NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Very often a nation’s growth is measured just by its economic performance, leading its government to focus on and celebrate corporate successes. But this approach leaves the more fundamental aspects of society unaddressed, a major one being the collective health of the people. Despite the rapid growth of the private sector, the government has been unable to employ its services in providing quality healthcare across all segments of society. And we need to ask why!

“Despite the rapid growth of the private sector, the government has been unable to employ its services in providing quality healthcare across all segments of society.”

Universal healthcare in India remains a distant reality, as demand and supply in healthcare services still show a significant gap in urban and rural areas. The two primary needs of healthcare in the country—affordability and accessibility—remain unmet. For India’s economically and geographically diverse population, universal health care is mandatory to offer protection from healthcare catastrophes and to improve accessibility.