GE Healthcare on October 20, 2013, launched a first-of-its-kind healthcare technology experiential lounge on wheels - 'Mission Healthier India' in New Delhi. The specially designed healthcare vehicle from GE was flagged off by former Indian President, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, in the presence of Mr Banmali Agrawala, president & CEO, GE South Asia, Mr Tom Gentile, president & CEO, GE Healthcare Systems, and Ms Terri Bresenham, president & CEO, GE Healthcare South Asia.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam said, "Technology is a key enabler for better healthcare. If technology is not affordable it will not be accessible for the neediest people. The most important aspect is teams working in healthcare - both research and clinical areas, have to have an attitude with a mission 'What can I give?'. This attitude of 'What can I give?' will lead to 'Let my brain remove the pain.' and bring smiles to suffering people. I am happy to see team GE having this attitude and innovating technology solutions to make healthcare accessible and affordable."

The 'Mission Healthier India' is an experiential and educational lounge with 20 low-cost GE innovations on board. The Lounge will provide clinicians a hands-on experience on these advanced technologies catering to women, mother & infant care, cardiac diseases and critical care.

Speaking about the initiative, Mr Banmali Agrawala, president, GE India, said, "Over 70% of Indians live in smaller towns and rural areas with limited access to quality medical infrastructure, including skilled manpower and technologies. GE is here to create a positive impact on the lives of every individual through its path breaking innovations. We have some of the best people working with us in India, who are engaged in developing solutions that make quality and affordable healthcare accessible to all."

With the 6 new experiential vehicles, GE Healthcare hopes to reach 200,000 clinicians around the country, especially in smaller towns and villages. The mother & infant care technologies include ultrasound imaging systems for diagnosing health of babies and expectant mothers, infant care technologies like 'Embrace' provides mother's womb like warmth, 'Lullaby LED Phototherapy' system for treating neonatal jaundice, battery operated ECG systems for early detection of cardiac diseases, and critical care tools required for monitoring and supporting critically ill patients and reducing infections in ICUs.

Terri Bresenham, president & CEO, GE Healthcare South Asia, said, "'Mission Healthier India' is our endeavor to showcase technologies that bring quality healthcare closer to people of India. Our technologies and solutions created in India, for India, have proved to dispel the notion of quality healthcare only comes with a steep price."

Ms Bresenham further added, "This initiative is an instrumental platform to reach out to healthcare providers who have taken on the responsibility of elevating the standards of patient care in the smaller cities and villages of India. GE targets to develop 100 low-cost solutions in India to address India's and world's healthcare challenges in the area of cancer, cardiac diseases and maternal & infant care."