Oct 28: The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry commenced the 20th edition of its flagship healthcare conference, FICCI HEAL 2026, under the theme “HEAL@20 – From Vision to Value” at FICCI Federation House, New Delhi. The opening day brought together policymakers, healthcare leaders, medical professionals and industry representatives to discuss the priorities shaping India’s healthcare future, with a focus on quality, affordability, innovation, workforce development and access to care.
Policy priorities for India’s healthcare future
A closed-door CEO Policy Roundtable on “Healthcare@2047: Shaping India’s Health Agenda for Viksit Bharat” brought together senior government representatives and healthcare leaders to deliberate on strengthening healthcare delivery, improving affordability and quality, addressing workforce and capacity challenges, accelerating digital health adoption, and fostering effective public-private partnerships.
Chaired by Prof. (Dr.) M. Srinivas, Hon’ble Member, NITI Aayog, Government of India, the Roundtable facilitated an in-depth and constructive exchange of perspectives between industry leaders and senior government officials, including Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal (IAS), Chief Executive Officer, National Health Authority; Dr. Anup Anvikar, Additional Director General (IM), ICMR, Government of India; and Shri Aman Sharma, Joint Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India. More than 30 industry CEOs and leaders from hospitals and labs attended the Roundtable and shared
More than 30 industry CEOs and leaders from hospitals and diagnostic laboratories participated in the Roundtable, sharing industry perspectives, key challenges and actionable recommendations to strengthen India’s healthcare ecosystem. The discussions underscored the importance of sustained government-industry collaboration in translating policy priorities into tangible outcomes, fostering innovation, strengthening healthcare infrastructure and building a resilient, equitable and accessible healthcare system as India progresses towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Quality, workforce skills and technology take centre stage
The HEAL@20 Fireside Chat on “Building Quality and Trust in Diagnostics” brought together (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Chair, FICCI Swasth Bharat (Public Health) Task Force; Executive Chairman, Dr Lal PathLabs Ltd.; and Managing Trustee, ALVL Foundation, and Dr Harsh Mahajan, Mentor, FICCI Health Sector and Founder and Chairman, Mahajan Imaging & Labs. Moderated by Dr Narottam Puri, the discussion examined how quality assurance, ethical practices, technology and patient-centred care can strengthen diagnostic services.
Emphasising the importance of trust in diagnostics, (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal said,
“Patients should be able to trust that the diagnostic reports they receive are correct. Quality and standardization are key to diagnostics”. The discussion highlighted the importance of reliable reporting and consistent quality in building patient confidence.
The HEAL@20 Expert Dialogue on “From Medical Education to Workforce Transformation: Building Skills for the Future” examined the need to strengthen medical education, practical training and continuous professional development as healthcare delivery becomes increasingly technology-driven.
Dr Vinod K. Paul, Former Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India, emphasised the need to move beyond faculty shortages and inadequate training towards greater accountability in medical education. He said, “We need to move from a paradigm of faculty shortages, not-so-good training and missed opportunity, to a system where we are accountable for that training.”
The discussion, convened by Dr Sanjeev Singh, Medical Director, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre Faridabad & Chief Medical Superintendent, AIMSRC Kochi, also highlighted the need to address gaps in specialist availability, strengthen family medicine, improve hands-on training and prepare the wider healthcare workforce- including nurses, technicians and allied health professionals- for emerging technologies and evolving patient needs.
Other sessions during the day explored nursing leadership and the expansion of organised healthcare beyond metropolitan centres. The poster presentation showcase, themed “Delivering Value in Healthcare: Innovations, Outcomes, and Scalable Models for India”, provided a platform for research, evidence-based innovations and scalable solutions aimed at improving patient outcomes and healthcare delivery.
FICCI HEAL 2026 – HEAL@20: From Vision to Value 27–28 October 2026 | FICCI Federation House, New Delhi
