"On the other hand, is the lack of access to even basic medical care for many people particularly the poor and disadvantaged. Our medical healthcare system has to be developed to cater to medical requirements of all sections of society, both in rural and urban areas," he said inaugurating 6th FICCI HEAL 2012 annual international conference here.

At the national level, according to a WHO study, the estimated economic loss for India due to deaths caused by all diseases in 2005 was 1.3 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product. "With an increase in the number of non-communicable diseases, this loss is apprehended to increase to 5 per cent of GDP by 2015 if it is not checked.

"Therefore, a healthcare coverage that assures access to medicines and treatment at affordable prices is an objective, essential for the full utilisation of the human resource capacity and one to which India is committed to achieve. The task is-how to make this a reality,?" he said during his first public function after becoming President. Mukherjee was sworn in as 13th President on July 25.

News Track India |

Adherence to standards, more healthcare centres vital for universal health cover: Mukherjee

The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, today held out a multi-pronged prescription for the healthcare community to ensure that the required standards of healthcare are adhered to at every level.

He called for the establishment of a network of healthcare centres, matching human resources to make them functional and effective and augmentation of medical colleges, nursing institutions and training schools for paramedics, if the goal of universal health coverage was to be achieved on a sustainable basis.

Inaugurating the Sixth FICCI HEAL Conference on the theme 'Universal Healthcare: Dream or Reality?' here today, Mukherjee said, "While the Government looks at scaling up expenditure on health from the current level to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2017 and further to three percent by 2022, it cannot singularly be a provider of healthcare. While the aim is to strengthen the public healthcare sector, we should look at ways to encourage cooperation between the public and private sectors in achieving health goals."

In this context, the President urged all stakeholders to be a part of the effort to provide universal healthcare. "From the pharmacists to the doctors, from industry to drug manufacturers, from medical insurance to management of hospitals and running of primary health centres, all have a role in making available accessible, affordable and effective healthcare to the people," he declared.

Mukherjee said that medicines account for 72 percent of private expenditure on health. "India has taken a major decision on distribution of free generic drugs to patients seeking healthcare in public facilities. This will bring down out-of-pocket expenditure and provide affordable access to medicine, particularly for the poor and disadvantaged." While implementing this requires funds as also efficient management systems, the President said, "The State Government of Tamil Nadu has developed a successful model using an IT-enabled management system. In today's era technology-based initiatives, including telemedicine can be employed to broaden the reach of healthcare."

In his special address, Dr. Ashok Walia, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Government of NCT, Delhi, pointed out that a proper two-way referral linkage between primary, secondary and tertiary health services along with a proper mechanism to create health seeking behaviour amongst the most vulnerable is a critical area of attention of the Delhi Government during the 12th Plan period.

"The regulatory system for quality assurance in healthcare services in the form of accreditation, strengthening the drugs licensing mechanisms and development of Standard Treatment Protocols at different levels of service delivery are areas of interest and focus for us," he stated.

The private sector, on its part, would need to improve upon its quality concerns and the costing aspect of patient care as a part of partnering with State Governments across the country, Dr. Walia said.

Dr. Michael Chamberlain, Chairman, British Medical Journal Group, recommended a seven-fold approach to dealing with India's healthcare needs. These include: Telemedicine, processed over 2G, 3G and 4G mobile telecommunication networks; continuous medical education (CME) and training, including an increase in the number of medical schools and standardization of curricula; systems for revalidation for doctors, which involve mandatory CME; manpower planning; preventive medicine, public health protocols and detailed and responsive health communications; a mix of public and private initiatives and facilities and the political will to make healthcare a priority.

The way forward for India, he said, was to have a hybrid system based on different levels of insurance, with appropriate government subsidies and the patient making top-up contributions. India, he said, need to invest more in upgrading its hospital and medical infrastructure, particularly in rural districts of the country, increase the number of trained doctors and nurses and introduce compulsory continuous medical education.

R. V. Kanoria, President, FICCI, in his remarks, noted that for achieving universal healthcare, while it was essential for government to finance the demand side, supply side incentives are equally important. For this the Government needs to consider giving 'infrastructure status' for health sector with 100 percent tax deductions of profits and gains for 10 consecutive assessment years; eligibility for loans on a priority basis at concessional rates; viability gap funding by the government under the PPP arrangements for setting up healthcare facilities and PPP arrangements such as free/concessional land and use of public healthcare facilities for private medical colleges in focus states.

He said that there was a need to encourage private sector participation in promotive, preventive and primary care with appropriate tax incentives to primary healthcare chains operating beyond Tier 2 towns; and PPP models for private sector participation in screening and detection programs of the government.

Kanoria also sought 250% deduction of approved expenditure incurred on R and D activities related to indigenous development of medical technology and on investment made for the implementation of Electronic Health records and keep health services out of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Sangita Reddy, Chairperson, FICCI Health Services Committee and Executive Director, Operations, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, "In 1982, Pranab Mukherjee, the then Finance Minister, had passed a historic Bill where he allowed the Indian financial institutions to invest in the healthcare sector. The result of that Bill is that India today accounts for more than 300,000 hospitals."

