New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) The third Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on Healthcare between India and Japan was held here on Tuesday, with both sides committing to deepen cooperation for stronger healthcare systems, resilient medical supply chains and enhanced collaboration in digital health, medical innovation and workforce development.

The meeting was co-chaired by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda and Japan’s Minister in charge of Healthcare Policy, Kimi Onoda.

Nadda said the meeting reflected the shared commitment of both countries to strengthen cooperation in the health sector.

He noted that India-Japan collaboration in healthcare is guided by the Memorandum of Cooperation in Healthcare and Wellness and a shared vision of improving accessibility, strengthening health systems and promoting innovation for better health outcomes.

The long-standing and multifaceted relationship between India and Japan reiterated India’s commitment to inclusive development under the guiding principle of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, according to the minister.

According to him, the JCM serves as a vital platform to advance bilateral healthcare cooperation.

Meanwhile, Onoda said Japan remains committed to strengthening engagement in healthcare cooperation through innovation, technology and research, and expressed readiness to further deepen bilateral collaboration.

Additionally, welcoming the Japanese delegation, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said India and Japan share a partnership built on mutual respect, trust and a common vision for the future.

During the meeting, both sides held detailed discussions across major priority areas such as supply chain, digital health, and human resource.

On non-communicable diseases (NCDs), India highlighted its growing disease burden and presented its response framework based on screening, continuum of care and health promotion aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

While Japan shared its ongoing cooperation initiatives, including cancer screening, early diagnosis and capacity-building projects.

On supply chain resilience and access to medical products, India highlighted its pharmaceutical and medical devices manufacturing capabilities and efforts to strengthen domestic production and ensure affordable access. Japan shared its model of public-private collaboration to enhance medical supply chains and technology deployment.

On digital health, India has outlined its ‘Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission’, which is enabling an interoperable and citizen-centric digital health ecosystem. Similarly, Japan shared its experience in digitalisation, AI-enabled medical technologies and collaborative research.

On human resource development, India highlighted its skilled healthcare workforce ecosystem and exchange programmes, while Japan outlined ongoing cooperation in joint research and personnel exchange initiatives.

–IANS

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