Nadda to Announce New Initiative for Meditech Industry, says Senior Official

The initiative will include marginal investment schemes, support for clinical studies, a clinical investigation framework, and the creation of meditech and pharmaceutical clusters across the country.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda is set to announce a new initiative aimed at boosting India’s meditech industry, a senior official confirmed on Wednesday.

The announcement will be made during a press conference marking 100 days of PM Narendra Modi's third term.

The initiative, called Meditech Architecture, will include marginal investment schemes, support for clinical studies, a clinical investigation framework, and the creation of meditech and pharmaceutical clusters across the country.

Dr Arunish Chawla, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, shared these details during a session organized by the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI).

“This program will address challenges and introduce policies to boost the sector’s contribution to the economy, improve healthcare access, and strengthen its global market position,” Chawla said.

Chawla highlighted that while India’s pharmaceutical sector has made significant strides, there is a need for forward-looking policies.

He pointed to issues such as price and tax arbitrage that must be tackled for the industry to remain competitive globally.

Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, stressed the need for a balanced approach between infrastructure development and public welfare.

He noted that while healthcare coverage has expanded, rising costs remain a challenge, particularly for the middle class.

Government spending on healthcare has increased from 1.5% to 1.8% of GDP, but balancing public services with infrastructure support remains difficult, Chawla said.

Recently, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, JP Nadda launched the National Medical Register (NMR) Portal of the National Medical Commission (NMC) for registration of all the MBBS doctors in India.

This move aligns with the NMC Act, 2019, which states that the Ethics & Medical Registration Board (EMRB) shall maintain a National Register in electronic form containing the name, address, and all recognized qualifications possessed by a licensed medical practitioner.

The NMR will be a comprehensive and dynamic database for all allopathic (MBBS) registered doctors in India. It is linked with the doctor’s Aadhaar ID which ensures the individual’s authenticity.

Speaking at the event, Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra said, “the NMR will be a part of the Healthcare Professional Registry under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and will contain all the details of the medical professionals.”

Days back, Nadda inaugurated super specialty blocks at government medical colleges in Gaya and Bhagalpur and an upgraded Regional Institute of Ophthalmology at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences in Patna.

Nadda also highlighted other recent healthcare developments in Bihar, such as the increase in the number of medical colleges from 12 to 35.

He stated that once the proposed AIIMS in Darbhanga is completed, residents will no longer need to travel outside the state for advanced treatment, and even patients from neighboring Nepal could benefit.