Over the years, the healthcare sector has undergone tremendous changes in terms of availability of better medical equipments and services. Hence the cost of healthcare has also risen considerably. But now the task at hand is to not only to reduce the cost of medical care but also to make the basic healthcare necessities available in every nook and corner of the country," Ms. Reddy pointed out.

Nandakumar Jairam, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Group Medical Director, Columbia Asia Hospitals India, remarked, a lot of time, effort and intelligence needs to be invested in the healthcare sector to ensure that it is able to provide universal health cover. FICCI has provided the much-needed platform where issues can be raised, discussed and solutions found to turn the dream of Universal Healthcare into a reality."

Ameera Shah, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and CEO and MD, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, alluded to the daunting challenges faced by the healthcare sector and stated that there were opportunities to be tapped in terms of the market size and the scope for innovations. A holistic view, she said, needed to be taken to address the challenges of integrating allopathy with homoeopathy, provision of better quality of primary healthcare, of self regulation, attracting talent, public private partnerships and funding.

Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Secretary General, FICCI, in his concluding remarks, stated as per FICCI- E and Y analysis based on global success stories, strategic planning and implementation through Plan, Pay, Pool, Purchase and Provide would help in achieving 100% coverage in 10 years with minimal Out-of-Pocket Expenditure of 20% to 30% . "To achieve this we need to raise sufficient and sustainable revenues from payers, efficiently and equitably; pool the funds at a national level and allocate to states in alignment to their respective needs irrespective of their contribution; transfer the pooled resources to healthcare providers (both public and private) on behalf of the covered population through insurance agencies based on desired clinical outcomes and differential reimbursement rates; ensure quality and adequacy of healthcare delivery through standardized quality of healthcare delivery, fixation and compliance of reimbursement rates and integration of Electronic Health Record system across all providers.

First Post |

President Pranab concerned about India’s healthcare

Noting that there is a “high variance” in the quality of service available in public and private sector hospitals, President Pranab Mukherjee today said the country’s healthcare system should be developed to meet medical requirements of all sections.

He said good health of its people is the very foundation of a nation as a person who is not healthy is unable to access opportunities for learning, growth and productive work.

In India, a number of rights are guaranteed to its citizens but none of these can be utilised or enforced by persons who are sick, enfeebled and spend their entire energy on treatment and medical care, the President said.

Observing that delivery of health services in India is by both the public sector and private sector, he said. “There is a high variance in the quality of service available as well.”

“Some private hospitals provide world class facilities, so much so that people from third countries come here for treatment giving impetus to medical tourism.

“On the other hand is the lack of access to even basic medical care for many people particularly the poor and disadvantaged. Our medical healthcare system has to be developed to cater to medical requirements of all sections of society, both in rural and urban areas,” he said inaugurating 6th FICCI HEAL 2012 annual international conference here.

At the national level, according to a WHO study, the estimated economic loss for India due to deaths caused by all diseases in 2005 was 1.3 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product.

“With an increase in the number of non-communicable diseases, this loss is apprehended to increase to 5 percent of GDP by 2015 if it is not checked.”

“Therefore, a healthcare coverage that assures access to medicines and treatment at affordable prices is an objective, essential for the full utilisation of the human resource capacity and one to which India is committed to achieve. The task is-how to make this a reality?” he said during his first public function after becoming President.

Mukherjee emphasised that merely constructing hospitals was not enough. “Human resources were required to make them functional and effective. There was a need to augment medical colleges, nursing institutions, and training schools for paramedical professionals”.

“The transformation of India’s health system to be able to provide universal health coverage is a process that will span a period of time,” he said.

Citing National Rural Health Mission, launched in 2005, as the major re-engineering process to extend healthcare services to every village in the country and to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, Mukherjee said, “The aim now is to extend the coverage to urban areas also.

“There should be necessary standards of care observed at every level of healthcare. A network of healthcare centres has to be established,” he said.

Mukherjee said it can be sustained only with adequate number of doctors and other paramedical supporting staff.

“Shortage of trained medical personnel can be a major constraint for providing universal healthcare,” the President said. Highlighting that medicines account for 72 per cent of private expenditure of health in the country, Mukherjee said that technology-based initiatives including telemedicine could be employed to broaden the reach of healthcare.

“This will bring down out-of-pocket expenditure and provide affordable access to medicine, particularly for the poor and disadvantaged. Implementing this requires funds as also efficient management systems.

“State Government of Tamil Nadu has developed a successful model using an IT enabled management system. In today’s era technology based initiatives including telemedicine can be employed to broaden the reach of healthcare,” the President said.

Mukherjee said there was a need to strengthen public health care sector with the cooperation between public and private sector. ”Government, singularly, cannot be a provider of healthcare. While the aim is to strengthen the public healthcare sector, we should look at ways to encourage cooperation between the public and private sectors in achieving the health goals. All stakeholders have to be a part of the effort to provide universal healthcare,” he said.

