Bangalore, Nov 6, 2009: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the US India Business Council (USIBC) have entered into a partnership under the banner of the USIBC-led 'Coalition for Healthy India'. The partnership was announced on the sidelines of CII’s 6th Annual Healthcare Summit, which was attended by a delegation of senior healthcare executives from the headquarters of several USIBC member companies.

 

The Coalition for Healthy India, managed by USIBC, is dedicated to ensuring that Indian patients have access to the latest and most effective treatments and cures. It was created in 2007 to bring together like-minded members of the US and Indian business communities, NGOs, patient advocacy organizations and health professionals to coordinate and support improved access to healthcare in India.

 

Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII said, “CII and the USIBC have long collaborated to support healthcare improvements in India. Today, we are proud to announce an exclusive partnership between USIBC and CII in the form of a joint CII-USIBC Healthcare Task Force.”

Dr Petra Laux, Head of Global Public Affairs, Novartis, said, “At Novartis, we are driven by a commitment to research and development that brings innovative new products to the communities we serve. This aligns with the prime goal of the Coalition for Healthy India, ensuring that Indian patients have access to the latest and best treatments and cures. The partnership announced with CII will lift the Coalition for Healthy India to new heights.”

Dr Prathap C Reddy, Chairman of CII National Committee on Healthcare and Chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group, noted that the healthcare systems of the US and India have much to learn from one another. “The partnership brings together the foremost healthcare innovators from two of the world’s most dynamic societies. This will not only have a positive impact on patients in India, it will also benefit patients around the globe.”

The Coalition for Healthy India focuses on five key pillars: raising the standard of care; developing new treatments and cures; ensuring access and affordability; getting medicine to patients; and corporate social responsibility. All these efforts are channeled with a particular emphasis on improving the situation in rural areas where more than 60 percent of Indians live and work.

The Coalition for Healthy India Healthcare Task Force will serve as an advisory council which guides and coordinates USIBC and CII efforts towards improving healthcare in India. The task force will be chaired on the Indian side by Dr Prathap C Reddy and on the US side by Dr Vas Narasimhan, Head, Vaccines North America; President, Vaccines USA, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics; and board member of the US India Business Council.

 

Dr John D Ayres, Director, Product Health Risk Assessments, Eli Lilly and Company, stated, “The Coalition for Healthy India is poised to have a major impact on issues that are important to patients. This collaboration between USIBC and CII means that healthcare innovators in the US and India will now have a permanent forum to share and generate new ideas to help implement solutions to the healthcare challenges.”

Coalition for Healthy India brings together like-minded members of the US and Indian business communities, non-governmental organizations, patient advocacy organizations and health professionals to coordinate and support improved access to healthcare in India.