New Delhi is hosting a five-day Knowledge Exchange Workshop on Health Technology Assessment (HTA) as part of renewed cooperation between India and Sri Lanka aimed at strengthening health systems through evidence-based policy tools.
The event, inaugurated at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, brings together officials from Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health alongside Indian health research leaders and is jointly organised by the Department of Health Research (DHR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Ministry of External Affairs of India.
Health Technology Assessment refers to a structured approach for evaluating the medical, economic, social, and ethical implications of health technologies — including diagnostics, treatments and public health interventions — to inform cost-effective and equitable decision-making in health systems. HTA has been central to India’s own efforts in improving allocation of scarce resources and ensuring value-based care, particularly through the Health Technology Assessment in India (HTAIn) programme under the DHR.
Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary of the Department of Health Research and Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), welcomed the Sri Lankan delegation and addressed the inaugural session. He characterised the initiative as a significant strategic milestone in bilateral healthcare diplomacy, emphasising its role in deepening cooperation on Health Technology Assessment and reinforcing India’s commitment to supporting regional health system strengthening through structured knowledge exchange.
Smt. Anu Nagar, Additional Secretary, Department of Health Research, highlighted the substantial impact of the Health Technology Assessment in India (HTAIn) programme on the country’s healthcare decision-making ecosystem.
She noted that HTAIn has played a critical role in promoting evidence-based prioritisation, efficient resource allocation and value-driven healthcare interventions. Expressing confidence in the outcomes of the workshop, she underscored that the exchange of institutional experience and technical expertise would support Sri Lanka’s efforts to formalise and institutionalise HTA frameworks within its national health system.
Over the course of the workshop, participants will engage on a broad curriculum covering HTA governance, methodological standards, institutional frameworks, pricing strategies, and procurement policies. Sessions are designed to share practical insights from India’s experience, explore ways to institutionalise HTA processes in Sri Lanka, and identify avenues for sustained collaborative initiatives that can enhance health technology evaluation capacity in both countries.
The launch of this workshop reflects both nations’ interest in deepening technical cooperation in healthcare and building resilience through data-driven policy tools. Sri Lanka, like many low- and middle-income countries, has faced challenges in health service delivery in recent years, which have underscored the importance of mechanisms that ensure efficient use of limited resources and improved health outcomes.
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