India Could Help Bring Down UK's Health Budget Via Telemedicine, Suggests Piyush Goyal

India's telemedicine platforms can help bring down the cost of healthcare in the UK, according to Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

Speaking at the UK-India Technology Futures Conference, Goyal said that India and the UK could collaborate in the field of telemedicine, and India's tech platforms can help decongest the UK's health services.

"Any idea that is lopsided will never survive. Therefore, we have a vested interest in telemedicine. We want high-quality medical facilities at lower cost in India, but similarly we can help bring down your budgets. If you don't mind, you (the UK) do have some stresses on its budget right now, as does every country in the world. Who doesn't? Therefore, e-health platforms and startups can help with their technology," he said while speaking at the event organised by the UK India Business Council.

"I'm told some of your medical needs have very long queue-ups and waiting times, particularly things like clinical and old-age care," he said, referring to the much-talked-about waiting times for patients availing themselves of the UK's publicly funded healthcare systems called the National Health Services.

Apart from telemedicine, Goyal added that there are four other areas where the UK and India could co-deploy technology.

• Artificial intelligence learning and skilling.

• Climate modeling tools.

• Precision farming or residue-free farming tools.

• Engineering goods, chemicals, EV components.