The need to develop new healthcare skills that would also result in increasing employment generation was highlighted at a seminar organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the UK India Business Council (UKIBC).
Patricia Hewitt, Chair, UKIBC, wanted more collaborations between the two countries in healthcare sector. “Non-infectious lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and obesity are areas where we need to focus. The UK is also faced with aging problem and India has challenges in inclusive growth and poverty eradication,” she said.
Speakers including Roy Newey, Co-Chair UK India Skills Forum, and Vikas Singh, President, Crux Management Systems, stressed on the need to train healthcare professionals by re-designing training programmes at various levels to deliver healthcare at affordable costs.
It was pointed out that there were no specific degree-level courses for lab technicians, such as in radiology or anaesthesia in India. Although the country produced 45,000 MBBS doctors every year, it needed about two lakh new doctors to cater to growing healthcare needs.
B. Ashok Reddy, Vice-Chairman, CII Andhra Pradesh, pointed out that some of the developments expected were rise in non-invasive technology and minimal access technology and gene profiling.