From the pharmacists to the doctors, from industry to drug manufacturers, from medical insurance to management of hospitals and running of primary health centres, all have a role in the success of the health system.

The potential of India as centre for medical research and innovation given its academic, scientific, technical and industrial capabilities should be fully explored, he said.

Mukherjee said there was a need to look at health coverage only in terms of curative and interventionist approach. “Preventive healthcare is equally important particularly in India where the number of those suffering from diabetes and cardio-vascular diseases is on the rise,” he said.

He said that health system, therefore, will need to treat people and, at the same time, advise and guide them about how to deal with and prevent some of these medical conditions. “In these efforts, participation at the local level particularly at the village level through Panchayati Raj Institutions can ensure effective implementation,” he added.

The Economic Times |

FICCI, AICTE join hands to bridge skill shortage in healthcare

FICCI has joined hands with All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for developing vocational courses in the healthcare sector with a view to meeting the workforce shortage in the segment.

The chamber said that an analysis of availability of healthcare human resources from the present bed capacity in the country and underlying demand for building additional capacity shows that the scenario is indeed "alarming".

"In the next 10 years, the number of doctors needs to be doubled from its current figure of 750,000; nurses needs to be tripled from 3.7 million and the paramedics and technician assistants need to be quadrupled from the present number of 2.75 million," it said in a statement.

It said that the rapid technological advancement in the medical, diagnostic and management systems are creating the need for new skills.

"But there are limited formal training and education programmes in the country. Large corporate and private hospitals run their own training programmes for such requirements which are not standardised and do not have national recognition," it said.

To address these issues, FICCI has also set up a task force to improve the existing skill sets available in the country by identifying skill gaps and suggesting academic and training programs, related curriculum and appropriate training requirements.

"For convergence and standardisation of such training programmes, FICCI is collaborating with AICTE to develop vocational courses in the healthcare domain," it said adding the practical training in hospitals is one of the fundamental elements of these programmes, which is aligned with industry requirement.

FICCI has submitted 12 healthcare and paramedic course curricula to AICTE that include Bachelor in Paramedical Technician in laboratory, blood transfusion, radiography, operation theatre and critical care.

"All the courses are competency-based modules and are open to revisions to ensure that the curriculum is guided by needs of the industry," it said.

It added that the courses would soon be notified on AICTE's website and will be open to be taken up by the industry and educational institutes.

Educational institutes such as schools, colleges and polytechnics will work in partnership with the skill knowledge providers like hospitals and laboratories to scale up the number of trained technicians in the country, it added.

The AICTE is an advisory body in all matters relating to technical education.

Jagran Post |

FICCI, AICTE join hands to bridge skill shortage in healthcare

Industry body FICCI has joined hands with All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for developing vocational courses in the healthcare sector with a view to meeting the workforce shortage in the segment.

The chamber said that an analysis of availability of healthcare human resources from the present bed capacity in the country and underlying demand for building additional capacity shows that the scenario is indeed "alarming".

"In the next 10 years, the number of doctors needs to be doubled from its current figure of 750,000; nurses needs to be tripled from 3.7 million and the paramedics and technician assistants need to be quadrupled from the present number of 2.75 million," it said in a statement.

It said that the rapid technological advancement in the medical, diagnostic and management systems are creating the need for new skills.

"But there are limited formal training and education programmes in the country. Large corporate and private hospitals run their own training programmes for such requirements which are not standardised and do not have national recognition," it said.

To address these issues, FICCI has also set up a task force to improve the existing skill sets available in the country by identifying skill gaps and suggesting academic and training programs, related curriculum and appropriate training requirements.

"For convergence and standardisation of such training programmes, FICCI is collaborating with AICTE to develop vocational courses in the healthcare domain," it said adding the practical training in hospitals is one of the fundamental elements of these programmes, which is aligned with industry requirement.

FICCI has submitted 12 healthcare and paramedic course curricula to AICTE that include Bachelor in Paramedical Technician in laboratory, blood transfusion, radiography, operation theatre and critical care.

"All the courses are competency-based modules and are open to revisions to ensure that the curriculum is guided by needs of the industry," it said.

It added that the courses would soon be notified on AICTE’s website and will be open to be taken up by the industry and educational institutes.

Educational institutes such as schools, colleges and polytechnics will work in partnership with the skill knowledge providers like hospitals and laboratories to scale up the number of trained technicians in the country, it added.

The AICTE is an advisory body in all matters relating to technical education.

Business Line |

FICCI task force to improve medical skill sets

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has set up a task force led by Mr Rajen Padukone, CEO, Manipal Hospital, to improve medical skill sets by identifying gaps and suggesting training programmes.

For standardisation and convergence of these programmes, FICCI is collaborating with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

The courses have been tailored according to the seven levels under the National Vocational Education Qualification Framework starting from grade IX of the Central Board of Secondary Education.

Twelve healthcare and paramedic course curricula have been submitted to AICTE and they are open to revision, a FICCI release said.

