Sonam Gyatso Sherpa, General Secretary of the Denzong Sherpa Association, met Tshering W. Sherpa, IFS, Ambassador of India to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in Hanoi on May 16 to discuss the vision of building a “Rog Mukta Sikkim” by 2031 and explore avenues of cooperation between Sikkim and Vietnam in healthcare, agriculture and tourism sectors.

The meeting was held at the residence of the Indian Ambassador in the Vietnamese capital. During the interaction, Ambassador Tshering W. Sherpa, son of Lt. Col. O. Sherpa (Retd.), reportedly assured that he would visit Sikkim in September this year for further discussions on development-oriented initiatives concerning the state.

Sonam Gyatso Sherpa presented details of the proposed “Punara Janma Viksit Sikkim 2031: Health Sector Transformation” roadmap, a long-term policy vision aimed at transforming Sikkim into a healthy, resilient and digitally empowered state by 2031.

The roadmap seeks to align Sikkim’s healthcare reforms with the broader national vision of Viksit Bharat while addressing the challenges posed by the state’s mountainous terrain, dispersed population and remote habitations. The proposal emphasises a healthcare model centred on accessibility, preventive care and technology-enabled services suited for high-altitude regions.

According to the proposal, the state aims to achieve near universal health coverage by expanding enrolment under Ayushman Bharat, enhancing healthcare coverage for senior citizens and reducing out-of-pocket medical expenditure through integrated insurance support systems. It also recommends large-scale expansion of PM Jan Aushadhi centres to improve access to affordable generic medicines across the state.

A major component of the roadmap involves strengthening Health and Wellness Centres by converting existing sub-centres and primary healthcare facilities into digitally connected “High-Altitude Health Posts.” These centres are proposed to provide essential diagnostic services, maternal and child healthcare and screening for non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.

The proposal also places significant focus on preventive healthcare programmes tailored for mountain communities, including awareness initiatives relating to altitude-related illnesses, mental health concerns and substance abuse.

Another key recommendation is the creation of a specialized telemedicine platform named “Tele-Sanjeevani Sikkim,” designed to connect remote health centres with super-speciality hospitals in Gangtok and neighbouring regions. The digital system is intended to facilitate specialist consultations in cardiology, paediatrics and gynaecology for patients residing in distant areas.

The roadmap further advocates accelerated implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and wider generation of Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA IDs) to strengthen digital healthcare delivery and improve portability of medical records.

Artificial Intelligence and machine learning technologies also form an integral part of the proposal. The document recommends deployment of AI-assisted diagnostic tools for retinal disease screening and preliminary radiology analysis to address shortages of specialist doctors in remote regions. It additionally proposes the use of geo-spatial technologies for monitoring disease outbreaks and improving healthcare resource allocation.

The roadmap also addresses demographic and genomic health concerns. Referring to the state’s Total Fertility Rate of 1.1 as recorded in NFHS-5 data, the proposal sets a target of increasing the rate to 1.5 by 2031.

To support this objective, the document recommends the launch of a “Sikkim Genome Project” for ethical collection and analysis of genetic data to facilitate precision preventive healthcare and infertility-related interventions. The proposal includes genomic infertility screening, targeted reproductive healthcare programmes and pharmacogenomics research to study medicine response patterns among local populations.

The roadmap further calls for a robust ethical and legal framework to safeguard privacy, ensure informed consent and guarantee equitable access to advanced healthcare technologies.

Apart from healthcare reforms, the proposal aims to position Sikkim as a specialised wellness and biopharma hub by leveraging the state’s biodiversity and ecological advantages. It recommends establishing centres dedicated to Sowa Rigpa and traditional herbal medicine integrated with modern healthcare systems, while also promoting pharmaceutical manufacturing and wellness tourism infrastructure.

Under its proposed 2031 targets, the roadmap seeks to achieve 95 per cent universal health coverage, 100 per cent digitally functional Health and Wellness Centres, 80 per cent ABHA ID penetration and genomic sequencing or genotyping of 20 per cent of Sikkim’s population.

The proposal estimates an investment requirement of Rs 3,500 crore for phased implementation between 2024 and 2030, covering healthcare infrastructure, digital systems, genomic research, workforce training and wellness sector development.

During the meeting in Hanoi, Sonam Gyatso Sherpa also discussed prospects for future collaboration between Sikkim and Vietnam in agriculture and tourism. According to him, Ambassador Tshering W. Sherpa expressed interest in continued dialogue and assured support for initiatives aimed at the development of Sikkim.