FM proposes 5 medical tourism hubs

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed to set up five hubs for medical tourism and a Rs 10,000-crore outlay for Biopharma Shakti programme over the next five years. Presenting the Union Budget, she said, ''I propose to launch a scheme to support states in establishing five regional medical hubs.'' She said these hubs will serve as integrated healthcare complexes that combine medical, educational and research facilities. She said, ''I propose the Biopharma Shakti with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore over the next five years, this will build the ecosystem for domestic production of biologics and biosimilars.'' The strategy will include a biopharma-focused network with three new National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, popularly known as NIPERS, and upgrading seven existing ones, she added. ''It will also create a network of 1,000 accredited India clinical trials sites. We propose to strengthen the central drug standard control organisation to meet global standards and approve timeframes, through an approval time frames through a dedicated scientific review cadre, and specialists,'' said said. She also proposed setting up three new All India Institute of Ayurveda.