The 12 courses will be soon notified on AICTE’s Web site after which industry and educational institutes can make use of them, which will work in partnership with hospitals and laboratories.

Business Line |

Public sector banks need 5 lakh more staff over 10 years: Study

The staffing requirement of state-run banks is estimated at about five lakh personnel over the next 10 years, said a survey conducted by Boston Consulting Group.

According to the survey, conducted as a part of a three-day banking seminar to be organised by FICCI and Indian Banks' Association in Mumbai beginning September 7, the productivity of public sector banks has been stretched and they cannot grow without hiring new employees.

Starting this year, the average cost per employee of PSU banks is higher than private banks, said the survey.

The average employee cost for PSU banks is Rs 5.6 lakh a year, higher than the private sector's average of Rs 5.3 lakh.

“The sector (PSU banks) thus faces twin challenges - the need to induct talent in large numbers and the need to contain staff costs,'' the report said.

Mr Saurabh Tripathi of BCG said that when PSU banks start recruiting the average cost per employee will come down because newer employees would be hired at lower salaries.

Most of the new recruitment by PSU banks would be for the sales function, said Mr M.V. Nair, Chairman and Managing Director, Union Bank of India.

“The recruitment that takes place now will increasingly get committed to sales. To that extent revenue generating capability of PSU banks will be higher. Now that technology is in place, we should be able to ramp up productivity,” he said.

Mr M.D. Mallya, Deputy Chairman, Indian Banks' Association and CMD of Bank of Baroda, said that following the implementation of business process re-engineering, about 25 per cent of the staff would migrate to sales. Currently, about five-seven per cent of the staff is involved in sales for BoB, he added

Union Bank recruited about 1,500 last year and is looking to recruit 2,500 this year.

Similarly, Bank of Baroda is also looking to add about 3,500 staff this year. The bank had hired a similar number last year.

The Economic Times |

PSU banks outshine pvt peers in wage spend

For the first time, public sector banks have spent a larger part of their income on wages compared to their counterparts in the private sector.

A study by consulting firm Boston Consultancy Group (BCG) has found that per employee salary costs for public sector banks at Rs 5.6 lakh per employee has for the first time exceeded that of private sector banks, which stands at Rs 5.4 lakh per employee in 2010.

BCG’s Saurabh Tripathi attributed this to higher average employee age in public sector banks, which entailed a higher wage outgo, underscoring the need to induct new talent in large numbers to maintain growth. He added that human relations would be one of the major challenges ahead for public sector banks in the coming decade.

However, MV Nair, chairman of Union Bank of India, said there was an anomaly in comparison as state-owned banks include sub-staff and other low-end labour such as guards among employees. Most private banks outsource some of the low-end functions and these expenses are not reflected in wages.

The BCG study was unveiled at a Ficci-IBA seminar. The study has highlighted among other things that massive reskilling was required at each level for the banks to move from predominantly back office roles to predominantly sales and service roles.

The study titled Indian Banking 2020 has outlined a series of new trends that the Indian banking sector would be witnessing. Among other things, it has noted that retail banking would benefit immensely from the Indian demographic dividend and that mortgages would cross Rs 400,000 crore by 2020 while wealth management business would grow 10 times. The bottom of the pyramid or the ‘next billion’ segment would emerge as the largest numbers and will accentuate the demand for low-cost banking solutions. Banks would be moving on from core banking solutions and the next wave in technology would be in customer-relation management and data warehousing.

Business Standard |

India Inc high on healthcare business opportunity

The Ambani brothers have done it and so have a host of leading corporate houses. India Inc’s love affair with the health care business has just begun to blossom

Mukesh Ambani is going to set up one of the best world-class hospitals in India at Sir Hurkisondas Nurrotumdas Hospital (HNH), under his Reliance Foundation. “This new facility, fully integrated with technology and high-quality diagnostics, is expected to be functional within the next two years”, Ambani told shareholders two weeks ago.

His younger brother, Anil Ambani has already ventured into the health care space by setting up the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Research Institute in Mumbai, a 750-bed tertiary care hospital with one of the largest health care infrastructure facilities in the country.

Anil Ambani’s Reliance Health is now planning to step up its presence in the health care space in a big way. Others who are eyeing the business potential of health care in India include names like the Hindujas, Sahara Group, Emami, Apollo Tyres and the Panacea Group.

They have enough reasons for doing so. A study conducted by FICCI and Ernst & Young suggests that by the end of 2025, India will need as many as 1.75 million additional beds and the public sector is expected to contribute only 15–20 per cent to the $86-billion investment required. At present, India has only 860 hospital beds per million population against a world average of 2,600 per million population.

So the Subrato Roy-led Sahara Group, which has a couple of hospitals already, is stepping on the gas. The group is planning to set up a 1,500-bed multi super-specialty, tertiary care hospital at Aamby Valley City, a 200-bed multi-specialty tertiary care hospital at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and 30-bed multi-speciality secondary care hospitals across all the 217 Sahara City Homes Townships. Of these 217 hospitals, the first phase comprises 88 townships of which the first nine hospitals will soon come up at Ahmadabad, Aurangabad, Coimbatore, Indore, Gwalior, Jaipur, Lucknow, Nagpur and Solapur.

