Budget expectation 2021: Carlos Montiel, Vice President, Latin America and South Asia, Asia: ResMed

The pandemic has transformed the digital health and home care sector bringing forth the importance of new age solutions and ground infrastructure for the healthcare community to reach patients and reduce the disease burden. Globally, we have witnessed the healthcare providers embracing telemedicine and the use of remote monitoring devices for diagnosis, treatment and virtual procedures. Realising the advantages and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s quick action to advance telemedicine, India recorded a 3X increase in online consultations in 2020, which is expected to grow. 

Considering the vulnerabilities, the Government of India should focus on the expansion and strengthening of the digital healthcare ecosystem in India while prioritising policies for patient’s data privacy. Investment in infrastructure for the development of additional and advanced medical colleges along with mandatory inclusion of telemedicine in the course details should be a priority to enable and prepare the next generation of health professionals this digital phase. The government should also focus on the eradication of the key challenges faced in the med-tech space such as heavy imports of medical devices and equipment as close to 75 per cent of the medical devices are imported today, putting the pressure on patients. Lastly, the lifestyle induced health problems (such as sleep disorders) take a huge toll on the economy, hence, a substantial focus should be allocated towards awareness of such health problems and in support of programmes such as Fit India Movement.