Life-altering Bitter Truth

Life-altering Bitter Truth

A simple infection, snake bite, and any other easily preventable cause can have catastrophic occurrence for vulnerable families who face loss of income, stability, and have no safety net in the event of having to care for a permanently disabled family member.

A serious illness can mean financial and social bankruptcy for vulnerable patients, often bringing entire family to their knees if it affects the breadwinner.

Alarming Statistics

Infants, vulnerable population and the BPL population suffer the most

Infant Mortality rate

0 %
Of all infant deaths in India occur in rural areas*
Ending Preventable Newborn Deaths in India
  • India has one of the highest Infant Mortality Rates in South Asia.
  • 1 in 36 infants die before their 1st birthday.
  • 75% of deaths can be prevented with access to high-quality healthcare.
  • The top causes for preventable newborn deaths are premature birth, low birth weight and infections.

* Source: Times of India

Snake bite

in India died due to snake bites between 2000 and 2019.*
0 million people
in India died due to snake bites between 2000 and 2019.*
The Loss of Hope: An All-Too-Frequent Reality
  • According to the Million Death Study, around 58,000 Indians die from snake bites annually, the highest rate in the world. The WHO places the number of annual deaths between 81,000 – 138,000.
  • Most of the victims reside in rural areas and over a quarter are children under the age of 15.
  • In addition to the number of deaths, there are over 400,000 amputations and other permanent impairments.

* Source: Trends in snakebite deaths in India from 2000 to 2019 in a nationally representative mortality study

Intensive Care

$ 300- 0
Is the average cost per day of intensive care in India.*
Pushing Households into Poverty
  • According to the World Economic Outlook report by the IMF, India’s average per capita income in 2021 was only $2191.
  • The prohibitive costs of intensive care in a medical emergency can only be withstood by a person’s average per capita income for a few days.
  • The situation is worse for those who earn lower than the average – any healthcare emergency can potentially push entire households into poverty.

* Source: International Monetary Fund

Ground Reality

  • India has 2.3 ICU beds per 100,000 people, ranking 17th among 23 Asian
    countries in critical-care bed capacity, according to a 2017 survey published
    by Critical Care Medicine Journal. Comparatively, the United States has 34.7
    ICU beds per 100,000 people.*
  • This shortage is more pronounced in rural areas, where the concept of
    critical care often does not exist.
  • Types of infrastructure missing in hospitals especially in rural areas includes
    heart-lung machine, incubators, diagnostic tools, treatment equipment,
    and patient management systems.

 

* https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/icu-beds-per-capita-by-country

Unbalanced Act

0 %
Rural India Population
0 %
Urban India Population
0 %
Healthcare Infrastructure
0 %
Healthcare Infrastructure
There is a massive gap between rural and urban healthcare infrastructure, despite a staggering majority of the populace residing in rural India.

KEY HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENTS MISSING IN RURAL INDIA INCLUDE:

  • Medical Facilities: Hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities are fundamental components of health infrastructure.
  • Healthcare Workforce: Skilled healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and technicians, are an essential part of the healthcare workforce.
  • Medical Equipment and Technology: This includes diagnostic tools, treatment equipment, and information technology systems for managing patient records and healthcare data.
    Supply Chain and Logistics: The health infrastructure manages the supply chain for pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, and equipment, ensuring timely access to essential resources.
  • Public Health Systems: These systems encompass epidemiology, disease surveillance, and health promotion programs to protect and improve public health.

The Urgent Need for Improved Healthcare Infrastructure in India

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed severe shortages in India's healthcare infrastructure.

HOSPITAL BED AVAILABILITY
  • According to the WHO, India has only 0.5 hospital beds per 1,000 residents.
  • This is a critically low ratio, indicating an imminent shortage.
CRITICAL CARE DEFICIT
  • For a population of over 1.5 billion, there are currently only 125,000 ICU beds.
  • Majority of these beds are located in metropolitan areas.
RURAL HEALTHCARE CRISIS
  • Over 900 million people live in rural India.
  • Critical care facilities are both prohibitively expensive and geographically inaccessible for rural populations.
  • Rural residents face a greater severity of risk due to the lack of timely access to care.