| |JULY 20269AAROGYA SETU 2.0 BRINGS PM-JAY WALLET AND DIGITAL HEALTH RECORDSINDIA'S PHARMA EXPORTS FIND A BILLION-DOLLAR BET BEYOND THE USTELANGANA TO SET FERTILE GROUND FOR PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIESGOVERNMENT INITIATES ALL IN ONE MEDICINE INFO PLATFORMEBOLA CRISIS DEEPENS AS FOURTH DR CONGO PROVINCE REPORTS CASESAarogya Setu 2.0 is no longer just a COVID-19 app. The Centre has launched a revamped version of the platform with several new features that bring PM-JAY Wallet, Digital Health Records, and other healthcare services under one roof. The updated Aarogya Setu 2.0 is designed to help users store medical records, access government health schemes, manage insurance benefits, and connect with healthcare providers through a single app. The move is aimed at making healthcare services simpler, faster, and more accessible for millions of Indians. The upgraded app was launched by Union Health Minister JP Nadda as part of the government's push to strengthen the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). Instead of serving only as a contact-tracing app, Aarogya Setu has now become a Personal Health Record (PHR) platform where users can securely manage their health information. POIndia's Pharma Exports are entering a new phase as drugmakers expand beyond their biggest market, the US, to tap fresh opportunities in Brazil. India's Pharma Exports to Brazil have grown rapidly over the past two years, making the South American nation the country's second-largest pharmaceutical export destination.The shift comes as Indian companies look to reduce dependence on traditional markets while increasing exports of high-value medicines such as branded generics, biosimilars, and oncology drugs. Brazil has become a major growth engine for India's Pharma Exports, with shipments reaching USD 916 million, accounting for nearly 2.94 percent of India's total pharmaceutical exports. If the current growth trend continues, exports to Brazil are expected to cross the USD 1 billion mark by FY2027. POThe government of Telangana aims to initiate plans to collaborate with Pharmaceutical companies by introducing sufficient infrastructure for medicine and businesses in Hyderabad. This aims to turn Hyderabad into a destination that has significant value in the pharmaceutical supply chain.This project is currently under discussion, with stakeholders like Nasscom and business technology bodies. Further, this project aims to bring together global and Indian pharmaceutical companies, global capability centres (GCC's), research institutions, startups and investors to create a comprehensive ecosystem for pharmaceutical and commercialisation. POThe government has initiated a single platform for accessing drug-related information; the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare has Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, launched the Drug Registry. As medicines are one of the most critical elements in the healthcare system, most often the same drug is alleged to appear with a different name and labeling. It also creates problems in clinical decision-making, giving out prescriptions, and in supply chain management as well.The Ebola crisis in DR Congo has entered a more dangerous phase, with the Ebola outbreak now spreading to a fourth province. The latest development marks a major setback for health authorities, who are already struggling to contain the deadly virus caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain. As the Ebola crisis expands, experts warn that controlling the outbreak will become even more difficult due to the wider area affected and the growing number of people at risk.In our previous report, we highlighted why the outbreak had put global health experts on alert, mainly because it involves the Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccine or strain-specific treatment. The confirmation of a case in a fourth province now signals that the outbreak is moving beyond its initial hotspots, increasing pressure on surveillance and emergency response teams. POThis led the Union Ministry to form the Drug Registry. Thereby overcoming this gap and will bring all medicine-related information together into one single platform. This development is brought under the digital initiative of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). This ministry says this will serve as a platform providing a single truth on medicines in India, which also enables consistent identification, storage, and exchange of drug usage by healthcare units. PO
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