Expectations from the new government to enhance healthcare

In view of the current Lok Sabha elections, and the formation of the re-elected government, experts anticipate real-time advancements, by making healthcare more accessible and affordable, digitisation and technological integration and updated health insurance coverage among other developments in the healthcare sector.

Sharing his views on the recent events and its prospects for the healthcare sector, Dr Vivek Desai, Founder and MD, HOSMAC, said, “This term offers the incoming government with opportunities for meaningful reforms in healthcare, opportunities that demand urgent attention and decisive action.”

Desai highlights the key areas of improvement according to him. He expresses a need for standardisation of private healthcare costs. The exorbitant fees charged by some of the private hospitals, prevent access to essential medical services for the lower and middle socioeconomic class of citizens. The Ministry of Health’s initiative, in the previous term, to consult with state governments for nationwide uniform charges was a welcome step. He urges the government to expedite this process, ensuring healthcare is made affordable and accessible. 

Additionally, integrating healthcare schemes horizontally is paramount, especially given the dire situation where nearly 400 million Indians lack health insurance coverage. By harmonising various healthcare initiatives, the government can streamline access to insurance coverage. 

Desai further stresses the need to give attention to the implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHR) through the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. “EHRs are essential since they not only reduce medical errors but also enhance patient care and decision-making. Additionally, while medtech has been identified as a sunrise sector under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, efforts must be intensified to reduce imports, which currently stand at $4.1 billion, and boost domestic production to reduce dependency.” 

Lastly, in order to meet the SDG goals by 2030 the government should focus on promoting sustainable healthcare facilities, including mandatory GRIHA 3 rating or silver-rated Green Building Certification for all hospitals. This step will not only ensure environmental sustainability but also improve patient outcomes.

Dr Vaibhav Kapoor, Co-founder, Pristyn Care emphasised, “We foresee major advancements in fortifying the healthcare industry, with a particular emphasis on the core competencies of home and transit care services in hospitals and the expanding field of medical value tourism.” Kapoor also explained the need to allocate capital towards providing modern healthcare services to rural populations to close the urban-rural divide, ensuring that is affordable and accessible to all, regardless of location, and prioritises high-quality, sustainable treatment.

“There also needs to be an expansion of health insurance coverage to include modern treatments, promoting research with policy support, and increasing awareness of digital healthcare benefits.” Kapoor further highlighted. “The new government is presented with an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to a robust, inclusive, and future-forward healthcare system.” concludes Kapoor.