This will require an investment of about Rs 3,000 crore-4,000 crore.

“We have been in advanced stages of discussions with several hospital operators for strategic partnerships. We are also in talks with several financial institutions and private equity players for investments into these projects,” said Sushanto Roy, chief executive officer of Sahara Prime City, the Group’s flagship housing company.

Changes in demographics is leading to an altered mix of disease profiles and increasing incidences of lifestyle-related diseases. Rising literacy rates and growing awareness is leading to an increased demand for quality health care. Of late, the penetration of health insurance has also resulted in greater awareness, as well as availing of health care facilities, says Roy.

Artemis Health Sciences (AHS), a health care venture launched by promoters of the Apollo Tyres Group, is also on an expansion spree. Its first project, Artemis Health Institute at Gurgaon, a 260-bed tertiary care super-specialty hospital set up with an investment of Rs 260 crore, is already up and running. The Group is planning to build four to eight multi-specialty hospitals in the next three years in north India in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, said Kushagra Katariya, chief executive of Artemis Health Institute.

“At present, only 10 per cent of the total one million beds in India are managed by the private sector. The average life span of people is growing and lifestyle diseases are becoming more common, fueling the need of corporate entry into territory health care,” said .

Fast growing beauty care product maker Emami, which ventured into creating quality healthcare facilities in eastern India in Orissa and West Bengal, is also on an expansion spree.

Business Standard |

FICCI, CII lobby for more tax benefits to private healthcare

Private health care providers have sought infrastructure status and extension of existing tax sops in the coming Budget.

These demands of leading companies such as Apollo and Fortis Healthcare have been voiced through the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

According to existing policy, a five-year tax holiday (till 2013) applies to hospitals which had been set up in small towns by April 2008. The industry wants this extended to all new hospitals coming up till 2013, irrespective of the area. It also wants this to be made available for the first 10 years.

“If India has to emerge as a low-cost health care tourist destination, there is a greater need to set up state of the art health care facilities in the metros, Tier-I and Tier-II cities of India. It is, therefore, necessary to extend the tax holiday benefit to hospitals set up beyond the rural areas, to enable companies to commit the substantial investments required in the health care sector,” CII said.

While infrastructure status will incentivise the investments made in new facilities, extension of tax benefits to all new hospitals in smaller towns is expected to attract large-scale investments in such towns.

In addition to extension of tax sops, FICCI wants the government to announce a special rate of depreciation of 25 and 50 per cent, respectively, on hospital buildings and medical equipment.

Industry chambers want India to aim for two hospital beds for 1,000 people. “This would entail an additional 1.75 million beds, with an estimated investment of Rs 370,000 crore. The private health care providers will have to meet 80 percent of this investment,” FICCI said.

Today, around 70 percent of India’s health care expenditure is financed out of pocket, with only 12 per cent of India’s population covered by any health-related insurance schemes.

The industry also wanted the government to cover at least half the population by the year 2015, by making health insurance mandatory for the formal sector and government taking the responsibility of providing health cover for the poor.

Business Line |

Govt mulls expanding standards list for medical devices

The manufacture of medical devices in the country is set to get a boost with the Government contemplating an expansion of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) list for such devices.

Mr Srikant Jena, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers, speaking at the National Conference of Medical Devices, organised by FICCI, stated that the Government had a multi-pronged approach, including fiscal measures, to make the country a manufacturing hub for medical devices.

Infrastructure

He highlighted the need for creating infrastructure in terms of hospitals, trained doctors and support staff.

“We have to take a hard look as to why the medical device industry continues to rely on imports and not really manufacturing except for simple devices. For manufacturing, there has to be a robust regulatory system to ensure quality products and patient safety,” said the Minister. Mr. Jena said there are no mandatory Indian standards at present that the industry has to comply with. “The BIS has a list of standards pertaining to hospital equipment and some medical devices. This needs to be expanded,” he added.

The Financial Express |

Policy to address preventable errors in hospital mooted by Azad

In order to reduce the incidence of preventable errors in hospitals and to create a concrete database in the country on patient safety, the health ministry has started working on the National Patient Safety Policy. Health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad mooted the idea on Monday at a Ficci forum. Citing preventable errors in health care system from the UK, Canada and Australia, the minister said, “unfortunately, we in India don’t have much research data on incidence of the occurrence of preventable errors. We have not kept pace with the developments in this field and have to work now on war footing on this national initiative”.

The World Health Organisation estimates that one in ten person receiving health care could be suffering from preventable harm. Most preventable errors result from “the system”, inadequate training, long hours, ampoules that look the same, lack of checks among other factors The minister also stressed on the need to include patient safety concepts in medical education alongside proposing other policy initiatives like National Infection Control Policy and National Accident Prevention Policy .

