Care economy, telemedicine key to future health jobs: PM Modi | India News
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday highlighted the growing importance of the care economy and telemedicine in strengthening India’s healthcare system, saying both sectors will play an important role in expanding services and creating new employment opportunities in the coming years.Addressing the fourth post-Budget webinar titled ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas – Fulfilling People’s Aspirations’, Modi said India needs to prepare its youth for emerging job opportunities in healthcare, digital technology and innovation-driven sectors as demand for healthcare services expands both domestically and globally.“In the next decade, the number of senior citizens in the country will increase rapidly. Additionally, there is a huge demand for caregivers in many countries today. Therefore, the health sector is creating new skill-based employment opportunities for millions of youth,” PM Modi said, describing the care economy as an important area for future workforce growth.He called on experts and policymakers to work on new training models and partnerships that could strengthen the country’s health workforce and equip young people with the necessary skills to care and related services.The Prime Minister also pointed to the growing role of telemedicine in expanding access to healthcare across the country. “Today a large number of people in remote areas are benefiting from telemedicine and their confidence in it is increasing. However, awareness and accessibility still needs to be increased,” he said.Modi noted that India is working on a broader vision of preventive and holistic healthcare while expanding health infrastructure across the country. In the last few years, healthcare capacity has increased with the opening of new medical colleges in hundreds of districts.He also mentioned the expansion of services through the Ayushman Bharat program and the network of health and wellness centres, which aim to bring primary healthcare services closer to rural communities.Sectors like education, skills and health need to be strengthened together to fulfill the aspirations of the people, Modi said.
