Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has become an extremely successful and scalable platform. It is a simple single dimension money transfer system. Health provisioning has hundreds and thousands of stakeholders – small clinics, large hospitals, technology-savvy hospitals, pharmacies, diagnosticians and laboratories. This information was delivered by Dr Ram Sewak Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Authority (NHA), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.

Speaking at the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI)’s 8th National Forum that was held virtually on ‘Reviving the Economy: Reimagine. Reboot. Reform’, on 22 October, Dr Sharma explained that technology in the health sector has to be inclusive, cater to diversity, interoperable, scalable, frugal, user-friendly, not become an additional burden on a doctor’s part and easy to integrate into the workflow. Above all, it should be people-centric.

Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS advocated, “We have to adapt to technology as per the needs of the health sector.” He also cited the need to address health as equity and invest more in research and entrepreneurship. A well structured adequately-financed PPP plan, he feels, can become a defining moment for the health sector.

Deepshikha Dharmaraj, Managing Committee Member, PAFI and Chief Executive Officer, Genesis BCW Member, BCW India Board introduced the session and shared how India’s one billion vaccine milestone reiterates the strength of India’s healthcare sector and the spirit of partnership between the government and industry.