Indian hospitals

Abstract

Healthcare constitutes 5.5% of the GDP spend, and is one of the largest industries in India. Unlike the other developed and some of the developing nations of the world, where the public spending dominates, Indian private sector contributes to more than 80% of the healthcare spend. This is striking contrast with the developed nations and reflects the woeful standards of healthcare against global norms. Private hospital providers have moved in to fill the gap over the years and now dominate the tertiary/ quaternary care segments. With its history of under-spending, India’s public healthcare infrastructure is ‘woefully inadequate’ – and it leaves majority of the population devoid of basic healthcare amenities. Public health facilities, which are not only under-staffed but also ill-equipped in terms of obsolete or poorly managed medical equipment, offer only basic services.