In the latest edition of PandemiCast, we discuss telehealth and telemedicine. During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth and telemedicine are gaining much traction as healthcare providers the world over innovate to ensure continuity of care. In a discussion moderated by Mark Chataway, we speak with Gil Bashe of Finn Partners; Abi Gleek of Every1Mobile; and Abhijeet […]
digital health
Digital health tie-up between AIIMS Mangalagiri and IIT-Madras
In the pursuit of affordable digital health-based solutions to problems facing Indian healthcare, the All India Institute of Sciences (AIIMS) in Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh and the India Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras in Chennai, Tamil Nadu have announced in recent weeks a collaboration. “The strengths that IIT-Madras brings with depth in many technological fields such […]
E-health growth fuelled by online pharmacies
The e-health segment in India continues to grow with online pharmacies leading the way. Currently valued at US$1.2 billion, Bengaluru-based firm Red-Seer Consulting estimates the e-health sector to reach US$16 billion in the next five years with online pharmacies fuelling the increase in its value. Uptake is also projected to swell, with 57 million Indian […]
Health data security: Breach casts spotlight on flaws
In yet another reminder of the frailty of India’s health data security, sensitive information has been disseminated online in a breach affecting multiple healthcare providers across several states and union territories. The data exposed include 121 million medical images of patients, such as x-rays and scans, and more than a million medical records according to […]
‘In a digital world’ – Experts call for digital pharma
Multiple stakeholders from the Indian pharmaceutical and healthcare industries are calling for increased digitisation, arguing that a trend towards ‘digital pharma’ is fuelling the sector’s growth. “To understand how the digital transformation is occurring in pharma marketing, we would need to look at both the patient’s side and the healthcare professional’s side,” asserted Atul Sharma, […]
AI use in healthcare urged by Niti Aayog
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) has been encouraged in the healthcare sector by government think tank Niti Aayog. Agriculture, education, infrastructure (including smart cities) and smart mobility and transportation were the other sectors where state governments and Union ministries were urged to investigate potential applications of AI. Niti Aayog has previously expressed that by […]
India’s digital health push goes international at BRICS
In a meeting of BRICS nations, India is expanding its digital health push to the international level by hosting a summit on the same. The BRICS summit – bringing together Brazil, China, India, Russia, and South Africa – is taking place in Brazilian capital Brasilia with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance. “The Prime Minister […]
Kerala’s startups touted for their role in cancer care
Health minister K. K. Shailaja has emphasised the importance of Kerala’s startups in the state’s healthcare system. Speaking at a symposium jointly organised by the Cochin Cancer Research Centre and Kerala Startup Mission, Shailaja touted the role of Kerala’s startups in care for diseases such as cancer. “We at the ministry keep getting requests for […]
E-pharmacy regulation on the cards as ministers meet
E-pharmacy regulation is being discussed by ministers as the industry grows by leaps and bounds in India. The sector, which accounts for between two and three percent of the US$20 billion pharma market in India at present, is expected to grow sevenfold by 2022 when it is expected to be valued at US$3.7 billion compared […]
A digital health blueprint for universal healthcare
Dr Harsh Vardhan has urged stakeholders to work towards implementing India’s digital health blueprint in order to facilitate a digital health economy. “[The] Government of India is committed to ensuring high quality healthcare, accessible to all upto the last mile,” said Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Science and Technology. “The digital […]