Genomic and Precision Medicine Will Shape the Future of Healthcare

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh today dedicated the UMMID (Unique Methods of Management of Inherited Disorders) Programme for Rare Genetic Disorders/ Diseases to the Nation and said India is steadily entering an era where healthcare, diagnosis and treatment will increasingly become genome-based, precision-driven and individualized according to the genetic profile of every patient.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said inherited and rare genetic disorders remained neglected for decades because diagnosis itself was difficult, treatment inaccessible and medicines either unavailable or prohibitively expensive, making it essential to build a coordinated national mechanism to make diagnosis and management feasible, affordable and accessible for all families.

Describing UMMID as a major step towards the future of precision medicine in India, the Minister said the initiative would also prepare the country’s healthcare ecosystem for the next generation of gene and genome-based medical care.

Referring to the healthcare reforms introduced under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership over the last decade, Dr. Jitendra Singh said the Government has consistently focused on healthcare that is affordable, accessible, preventive and citizen-centric. He said India has expanded wellness centres, strengthened health insurance coverage and widened access to affordable medicines while simultaneously building systems for early detection and preventive healthcare.

peaking on the occasion, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology and Director General, BRIC, Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale said the UMMID initiative has brought hope to thousands of families through scientific intervention, collaborative biotechnology research and early diagnosis. He said India’s genetic diversity provides enormous opportunities for scientific innovation and translational healthcare solutions relevant not only for India but globally.

Earlier, welcoming the gathering, Dr. Suchita Ninawe said the UMMID programme has significantly strengthened India’s response to inherited genetic disorders by improving access to genetic diagnostics, counselling and capacity-building. She said the initiative has helped create an integrated nationwide network for management of rare and inherited diseases through coordinated institutional partnerships.(UPDATED ON 21ST MAY 2026)