The 4th edition of the National Diagnostics Forum (NDF) 2026, organised by Voice of Healthcare (VoH), concluded successfully in Mumbai, bringing together leading stakeholders from diagnostics, healthcare delivery, policy, technology and investment to discuss the future of diagnostics in India. Held in Mumbai, the forum positioned diagnostics as a central pillar in India’s evolving precision, preventive and value-based healthcare ecosystem.
The day-long industry platform featured in-depth discussions on precision diagnostics, artificial intelligence (AI), public–private partnerships, quality frameworks, and consolidation trends shaping the diagnostics sector. Leaders across pathology, radiology, genomics and medtech unanimously highlighted diagnostics’ growing role in early disease detection, personalised treatment and improved patient outcomes.
The forum opened with keynote addresses by Dr Nishchal Naveen, Founder, Voice of Healthcare; Dr Suchita Markan, Scientist F and Head, Innovation & Translation Research Division, ICMR; and Mr Sanjay Jha, Founder, Apaan Medtech, setting the tone for a future-ready diagnostics ecosystem anchored in innovation and collaboration.
Speaking at the event, Dr Nishchal Naveen, Founder, Voice of Healthcare, said, “Diagnostics has moved from the background to the forefront of healthcare innovation. Accelerated by COVID-19, the sector today is expanding access, enabling early detection, and powering the next phase of preventive and precision healthcare.”
Highlighting advancements in cancer diagnostics, Dr Somnath Chatterjee, Chairman and Joint MD, Suraksha Diagnostics, noted, “Early-stage cancer detection using sequencing and AI is transforming care, shifting healthcare from reactive treatment to proactive, precision-led prevention.”
Emphasising the importance of quality and trust, Ms Ameera Shah, Promoter and Executive Chairperson, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, said, “In critical healthcare decisions, patients prioritise expertise and reliability over price. While technology enhances access and efficiency, human judgment and quality systems remain irreplaceable.”
Addressing the role of diagnostics in fertility care, Devendrasingh Rajput, CBO – Pharma & Pathlabs, Indira IVF Group, stated, “Genetic and genomic testing, supported by AI-driven insights, allows us to personalise IVF treatments, improve success rates and ensure patient-centric outcomes.”
From a regulatory and quality standpoint, Dr Sandeep Sewlikar, Head – Medical & Scientific Affairs, Regulatory Affairs and Quality, Roche, added, “Alignment with NABL standards, validated technologies and robust data systems are critical to maintaining precision, compliance and trust in diagnostics.”
On AI adoption in imaging, Dr Anirudh Kohli, CEO and Head – Radiology & Imaging, Breach Candy Hospital, said, “AI has become an integral part of diagnostic workflows, augmenting clinical decision-making, improving efficiency and enhancing quality without replacing medical expertise.”
Discussing network-led growth, Jay Parekh, Group Senior Vice President and Business Head – West & North, Neuberg Diagnostics, noted, “Integrated diagnostic networks enable consistent quality, faster reporting and shared best practices, extending advanced diagnostics beyond metros to tier-two and tier-three cities.”
The National Diagnostics Forum 2026 reinforced the sector’s transformation from a support function to a strategic driver of healthcare outcomes, spotlighting diagnostics as essential to early detection, personalised medicine and sustainable healthcare delivery. As India advances towards preventive care and precision medicine, platforms such as NDF continue to play a critical role in shaping policy dialogue, innovation and industry collaboration.
As the National Diagnostics Forum 2026 concluded in Mumbai, it reaffirmed a collective commitment to building a future-ready diagnostics ecosystem—expanding access beyond metros, strengthening public–private collaboration, and positioning diagnostics as a strategic driver of preventive and precision healthcare. Platforms such as NDF continue to play a vital role in advancing policy dialogue, innovation and industry alignment in India’s healthcare journey.
