The second International Symposium on Health Technology Assessment (ISHTA) 2023 was held in New Delhi on 10 March 2023. Organized by Health Technology Assessment in India, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India (GoI), in collaboration with WHO India Country Office and Center for Global Development, the symposium’s theme for this year was ‘Affordability, availability and accessibility of healthcare technologies through evidence generated by Health Technology Assessment (HTA) for Universal Health Coverage’.
Honorable Vice President of India Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar lighting the lamp with Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya at the inauguration of ISHTA 2023 (© WHO India)
In his address, Honorable Vice President of India Shri Jagdeep Dhankar said that is encouraging the industry and scientific communities to identify and formulate innovative, cost effective and frugal technologies thereby boosting the Make in India initiative.
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said, “HTA is an important mechanism for priority setting in the country to achieve our goal of providing equitable, better quality health care services in a cost-effective way.” Prof V. K. Paul, Member NITI Aayog, GoI, noted that including HTA as part of healthcare decision-making activities will accelerate movement towards equitable and affordable healthcare for all.
Congratulating the ministry for their commitment towards strengthening evidence-informed decision-making in healthcare in the country through health technology assessment, Dr Roderico H Ofrin, WHO Representative to India, said, “It is essential to have continuing thrust on innovation and foster local production to create enabling landscape for innovators, and researchers for translational research from bench to bedside.”
The symposium was attended by Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research; Dr Roli Singh, Additional Secretary, and Mission Director National Health Mission, MoHFW; Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research; and Dr Javier Guzman, Director, Center for Global Development, and delegates from 23 countries. Dr Bahl released the ‘Policy Briefs (volume 2)” report containing policy briefs of HTA studies conducted in India in the concluding session.
A ‘Market Place’ at the symposium showcased HTA recommendations implemented by the national and state governments, including ABR hearing screening device for neonates, sickle cell diagnostic kits, safety engineered syringes, portable ECG, Cy-Tb for TB diagnosis and neonatal resuscitators.