India’s public health system faces mounting challenges due to chronic underfunding, increasing privatisation, policy shortcomings, and social inequities, experts warn. These factors have weakened the accessibility and quality of healthcare, particularly for vulnerable populations in rural and low-income areas.
Doctors, who occupy a unique position of trust and moral authority, are seen as pivotal in addressing these challenges. They can act as agents of social change, advocating for reforms, holding policymakers accountable, and highlighting gaps that exacerbate disease and suffering. Public health specialists argue that strengthening the public sector, bridging policy gaps, and regulating private healthcare provision are essential to ensure equitable healthcare access.
Failure to act risks widening health disparities and straining the system further. Stakeholders call for comprehensive reforms, increased funding, and inclusive policies to protect the population’s health and uphold the social contract of healthcare in India.
Privatisation and Policy Gaps Put India’s Public Health at Risk
