The WHO estimates that UHC (Universal Health Care) campaigns can improve average life expectancy by 3.7 years and help citizens navigate through medical exigencies. As part of SDG-3 (Social Development Goals), India has identified a range of ailments starting from child mortality to tackling infectious/reproductive diseases.

The proportion of government health spending in relation to total health expenditure rose from 28.6 per cent in FY14 to 40.6 per cent in FY19. But greater collaboration between public-private entities may be needed to cover a vast and diverse topography like India.

To a great extent, the government’s flagship program, the Ayushman Bharat, is a step in the right direction. ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) has already gained a critical adoption stage. According to data as of 2023, the ABHA platform recorded 21.9 crore beneficiaries, 4.3 crore hospital admissions, and a network of 26,055 hospitals. As of Jan 2023, 31 crore health records were created on ABHA, and over 135 crore footfalls were recorded at hospitals and clinics.

With better public awareness and the introduction of newer facilities, the ABHA use case is turning into as successful a case study as JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhar, and Mobile). However, there are two interesting challenges – private participation and ecosystem assistance.

In the case of JAM, India’s diverse financial ecosystem ranging from public banks to start-ups rallied in supporting financial inclusion. Opening banking accounts, providing QR codes, and facilitating a financial system in remote hinterlands were factors in unlocking a new society.

Surprisingly, what seemed easy in the financial system is taking time in healthcare.

One can expect the government to open additional spending in healthcare as part of its welfare objectives. But, lessons from America’s Medicare prove otherwise. There are two crucial observations with Medicare – one, it covers a significant size of ailments. And two, the associated concerns of public spending to the overall economic impact are mind-bogglingly scary.

A collaborative approach to healthcare that facilitates research, development, and innovation is the way forward. Private participation in areas such as early detection and management helps unlock newer economic avenues.

Collaboration between public and private players riding on the common platform of Ayushman Bharat could be as innovative and re-defining a moment as JAM.

Sood is Secretary General Assocham and Dr Rana is Chairman Ganga Ram Hospital