Status of health indicators in India
India has displayed significant commitment towards improving its health indicators and achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Although India’s efforts to reduce noncommunicable diseases are in their infancy, it has managed to make significant strides in its fight against communicable diseases. These efforts –along with gaps in the availability of healthcare facilities – deeply influence India’s performance with respect to SDG 3, ‘Good Health and Well-being.’
Service delivery of healthcare in India
Public and private stakeholders including the government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and social enterprises have made the provision of healthcare in India possible through a number of rigorous national programmes, systemic innovations and connected public healthcare delivery touch points, with the private sector having a larger market share. Since health is a state subject, the central government implements policies while the states are tasked with delivering services. This is accomplished with a three-tiered model of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare.
Systemic challenges impeding efficient care
India’s healthcare system faces deep-rooted challenges such as poor delivery of care, infrastructural shortages, low government spending, lack of technology and poor health-seeking behaviour. Thus, there is a need for a foundational shift in the healthcare delivery ecosystem
Priority areas likely to shape healthcare in India
To achieve universal healthcare, there is a need for health systems to prioritise these key areas: digital health; data-led decision-making; strengthening of primary health care; human workforce reforms; health financing reforms; increased public-private partnerships; driving innovations in drugs, vaccines and medical devices; and an intersectoral approach to health.
Authors: Granthika Chatterjee and Yashasvi Murali, with support from Karthika Kumar
Knowledge and Data Analysis: Arnab Mukherjee, Pragati Keswani, Neelakshi Trivedi.
Technical Review: Lakshmi Sethuraman
