Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is reinforcing India’s commitment to providing inclusive, affordable, equitable and accessible health for all, said Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mr Jagat Prakash Nadda at the inauguration of the third International Symposium on HTA (ISHTA 2025). Themed ‘Bridging Evidence to Policy: Health Technology Assessment for Affordable Healthcare’, the event was organized by Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office for India and the Centre for Global Development.
The health minister highlighted the critical role of HTA in advancing evidence-based policymaking to build an efficient, equitable, and high-quality health system, aligned with the goals of Universal Health Coverage. “HTA India resource centres are spread over 19 states and serve as important mechanisms for priority setting. HTA has helped immensely in achieving various health goals,” said Mr Nadda.
Several key resources, including Open Real-Time PCR Kit for Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, HTA Technologies Compendium, HTA Costing Database, and Patent Mitra initiative were released at the event.
Underscoring the need for strengthening evidence-informed decision-making in healthcare through health technology assessment, Dr Roderico H. Ofrin, WHO Representative to India, said, “WHO India has been a core partner in the International HTA Symposiums and has consistently supported the enhancement of HTA activities, providing policy and technical assistance. The HTA marketplace showcases unique, cost-effective innovations, highlighting the remarkable work done in India.” WHO’s assistance includes advocacy and sharing best practices, resources and guidance. WHO India’s report, A global review on value-based care: theory, practice and lessons learned, synthesizes global experiences and offers guidance for the path forward.
Ms Bansuri Swaraj, Member of Parliament; Prof. Vinod Kumar Paul, member, NITI Aayog; Dr Rajiv Bahl, secretary, Department of Health Research and Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research; Ms Punya Salila Srivastava, secretary, MoHFW; Mr Amit Agarwal, secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals; and Dr Soumya Swaminathan, chairperson, M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and former chief scientist, WHO, were among the distinguished delegates at ISHTA 2025.