Indian healthcare is at a tipping point. Despite decades of
economic growth, millions of people continue to incur high out-ofpocket expenses on healthcare. In addition, an aging population
and one of the world's lowest public health expenditures1 are
straining the Indian healthcare system to a breaking point. Not
surprisingly, India ranks a low 154 out of 195 countries in access
to and quality of healthcare, even as it bears a fifth of the global
disease burden.2
In addition, the country's disease profile has changed drastically.
While mortality caused by communicable diseases has declined,
non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as chronic respiratory
diseases and cancers are causing nearly 60 percent of the deaths
in India every year.
These diseases require the participants in the Indian healthcare
ecosystem-the government, care providers, insurers, companies
and the community-to focus more on prevention and wellness. In
the digital age, they have an unprecedented opportunity to come
together for harnessing transformative technologies to shape
wellness behaviors and reduce the impact of NCDs.