GE Healthcare has launched a mission to accelerate the building of a "Yogya Bharat" or "Skilled India" that will improve access to quality healthcare throughout the country. The company has partnered with leading healthcare and education experts to set up healthcare education and training institutes that will provide accredited skill building programs for 12th Standard pass eligible students and skill enhancement programs for existing healthcare professionals. The first few healthcare education and training institutes with state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure will commence operations in Mumbai, Greater Noida, Bhatinda, and Bhubaneshwar.

Through healthcare education and training institutes across the country, GE Healthcare, along with its partners, aims to train and contribute 100,000 skilled healthcare workforce to strengthen India's healthcare system over the next five years. This workforce will include newly trained, certified employable professionals for allied health care services as well as skill enhanced healthcare professionals who are in the system already. GE Healthcare has developed the curriculum for several courses including imaging, patient safety, advanced medical diagnostics and leadership development. National Skill Development Corporation India, through the Healthcare Sector Skills Council, is playing a key role in defining curriculum for these courses and supporting accreditation. Partners bring in a variety of critical strengths to the program like infrastructure, equipment for hands on training, clinical environment for trainees, academic advisory and technological capabilities, as well as a wealth of expertise in learning development.

GE Healthcare aims to set up at least one healthcare education and training institute in each State and has already signed Memorandum of Understanding with several leading institutions both in Government and the private sector. GE Healthcare and its partners pledged their commitment to a Yogya Bharat in the presence of Mr Dilip Chenoy, Managing Director and CEO, National Skills Development Corporation.

Congratulating GE Healthcare on the new venture, Mr Dilip Chenoy, MD and CEO, National Skills Development Corporation said, "A skilled workforce is key to the growth of any nation. The need of the hour is to create the ecosystem to maintain a constant supply of trained talent that is ready to join the mainstream and enable expansion of the healthcare infrastructure in the country. We congratulate GE Healthcare for its initiative to train and help develop skilled workforce for a more robust healthcare ecosystem. Not only will this initiative bridge the deep skills gap that exists in the sector but also enhance employability in the country."

"The initiative is among the largest skill enhancement programs for GE Healthcare in the world. This is a great example of how we can use our scale and experience to partner with India. GE Healthcare was the first company to manufacture high-end healthcare equipment in India in 1991. As an innovator of affordable, localized solutions, our goal has been to enhance accessibility to quality healthcare for every Indian. We hope that the skilling of 100,000 healthcare professionals will address an important Government priority of bridging the skill deficit," said Mr John L Flannery, president and CEO of GE Healthcare.

Talking about the mission, Ms Terri Bresenham, president and CEO, GE Healthcare India said, "This is a landmark initiative in our 25-year history in India. We believe a skilled India is absolutely necessary for a healthier India. As a leader in healthcare, GE Healthcare looks to continue playing a crucial role in the growth of India's healthcare system. We stand committed to partnering with public and private players in the healthcare sector to make this endeavour a success."

The first institute which commenced operations in Mumbai is fully funded and run by GE Healthcare with the first batch of students taking up Radiology Technologist certified program.