Sat Mar 08 11:24:09 UTC 2025: **India to Add 75,000 Medical Seats, Boosting Healthcare System**
New Delhi, March 8, 2025 – The Indian government announced plans to significantly expand its medical sector by adding 75,000 new seats, building on 30,000 seats added last year. Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda revealed this ambitious expansion during the inauguration of the third International Symposium on Health Technology Assessment (ISHTA 2025) in New Delhi.
Mr. Nadda emphasized the government’s commitment to a four-pronged approach to healthcare: preventive, curative, palliative, and rehabilitative care, encompassing primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. He highlighted the establishment of 22 AIIMS (All India Institutes of Medical Sciences) and substantial increases in MBBS and MD seats, along with expanded training for paramedics and nurses.
The minister underscored the crucial role of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) in evidence-based policymaking, aligning with the goals of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). He pointed to the expansion of HTA India resource centers across 19 states, citing their contribution to tuberculosis detection, cost optimization, and the integration of evidence-based data into national health programs.
Several key initiatives were launched at the symposium, including a new tuberculosis detection kit and resources like the HTA Technologies Compendium and the HTA Costing Database. A “Patent Mitra” initiative aims to support innovators by protecting their work through patents and facilitating technology transfer. The event, organized in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centre for Global Development (CGD), focused on bridging evidence to policy for affordable healthcare. Mr. Nadda concluded by stating that HTA will be instrumental in achieving the goal of a developed India by 2047.
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