Global trust earned by Indian healthcare sector has led India being called ‘pharmacy of the world’: Modi

New Delhi, Nov 18: The global trust earned by the Indian healthcare sector has led to India being called the “pharmacy of the world” in recent times”, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the first Global Innovation Summit of the Pharmaceuticals sector on Thursday. The pandemic has brought the Pharmaceuticals sector into sharp focus. Whether it is lifestyle, or medicines, or medical technology, or vaccines, every aspect of healthcare has received global attention over the last two years, the PM said. Modi elaborated that “our definition of wellness is not limited by physical boundaries. We believe in the well-being of the entire humankind. And, we have shown this spirit to the whole world during the Covid-19 global pandemic”. During the pandemic, “we exported lifesaving medicines and medical equipment to over 150 countries during the initial phase of the pandemic. We have also exported more than 65 million doses of Covid vaccines to nearly 100 countries this year”, The PM informed. . The PM envisioned creating an ecosystem for innovation that will make India a leader in drug discovery and innovative medical devices. He said policy interventions are being made based on wide consultation with all stakeholders. He noted that India has a large pool of scientists and technologists with a potential to take the industry to greater heights. “This strength needs to be harnessed to “Discover and Make in India”, he added. The PM stressed on developing indigenous capabilities. “Today, when 1.3 billion people of India have taken it upon themselves to make India Aatmanirbhar, we must think about ramping up domestic manufacturing of key ingredients for vaccines and medicines. This is one frontier that India has to conquer”, Modi urged.