A Step Toward a Healthier India - Empowering Women’s Health

The growing emphasis on healthcare reform, and especially increasing access to affordable medications, cancer treatments, and medical facilities are all important steps toward the health and well-being of women all across the country. As tremendous as the progress that is being made is, there is much additional work to be done to address the specific challenges women face in India's healthcare system.

Improving Cancer Care: A Lifeline for Women

Cancer is one of the most common and deadly health conditions in women, particularly breast and cervical cancer. In an attempt to address this, this budget designates funding for the construction of 200 daycare cancer clinics in public hospitals over the next three years. The decentralization of services to address cancer care will obviate long-distance travel for women living in tier-2 and tier-3 cities for cancer care services. Many women face financial and logistical challenges that can be expensive and difficult to bear in order to access cancer care. The goal of government is to try to alleviate those barriers to accessing life-extending therapies by delivering as many services as possible in a patient’s home environment, in a home environment, as possible. In many respects, this aligns with the overall governmental aim and intent to lower costs and increase public access regarding health care, specifically by reducing accessibility barriers in rural and other areas where cancer care access is often limited. This can build on opportunities to improve health outcomes considerably for women, among other groups who are often disproportionately impacted by cancer.

Expanding Medical Education: A Future for Women in Medicine

The gender imbalance in medicine persists, and India's health system has traditionally grappled with the shortage of qualified medical professionals. One significant step towards addressing the problem is the to increase medical college seats by 10,000 next year and 75,000 seats in the next five years. Even though women constitute a higher percentage of medical students, they remain underrepresented in leadership roles in the healthcare sector. The gender disparity in this critical sector can be minimized if more women are provided an opportunity to advance their careers in healthcare through the expansion of medical education.

Making Medicines More Affordable: A Relief for Women

One of the key measures towards reducing the cost burden on patients, especially women, is exempting 36 life-saving drugs from general customs duty. Such drugs include those for rare disorders and cancer. Drugs for chronic diseases and cancer therapies often leave families in economic distress, with women, who are usually the main caregivers, shouldering the costs. The government is lifting one of the greatest barriers to women getting treated for chronic conditions by reducing the expense of such medications.
Also, as women are usually the primary caregivers and responsible for the family’s care and well-being, these alterations will very probably affect Indian families quite dramatically. It is anticipated that this will lower out-of-pocket costs, which have continuously been an issue in India, where it is estimated that people pay for approximately 48% of total medical expenditure.

A Holistic Approach to Women’s Health

It's vital to note the progress achieved in the arena of women's health while we celebrate the success of women. Prioritizing improved cancer care, more medical education for all, reducing the cost of medicines, and helping women in the gig economy is moving in the correct direction for a healthier and fairer India.
India can develop a health system that is not only inclusive but also empowering for women across the country by ensuring that the needs and concerns of women are at the forefront of such programs.

By Ayush Chauhan Executive Director, Prakash Hospital