“Maternal mortality numbers globally are astounding,” Irani said, noting that around 700,000 women die every year due to lack of basic medical facilities. She underlined how low-cost interventions can save lives, adding that frontline workers often lack simple tools that could prevent fatal complications during childbirth.
Emphasising India’s manufacturing potential, Irani said, “India is becoming not just a hub for frugal innovation, but also a dependable partner in global supply chains.” She pointed to examples where Indian manufacturers have delivered affordable medical solutions that meet and even surpass global standards, reinforcing India’s credibility as a long-term partner in healthcare innovation.
Irani linked health outcomes closely with environmental challenges, particularly air pollution. Referring to international experience, she said, “China realised that a 0.164% rise in pollution was costing them millions of tourists.” Such data, she explained, has been a strong motivator for industry and policymakers to respond decisively.
She stressed that urban planning must evolve in response to these realities. “Urban design has to respond to these realities environmentally. It has to be a comprehensive effort. It cannot only be an administrative effort,” Irani said, adding that fragmented approaches are insufficient to address complex environmental and health challenges.
Highlighting less-discussed impacts of pollution, Irani said productivity losses are significant. “There is a productivity loss, as per Lancet reports, which leads to cognitive decline,” she said, noting that pollution-related damage is often misunderstood as only a respiratory issue.
Concluding, Irani said successful responses globally have been collaborative. “Every country that has responded to the pollution challenge has seen that it is not governments alone. It is society at large, industry, and urban systems working together,” she said, underscoring the need for cohesive, long-term action.
