India's self-reliance to determine how high its flag of freedom flies: India Inc

Industry leaders on Saturday said India's self-reliance will determine how high and strong the country's flag of freedom flies, while also welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of National Digital Health Mission in his Independence Day speech.

Industry leaders on Saturday said India's self-reliance will determine how high and strong the country's flag of freedom flies, while also welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of National Digital Health Mission in his Independence Day speech. In a tweet, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani said, "Every Independence Day is a tribute to millions of sacrifices that earned us the freedom to be born & raised in a free country full of opportunities. From now on our Atmanirbharta will determine how high & strong the flag of freedom flies. Happy #IndependenceDay." Expressing similar views, Ficci President Sangita Reddy said, "The message and import of Aatmanirbhar Bharat was highlighted by the Prime Minister in very clear terms and shows that a strong and self-reliant India can be a source of great contribution to the world as well." She further said, "We live in an interconnected world where India's contribution must increase for the global good and this can be achieved only when we are strong from within." Welcoming the National Digital Health Mission, Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar Shaw said it will be transformational in assuring healthcare for all Indians.

"A strong digital health ecosystem, which incorporates a digital health card, is vital to make a real difference to healthcare delivery in the country. The prime minister's emphasis on research and innovation in healthcare shows that there is a huge recognition of what the industry has to offer especially now that the health and wellbeing of citizens is a priority in the national agenda," she said in a statement. Expressing similar views, Manipal Hospitals Chairman Sudarshan Ballal said, "India is in critical need of a reliable, affordable digital framework to manage public healthcare. The present challenges faced due to the coronavirus are a glaring reminder that a robust public healthcare framework is imperative for keeping the health of the nation." Ballal further said, "Modern innovations and use of digital technology will make a huge impact on the healthcare industry. Digital healthcare, AI and medical apps can truly be considered as the game changers in transforming healthcare in the country." Deloitte India Partner and Life Sciences and Healthcare Industry Leader Charu Sehgal said the mission can be a very significant development in moving India's Healthcare to the next level.

"Given that remote doctor consultation will continue even after the pandemic ends, the digital access to patient data can be a game changer leading to a more effective diagnosis. Most importantly, this will improve access by providing a big boost to consultation through telemedicine with specialist doctors for patients in smaller towns and remote locations," Sehgal added. Reddy also said, "Ficci is happy to note the launch of the National Digital Health Mission under which each individual will get a unique health ID that would be the reference point for his or her health status. Ficci has been working in this area for long and we congratulate the government for taking forward this initiative." She said it is reassuring to note that the government has put in place a blueprint and plan for the distribution of the much anticipated COVID-19 vaccine across the country.

Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Prathap C Reddy said even as the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, India is at the forefront of developing a vaccine "with several companies having made excellent progress". "I am optimistic that within a year, we will have a vaccine," he said while also drawing attention to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that "pose a bigger threat to the future of humanity and account for close to 80 per cent of global mortality".

"Bearing this hard reality in mind, it is very important that patients battling chronic diseases do not neglect their health any longer on account of the pandemic and seek timely medical attention. Further, a delay could also lead to emergencies on account of uncontrolled progression of NCDs, choking the medical ecosystem in our country," Prathap C Reddy said. He further said, "Overcoming this crisis and a resolute determination to be free from NCDs (non-communicable diseases) must be our collective goal on Independence Day 2020. Just as we are combatting COVID-19, similarly, a war against NCDs must be an equally important imperative for India as the prevalence of these diseases is becoming younger." Assocham Secretary General Deepak Sood said, "The nation felt reassured by the prime minister's message that the government is readying a comprehensive blueprint for the mass scale production of vaccines against coronavirus. Making good health for each and every Indian a national priority would yield the best dividend for the country." He also said the prime minister has shown a clear pathway for economic recovery through a huge infrastructure investment pipeline of Rs 110 lakh crore on 7,000 projects.

CBRE India, South East Asia, Middle East & Africa, Chairman & CEO Anshuman Magazine said the investments on infrastructure projects is a positive step to strengthen our economy. "The integrated approach for multi-modal infrastructure connectivity along with the stimulus will bring in a major revolution to the current state of the real estate sector and will boost the sentiments of all stakeholders," he said adding the identified projects would further reinforce stability and accelerate development across the sector.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)