Written by : Jayati Dubey
January 27, 2025
Source: X (Twitter)
The UK's Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) highlighted that the agreement reinforces the UK’s long-standing partnership with India in healthcare innovation and health security.
India and the United Kingdom have formalized a strategic partnership to enhance bilateral cooperation in healthcare and life sciences.
The Health and Life Sciences Partnership, signed by UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting in London, aims to bolster collaboration in health technology, innovation, and digitization across the UK's state-funded National Health Service (NHS).
The agreement, signed at the Indian end by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda, will cover various areas, including joint research, information sharing, and cooperation through multilateral platforms.
A key focus will be addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a critical issue for both nations.
The UK's Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) highlighted that the agreement reinforces the UK’s long-standing partnership with India in healthcare innovation and health security.
Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, emphasized the mutual strengths of both countries in the health sector.
He noted that the partnership recognizes the expertise of both India and the UK in healthcare and life sciences.
Doraiswami also stressed that India, as one of the world's largest producers of generic antibiotics, plays a crucial role in global antibiotic accessibility, making AMR a shared concern.
The partnership extends beyond AMR, covering medical training, digital health interventions, and improvements in healthcare services.
Given India’s expertise in training doctors and healthcare professionals, the agreement presents opportunities for collaboration in NHS reforms, particularly in digital healthcare solutions.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) outlines cooperation in areas such as telemedicine, disease surveillance, and cybersecurity to strengthen digital health resilience.
Additionally, the agreement aims to build mutual medical supply resilience, ensuring preparedness for future disruptions in healthcare supply chains.
The partnership will also focus on strengthening medical training and workforce development, improving regulation and quality assurance of medicines and medical devices, and enhancing medical value travel to facilitate access to specialized treatments.
Collaborative research and strategies to combat global health threats, including infectious diseases, will also be a priority.
The agreement aims to create new opportunities for innovation and efficiency in both countries’ healthcare systems by fostering stronger regulatory frameworks and improving healthcare service delivery.
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