Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded the Union Cabinet’s ratification of the National Medical equipment Policy 2023 on Thursday, saying it will strengthen the health sector and forward efforts to make India a leader in both manufacturing and exporting medical equipment.
He also stated that the cabinet decision to construct 157 new nursing colleges is excellent news for India’s aspiring nursing professionals.”The co-location with existing medical colleges also represents optimal resource utilisation,” he said.
The Union Cabinet approved the building of 157 nursing colleges at a cost of Rs 1,570 crore, in conjunction with the medical colleges that have been established in the country since 2014.
In another move, the Union Cabinet approved the National Medical Devices Policy 2023, which aims to stimulate domestic manufacture and enable the fledgling sector develop from USD 11 billion (one billion = 100 crore) to USD 50 billion in the next five years while reducing reliance on imports. “This is an important Cabinet decision that will boost the health sector and further our efforts to make India a leader in both manufacturing and exporting medical devices,” Modi said in a tweet.