What as per you are the expectations of healthcare industry from the government after its one year in power?

The spending crunches in healthcare have been ailing this industry. There is a lot of talk about government reducing its funding and no new specific key programmes being launched so far. In that context, we wanted to state few core important points in our latest report too. The healthcare industry has potential that can generate the growth India requires. It can be tomorrow's game changer for India. That's why we are saying that it requires a paradigm shift from being a mere necessity to become the solution provider to complex issues.

Typically social angle was always the main consideration for health but I say that the focus on infrastructure and industry to empower healthcare delivery is the need of the time. We should remember that India cannot become a developed nation with the current healthcare delivery system.

There is no visible assurance from the government on funding. Health stands neglected especially in rural areas?

If we ask the citizens on their expectations from the government, I am sure the healthcare won't make it to top three. It is dramatically changing as the disease burden that is growing in India, is making the case worst. In rural areas, the inhabitants are unable to pay for the treatments. Whether the disease is communicable or non-communicable, it becomes a tale of hardship for a common citizen too.

As I was pointing out, the housing, food and clothes will no longer remain priority. It will be the education and healthcare in the next decade. I would see the government responding to the facts being put out by various reports.

KPMG latest report talks about opportunities in health. Could you please highlight the major concluding points out of the report?

Present government has come up with 'Swatcch Bharat Campaign' which is indeed a very good idea but yet is ironic that nobody talks about funding part when it comes to healthcare.

There are four things that we talk about in the report apart from the request to treat healthcare not merely as a social issue but the infrastructure and industry issue as well.

The amount of jobs that you can create with targeted investments are too high than any other industry. This is mass employment yet with workforce having specific skill sets. We talk about the fact that because of kind of lifestyle diseases going up due to the various reasons, the cost associated with the same will go up.

But we miss on rural urban divide. Medical tourism is possible in India due to affordable and quality treatment made available for patients from abroad. It will help our industry to grow and bring foreign capital. The last point is that the innovation in health services, diagnostics, and equipments has the potential to make India a health innovation hub and not just the services provider.

What is your opinion on E-health initiatives being spearheaded in the country?

We used to discuss the need for urban educated persons to go to rural areas for services. Unfortunately that hasn't happened and I don't think government can really dictate the individual's choices.

That is where the E-health can come into picture here and especially the way technology has evolved. We have to institutionalize it and run this on public private partnership. However, the data security has to be handled carefully and basic infrastructure has to be evolved. Business model has to be such that every stakeholder is part of the system.

Is there any need for changes in curriculum of medical education to keep students (would be doctors) updated?

I think one has to realize that healthcare education is practical unlike other areas. Typically, medical education is aligned with most of the new innovative technologies on daily basis. However, I agree that courses on bioethics and regulations have to be incorporated wherever the need be.