Three-day global healthcare summit to kick-off from tomorrow

The event, to be inaugurated here tomorrow by Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, is expected to open up new possibilities for the Indian healthcare sector through cost-effective and innovative solutions, global partnerships and new investments.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will preside over the inaugural function of the event, happening for the first time in the state.

The conference, which will be the largest gathering of Indian medical diaspora, is being organised by the Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO) and Indian Medical Association (IMA) in collaboration with the Union Ministries of Overseas Indian Affairs and Health.

"All preparations are in place for the event and the delegates have come from all around the world, especially from the United States," AAPI President, Dr Narendra Kumar said.

Around 1,000 delegates, including 300 prominent physicians and surgeons from abroad are gathering in Kochi to take some major decisions that will spur Indian healthcare industry's growth from strength to strength, he said.

Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Prof K V Thomas would also attend the event whose goal is to advance the accessibility, affordability and the quality of world-class healthcare to the people of India, with active involvement of the medical diaspora.

During the past five Indo-US Summits since the first innovative summit in 2007, AAPI has been instrumental in developing strategic alliances with various organisations. The summit has emerged as a powerful public-private partnership initiative to build people-to-people cooperation for the betterment of Indian healthcare industry.

Apart from plenary sessions, interactive round-tables, clinical practice workshops, meet-the-expert sessions and the first ever scientific poster session, the conference will also have a Healthcare CEO Forum involving the big names in the field of healthcare, pharmaceutical and medical devices.

State Health Minister V S Sivakumar, Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar, Excise Minister K Babu and Advisor to the Prime Minister T K A Nair are among those participating in the event.

AAPI represents the interests of more than 65,000 physicians and about 35,000 medical students/residents of Indian heritage. It is an umbrella body with nearly 130 specialty societies and alumni organisations.