December 20, 2017
The agreement, which covers exchange and training of medical doctors, officials, other health professionals and experts, was signed on November 29th in New Delhi
India and Italy will jointly work in pharmaceuticals, medical devices and cosmetics sectors and exchange relevant information, thus promoting business opportunities
The deal will help tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which causes 63 per cent of all annual deaths in the world, such as neurocardiovascular diseases and cancer
The latest partnership comes as India and Italy are celebrating the 70th anniversary of their bilateral diplomatic ties through initiatives to strengthen economic relations
India’s Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India and Italy on cooperation in the field of health and medical sciences, according to an official announcement on December 20th. The agreement, which covers exchange and training of medical doctors, officials, other health professionals and experts, was signed on November 29th in New Delhi. The partnership also seeks to develop human resources and health care facilities. India and Italy will jointly work in pharmaceuticals, medical devices and cosmetics sectors and exchange relevant information thereon, which is expected to promote lucrative business opportunities.
The partnership is expected to considerably expand procurement of generic and essential drugs and assist in sourcing of drug supplies, health equipment and pharmaceutical products. This will help set up an efficient mechanism to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which causes 63 per cent of all annual deaths in the world, such as neurocardiovascular diseases, cancer, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), mental health and dementia, with an emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals and related factors. The countries will also collaborate in the fields of nutrition, hygiene and food safety, as well as on the impact of climate change on communicable diseases and vector borne diseases.
The MoU may potentially include other fields of study and cooperation. A joint working group will be set up to oversee the implementation of this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and look for further opportunities. The partnership comes as India and Italy are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties through initiatives to strengthen economic relations. India wants Italy to participate in its growth story and invest in infrastructure, smart cities, food processing, renewable energy, and hi-tech manufacturing sectors, while Italy wants to drive Indian entrepreneurs to identify business opportunities in textiles, automotive, leather, machinery and chemical sectors in their country.