The government has a major role to play in ensuring that medical education is actively promoted through the alignment of medical education with the fast implementation of modern medical technologies and the related cost pressures. To provide future physicians with skills that are technologically relevant, it will be necessary to integrate AI-enabled diagnostics, robotic surgery, precision medicine, and digital health tools into medical curricula. Meanwhile, technology adoption by teaching institutions and hospitals can be made more sustainable by rationalising the costs using specific incentives, grants, and GST reduction on advanced medical equipment and consumables.
As the rate of cancer cases continues to increase throughout India, oncology needs to continue to be in the spotlight of the next budget of the Union Government. This increased cancer burden has highlighted a great gap of trained oncologists in medical, surgical, and radiation oncology. To address this gap, it will be important to increase postgraduate seats, enhance fellowship programs, and provide incentives to specialise in oncology.
Healthcare based on technology is especially influential in the field of oncology, with AI-based imaging, genomics, and minimal invasive interventions being used to redefine cancer diagnosis and treatment. With the overall continual increase in cancer incidence, it will be necessary to advocate the utilisation of advanced oncology technologies and specialised training programs.
A budget, which promotes technology-driven medical education, rationalisation of costs, and development of specialised workforce, will enhance the healthcare ecosystem of India and allow improving patient outcomes and addressing future healthcare needs.
