West Bengal Government Calls for Stronger Public–Private Collaboration to Enhance Healthcare Services for All….

Image Caption (L-R): Mr Dipankar Bhattacharjee, Director & State Head, CII West Bengal State Office;

Mr Prashant Sharma, Chairman, CII Eastern Region Healthcare Subcommittee & Managing Director, Charnock Hospital;

Smt Chandrima Bhattacharya, Minister of State, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal;

Mr Jayanta Roy, Managing Director, Peerless General Finance & Investment Company Limited;

Mr Debasis Dutta, Chairman, CII West Bengal State Council & Director, BGS Group;

Mr Rupak Barua, Vice Chair, West Bengal State Council & Managing Director & CEO Woodlands Hospital;

Mr Harinarayan Sharma, CEO, Manipal Foundation;

Dr Ayanabh DebGupta, Regional COO (Eastern Region) of Manipal Hospital

**West Bengal Government Calls for Stronger Public–Private Collaboration to Enhance Healthcare Services for All

Optimal design of the health care market through reforms and regulation is the need of the time: Principal Health Secretary – West Bengal.**

Staff Reporter : Kolkata, 5th December, 2025: Highlighting the goal of state government to provide healthcare service to all, Smt. Chandrima Bhattacharya, Minister of State, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal underscored the optimal collaboration between the public and private sector in the 19th edition of Healthcare East initiated by CII West Bengal at Kolkata. She highlighted the significant rise in medical tourism in the state, noting that it has played a pivotal role in placing West Bengal second among all Indian states in terms of foreign tourist arrivals.
Referring to the Swasthya Sathi scheme which covers 2.5 crore families across the state, Smt. Bhattacharya emphasized that West Bengal’s robust healthcare infrastructure has been fundamental in strengthening the sectoral backbone and ensuring accessible, quality healthcare for its people.
Shri NS Nigam, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal advocated about the optimal design of healthcare market so that profit of every stakeholder of the sector get maximised without compromising the quality of healthcare service. Speaking about the effectiveness and growing impact of telemedicine, Principal Secretary outlined ₹23,000 crore has been allocated to the healthcare sector in the state budget. He also highlighted the establishment of five new cancer centres across West Bengal, underscoring the government’s continued commitment to expanding specialized healthcare services.
Mr Harinarayan Sharma, CEO, Manipal Foundation, emphasized the need for a vibrant primary care delivery system in the state. Highlighting that Manipal Foundation has recently launched a cancer screening program specifically targeting women from underprivileged sections, Mr Sharma stated that ensuring good health for women at large is essential for the growth of the economy.

Mr Jayanta Roy, Managing Director, Peerless General Finance & Investment Company Limited, spoke about their upcoming investments in Barasat and Kolkata. He advocated for fostering a healthier society as a prerequisite for building a stronger economy.

Mr C. S. Ghosh, Chairman, Bandhan Group, underscored the importance of initiatives aimed at increasing health awareness among mothers in rural villages, stressing that empowering grassroots communities is vital for holistic development.

Citing global evidence that in low-income countries, each job created in the health sector generates an estimated 3.4 additional jobs across related industries, Mr. Prashant Sharma, Managing Director, Charnock Hospital, highlighted the marked differences in healthcare services across different regions of India. His remarks underscored the need for balanced development to ensure equitable access to healthcare nationwide.

Addressing the issue of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOP), Mr Rupak Barua, Managing Director & CEO, Woodlands Hospital, pointed to the encouraging downward trend in recent years, reflecting improved financial protection for patients.

To sustain growth and diversify the visitor base in the state’s medical tourism sector, Mr Debasish Dutta, Chairman, CII West Bengal State Council & Director, BGS Group, recommended strengthening international air connectivity with Central Asia, the GCC countries, African nations. Meanwhile, Dr Ayanabh DebGupta, Regional COO (Eastern Region) of Manipal Hospital, emphasized the need for balanced collaboration among the government, industry, and academia to ensure meaningful and sustainable sectoral growth.