40 speakers from eight countries including the USA, Germany, India, the UK, Canada etc. during the two-day 'Health Next 2021 - Global Health and Innovation Conference' organised by IIHMR University discussed about new solutions and strategies as COVID-19 has taken a toll on various sectors and areas.

The conference was organised with an aim of providing a platform to healthcare start-ups students, alumni or people at large who have a business idea in healthcare, health tech space and want to get it nurtured at the IIHMR University's Innovation and Incubation Centre. The experts from various countries unanimously said that the pandemic outbreak has definitely has created an urgency to mitigate the risks that have accompanied the pandemic.

The two-day conference, which concluded on 12 January, witnessed panellists from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bayer, Germany, Pharmeasy, Apollo Hospitals, MedCords, Dawaa Dost, NISHTHA/ Jhpiego, Medicover Hospitals, AstraZeneca, Biopharmaceutical R&D, Gaithersburg, MD, USA , Docquity, India, Viveo Health, Ai Highway Inc, myresqr.life, TiE Global, Amity Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and Startup Oasis, Healthcare at Home India Pvt. Ltd., E4Impact Foundation, Ecoware, BOD, iKure, StanPlus/ Red Ambulances and DAYA India.

Dr. PR Sodani, President (Officiating), Dean IIHMR University, "We think the challenges in the healthcare sector have changed and mitigating these challenges and risks have become a matter of urgency post-COVID. As we progress, we see the industry's magnificent efforts to innovate and keep the industry well before time. The Health Next 2021- Global Health and Innovation Conference is a great platform for not just for budding entrepreneurs but the healthcare fraternity on the whole."

Dr. Gaurav Thukral, EVP & COO, Healthcare at Home India Pvt. Ltd. said, "Affordability, Availability and Accessibility are three A's that have always been a challenge in the healthcare sector. Despite the Ayushman Bharat scheme, there is hardly any percentage of healthcare that is State Funded."

"We see that the penetration of insurance is way lesser till date where the penetration is not more than 20 per cent when it comes to private insurance or even the state insurance. However, the National Digital Health Mission and Universal Health Coverage have played a major role in focusing on the need of insurance to reduce the out of pocket expenses of patients. The other aspect is the standardization of delivery of care where the major problem focused is the supply," he added. Dr Sodani also presented a conference report while concluding the conference.