Despite A Booming Economy, India's Public Health Remains A Daunting Reality - EXCLUSIVE
India is one of the fastest-growing economies, a hub for pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, world-class medical facilities and research centres. Over the past few decades, India has left a mark of its own with its various healthcare programs and outcomes. Despite these achievements, India's public health remains a daunting reality. We spoke to Dr. Arbinder, CEO & Co-Founder, Fitterfly to understand where India is going wrong and what are the contributing factors.
In an interview with TheHealthSite.com, Dr. Arbinder said, "If we have to come out with our country's health report card, I am afraid the stats would be disappointing. India carries the biggest burden of deaths due to non-communicable and preventable diseases. More than 60% of deaths happening in India are attributed to NCDs."
Talking about the major challenges for the healthcare sectors in India, Dr. Arbinder highlighted four important diseases. He said that these four major diseases are dominant in India and are the primary reasons behind the fatality rate. Check out the list of diseases that he mentioned -
Several surveys and studies have shown that the poor health quotient of Indians is due to a combination of various factors - genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioural. When it comes to behavioural factors - unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical exercise, tobacco and alcohol use top the list. Most people in urban India are aware of the perils of an unhealthy lifestyle but cannot make a crossover to the other side of the line to become healthy. Because changing lifestyle habits isn't easy. It takes effort to undo the patterns you have followed for years. Some factors that make Indians an unhealthy population are -
Dr. Arbinder says that the main reason why Indians are unhealthy is due to the lack of acceptance. He says that the majority of people are in denial that they need to change their lifestyle for better health or, even worse, in denial of their diagnosis of chronic diseases. A recent study done on 250 patients by the psychology and well-being department saw that almost 44% of patients suffered from diabetes distress (feeling overwhelmed, worried or guilty about the diagnosis). This could have an impact on the treatment process and demotivate one. People should realise that accepting one's diagnosis or health status is the first step towards making a healthy life.
Most people in urban India are unaware of their health status or conditions that could silently be killing them. For instance, a condition like prediabetes is often silent, and without proper attention, it could lead to type 2 diabetes in a span of 3 to 5 years. According to the Indian Journal of medical research, around 14% of the Indian population is prediabetic. But that is regarding people who have been tested. We might not even know the real numbers. Mass awareness regarding timely medical tests is necessary to know about their health and take the right steps.
Sometimes even after being aware of and accepting one's diagnosis, people fail to adopt healthy lifestyles due to a lack of motivation. They might expect unnatural outcomes in a short period or lack the knowledge to achieve those outcomes in a structured and scientific manner. Defining goals and planning outcomes is essential. When one fails to achieve unattainable outcomes, they get demotivated and fall back into their unhealthy lifestyle.
Assistance and persistence are the two things that can help Indians become healthier with their choices and lifestyles. Dr Arbinder shares what people in India need at the moment to bridge the gap. Check what he says -
"Now imagine the situations of athletes. When they are trying to better themselves or break from a plateau, they reach out to their coach with clear plans and structured schedules. A coach is the best person who can understand the loopholes in one's regime and draft a better one that can help them achieve defined outcomes in the most structured and scientific manner. The same goes with your health too. If you have tried doing it all by yourself and failed, it is best to seek support and assistance to achieve your health outcomes. Having a health coach who can define clear goals for you and personalise your health journey can be of immense help. Also, just having a plan is not enough; to follow it to the core expert hand-holding and constant motivation are necessary," Dr Arbinder was quoted as saying.
He further explains For instance, in diabetes care and management, there are certain outcomes that a person needs to achieve - lowering of HbA1c, taking SMBG readings on time, following a proper nutrition and exercise plan, losing a few kilos - a coach can help to stay motivated and achieve those outcomes in a specified time frame. Also, not every person might need the same kind of help and attention. For example, while some people might have to work on their stress management, others might need help to correct their sleep habits or have a diet plan that correlates to their personal glycemic response. Certain aspects need personalised care and attention in diabetes care and management, where you cannot have a one-size-fits-all solution. A health coach is the best person to identify these needs and help achieve the outcomes.
In India, the doctor-patient ratio is at 1:1456 (WHO recommends 1:1000), so it becomes unrealistic to expect doctors to handhold their patients to change behavourial patterns and achieve desired outcomes. This is why digital therapeutics or DTx is booming. The DTx programs designed are personalised and individualised to meet a person's needs. Through DTx expert hand-holding can be done remotely to achieve the outcomes. DTx also comes with the promise of - better compliance, continuous monitoring and motivation, personalised data for tweaking or planning programs, and a healthcare buddy on the go.
In today's day and age, where correcting lifestyle habits have become more critical than ever to save ourselves from a global health crisis, these programmes can become the primary treatment choice or a holistic support system for better outcomes for many chronic diseases.