“The simple procedure of hand washing can prevent a lot of hospital acquired infections. We can address preventable errors by changing the mindset of “ who committed the accident” to “What caused the accident?” and most important is, How it can be prevented?” the minister said.

A Harvard Medical Practice Study which reviewed medical charts of 30, 121 patients found that in 3.7% of cases an adverse event led to prolonged admission or produced disability at the time of discharge and 69% of injuries were caused by errors.

The Financial Express |

Fortis Healthcare set to float Rs 1k-cr rights issue by Oct

Fortis Healthcare plans to float its Rs 1,000-crore rights issue by October. “We will soon file a letter of offer (LoF) next week. The decision was taken at a board meeting held recently,” Fortis Healthcare CEO & MD Shivinder Mohan Singh said.

In the meeting, it was decided that Fortis Healthcare would soon approach Sebi after finalising all details, he added. Singh was talking on the sidelines of a FICCI event on Monday. Companies file LoF at the time of rights issue, which is equivalent to the draft red herring prospectus filed at the time of initial public offer (IPO). “We expect the rights issue by October,” a source said.

The rights issue has been on the anvil since last year, but unfavourable market conditions prevented the company from hitting the market. At the time of getting approval from its board last December, the healthcare chain had said proceeds of the issue would be used primarily for funding greenfield projects, including the upcoming Medi-City in Gurgaon, redemption of preference shares, and repayment of short-term debt, besides upgrading existing facilities. Company sources said the final LoF will include disclosures of the recent Rs 909-crore acquisition of ten Wockhardt Hospitals.

While Fortis Healthcare is yet to start making any payment for the purchase agreement it signed in August, it expects Wockhardt to complete necessary compliance with regulators and obtain no objection certificates for the sale within the stipulated 120 days’ time. With the acquisition, Fortis will have a capacity of 5,180 beds. Fortis already operates 28 hospitals across the country and had bought Escorts in 2005 for over Rs 585 crore. The 10 hospitals are spread across three metros -- two in Mumbai, five in Bangalore and three in Kolkata and will provide Fortis a pan India presence consistent with its stated strategy. Fortis will rank as the leading private healthcare provider in several key states in India; including Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Business Line |

Minister calls for pvt-public model in healthcare

The Union Health Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Monday, called for a joint initiative by the Government and the private sector to develop workable PPP models to make health services accessible to all.

Addressing the ‘FICCI HEAL 2009’ conference on ‘Future of Healthcare: Integration, Inclusion and Quality’, Mr Azad said, “PPP must be seen in the context of viewing the medical sector as a national asset with health promotion as a goal for all health providers, private or public. The potential areas where private players can play a crucial role are provision of health services, control and surveillance, diagnostics and medicines, health manpower, capacity building, including training and systems development, managerial services and auxiliary activities of the health sector.” Mr Azad said the issues of inaccessibility, inadequate infrastructure and need for far more resources for health in rural areas remain huge challenges. “It is in this area that the private sector can play a crucial role in augmenting and supplementing the efforts of the Government,” he said.

The Minister invited private players to set up medical colleges in backward areas.

Independent regulator

In a bid to achieve quality in the healthcare sector, FICCI underlined the need for a multi-pronged approach that looks at the setting up of an independent regulatory body to ensure a certain minimum standard of healthcare.

“The Government’s priority should be on development and monitoring to promote regulatory environment in the healthcare industry. An independent regulatory body is required to ensure a certain minimum standard of healthcare from public and private hospitals drawing parallels from the telecom industry, where TRAI is authorised for similar role and responsibility,” said a FICCI press release. The industry body also suggested ensuring stakeholder consultation before implementing the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Bill 2007 and called for according “infrastructure status” to healthcare sector.

Business Standard |

Fortis plans Rs 1,000-cr rights issue by October

Hospital chain Fortis Healthcare's Rs 1,000-crore rights issue is likely to hit the market by October, with the company taking fresh steps to realise the plan.

"We will soon file a letter of offer (LOF) next week. The decision was taken at a board meeting held recently," Shivinder Mohan Singh, CEO & Managing Director, Fortis Healthcare, told reporters on the sidelines of a FICCI event.

It was decided that Fortis Healthcare would soon approach Sebi after finalising all details, he added.

The Statesman |

Fortis issue likely soon

Hospital chain Fortis Healthcare's Rs 1,000-crore rights issue is likely to hit the market by October, with the firm taking fresh steps to realise the plan.

“We will soon file a letter of offer (LoF) next week. The decision was taken at a board meeting held recently,” Fortis Healthcare CEO & managing director, Mr Shivinder Mohan Singh told reporters here on the sidelines of a Ficci (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) event.

It was decided that Fortis Healthcare would soon approach the Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India) after finalising all details, he added.

Companies file LoF at the time of rights issue, which is the equivalent of the Draft Red Herring Prospectus filed at the time of initial public offer.

“We expect the rights issue by October,” a source said.

