Revolutionising healthcare: How tech, policy, and private players are shaping a new India by 2047

In Kolkata, a retired corporate executive told his buddies at the club, “Sorry, I have to go home now.” What! They exclaimed. It’s just 9 pm! The 65-year-old retorted, “After my recent illness, my son gave me this wristwatch, and he can monitor my health and bedtime from Bengaluru!”

From robots to wristwatches, change is coursing through India’s healthcare sector.

Amitabh Dube, Country President and Managing Director of pharmaceuticals major Novartis India, a unit of Switzerland’s Novartis, sees healthcare become more patient-centric and technology-driven. Dube is betting on three crucial trends: the digital revolution, universal healthcare coverage, and a focus on preventive and targeted therapy.

“Telemedicine and integration of AI will improve accessibility, particularly in remote areas. AI-driven diagnostics, personalised treatment plans, and virtual consultations will allow patients to receive timely care without extensive travel,” says Dube.

But this transformation can happen only if there is a database and someone to pay for the technology. Enter the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, which is creating a unified health information system of electronic health records. Ayushman Bharat aims to offer a cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family to 100 million families for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation.

Dube sees the government expanding universal healthcare coverage. “Policies like Ayushman Bharat will evolve to cover a broader range of services,” he says, supported by public-private partnerships (PPPs) to create better infrastructure and affordable healthcare.

Third, better preventive care will reduce the burden on the system. Preventive care ranges from basic hygiene and wellness programmes to early disease detection and personalised medicine. “Public health campaigns, early screening programmes, and lifestyle interventions will promote healthier lifestyles and early intervention,” Dube says.

The India Brand Equity Foundation says the healthcare sector is projected to reach Rs 16.4 lakh crore ($200 billion) by 2025, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and healthcare services. India’s healthcare expenditure is currently around 2.1% of GDP. The sector includes over 700,000 healthcare facilities and 1.8 million hospital beds, of which the private sector manages about 70%. Major players such as Apollo Hospitals, Max Healthcare, and Fortis Healthcare are infusing big money. The public sector manages about 30% of hospital beds.

Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD & CEO of Fortis Healthcare, says technology will allow people to consult doctors over long distances without wasting a day travelling to the nearest big town or another metropolis.

The All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, the gold standard in government healthcare, has integrated telemedicine and offers consultations to people in northeast India and Jammu & Kashmir. The Union Health Ministry’s eSanjeevani, a telemedicine service, offers consultations with doctors and specialists via smartphones or brick-and-mortar centres. By August 29, 2024, it had conducted over 284 million consultations.

The private sector Apollo TeleHealth has reached remote areas to offer consultations.

As for personalised medicine, Raghuvanshi of Fortis says, “Advances in genomics and biotechnology will allow for tailored treatments, improving patient outcomes.” He says AI and machine learning will transform diagnostics, treatment planning, and disease prediction.

The combined public health expenditure of the Union and state governments was 2.1% of GDP in FY23, better than in previous years but much lower than the global average. The Fifteenth Finance Commission, whose recommendations cover the six years up to March 31, 2026, had recommended a public health expenditure of 2.5% of GDP.

Raghuvanshi says the government has to craft robust policies that support innovation, increase research funding, and improve healthcare delivery systems.

Pharma Revolution

According to the Department of Pharmaceuticals, India’s pharmaceutical sector reached Rs 10,790 crore in FY24.

Anil Matai, Director General of the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI), which represents research-based multinationals in India, says, “Digitalisation will democratise access to quality care, bringing medical expertise to even the most remote corners.”

Matai says advances in genomics and biotechnology will allow personalised treatments, while AI and robotics will make diagnostics and surgeries more precise.

The pharmaceutical industry is focussing on innovative therapies that address the underlying causes of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) rather than merely managing symptoms. “There will be an increasing emphasis on developing innovative therapies that target the underlying causes of NCDs,” Matai says. “Our robust infrastructure, skilled workforce, cost-effective production capabilities, and enabling government policies will significantly expand India’s role,” Matai says.

India’s success as a leading supplier of Covid-19 vaccines during the 2020 pandemic enhanced its reputation as the ‘pharmacy of the world’. India is expected to be crucial in research, innovation, and developing next-generation vaccines and therapies. With all this technology invading the sector, managing the carbon footprint cannot be forgotten. Aakash Healthcare’s Chaudhry, also its Managing Director, says advances in biotechnology, automation, and digitalisation will enhance pharmaceutical manufacturing efficiency and quality.

A Testing Hub

The diagnostics sector is also on the rise, driven by the increased prevalence of chronic diseases and a growing demand for early detection. TechSci Research, a management consulting firm, says the Indian diagnostics market will reach Rs 2,324 crore by 2025.

Ameera Shah, Executive Chairperson and Whole-time Director of Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, says the diagnostics business will transform into point-of-care testing, which will become more accurate and accessible, especially in rural areas. Diagnostics will mesh with healthcare delivery, significantly increasing diagnostic volumes. Genomics and proteomics will allow doctors to tailor diagnostic solutions for every individual.

Shah says the average number of tests per sample will increase from three to nine or 10. “As technology advances, we will diagnose more diseases at earlier stages,” she says. But Shah notes that diagnostics will require insurance coverage to make them affordable. “Including diagnostic services in medical insurance coverage will ensure that healthcare costs are no longer predominantly out-of-pocket expenses,” Shah says.

Shah says public-private collaborations will also be essential in expanding the diagnostics infrastructure.

Veterans such as Dr Harsh Mahajan, Founder and Chairman of Mahajan Imaging & Labs, say PPPs are the need of the hour. “Diagnostics are a very important part of preventive, predictive, and precision medicine, and PPP will take high-quality diagnostics to all parts of the country,” says Mahajan, who also chairs the Health Services Committee of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry.

“The current emphasis on the lowest cost has to give way to the realisation amongst the public payer that quality comes at a cost. If financially viable models are developed, the private sector will join the government in providing universal healthcare,” he says.

Sometimes, the reaction to a crisis leads to a breakthrough. Covid-19 spurred a mammoth vaccination drive. Although India has had an immunisation programme for decades covering 12 diseases, it never recorded who was vaccinated and who was not.

In 2021, the government could create the Co-WIN platform by tapping into the digital world of Aadhaar’s biometric identification number, smartphones, and the QR code boom created by the pandemic. Now, it plans to use the platform to record all vaccinations. And the world wants Co-WIN. 

@neetu_csharma