INDIAN HEALTHCARE SECTOR: THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
By Samarth Khurana
Pandemics have had a significant socio-economic cost to humanity over centuries and have troubled civilizations throughout history. While outbreaks occur frequently, every outbreak does not amplify into a global pandemic like the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has. The COVID-19 Pandemic has severely strained the health care system of our country. The rapidly increasing demand for medical facilities and workers threatens to leave our country’s health care system overstretched.
Current State of Indian Healthcare Sector:
According to a Brooking study by Prachi Singh, Shamika Ravi and Sikim Chakraborty published in March 2020, which used data from the National Health Profile-2019, the total number of hospital beds in the country was 7,13,986. This translates to 0.55 beds per 1,000 people. India’s doctor-to- population ratio stands 1:1445, well below the level recommended by the World Health Organization. The WHO says that the ideal ratio is 1:1,000. As per an estimate, India has a shortage of about 6 lakh doctors, 20 lakh nurses and an even greater number of supporting medical staff.
The problem intensifies, as a recent study published in the British Medical Journal states that 54% of health professionals in India — including doctors…
