L-G calls for collaboration to make healthcare accessible and affordable

IHRC-2025 conference emphasizes global collaboration for equitable, affordable healthcare, featuring workshops and discussions on advancing global health.

The third edition of the International Health & Research Convention 2025 (IHRC-2025) jointly hosted by Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (SBV), and the University of Leeds (UoL), United Kingdom, got under way on Wednesday.

Inaugurating the four-day conference, Lt. Governor K. Kailashnathan, emphasised the importance of global collaboration and of translating health care innovations into improved, equitable and affordable healthcare for all sections of society.

While the need for innovation was never greater given the emergence of newer healthcare challenges from pandemics and chronic diseases to threats posed by climate change and antimicrobial resistance, the Lt. Governor said: “Innovation in healthcare cannot be just about ground-breaking discoveries in medicine or state-of-the-art technology; it is all about transforming the way we deliver healthcare, making it more accessible, affordable and effective for all”.

Collaboration has to be prioritised to ensure that scientific progress and innovations translate into tangible benefits for people across all regions and socio-economic backgrounds. “Collaboration is the key to overcoming the most pressing global health challenges. No single institution, country, or discipline can address these challenges alone. It requires a multi-disciplinary, cross-sectoral approach that brings together policymakers, healthcare providers, researchers, and industry leaders”, Mr. Kailashanthan said.

According to the Lt. Governor, while there is greater awareness about lifestyle diseases that has led people to adopt behaviour modification, access to quality healthcare and life-saving treatments remains a challenge in many low- and middle-income countries.

He suggested making the best use of the large number of field staff for regular tests in rural communities and strengthening collaboration to bridge gaps and striving for a future where healthcare is equitable, inclusive and sustainable as envisioned in the Union Government’s flagship programmes such as the National Health Mission, the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY).

Nihar Ranjan Biswas, Vice Chancellor, SBV; Piruthivi Sukumar and Nirmal Coumare, IHRC organising chairs, and Moe Thaw Oo, organising secretary, participated. Shearer West, Vice Chancellor and president, University of Leeds, and Janaka Pushpanathan, Director South India British Council of Honour, offered felicitations in virtual mode.