SustainablyAlpha January Edition

limited access to quality
materials. The spatial
imbalance requires fortifying
healthcare in remote regions
in order to upgrade India’s
health infrastructure,
ensuring that progress is not
confined to urban centers but
reverberates across the
entire societal spectrum.
In urban sectors like Mumbai
and Delhi, India showcases
state-of-the-art hospitals
furnished with cutting-edge
medical technology, attracting
both national and
international patients. For
instance, Mumbai’s Lilavati
Hospital and Delhi’s AIIMS (All
India Institute of Medical
Sciences) stand as symbols of
advanced healthcare.
However, in stark contrast,
rural areas cope with limited
resources. According to a
2021 report by WHO (World
Health Organisation), there is
a significant urban-rural
divide in the density of
healthcare professionals, with
urban areas having a much
higher concentration. The
doctor-to-patient ratio in the
urban areas is notably better
than in rural regions, where
accessibility to health care
remains a critical concern. In
states like Bihar and
Jharkhand, rural healthcare
infrastructures face
challenges in terms of both
personnel and facilities,
leading to a certain imbalance
in health outcomes.
Government
initiatives and
policies
The Indian government has
taken plenty of initiatives to
maintain the nation’s health
infrastructure, targeting to
alleviate variation in
accessibility to healthcare
and strengthen healthcare
accessibility. The Ayushman
Bharat scheme, launched in
2018, stands out as a
landmark effort, providing
financial protection to over
100 million vulnerable
families for secondary and
tertiary hospitalisations. This
movement not only
recognised and addressed
the economic barricade to
healthcare but also aimed to
bring about a more broad
healthcare system. Under
Ayushman Bharat, eligible
beneficiaries are entitled to
receive coverage for
secondary and tertiary
hospitalization expenses.
The scheme provides a
defined health insurance
cover of up to INR 5 lakh per
family per year. This
coverage includes a wide
range of medical treatments,
surgeries, and procedures,
ensuring that families do not
face financial ruin due to
high healthcare costs.
Ayushman Bharat operates
on a cashless and paperless
model, with beneficiaries
identified based on the
Socio-Economic Caste
Census (SECC) database.
Emphasising technology-
driven processes, the
scheme aims to reduce
fraud and streamline the
healthcare delivery
system.India
has
implemented sustainable
blood storage practices by
adopting advanced
refrigeration technologies
and stringent quality control
measures. Blood banks use
specialised equipment to
maintain
proper
temperatures, ensuring the
longevity of stored blood.
Additionally, community
blood donation drives
contribute to a steady and
sustainable blood supply,
supporting healthcare needs
across the country.
Another noteworthy policy is
the NHM (National Health
Mission), launched in 2005.
Its aim is to strengthen
primary healthcare across
the country, sharpening
maternal and child health,
immunisation,
and
communicable disease
control. One of its key
components
is
Reproductive, Maternal,
Newborn, Child, and
Adolescent
health
(RMNCH+A), representing
the continuum of care from
pregnancy to adolescence. It
operates at both the
national and state levels,
creating a collaboration
between the central and
state governments to
implement and monitor
health programs effectively.
Despite these commendable
efforts, the demand for
healthcare often outpaces
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