Healthcare is one of India’s largest sectors, in terms of revenue and employment, and the sector is expanding rapidly. It is going beyond its “institutional” role.
It is taking a transition from a “Disease-centric” to a “Patient-centric” approach. It is extending its role from treatment to prevention and up to healthy lifestyle. Today it is not only about medicine and treatment but also about self management, fitness, diet and wellness.
Healthcare users are continuously growing in number. One growth driver for this is India’s booming population, currently 1.1 billion and increasing at a 2% annual rate. This is due to a decline in infant mortality rate and extended longevity. The ageing of the population and the prevalence of chronic diseases is increasing the need for hospitalization. This would lead to an increase demand of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, beds and an increase in cost per treatment.
There is a rise in diseases like dengue fever, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis, malaria, and pneumonia. They have returned in force or have developed a stubborn resistance to drugs along with emergence of diseases such as AIDS as well as food- and water-borne illnesses.
Another growth marker is the expanding urbanization, and the increase in the...
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