The Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) organised a ‘Round table meeting on VISION 2030: QUALITY & AFFORDABLE HEALTH FOR ALL’ virtually addressed by Padma Bhushan Dr Devi Shetty as Chief Guest on 15th May 2023 at J.S.K Krishna Murthy Hall, Federation House, Hyderabad. Prof. B.R.Shamanna, School of Medical Sciences, University of Hyderabad was the guest of honour at this event.
In his address, Dr. Devi Shetty, chief guest, highlighted the importance of providing quality healthcare regardless of wealth and emphasized the need to address healthcare costs and accessibility. He emphasized that healthcare should be accessible to the poor, challenging the notion that it is expensive. He emphasized the need for health insurance as a financial intermediary to bridge the affordability gap. He stressed the importance of health insurance in making healthcare affordable and accessible, especially for the missing middle class and the economically disadvantaged. He shared the experience of Narayana Hrudayalaya and the Farmers’ cooperative insurance scheme called Yashaswini about 18 years ago of an affordable health insurance scheme for the community that formed the foundation for the much touted and trendsetting Arogyashri Health Insurance initiative in the combine state of AP in 2008. He pointed out the challenges faced by a large country like India in providing universal healthcare through taxation, citing the need for alternative solutions, and suggested that hospitals themselves can become health insurance companies to eliminate conflicts of interest and provide affordable healthcare. He touted the establishing a Health Savings Account among the unorganized sector workforce, wherein individuals can deposit a small amount each month to cover medical expenses. He highlighted the tax benefits of such accounts and encouraged states like Telangana and organizations like FTCCI to lead in implementing this approach.
Prof. B R Shamanna, addressing the participants, emphasized the importance of addressing equity issues and implementing a comprehensive framework to reach the unreached populations in Telangana. He said as a new state, significant progress could be made in achieving the vision of quality and affordable healthcare for all in Telangana through a healthcare transformative approach. There is a need to sustain the gains and to bridge the gap between demand and supply, improve governance and leadership, and leverage technology for better healthcare outcomes going ahead towards 2030.
Mr Anil Agarwal President FTCCI, Mr Shekar Agarwal, Health Committee Convenor, Mr. Meela Jayadev, Vice President and Ms Khyati Narvane,CEO FTCCI participated in the round table and concluding summary was provided by Dr Subodh Kandamuthan, Director. ASCI, Health Sector Area.
Around 35 delegates participated in the event which included professionals from various sectors like healthcare, public health expert’s, industrialists, and also public sector representatives.