World Bank support, additional investments, upcoming bulk drugs and medical device park will add heft to Gujarat success story and economy in the form of 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS)- 2024, said Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel while delivering his speech on the occasion of a pre-Vibrant Gujarat Global Holistic Healthcare Summit themed “Holistic Healthcare – Good Health and Wellbeing for All” at Gandhinagar recently.
He also added that for the first time in the state, 350 million US dollars have been raised by the World Bank. The dollar amount has been approved for strengthening health and wellness. Pharma sector as a whole has so far committed Rs. 18,340 crore of new investment. Zydus Life Science Group has alone signed an investment MoU worth Rs. 5,000 crore.
The 10th VGGS- 2024, which is the state government’s flagship investment summit, will be held between January 11 and 13, 2024 after a gap of five years.
The Government of Gujarat’s ambitious medical device park at Nagalpar, near Rajkot which is going to be developed in an area of 250 acres with Centre’s financial grant-in-aid of Rs. 250 crore, will get operational by the end of 2024. The medical device park in Rajkot district, which has been conceptualized as a commercially feasible venture, is billed to rake in an investment of 100-150 million USD over a period of three years.
The Chief Minister further added that the flow of health services in Gujarat has reached the last man easily. Gujarat ranks first in the country with 8800 health and wellness centres. Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, Gujarat has become the pharmaceutical hub of the country. Gujarat accounts for 40 per cent of the country’s total pharma production and 28 per cent of pharma exports.
Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) commissioner Dr. HG Koshia informed that Gujarat is at the forefront with a contribution of 53 per cent in the country in the medical devices sector also. Gujarat accounts for 78 per cent of cardiac stents and 50 per cent of eye lenses in the country. The development of medical devices and bulk drug parks in Rajkot and Jambusar will boost both Gujarat and Indian growth story.
Gujarat has developed a healthcare ecosystem in which government and private as well as corporate and PPP based healthcare institutes provide services. The services range from preventive healthcare to technological treatment of complex diseases, health insurance and medical tourism.
Gujarat Health Minister Hrishikesh Patel said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had sown the seeds of the Vibrant Summit in the year 2003 for the continuous development and future of Gujarat. As a result of the Vibrant Summit held in Gujarat, MoUs worth crores of rupees signed in Gujarat, as well as employment generated by many global organizations investing in Gujarat. Industrial employment in the state has increased from 7 lakh in 2003 to 23 lakh today.
The Chief Minister also informed that Gujarat has increased medical colleges by 233 per cent and medical seats by 360 per cent in the last 20 years. In the year 2010, Gujarat had only 11 dialysis centres to 272 today. Day-care chemotherapy has increased by three times and 108 ambulance service by 16 times. PHC, CHCs, sub-district hospitals, dialysis units, cataract operations, pharma manufacturing units, sales units have also increased progressively.
“The Indian pharma industry should take advantage of Gujarat as the state has the highest number of plants with WHO GMP certification. The bulk drugs park under the production linked incentive (PLI) will support growth of key starting material (KSM) and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) industry complemented by the strong basic chemical industry. Strong and sustained demand of APIs/KSM will be a major support to the local formulation industry also,” said Dr. Viranchi Shah, national president, Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA).
Dhananjay Dwivedi, principal secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Rajesh Kotecha, secretary, Ministry of Ayush , Government of India (GoI), Harshad Patel, commissioner, Health, and senior officials of the Health Department participated with the leaders of the healthcare and pharma sector.