Fortis Healthcare's Rs 1,000-crore rights issue has been on the anvil since last year but unfavourable market conditions have prevented the company from hitting the market.

At the time of getting approval from its board last December, the healthcare chain had said proceeds of the rights issue would be used primarily for funding greenfield projects including the upcoming Medi-City in Gurgaon, redemption of preference shares, and repayment of short term debt, besides upgrading existing facilities.

Company sources said the final LoF will include disclosures of the recent Rs 909-crore acquisition of ten Wockhardt Hospitals.

While Fortis Healthcare is yet to start making any payment for the purchase agreement it signed in August, it expects Wockhardt to complete necessary compliance with regulators and obtain no objection certificates for the sale within the stipulated 120 days' time.

With the acquisition, Fortis will have a capacity of 5,180 beds. Fortis already operates 28 hospitals across the country and had bought Escorts in 2005 for more than Rs 585 crore.

The 10 hospitals are spread across three metros -- two in Mumbai, five in Bangalore and three in Kolkata.

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Pvt players allowed to start medical colleges in remote areas: Azad

In a bid to resolve the crisis of availability of medical and paramedic specialists in remote areas, the government will allow the private sector to set up medical colleges in backward states, hilly areas and the Northeast region, the Union health minister Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad said today.

“We will allow the private sector to set up medical colleges in backward states, hilly areas and the northeastern region,” Mr Azad said here at a healthcare meet organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The government will allow these colleges to use the facilities of the district hospitals, he said. “We will give access to district hospitals in these areas to private sector where they have the medical colleges.” The initiative is aimed at helping the country bridge the gap of available specialists like doctors and paramedics in these areas, Mr Azad said. According to a Planning Commission report, India faces a shortage of about 600,000 doctors, 10 lakh nurses, 200,000 dental surgeons and a large number of paramedical staff.

“Earlier there was a requirement of 24 acres of land to set up medical colleges in big cities like Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Soon, we will allow them to start medical colleges on just 10 acres of land,” the minister said, noting this decision will solve the land problems which are “huge issues” in big cities.

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PBD

Hospital chain Fortis Healthcare's Rs 1,000-crore rights issue is likely to hit the market by October, with the firm taking fresh steps to realise the plan.

"We will soon file a letter of offer (LOF) next week. The decision was taken at a board meeting held recently," Fortis Healthcare CEO & managing director Shivinder Mohan Singh told reporters here at the sidelines of a FICCI event.

It was decided that Fortis Healthcare would soon approach SEBI after finalising all details, he added. Companies file LOF at the time of rights issue, which is the equivalent of the Draft Red Herring Prospectus filed at the time of initial public offer. "We expect the rights issue by October," a source said.

Fortis Healthcare's Rs 1,000-crore rights issue has been on the anvil since last year but unfavourable market conditions have prevented the company from hitting the market.

At the time of getting approval from its board last December, the healthcare chain had said proceeds of the rights issue would be used primarily for funding greenfield projects including the upcoming Medi-City in Gurgaon, redemption of preference shares.

National Health Policy 2017

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Huge scope for collaborative efforts towards affordability and accessibility of cancer care in India: Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI

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Digitization will result in desirable attributes in the healthcare system: CEO, National Health Authority

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FICCI and KPMG releases a report titled 'Strengthening healthcare workforce in India: the 2047 agenda - Top 20 priorities' at the 1​6th edition of FICCI's annual healthcare conference- FICCI HEAL 2022

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Partnership between government and private sector key in managing any crisis: Smriti Zubin Irani

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Public-Private, Centre and States, all should work together on Universal Healthcare: Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice President of India

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FICCI commits to adopt 1 lakh TB patients under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

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Private sector a critical player; Must get involved in primary healthcare: Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, GoI

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FICCI Health Services Committee condemns abuse and violence against medical professionals

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Health for Seniors - A definitive opportunity in the decade ahead

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Need to ensure localized strategies to address any event of future COVID waves: FICCI-EY Report

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FICCI-KPMG India report highlights COVID-19 induced healthcare transformation in India

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Private-public partnership crucial to create a sustainable long-term model of the Indian healthcare system: Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, GoI

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PM JAY is here to stay; industry must reposition to align with it: Dr VK Paul, Member, NITI Aayog

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India needs robust point of care interventions for tackling future infectious diseases: FICCI-ELSEVIER Whitepaper on Infectious Diseases beyond COVID-19

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Overarching reforms like National Health Policy 2017 & National Health Mission transformed Indian healthcare status: Rajesh Bhushan, Health Secretary

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FICCI to organize 'Integrating Methods of Pharmaco-economics to Accelerate Healthcare Transformation' on 23 September '21

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Imperative to accelerate momentum for adoption of consumer health solutions to support the national health system: Drug Controller General, MoH&FW

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FICCI-BVMW procure 1,500 oxygen concentrators from Germany

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Science, technology and innovation plays critical role when the world is faced with unprecedented challenges like COVID-19: Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST

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FICCI welcomes move to lower age criteria for COVID-19 vaccination

