PNN
New Delhi [India], May 22: The 5th Edition of the Healthcare Planning & Infrastructure Conference 2026 (HPIE 2026), organized under Advance Media Group and powered by MedGate Today, concluded successfully at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi, from 14-16 May 2026.
Held under the overarching theme, "Healthcare Infrastructure Beyond Hospitals: Building Intelligent, Resilient & Integrated Care Ecosystems for Viksit Bharat@2047," the conference emerged as one of India's foremost national platforms for strategic dialogue on healthcare infrastructure transformation, digital health ecosystems, patient-centric planning, sustainability, and resilient healthcare systems.
The three-day conference witnessed participation from more than 3,500 delegates, including senior government officials, policymakers, healthcare administrators, hospital leaders, architects, infrastructure planners, clinicians, healthcare technology innovators, investors, academicians, and international stakeholders, collectively deliberating on India's transition from conventional hospital-centric models towards integrated, technology-enabled, and future-ready healthcare ecosystems.
The inaugural session was graced by Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Authority, as the Chief Guest. In his inaugural address, he emphasized the importance of building digitally integrated and citizen-centric healthcare infrastructure aligned with Ayushman Bharat and India's long-term healthcare vision. He highlighted the role of interoperable digital systems, data-driven governance, and resilient healthcare architecture in strengthening equitable healthcare access across the country.
IAS Mugdha Sinha, Managing Director of the Indian Tourism Development & Additional Secretary of GoI, as the Guest of Honour, underlined the growing importance of healthcare tourism and India's potential to emerge as a globally competitive destination for medical value travel. She stressed the need for integrated healthcare infrastructure, hospitality, urban planning, and patient experience to position India as a preferred global healthcare destination.
Delivering the Guest of Eminence address, Dikshu C Kukreja, Managing Principal, CP Kukreja Architects and Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Albania to India as the Guest of Eminence highlighted the critical role of architecture and sustainable design in shaping next-generation healthcare facilities. He emphasized the importance of climate-resilient, patient-centric, and technologically adaptive healthcare environments capable of responding to future healthcare challenges.
Conference Chair Dr. Upasana Arora, Managing Director, Yashoda Medicity, emphasized the need to build compassionate, inclusive, and patient-focused healthcare ecosystems that integrate technology with human-centered care delivery. She highlighted the importance of workforce well-being, patient safety, and integrated healthcare planning in strengthening healthcare outcomes.
Conference Co-Chair Dr. Vivek Desai, Founder & Managing Director, HOSMAC, addressed the evolving dynamics of healthcare infrastructure financing, operational sustainability, and long-term capacity planning. He called for stronger public-private collaboration and strategic investments to build resilient healthcare systems capable of meeting future demands.
Special Guest Ar. Shamit Manchanda emphasized the importance of intelligent hospital design, infection prevention planning, and integrated healthcare architecture that supports both clinical efficiency and patient well-being.
The conference was mentored by Mr. Afzal Kamal, Managing Director & Editor-in-Chief, MedGate Today, whose vision and leadership have played a pivotal role in shaping HPIE into a nationally respected platform for healthcare policy dialogue, infrastructure innovation, and strategic industry collaboration. Addressing the gathering, he emphasized that the future of healthcare infrastructure must extend beyond physical hospitals and evolve into intelligent, interconnected, resilient, and accessible healthcare ecosystems capable of serving India's aspirations under Viksit Bharat@2047.
Commenting on Prius Healthcare's association as the PR and Digital Partner for HPIE 2026, Mr. Baldev Raj, Founder & CEO, Prius Healthcare, (Unit of Prius Communications), and Chairman, Public Relations Council of India - Delhi Chapter, said, "Healthcare infrastructure is no longer only about buildings, beds and equipment; it is about creating trust-led, accessible and future-ready care ecosystems. HPIE 2026 successfully brought together policymakers, healthcare leaders, architects, technology innovators and industry stakeholders on one platform to shape meaningful conversations around India's healthcare future. As the PR and Digital Partner for the event, Prius Healthcare (Unit of Prius Communications) was proud to amplify this important dialogue and support a platform that aligns strongly with our belief that credible communication can play a powerful role in accelerating healthcare transformation, policy awareness and industry collaboration. As artificial intelligence becomes an integral part of healthcare planning, diagnostics, patient engagement and operational efficiency, its responsible adoption will further assist the sector in building smarter, faster and more inclusive care systems for the future."
The conference was conceptualized against the backdrop of India's rapidly evolving healthcare ecosystem, driven by increasing healthcare demand, urbanization, epidemiological transitions, and the growing emphasis on accessible and affordable quality healthcare.
Key discussions on the inaugural day included:
- AI is Designing Hospitals - Smart & Predictive Infrastructure, focusing on the transformative role of artificial intelligence in hospital planning and operational efficiency;
- Start to Scale - Building and Scaling a Hospital, examining sustainable healthcare growth models and investment frameworks;
- From Bed Capacity to Care Capacity, emphasizing patient-centric care outcomes over traditional infrastructure metrics;
- Healthcare Infrastructure Meets Urban Planning, exploring integrated health city concepts and urban healthcare accessibility;
- From Volume to Value - Moving India's MVT Strategy Up the Complexity Curve, highlighting India's growing role in advanced medical value travel; and
- The End of Tier 1 vs Tier 2, discussing decentralized healthcare delivery and digital healthcare accessibility across regions.
The Transformation Day focused extensively on resilience, safety, and digital ecosystems through sessions including:
- Designing Hospitals That Don't Burn, addressing fire safety and disaster-resilient infrastructure;
- From Ayushman Bharat to Viksit Bharat 2047: Architecting AI-Enabled, Scalable and Trusted Digital Health Infrastructure (Chief Guest Address)
- Building AI-Enabled, Sustainable & Resilient Healthcare Infrastructure for India@2047: Advancing Medical Value Travel through Innovation, Trust & Global Healthcare Excellence. (Guest of Honor Address)
- Medical Value Travel & Global Healthcare Positioning
- Health Data as Critical Infrastructure, focusing on governance, privacy, interoperability, and national preparedness;
- Can India Institutionalize Patient Safety?, advocating structured patient safety frameworks and governance mechanisms;
- Nursing Excellence & Staff Well-being, emphasizing workforce-centric infrastructure and burnout mitigation; and
- Transforming Healthcare Procurement, exploring resilient and technology-enabled supply chain ecosystems.
A major highlight of HPIE 2026 was its expansive exhibition segment, which featured participation from more than 25 leading healthcare and infrastructure organizations showcasing advanced technologies, healthcare infrastructure systems, digital transformation solutions, hospital equipment, patient-centric innovations, and smart healthcare ecosystems.
As part of its long-term policy commitment, the key recommendations and strategic insights emerging from the conference deliberations will be compiled into a comprehensive post-event policy brief to be submitted to relevant ministries, government departments, and institutional stakeholders for consideration and further policy action.
With the successful conclusion of its 2026 edition, the Healthcare Planning & Infrastructure Conference has further strengthened its position as one of India's leading platforms dedicated to shaping the future of healthcare infrastructure, policy innovation, and integrated healthcare ecosystems for a resilient and future-ready India.
For more information and updates, please visit:
Website: Healthcare Planning & Infrastructure Conference
Social Media: Healthcare Planning & Infrastructure Expo/Conference (LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter)
(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)