Medical value travel key to address disparities in healthcare system

Health has a substantial impact on the economic security of a nation, so there is an urgent need to integrate traditional methods of medicine alongside modern ones, a senior Central government official said here on Friday.

Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, highlighted on integrative healthcare and said, “It seeks to treat health issues holistically by focusing on a patient-centric approach.” It aspires to achieve universal health coverage through value-based healthcare, he said while delivering the keynote address at the sideline of an event on ‘Medical Value Travel’ on the third day of first Health Working Group of G20 India Presidency here.

“Medical value travel is an essential component for idealistic healthcare to address vulnerabilities and disparities of healthcare systems,” Kotecha was quoted as saying in an official statement.

Underlining the impact of the pandemic, the official said health has a substantial impact on the economic security of a nation, hence there is an urgent need to strengthen healthcare systems to integrate traditional methods of medicine alongside modern medicine.

In resonance with the notion of ‘One World, One Health’, Kotecha emphasised that “multilateral collaborations are imperative for knowledge-sharing and formulating framework for accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare.” He elucidated that connecting the globe through medical value travel based on integrated healthcare would serve to address the vulnerabilities and disparities of existing healthcare systems.

Key interventions and detailed deliberations convened by the panelists delved into promotive and preventive measures of traditional health services and its power in healing, the statement said.

It was unanimously agreed that the combination of modern medicine with traditional healing methods is exponentially powerful in not just treating the disease but holistically healing the body.

The delegates pointed out that integrated healthcare is the need of the hour and is poised to become a robust, high-value high-growth segment of the healthcare sector, it said.

They were of the view that it offers a medium to achieve universal health coverage by way of enabling equitable access to value-based healthcare services across the globe.

The panelists showed interest to collectively forge and harness knowledge and assets to take the momentum on medical travel tourism forward in this presidency.

V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary, Lav Agarwal, Additional Secretary (MoHFW), Vishal Chauhan, Joint Secretary (MoHFW), and senior government officials were present, the statement said.

Representatives from the G20 member-countries attended the event. PTI