The National Medical Library under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare held its fifth national training conference on 9 October 2026 to strengthen access to digital medical resources across India’s medical education system. The event brought together medical librarians, healthcare professionals and researchers to discuss how digital platforms can support evidence-based clinical practice and medical research.
Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava called for expanding the National Medical Library network to all medical colleges, particularly those serving underserved regions, and emphasised that digital resources are essential to building India’s independent research capabilities.
Key facts
- Conference held on 9 October 2026 at National Medical Library, New Delhi
- National Medical Library network currently covers 93 medical colleges
- Four digital platforms covered in hands-on training: ClinicalKey, BMJ, Access Medicine and MedOne
- Key speakers: Punya Salila Srivastava (Health Secretary), Dr Vinod Kotwal (Additional Secretary), Dr Lovneesh G. Krishna (Director General of Health Services)
- Panel discussion topic: “From Custodian to Clinical Partner: The Next Mandate for the Medical Librarian”
- National Medical Library Newsletter and Souvenir released at the event
What is the ERMED Consortium
ERMED is a consortium that provides collaborative access to digital health and medical resources. According to the health ministry, it evolved significantly in 2024 to serve as a centralised platform connecting medical colleges, healthcare professionals, researchers and students to scholarly medical literature and clinical information resources. The consortium works alongside the government’s One Nation One Subscription initiative to broaden access to published research and knowledge.
Current reach and expansion plans
The National Medical Library currently serves 93 medical colleges through its network. The Health Secretary stated that this reach must be extended to cover all medical colleges across the country, with particular attention to institutions in areas that lack adequate access to quality medical literature. The ministry plans to develop a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen digital access and explore the role of artificial intelligence in medical education, research and professional development.
Digital platforms and training
The conference featured practical training on four major digital resource platforms used by medical professionals and researchers. ClinicalKey provides clinical decision support tools, BMJ offers medical journals and educational content, Access Medicine contains textbooks and clinical references, and MedOne aggregates multiple medical resources. Training sessions aimed to help librarians and healthcare workers use these platforms effectively to find relevant clinical information and academic materials.
The changing role of medical libraries
Senior health officials emphasised that medical libraries are transforming from physical spaces into digital knowledge hubs. Rather than simply storing and providing access to information, modern medical libraries are expected to support clinical teams, researchers and students in translating evidence into better healthcare decisions. The panel discussion at the conference explored how librarians can evolve from information custodians to active partners in clinical and research activities within hospitals and medical institutions.
Building India’s research ecosystem
The Health Secretary highlighted that access to digital health resources is crucial for developing India’s independent research capabilities. She noted that while India can benefit from international research, the country must cultivate its own research mindset and innovation capacity. Digital medical libraries serve this goal by making scholarly publications and clinical evidence accessible to researchers and healthcare professionals throughout the country, particularly in institutions that might otherwise lack such resources.
What this means for you
If you are a medical student, doctor, researcher or healthcare professional at a medical college connected to the National Medical Library network, you will gain improved access to digital medical journals, textbooks and clinical information through these platforms. The expansion plans mean that professionals at medical colleges in underserved areas may soon have access to the same digital resources as those in major urban centres. For librarians and information professionals, the conference signalled that your role is expanding to include supporting evidence-based decision-making in clinical and research settings, not just managing library collections.
What happens next
The ministry plans to develop a roadmap for strengthening access to digital health resources and exploring artificial intelligence applications in medical education. States and Union Territories will receive guidance on adopting best practices in medical library services. The National Medical Library will organise focused seminars to identify effective models and share best practices across institutions nationwide to improve accessibility and use of digital educational resources.