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There is a need to move from the compartmental approach to a convergent approach to reap the true benefits of digital health while creating a global institutional framework for digital health efforts, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar said on Tuesday.
Highlighting the significance of technology in the policy planning and program implementation arena, she said, "We are at an important juncture where all countries are aligning their healthcare service delivery with the integration of technology. Through this conference, we have observed a wide spectrum of ongoing digital health initiatives being undertaken by member countries and an assortment of ideas and innovations on digital interventions in healthcare which can support the achievement of Universal Health Coverage." The minister was addressing the concluding day of the "Global Conference on Digital Health - Taking Universal Health Coverage to the Last Citizen" a co-branded event under India's G20 Presidency organized by WHO - South-East Asia Region in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Speaking about the conference, she said, "Through this conference, we have observed a wide spectrum of ongoing digital health initiatives being undertaken by member countries and an assortment of ideas and innovations on digital interventions in healthcare which can support the achievement of Universal Health Coverage." She also said that the historic challenge of lack of data standards and their effective implementation restricts the interoperability within programs. Talking further about the issues behind the adoption of digital health interventions, Pawar said that the siloed approach within the healthcare ecosystem results in duplication of efforts in developing the same type of digital tools. "This reinventing the wheel approach have direct bearings on the amount being invested multiple times across multiple geographies, leading to inefficient use of available limited resources. Along with these, lack of skill development and trained human resources further creates a barrier for operationalization and scalability of tools," she further added. She also said that through various discussions in the last two days, it was highlighted that there is a need for a global institutional framework to realign the existing digital health efforts. "The focus should shift to implementation of tools across the world and in fact, we should be looking for bridging the digital divide through a mission mode approach for universalization of digital health", she emphasized. Highlighting India's commitment towards Universal Health coverage through the use of technology, Pawar stated that Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has already emphasized that India has prioritized digital health as a specific agenda. Inviting all the participants for the upcoming G20 Health Working Group (HWG) meeting, Pawar said that India is leading the G-20 agenda and has proposed strengthening of global health partnerships under the overarching theme of India's G20 presidency - One Earth, One Family, One Future. (ANI)
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