Subsequent to the visit of a high powered trade mission led by chairman of the National Health Service (NHS) England Sir Malcolm Grant in India, some British companies have initiated talks with state government of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Delhi to introduce advanced screening modalities in cervical cancer and in technologies like electronic medical records (EMR).

This becomes more relevant as the central government has also started implementing cervical cancer vaccination project in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu to assess the efficacy and feasibility of the vaccination programme to be replicated across the country. The project will help assess the logistics involved in conducting the cervical cancer vaccination to be followed with other states.

The programme is very relevant for India a country which lacks in having a mandatory robust system of screening cervical cancer as is done in the developed countries like the US and UK. India reports 1.22 lakh cases of cervical cancer and 67,000 deaths every year due to it. Besides this, it has also been projected that up to 70 per cent of women will acquire a human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in their lifetime in the country.

In India, four kinds of traditional screening methods exist namely visual inspection by ascetic acid, routine pap smear test, HPV based test and colposcopy. India today lacks in having one particular standard screening method, according to experts.

Certain other companies have also shown interest in partnering with the Indian healthcare institutions to help them adopt technologies in areas of emergency care, integrated care services, building operational capacities by training healthcare professionals with digital screening, e- prescription and tele-medicine among other pertinent areas showcased at the ‘Smart Healthcare Demonstrator’ exhibition held as a part of the trade mission.

The programme also conducted seminars on themes such as ‘Transforming hospital and emergency care’, ‘Innovative integrated care services’ and ‘Building human capital’.

This delegation comes after a bilateral agreement between the UK and India during PM Modi’s visit to the UK, where the two Prime Ministers emphasised the potential of increased investment and co-operation between the two countries in health-related sectors.

With an eye on the increasing Indian market, the delegation represented the UK’s thriving ecosystem of researchers, scientists, engineers, designers, NHS clinicians, and a network of healthcare professionals.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Sir Malcolm Grant said, “The UK has developed some of the most innovative healthcare services and systems in the world over the past seven decades of the NHS. The UK has an unmatched combination of clinical, technological and academic expertise.”

He added that the visit will help write a new chapter in the history of India’s health services, both in the private sector and in the Union government’s ambition to provide universal healthcare. British expertise is ideally placed to play a significant role in helping India bring the best smart healthcare to its smart cities programme,” Sir Malcolm added.

A delegation of 23 British companies and NHS Trusts which complemented the visit shared their expertise on standardised healthcare protocols at the point of care and capacity building of the healthcare sector through training of the staff, clinicians and surgeons for better clinical outcomes complemented with seamless integration of technologies.

This according to the delegation will help Indian clinicians use healthcare tools in a standardised manner for making informed decisions at the point of care with desired clinical outcomes. Modalities were showcased during the event to tackle early detection of cervical cancer in primary healthcare settings and help develop a technology platform for addressing the unmet healthcare needs of the rural areas.

The exhibition as a part of the trade mission showcased the best of British expertise in innovative healthcare solutions at the exhibition.

Sir Dominic Asquith KCMG, British High Commissioner to India said,“I can see vast opportunities for both the countries to form closer partnerships. The healthcare sector where the UK is a world leader exemplifies the potential for greater collaboration.”

“The Indian government wants to provide universal healthcare and adopt “smart healthcare” to support sustainable, world-class services for the Indian people. The UK has the expertise and technology to support every aspect of India’s healthcare systems and services. There is no better time than now for the UK and India to partner and shape the future of Indian healthcare,” the High Commissioner concluded.

As a part of this trade mission, Maharashtra health minister Dr Deepak Sawant discussed strengthening ties between the UK and Maharashtra in the healthcare sector.

Companies who participated in the Smart Healthcare delegation were Central and North West London NHS, Trust, Diabetacare, Capita Healthcare Decisions, TPP, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Northgate PS, Kings College London, Teesside University, Leicester Diabetes, Global Health Alliance, Waring Health, Renaissance eService, BT, Greater Manchester AHSN, Advatech Emergency medicine and ambulatory care provider, CareAxes, Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, IBI group, City and Kent, OCS, IBM and British Medical Journal (BMJ).