Failing health system India's greatest predicament: Report

A failing health system is India's greatest predicament, says a study by a leading medical journal.

A series of papers published by The Lancet on Tuesday supplied growing body of evidence to show that Indian health is in crisis while its economy continues to rapidly progress.

"India's healthcare and public health systems are completely inadequate to address the needs of its population that continues to grow," Lancet said.

The British medical journal revealed that about 39 million people fall into poverty annually in India mainly due to health-care expenditures.

It says healthcare inequalities prevail and are related to socioeconomic status, geography, and gender, and are compounded by high out-of-pocket expenditures, with more than three-quarters of the increasing financial burden of health care being met by households.

According to the study, some 1.8 million children under the age of five die in India every year. Some 68,000 mothers die due to maternal causes and 52 million children in the country are stunted.

The study further warns that chronic diseases like heart and respiratory ailments, mental disorders, diabetes and cancer will account for nearly 75% of all deaths in India by 2030.

To tackle rise of chronic illnesses, the study recommends population-wide programmes to promote lifestyle changes, such as reducing salt intake and tobacco and alcohol consumption.

The Lancet called on the country to establish a universal healthcare system at least by 2020. To achieve this, it suggests "increased public spending on health, the creation of an Indian national health service, stronger regulation of the private sector, and the improvement of preventive and curative health services."