NEW DELHI, India--(Business Wire)--
The Confederation of Indian Industry and the U.S.-India Business Council today
announced a major new advance in healthcare collaboration, partnering 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 the US India Business Council, 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 U.S. and Indian business communities,
non-governmental organizations, patient advocacy organizations and health
professionals to coordinate and support improved access to healthcare in India.
According to Mr. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian
Industry: "The Confederation of Indian Industry and the U.S.-India Business
Council have long collaborated to support healthcare improvements in India.
Today, we`re proud to announce an exclusive partnership between USIBC and CII in
the form of a joint CII-USIBC Healthcare Task Force".
Sharing the dais was Dr. Petra Laux, Head of Global Public Affairs, Novartis.
"At Novartis, we`re driven every day by a commitment to research and development
that brings innovative new products to the communities we serve. This aligns
seamlessly with the number one 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 today will lift the Coalition for
Healthy India to new heights".
Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Chairman CII National Committee on Healthcare & Chairman of
Apollo Hospitals Group, noted that the healthcare systems of the U.S. and India
have much to learn from one another. "The partnership we`re announcing under the
Coalition for Healthy India 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 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 of these efforts are channeled with a particular emphasis on
improving the situation in rural areas where more than 60% 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 U.S. side by Dr. Vas Narasimhan, Head, Vaccines
North America, President, Vaccines USA, Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics, and
board member of the U.S.-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 U.S. and India will now
have a permanent forum in which to share and generate new ideas and ultimately
help implement solutions to the healthcare challenges facing all of us."
Coalition for Healthy India brings together like-minded members of the U.S. and
Indian business communities, non-governmental organizations, patient advocacy
organizations and health professionals to coordinate and support improved access
to healthcare in India.
Confederation of Indian Industry is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry
led and industry managed organization, playing a proactive role in India's
development process. Founded over 114 years ago, it is India's premier business
association, with a direct membership of over 7800 organizations from the
private as well as public sectors, including SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect
membership of over 90,000 companies from around 385 national and regional
sectoral associations.
CII catalyses change by working closely with government on policy issues,
enhancing efficiency, competitiveness and expanding business opportunities for
industry through a range of specialized services and global linkages. It also
provides a platform for sectoral consensus building and networking. Major
emphasis is laid on projecting a positive image of business, assisting industry
to identify and execute corporate citizenship programmes. Partnerships with over
120 NGOs across the country carry forward our initiatives in integrated and
inclusive development, which include health, education, livelihood, diversity
management, skill development and water, to name a few.
The U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC), formed in 1975 at the request of the
Government of India and the U.S. Government to deepen trade and strengthen
commercial ties is hosted under the aegis of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The
U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world`s largest business federation representing
more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and
region.
www.ahealthyindia.org
U.S.-India Business Council
Greg Kalbaugh, +1-202-664-3083
gkalbaugh@uschamber.com
Copyright Business Wire 2009
