WEF to launch first thematic centre on healthcare in Telangana

The World Economic Forum will launch its first thematic centre on healthcare and life sciences in Telangana in collaboration with the state government.

The centre will be an autonomous, non-profit organization, leading on policy and governance for healthcare and life sciences, the WEF announced in Davos, Switzerland, during its Annual Meeting 2023.

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Fourth Industrial Revolution centre

“India has a unique opportunity to spearhead healthcare and life sciences in South Asia. C4IR (Centre for Fourth Industrial Revolution) Telangana with the support of the Forum’s global network of Fourth Industrial Revolution centres will be a key player in driving stakeholder engagement, building bridges between the public sector and SMEs and supporting job creation in the healthcare sector,” WEF President Borge Brende said.

The collaboration agreement was signed by WEF Managing Director Jeremy Jurgens and Shakthi Nagappan, CEO, Telangana Life Sciences Foundation, Government of Telangana, reports PTI.

KTR’s statement

“I am delighted that the focused on healthcare and life sciences today. I strongly believe the centre is a testament to the strong life sciences prowess of Telangana and is yet another step by the government to elevate the life sciences ecosystem in Telangana and globally,” Telangana minister K T Rama Rao (KTR) said.

KTR, the Telangana’s minister for municipal administration and urban development, industries and commerce and information technology, further said “life sciences is one of the priority sectors in Telangana and I firmly believe this partnership can leverage on the current ecosystem to further accelerate value and impact created by Telangana’s life sciences sector globally”.

Healthcare powerhouse

WEF Head of Healthcare, Shyam Bishen, said, “With its strong track record in vaccine and medicines manufacturing, and willingness to leverage Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, India is becoming a global powerhouse in healthcare”.

C4IR Telangana is the 18th centre to join the World Economic Forum’s Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Network, and the second centre in India.

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C4IR Telangana plans to facilitate, advance and accelerate the development and adoption of technologies in genomics, personalized medicine and healthcare manufacturing, with a focus on the intersection of life sciences and technology in the region and globally.

(With Agency inputs)