India is no longer just a country that produces affordable medicines it is fast becoming the world’s most sought-after destination for healthcare.
That was the central message from Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who heads the Ministry of Science & Technology and the Ministry of Earth Sciences, at the WION Health Pulse summit held in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Speaking to WION at the event, Dr Singh said India has firmly established itself as a global leader in preventive healthcare and the numbers back that up.
“We were the first to come out with the DNA vaccine in COVID, then also offer it to 30 other countries. Now we have the HPV vaccine, which is known to be effective in cervical cancer, more so common in females,” he said.
India’s scientific breakthroughs, however, go beyond vaccines. Dr Singh highlighted the country’s growing reputation for producing world-class medical devices and equipment at prices that no other country can match.
From heart valves to diagnostic tools, India is now manufacturing high-quality healthcare products that are both accessible and affordable.
“Anything available in any part of the world is also available over here. And that too at a much more cost-effective price,” Dr Singh noted, adding that this combination of quality and affordability has made India the preferred healthcare destination for patients travelling from abroad.
“We are also attracting medical tourism from outside. So that’s a huge change in nature,” he said.
One of the most striking achievements Dr Singh spoke about was India’s breakthrough in treating hemophilia a rare blood clotting disorder. India has become the first country to successfully conduct a gene-driven trial offering a genetic remedy for the condition.
“Hemophilia, we are the first to have come out with a successful gene-driven trial, a genetic remedy for hemophilia, which is a clotting disorder,” he said. Putting this in historical context, Dr Singh recalled that the first known case of hemophilia was traced back to a cousin of Queen Victoria.
“Not only have we qualified in tropical diseases originating from India, we are now also in a position to find solutions for diseases which originated from the West,” he added a statement that captures just how far India’s medical capabilities have come.
From pioneering vaccines to gene therapy and cost-effective devices, India’s healthcare story is no longer one of potential. It is one of delivery.
