Series 1- Part 1
India has undergone a substantial transformation over the last two decades, positioning itself in the global landscape as an economic forced to be reckoned with. Our global reputation has improved due to our demonstrated prowess in fields like technology and industry. More recently, India has sought to become a premiere healthcare destination for international visitors who require safe, affordable, and high-quality medical care. However, before this dream can become a true reality, India must address two ongoing and serious roadblocks that go hand-in-hand: the difficulty that many Indians have in accessing quality and affordable healthcare services; and the lack of trained healthcare professionals needed to service both our citizens and meditourists from around the world.
It is ironic that international meditourists, many from First World nations, have little difficulty accessing the same healthcare services that countless Indians so desperately need. International tourists who have the funds can easily find high-quality treatment for everything from infertility to cancer in luxurious settings. Many of those healthcare professionals who choose to remain in India ply their trade in private hospitals that cater to wealthy Indians and international tourists. Sadly, basic medical services are far out of reach for many of the nation’s 1.252 billion people—many of them the poorest and most marginalized members of Indian society. It is estimated that more than 600 million people in India lack access to the most basic of medical care, and we currently have an infant mortality rate that is three times higher than China’s and seven times higher than the United States—two countries who also have infant mortality rates which do not align well with their status as developed nations. More than 2000 infants die every day in India, a loss which is attributed to factors such as poor maternal and infant nutrition, sepsis, and prematurity. The 2013 Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of India was assessed at 40 deaths per 1000 live births, and the 2012 Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) was assessed at 52 deaths per 1000 live births. These numbers are troubling, and reflect poorly on India as a healthcare destination and example for the rest of the world.
Truly, if we cannot care for our most vulnerable citizens, how can we be expected to attract international patients seeking excellent healthcare? It is also worth questioning whether the resources which are directed towards building India’s reputation as a meditourism destination could serve a greater purpose if they were focused on the challenge of healthcare access for all Indians.
This series of articles will discuss the factors which limit India’s healthcare effectiveness. We will explore the reasons why so many Indians go without basic healthcare services, and the impact that this problem has on our strength as a nation. We will also look closely at the educational and organizational problems which have resulted in a mere one doctor per every 1700 Indian citizens. Clearly, major changes need to be made in order to improve India’s healthcare system, and this series aims to provide some possible solutions to this ongoing crisis which currently devastates so many lives.