By Dinesh Madhavan
India is projected to reach 1.6 to 1.7 billion people in the next decade (we’re already close to 1.5 billion) there must be a greater sense of urgency to allocate a significant percentage of GDP towards preventive healthcare. This includes vaccination, sanitation, hygiene, and ensuring that the consumption of food products or by-products doesn’t lead to disease.
Measures to ensure universal health coverage must be implemented not just from a treatment perspective, but also by taking certain preventive factors into account beforehand. For example, could we establish a universal vaccination policy? Could we ensure vaccinations are administered for diseases that are avoidable or preventable?
Preventive healthcare can’t be defined solely by conducting health check-ups, true prevention goes beyond that. One key approach is vaccination. Another is ensuring that we live in a clean environment and consume products that are properly tested and regulated whether by food safety authorities, drug control agencies, or device regulators. Today, many products bought off the shelf or through various apps bypass any form of quality testing or regulation. This lack of oversight contributes to the growing health burden. India is already known as the diabetes capital of the world, and increasingly, the obesity capital too. These labels highlight the broader, looming healthcare concerns facing the country.
The fundamental issue we face today is whether our education system, starting from kindergarten, is equipping children with essential health awareness. Are we teaching them what to avoid and how to make choices that support lifelong well-being? Since the early years are critical for cognitive development, health literacy should be woven into the very fabric of our curriculum.
Rather than relying solely on packaging labels, advertisements, or public campaigns to convey these messages later in life, why not make health and nutrition education as integral as physical education in schools? By teaching children what to eat, how much to eat, and how to develop healthy habits from an early age, we empower them to make informed decisions as they grow. If we embed these lessons throughout their schooling, students will naturally distinguish between healthy and harmful choices-helping to prevent the rise of lifestyle diseases in the future.
This is especially critical because India is witnessing three major demographic shifts: one, we have the largest population globally; two, we’re rapidly becoming one of the largest aging populations; and three, the 50–70 age group, often the most vulnerable to chronic illnesses, will expand significantly. The healthcare burden will, therefore, fall on caring for those with preventable conditions, not just those affected by environmental factors such as dengue, malaria, cholera, or typhoid, which are related to sanitation and hygiene.
If India is able to address the above, the second part, which includes diagnosis and treatment, becomes easier. Otherwise, we’re constantly firefighting without solving the root cause.
I believe there should be a stronger push to make healthcare more accessible by building a self-reliant ecosystem rooted in a comprehensive ‘Make in India’ and ‘Made in India’ policy. Instead of focusing on reciprocation, as is currently being discussed in the news regarding tariffs, where other countries are demanding lower import duties in exchange for Indian exports, we should shift the conversation. Imagine if India critically assessed what healthcare products we’re currently importing and focused on developing the capacity to manufacture those domestically.
This should include drugs, consumables, sutures, medical devices, and healthcare technology. By doing so, we could eliminate import and customs duties, ultimately reducing the overall cost of healthcare. Right now, every time a product is imported into India’s healthcare ecosystem, the additional cost is passed on to the patient. However, if we build a domestic ecosystem that supports the local production of these items under the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Made in India’ initiatives, we can significantly reduce costs and improve accessibility. I believe the shift should lean more heavily toward ‘Make in India’ (please check this should be Made in India) focused on indigenous manufacturing because that’s what will truly make healthcare affordable and sustainable in the long run.
Finally, there needs to be broader seat distribution and the creation of more postgraduate programs, with a clear intent to encourage service in Tier-2, Tier-3 cities, and rural India. We need more healthcare professionals who are committed to serving these regions, rather than concentrating in urban areas. This will help bridge the gap between patients and doctors.
To summarize, there are three key focus areas: first, establishing stronger preventive healthcare through vaccination, hygiene, environmental awareness, and regulated consumption, supported by sound policy decisions; second, promoting self-reliance through ‘Made in India’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives; and third, developing the next generation of healthcare providers to meet the evolving needs of the country.
The writer is President – Group Oncology & International at Apollo Hospitals.
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of FinancialExpress.com. Reproducing this content without permission is prohibited.