Lucknow: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday asserted that India is setting new benchmarks in medical research and developing indigenous solutions to global health challenges through gene therapy and nuclear medicine.
India's health system is also emerging as more self-reliant, he said, addressing the 22nd convocation ceremony of the King George's Medical University, Lucknow.
"Today, India's health system has emerged as more self-reliant, accessible, affordable, modern and people-centric as compared to earlier times. Today, India is developing indigenous solutions to global health challenges through gene therapy, nuclear medicine, and other modern technologies," Singh said.
He said that there was a time when Gorakhpur was known across the country for serious diseases like Japanese Encephalitis, but not anymore.
The Lok Sabha MP from Lucknow said the country's scientists have successfully demonstrated an indigenous gene therapy to treat haemophilia, and scientists at an institute in Pune have developed a nanomedicine for breast cancer.
The Production Linked Incentive scheme, he said, has given fresh momentum to the manufacturing of medical equipment.
"In 2024, we developed Nafithromycin --- the first indigenous macrolide antibiotic. It will prove highly effective in the treatment of Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia. Today, India is rapidly advancing towards self-reliance in the health sector. In 2023, we developed the first indigenous MRI machine, which is affordable, lightweight, ultrafast, and high-field," Singh said.
The minister noted that people across the country are receiving high-quality medicines at affordable prices through more than 19,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
He also asked medical professionals to take care of their health, considering the highly stressful work environment.
Singh cited the example of Professor Dr Saroj Chooramani Gopal, the university's first female vice chancellor. "Dr Saroj enrolled in a PhD programme in 2024 at the age of 79. This sends the message that there is no age for learning," he said.
The minister also hailed CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy for its "extremely useful" treatment of cancer.
"We have developed the world's most affordable CAR-T cell therapy. Treatment that was previously limited to only a few developed nations and the wealthy is now becoming available in India at a very low cost," he said.
CAR-T, or Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell, therapy is a highly personalised immunotherapy that reprograms a patient's own immune cells to hunt down and destroy cancer cells.
It is primarily used to treat specific blood cancers such as leukaemia and lymphoma, and is widely recognised as a life-saving living drug.
"India's health sector has witnessed unprecedented transformation over the last 12 years. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our government's goal has not merely been to provide medical treatment, but to build a healthcare system that is accessible, affordable, and quality-driven," Singh said.
The minister termed organ donation as the "biggest gift" to humanity.
"Unfortunately, even today, there are many misconceptions and hesitations in society regarding organ donation," he said, and added that doctors play the most crucial role in dispelling them.
Singh claimed that under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, healthcare services in Uttar Pradesh have seen significant improvement over the past nine years.
Before 2017, there were only 17 medical colleges in the state, which have now increased to 81, he said.
There are two AIIMS in the state, which means Uttar Pradesh has now surpassed the 'One District-One Medical College' milestone, he said.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.