India as a Global Living Laboratory for Healthcare Innovation, Says Union Minister Chandra Shekhar, ET HealthWorld

New Delhi: Reflecting over India’s large population base and its diversity, Union Minister Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, voiced that the country can step up as a”living laboratory” for the world, and offer scalable models for digital transformation of healthcare.

Speaking at the inaugural edition of ETHealthworld FutureMed X – The Smart Patient Care Summit, the Minister of State for Communications & Ministry of Rural Development, said the country has the potential to serve as a “living laboratory” for the world. and building on the existing evidence India can develop its own high-quality scalable solutions and drive healthcare digital transformation.”

With collaboration between entrepreneurs and the government, we can make this process successful and ensure that our citizens receive healthcare services that meet global quality standards, the minister added.

Delivering the Chief Guest address, Dr Chandra Sekhar noted, with record investment in medical education, the country is nearing to achieve the World Health Organisation (WHO) optimal number of doctors and integration of telemedicine has further boosted access to services.

Speaking further, the Union Minister stressed that entrepreneurs in the country can explore innovative business models to address healthcare challenges, such as drone-based delivery of essential medicines and mobile vans equipped with trained MBBS doctors and physicians.

Advocating for self-reliance, Dr Chandra Sekhar said that India needs to develop its own system and needs to focus on investing in primary and preventive care.

By leveraging digital infrastructure and implementing price controls, along with effective workforce planning, the country can overcome existing healthcare challenges, he added.

The inaugural edition FutureMed X – The Smart Patient Care Summit designed to discuss and understand the dynamics of AI-driven diagnostics, IoT-enabled healthcare, telemedicine, and data-driven decision-making—paving the way for a more intelligent, connected, and patient-first healthcare ecosystem.