Biomedical Engineering courses will be run in IITs: PM Modi on medical research

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that courses like biomedical engineering will be run in institutions like Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). He informed that India has started work on skilled manpower for future medical technology and high-end manufacturing and research.

The Prime Minister who was talking in the ninth of a series of 12 post-budget webinars on ‘Health and Medical Research’ asked the participants to find ways of industry-academia and government collaboration.

More than 260 new medical colleges have been opened in the last few years. “This has doubled the medical seats in graduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) medical courses as compared to 2014,” he informed.

Highlighting this year’s Budget 2023, PM Narendra Modi underlined the emphasis on the nursing field. “Opening 157 nursing colleges in the vicinity of the medical colleges is a huge step in the direction of medical human resources. This may be useful in fulfilling global demand, not just the domestic need”, he said.

Talking about how the role of technology in constantly making medical services accessible and affordable, the Prime Minister elaborated on the government’s focus on the implementation of technology in the sector.

“We want to give timely healthcare to the citizens through the facility of Digital Health ID. 10 crore people have already benefited by teleconsultation through schemes like e-Sanjivini”, he said.

“5 G is creating new opportunities in this sector for startups. Drones are bringing revolutionary changes in medicine delivery and testing services. This is a great opportunity for the entrepreneurs and will give a push to our efforts for universal healthcare”, he said.

Concluding the address, PM Modi stressed that “a developed health and wellness ecosystem can be created in India only with Sabka Prayas (everyone's efforts) and requested all stakeholders to give in their valuable suggestions”.