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FICCI partners with CIF, TRI, & the Consulate General of India for the 'Canada - India Healthcare Summit 2021'

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Private sector willing to partner with the government for accelerating COVID-19 vaccine administration

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Government adopting privacy and security features in NDHM design: CEO, AB-PMJAY

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Need to ensure good quality healthcare, accessible and affordable for all: Vice President of India

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Vice President of India to inaugurate three-day 'FICCI HEAL 2020' on 29th September

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FICCI moots need for Economical, Accurate & Scalable COVID-19 Testing Solutions for seroprevalence studies

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FICCI welcomes relief measures announced by Finance Minister, it is a good first step

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FICCI pledges support to government to help minimize the impact of COVID-19 in India

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Indian pharma industry likely to reach $100 billion and medical devices sector reach $50 billion by 2025 - D V Sadananda Gowda

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FICCI Issues General Advisory for Members on COVID-19 - 'Be Alert and Not Anxious'

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FICCI-NATHEALTH sign MoU to strengthen healthcare systems

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Biocon, Manipal chiefs win FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2019

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No public-private demarcation for the agenda of improving healthcare in India: Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog

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India to have 2,500 new hospitals in 5 years, creating 2.5 million jobs - Dr V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog

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PPP in digital health can provide affordable access and quality in Indian healthcare and catalyse Ayushman Bharat: Commerce Secretary

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FICCI welcomes government's move to accord 'industry status' to hospitals

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Government committed to providing quality healthcare within the country and outside through promoting healthcare services sector- Suresh Prabhu

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Lt. Governor of Delhi felicitates 16 healthcare professionals & institutions at the 10th FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards ceremony

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Govt. keen to formalise a multi-stakeholder forum to make healthcare affordable & accessible to all: Health Minister J P Nadda

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FICCI welcomes launch of world's largest Universal Health Coverage Program

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Health insurance remains underpenetrated and expensive in the eyes of consumers in India: FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper

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Health insurance for the MSME workforce is key to the sector's growth story: FICCI-KPMG knowledge paper on the MSME sector

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FICCI-KPMG Report suggests Health Savings Account scheme linked to a high deductible health insurance cover

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IRDAI Chief calls for devising simple health insurance products to enhance coverage

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International Arogya 2017, first international summit on AYUSH and wellness gets underway

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"Healthcare must become accessible and affordable as it is a social justice issue", says IRDAI Chairman

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Demand for trained nurses will increase every year: FICCI-EY report

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Re-engineering 'People, Processes & Technology' key to provide quality healthcare to all: Health & Family Welfare Secretary

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"Re-engineering Indian healthcare is critical for the country" says FICCI

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FICCI takes the onus of encouraging its member organizations to celebrate 2nd International Day of Yoga

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Saving Two Lives: Unravelling the Burden of Thyroid and Influenza in Pregnancy

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Structured OPD covers can prevent 44% of hospitalization cases and reduce Out of Pocket healthcare spend: FICCI-Feedback Consulting Report

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Health insurance should be customer and community driven, says IRDAI Chief

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FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2015 presented

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Invest in preventive care, technological innovations, customize treatment and promote alternative medicine: Sangita Reddy

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Need for Innovative Financing Models to reshape the Indian Healthcare: FICCI-IMS Report

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Medical devices makers seek regulatory clarity, fiscal incentives, innovation hubs and correction of inverted import duty structure at 'FICCI Heal 2015'

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Govt. could provide public facilities to private sector to set up clinics, medical schools, colleges and diagnostic facilities

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Business houses should increasingly introduce Yoga under their employee wellness programs - FICCI

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FICCI statement on Yoga Day

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FICCI-Vidal Healthcare knowledge paper 'Leapfrogging beyond Hospitalization' & FICCI-Deloitte report on 'Ensuring care for the golden years - Way forward for India'

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FICCI recommends a blended approach towards universal health coverage

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FICCI welcomes Govt. efforts in reduction of Healthcare Costs; Says hospital categorization should be based on NABH Accreditation and not cost of care

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FICCI-NABL & IMA creates Awareness on Importance of Quality in Lab Practice

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FICCI & AICTE work towards bridging the gap in healthcare domain to meet workforce shortage

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FICCI's stand on fire at AMRI Hospital, Kolkata

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Three FICCI working groups reports to Sustain growth of Health Insurance sector

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FICCI Health Newsletter: Jan - Feb 2021

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FICCI Health Newsletter: Jan - Feb 2022

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FICCI Health Newsletter: July - August 2021

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FICCI Health Newsletter: March - April 2022

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FICCI Health Newsletter: Nov - Dec 2021

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FICCI Health Newsletter: Sep - Oct 2021

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FICCI Health Newsletter: May - June 2022

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FICCI Health Newsletter: July - August 2022

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FICCI Health Newsletter: September - October 2022

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FICCI Health Newsletter: November - December 2022

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FICCI Health Newsletter: January - February 2023

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FICCI Health Newsletter: March - April 2023

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