Navigating India's Healthcare Horizon: Are We Doing Enough for a Healthier Tomorrow? – Express Healthcare

India’s healthcare in 2025 serves 1.4 billion, blending ancient Ayurveda with modern innovation. As the world’s most populous nation, we face a dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, while pioneering innovations that could position us as a global leader in equitable and affordable care. The pandemic exposed deep cracks in our system, but it also accelerated digital adoption and policy reforms. Yet, with life expectancy now hovering around 72.5 years—a modest rise from 69.6 in 2020—we must ask: Are we doing enough to ensure every citizen thrives, not just survives?

This question is especially urgent for our children and adolescents, where non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and poor mental health are not just health issues but leading causes of death and disability. Globally, one in seven adolescents (aged 10–19) suffers from mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and behavioural disorders – with over 166 million in India alone – while NCDs affect 2.1 billion children worldwide. At the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on NCD s and Mental Health this September, UNICEF Youth Advocate Etah’s call to “put children at the centre of the response” underscores the need for global action. India must lead by integrating youth voices into our reforms.

The Health Scorecard

India’s strides in maternal and child health are undeniable. The infant mortality rate (IMR) has dipped to 25 per 1,000 live births in 2025, while maternal mortality ratio (MMR) stands at 93 per 100,000 live births—a historic low.

To quantify the momentum, consider this trend analysis from 2020 to 2025:

Source: WHO; UN-IGME; Office of the Registrar General, India; MoHFW ( 2020–2025).

These gains outpace global averages, driven by initiatives like Ayushman Bharat and community health workers. But challenges remain: anaemia still affects 67% of children and 59% of adolescent girls, and stunting burdens 37% of under-fives. These nutrition-linked setbacks threaten to derail India’s SDG commitments.

The NCD burden is alarming. NCDs now claim 65% of deaths, up slightly from 64.93% in recent years, fuelled by diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and an aging population. A new Lancet analysis sounds an alarm for India: unlike most countries where deaths from NCDs are falling, India is witnessing an increase. The probability of dying from NCDs before age 80 rose to 38% for women and 51% for men. For youth, the stakes are higher: NCDs like obesity and diabetes are rising among adolescents, compounded by mental health crises where 75% receive no treatment. Without urgent preventive interventions—community screenings, school-based literacy campaigns, and early counselling—the demographic dividend could become a liability.

Healthcare Infrastructure

India’s health infrastructure struggles to match demand. Hospital beds have declined from 1.4 to 1.3 per 1,000 people, far below the WHO norm of 3.5. The doctor-to-population ratio, however, has improved to 1:811, better than WHO’s 1:1000 standard. Nursing and allied health capacities have expanded, but unevenly.

Public spending has doubled to 1.84% of GDP since 2020, yet it still lags behind the 2.5% target in the National Health Policy. Out-of-pocket expenses, though reduced from 64.2% in 2020 to 40% today, remain crippling for the poorest households. Insurance penetration under PM-JAY now covers half the population, but outpatient care—where most households bear the brunt of costs—remains largely uncovered.

Inequities persist even within coverage: the poorest quintile receives reimbursements averaging just ₹394 per hospitalization, while the richest quintile gets ₹4,317. On the research front, healthcare R&D comprises less than 5% of total output, and spending remains under $1 per capita. Paradoxically, while NCDs cause nearly two-thirds of deaths, only 13.4% of research focuses on them.

However, there is the silver lining. The pharmaceutical sector, our “pharmacy of the world,” exported $30.5 billion worth of medicines in FY25, growing at a CAGR of 10.6% since 2020. Telemedicine has emerged as a transformative force, now a $3.6 billion market with projections to triple by 2030, powered by AI diagnostics and 90% smartphone penetration. Health and Wellness Centres under Ayushman Bharat—over 1.7 lakh and counting—are integrating traditional Ayurveda with modern care, expanding jobs and community access.

These strengths position India uniquely to lead global reforms on youth mental health and NCDs, aligning with UNICEF’s call for technology-enabled solutions such as remote counselling, digital screening tools, and AI-based early interventions.

A Call to Action

The data paints a clear picture: India has halved IMR in two decades, and pharma exports boom at double-digit growth rates. Yet healthcare spending, research priorities, and equity measures lag. The way forward is threefold: i) Policymakers: Hit 2.5% GDP spending by 2030 via targeted PPPs (Public-private partnership), ii) Investors: Back telemedicine startups for 20%+ returns, prioritizing adolescent care and iii) Providers: Prioritize data-driven preventive care to curb NCDs. The UNGA’s political declaration, “Equity and Integration,” sets 2030 targets—150 million fewer tobacco users, 150 million more with controlled hypertension, and 150 million more with mental health care access—that India must champion.

India’s healthcare isn’t just surviving—it’s poised to thrive. With analytics guiding us and global voices like Etah’s amplifying our youth, we can forge an equitable system: accessible, innovative, and a model for the Global South. The metrics are moving; now, let’s make them matter for every life.

References:

1. World Health Organization (WHO), World Health Statistics 2020.

2. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), World Population Prospects 2022.

3. Registrar General of India & Census Commissioner, Sample Registration System (SRS) Special Bulletin on Maternal Mortality 2018-20.

4. UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (IGME), Levels & Trends in Child Mortality: Report 2024.

5. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, SRS Report 2021-23.

6. International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 2019-21.

7. WHO & UNICEF Joint Guidance (2024) on child and adolescent mental health services.

8. Ministry of Finance, Government of India, Economic Survey 2023-24.

9. National Statistical Office (NSO), India, NSS 75th Round: Health in India.

10. Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, India Science, Technology & Innovation Report 2023.