Ho Hum About Health At Our Peril

Context: India need to focus on healthcare delivery and preventative healthcare instead of digitising health records and creating stacks.

Issues in India’s Healthcare Services 

• Unequal access to quality healthcare services in absence of quality public hospitals.
• 2018 Lancet study: around 1.6 million Indians die because of poor healthcare each year.
• Inadequate public health care in a system meant to serve them.
• Low Government spending on healthcare
• Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability: 0.31% of GDP for fiscal 2021. 
• Poor Doctor to Patient ratio of India with only one doctor per 1,445 patients (below WHO recommended ratio).

Way Forward

• Increase public health funding to improve primary healthcare facilities.
• 2020 McKinsey report: focus on health investment can deliver significant social and economic returns
• Invite private sector partnerships for standardised affordable healthcare. 
• Ensure a low-cost health insurance plan for citizens. 
• Innovation in health sector must go beyond clerical digitisation, and be in the deployment of low-cost models that spot disease early, improve outcomes and seek prevention to limit hospitalisation.
• Nimble (quick and light) and frugal technology to deliver healthcare.
• Promote preventative measures and remote monitoring through mobile telephony.

Conclusion: India must prioritise standard affordable healthcare with access to universal quality healthcare and preventive care if it is to put the country on a strong economic track.