Pune: Union minister of state for health and family welfare and chemicals and fertilisers, Anupriya Patel, called for stronger collaboration between the government, healthcare professionals, industry and academia to achieve accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for all, while addressing MEDHARMONY 2026 in Pune recently.
Event Context
The event’s second edition brought together clinicians, hospital leaders, policymakers and healthcare innovators to discuss the future of Indian healthcare.
Highlighting the government’s efforts towards universal health coverage, Patel spoke about initiatives including Ayushman Bharat, digital health platforms, expansion of medical education and preventive healthcare programmes. She emphasised the role of technology, including the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, telemedicine and digital health records, in improving healthcare access, especially in underserved areas.
The minister urged doctors and healthcare professionals to support national efforts against non-communicable diseases, antimicrobial resistance and vaccine hesitancy, while highlighting the importance of public-private partnerships in strengthening healthcare delivery. She said India has the potential to become a global hub for pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical device innovation.
The event opened with a welcome address by Dr Aditi Karad, executive director, VishwaRaj Hospital and trustee and joint secretary general, MAEER’s MIT Group, Pune, who said MEDHARMONY aims to create meaningful dialogue among all stakeholders of the healthcare ecosystem.
A panel discussion titled “Rethinking Private Healthcare: Trust, Transparency & Transformation” featured Dr Mahesh Baldawa, Dr PK Grant, and Dr Ankit Thakkar, and explored healthcare affordability, patient trust, insurance coverage, technology adoption and medico-legal challenges. The session was moderated by Dr Karad and Dr Parag Sancheti, chairman and managing director, Sancheti Hospital.
The programme included sessions by Dr PD Shenoy on clinical judgement, ethics and legal accountability, and Dr Baldawa on violence against healthcare professionals.
