New Delhi: In a significant push for stronger public-private collaboration in healthcare, Union Health Minister JP Nadda emphasised the crucial role of private players in strengthening the country’s digital health ecosystem and expanding access to affordable care.
Inaugurating the 300-bed super-speciality hospital at Dwarka, the greenfield and 22nd facility of Max Healthcare, Nadda urged the private hospital to join the Ayushman Bharat Mission by integrating with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ADHM) and the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA).
He stressed that integrating with ADHM and ABHA will enhance public-private collaboration in healthcare, ensuring that quality and affordable care reaches all corners of the country. He added that this initiative aligns with the government’s broader vision of achieving a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
“I urge Max Healthcare to integrate fully with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and Ayushman Bharat Health Account,” said Nadda. He emphasized the importance of private players in strengthening the country’s digital health ecosystem and broadening access to affordable care.
He also added that to set the goal of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, public-private partnerships are essential. Both government and private institutions must work hand-in-hand. We must ensure that healthcare is not just of high quality, but also affordable and accessible. Achieving this requires a balance of speed, scale, and skill.
He also acknowledged that healthcare reforms initiated under the 2017 National Health Policy have propelled India from a curative model to a more holistic framework that encompasses preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative care.
“Our 177,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are now screening both men and women above 30 for a range of conditions, including cancer, hypertension, and mental health issues,” he added.
As part of preventive care, every individual over 30 is being screened for oral, breast, and cervical cancers, hypertension, diabetes, dental issues, and mental health concerns. “We remain fully committed to supporting the private sector in achieving our shared healthcare goals,” Nadda affirmed.
In a broader context, Nadda noted that under the leadership of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, India had only one AIIMS, but today, under Prime Minister Modi, 16 more have been added, bringing the total to 23 AIIMS. He highlighted that state-of-the-art infrastructure in both the public and private sectors has helped overcome the previous trend of doctors seeking treatment abroad.
“In the last decade, the number of medical colleges has increased from 387 to 780. MBBS seats have risen from 51,000 to 180,000, and PG seats have grown from 31,000 to 74,000. We plan to add 75,000 more MBBS/UG seats in the next five years,” he shared.
Reflecting on India’s COVID-19 response, Nadda compared it to Western nations, emphasizing the resilience and scale of India’s healthcare system. “While other nations struggled with lockdown protests and low vaccine uptake, India administered over 2.2 billion doses—even in remote and Naxal-affected regions—demonstrating the robustness of our infrastructure,” he said.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to supporting the private sector, Nadda concluded, “Public-private partnerships are not optional—they are essential. We are committed to affordability, accessibility, and equity in healthcare.”
