Comprehending the Transformative Vision of One Earth One Health-Advantage Healthcare India

Swasti Sharma*

सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः । सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः ।
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु । मा कश्चित् दुःख भाग्भवेत् ॥

“True progress is people-centric. No matter how many advances are made in medical science, access must be assured to the last person at the last mile” – PM Modi (2023)

India’s G20 Presidency was immensely motivated by the all-encompassing motto of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future.’ The indigenous adages of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and ‘Sarve Santu Niramaya’ influenced the core vision behind the call for “One Earth, One Health.” New India envisions an interconnected and integrated world where the overall health of Dyavapṛthivi (Rig Veda) and the welfare of every Manuṣyā are simultaneously ensured. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India held the ‘One Earth One Health- Advantage Healthcare India 2023’ event in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). It spanned from 26th-27th April 2023 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the event that witnessed the gracious presence of Health Ministers of Somalia, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Ghana, Armenia, Egypt, Guinea, Maldives, and Nigeria. It foregrounded the significance of global partnerships for strengthening the global health framework. PM Modi underscored Bharat’s will to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through value-based healthcare, by placing a premium on patient mobility and healthcare workforce mobility.

The Hon’ble Prime Minister remarked in his address, “India’s outlook towards health has been holistic for thousands of years.” By reaffirming faith in civilizational ethos and ancient scriptures, the long tradition of preventive and promotive health with systems such as Yoga and meditation was invoked. “The world is looking for solutions to stress and lifestyle diseases. India’s traditional healthcare systems hold a lot of answers”, the Prime Minister reiterated in the presence of stakeholders from public and private sectors as well as professional and academic domains. He also emphasized that healthcare should extend to the ecosystem and not just remain limited to humans. Besides acknowledging India’s talent, technology, track record and tradition, PM Modi further elaborated that Indian doctors, nurses, and caregivers are widely admired for their competence, commitment, and talent. It’s well-known that the Ayushman Bharat Scheme is the world’s largest Government-funded health insurance coverage scheme. It covers the medical treatments of over 500 million Indian citizens where more than 40 million have already availed the services in a cashless and paperless manner resulting in the citizens saving nearly 7 billion dollars.

The One Earth One Health-Advantage Healthcare India 2023 event was a phenomenal success. It was the biggest Government-sponsored Medical Value Travel (MVT) event held across the world with approximately 500+ foreign delegates from 73 countries, and over 9444 (B2B, G2G, B2G) meetings held between hospital chains, start-ups, insurance companies, and medical value travel facilitators. Health Ministers from the aforementioned countries also participated enthusiastically in a field visit to Indian hospitals to witness the Indian healthcare infrastructure. A whopping 286 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed by 9 Indian healthcare organizations with international healthcare organizations. They covered diverse areas of specialization such as gastroenterology, cardiology, neurology, oncology, transplant surgery, doctor & nurse training, CMEs, patient management, etc. Global healthcare organizations from Uzbekistan, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Oman, Kenya, Ethiopia, Congo, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Iraq, Burundi, Botswana, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Russia, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, UAE, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Bhutan, Iran, Myanmar, Guinea, Turkey, Thailand, Ghana, Azerbaijan, Sudan, Cameroon, Somalia, Rwanda, Zambia, Mauritius, Uganda, Turkmenistan, Cambodia and Bahrain were esteemed signatories. The Internationale Tourismus Börse (ITB), Berlin conferred the Global Medical Tourism Award 2023 to the MoHFW (Government of India) for India’s ​holistic healthcare, ​innovative offerings, and outstanding medical treatment facilities.

Around 14 panel sessions were conducted with seasoned speakers and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from the Ministry of Health, Tourism, External Affairs, Commerce and Industry, AYUSH, and industry fora. ‘Regional Roundtable Sessions’ with representatives from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Gulf and African regions were held. Global collaborations and partnerships were thoroughly encouraged. Moreover, a panel discussion on ‘Overcoming the Global Shortage of Healthcare Professionals’, AYUSH as a Value Addition in Medical Tourism was also held. The event also showcased the success stories of Medical Tourism as narrated by international patients in India. The ‘One Earth One Health-Advantage Healthcare India 2023’ highlighted the crucial role of holistic healthcare. The Hon’ble Prime Minister mentioned, “for thousands of years, India’s outlook towards health has been holistic”. While Bharat reposes its faith in collective efforts, it is also aiding healthcare organizations to accelerate their efforts toward a more comprehensive health system overhaul. Each country can foster efficient and judicious employment of each other’s strengths to devise effective policies for quality healthcare. Bharat is striving to draft a systematic Medical Tourism Policy that will efficaciously exhibit the motto of सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः.

*Assistant Professor (English), Satyawati College, University of Delhi