Robotic, telehealth, AI innovations to drive India’s healthcare sector: Report

Robotic, Telehealth, AI Innovations To Drive India’s Healthcare Sector: Report

by Utkalika Mohanty

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

India’s healthcare sector is likely to witness a transformative shift with the adoption of digital technologies like robotics, telehealth, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), according to a report on Monday.

New Delhi, Apr 8: India’s healthcare sector is likely to witness a transformative shift with the adoption of digital technologies like robotics, telehealth, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), according to a report on Monday.

The report by Deloitte showed that digital and technological innovations, infrastructure boom, and major government and private initiatives and partnerships are likely to drive the health sector in the country.

The report noted a collaborative approach by the government and private sector in shaping the healthcare future of the country.

While the government launched notable initiatives, such as the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and e-Sanjeevani, as building blocks to develop a digitised health ecosystem, private players have begun using digital technologies like robotics, telehealth, and AI.

It also showed the increasing adoption of 5G by private entities to deliver tech-enabled care. The growth indicates increased access to high-speed connectivity in healthcare.

"India's rapidly expanding digital economy, with over 75 million 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) broadband subscriptions in 2021, projected to reach approximately 460 million by 2030, is driving tech-enabled care. While we've seen significant 5G growth, it's crucial to sustain this, especially in rural areas,” said Joydeep Ghosh, Partner, and Industry Leader for Life Sciences & Healthcare at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India.

"We're making strides with projects like the 'Anaemia Mukt Mahilayen' and 'Sanjeevani Pariyojana,' using digital solutions to address anaemia and provide virtual support for Covid-19," he added.

However, the report also stressed the need to address challenges like cybersecurity, infrastructure gaps, personnel shortages, and digital disparities.

(IANS)

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BJP Approaches EC Over Sujata Karthikeyan's "Gross Misconduct for BJD's Electoral Gains" In Odisha

by Hemanta Pande

New Delhi/ Bhubaneswar, May 2: The central leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday approached the Election Commission here accusing Odisha’s Mission Shakti Department Secretary, Sujata Karthikeyan of “misusing” her position to mobilise women attached with self-help groups “for electoral gains" of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

A delegation led by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi and senior party leader Om Pathak met the Election Commission and submitted a memorandum in this regard.

"Sujata Pandian, IAS, Commissioner cum Secretary, Mission Shakti, who is the wife of VK Pandian, also known as V Karthikeyan Pandian, is not only affiliated politically to the BJD, but also indulging in grave misconduct through misuse of authority, government machinery, and man power for influencing voters through 'SVEEP' for electoral gains of the BJD," the BJP leaders wrote in memorandum.

The BJP leaders alleged that VK Pandian, who also served as the Private Secretary to CM Patnaik for over a decade, wields considerable influence within the state’s administration.

“In November 2023, after taking voluntary retirement from IAS, Pandian joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party. He was subsequently appointed as the chairman of the state’s flagship programme- 5T transformational initiatives with the rank of a Cabinet Minister...His proximity to the Chief Minister as well as the BJD cannot be overemphasized,” the memorandum reads.

"With a view to preserve the unbiased and unblemished reputation of ECI, it would be the fitness of things to relieve Sujata R. Karthikeyan, IAS, from the post of Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Mission Shakti, Government of Odisha and not assigned any public dealing duty till the conclusion of the impending Parliamentary and Assembly Elections in the State of Odisha" it says.

SVEEP is the flagship programme of the Election Commission of India for voter education, spreading voter awareness and promoting voter literacy in the country.

Assembly and Lok Sabha elections will be held simultaneously in Odisha in four phases, starting from Phase one on May 13, Phase two on May 20, Phase three on May 25 and the final Phase on June 1.

The results will be announced on June 4.

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Covaxin Has Excellent Safety Record, Says Bharat Biotech

by Hemanta Pande

Hyderabad, May 2: Bharat Biotech on Thursday said that its Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin has an excellent safety record without any vaccine-associated incidents of blood clots, thrombocytopenia, TTS, VITT, pericarditis, myocarditis, etc, as it was developed with a single-minded focus on safety first, followed by efficacy.

The Hyderabad-based company issued a statement amid questions being raised in some quarters over the safety of Covid vaccines after global pharmaceutical manufacturer AstraZeneca admitted that its Covid vaccine Covishield, developed by researchers from Oxford University, can cause a rare side effect of blood clotting and low platelet count after immunisation.

As many as 175 crore doses of Covishield, developed by AstraZeneca and manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute, were reportedly administered in India.

Bharat Biotech mentioned that Covaxin was the only Covid-19 vaccine in the Indian government’s Covid-19 immunisation programme to have conducted efficacy trials in India.

"Covaxin was evaluated in more than 27,000 subjects as part of its licensure process. It was licensed under restricted use in clinical trial mode, where detailed safety reporting was carried out for several hundred thousand subjects," the vaccine manufacturer said.

The safety of Covaxin was also evaluated by the Ministry of Health.

"Ongoing safety monitoring (pharmacovigilance) was continued throughout the product life cycle of Covaxin. All the above studies and safety follow-up activities have demonstrated an excellent safety record for Covaxin without any vaccine-associated incidents of blood clots, Thrombocytopenia, TTS, VITT, pericarditis, myocarditis, etc.," it said.

"As seasoned innovators and product developers, the Bharat Biotech team was well aware that, while the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines may be short-lived, the impact on patient safety could last a lifetime. Hence safety is the primary focus for all our vaccines," it added. (IANS)

Robotic, telehealth, AI innovations to drive India’s healthcare sector: Report

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