Lancet report outlines roadmap for citizen-centred universal healthcare coverage in India

NEW DELHI: (Jan 21) A new Lancet Commission report outlines a path for a rights-based, citizen-centred health system for India involving innovative financing, regulation and community engagement that delivers accessible, equitable and high-quality care.

Aligning with the country's broader vision of 'Viksit Bharat', a developed and inclusive nation by 2047, the reforms described in the report promote community participation, transparency and equity -- key principles of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) -- aimed at ensuring high-quality, affordable care for all.

An international team of authors, including those from the US' Harvard Medical School and the Population Foundation of India, a Delhi-based NGO, emphasise the urgent need to strengthen India's public healthcare by integrating services across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, increasing government investments, and harnessing digital technologies.