India's healthcare journey from scarcity to smart care

When India became independent in 1947, it did not have many hospitals, doctors, or medicines.

Over 79 years, the country worked hard to build a better healthcare system through vaccination campaigns and disease-control programmes.

India eradicated smallpox in 1977 and was certified polio-free by the WHO in 2014.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, India made vaccines and medicines and even helped other countries in need.

Today, telemedicine lets patients talk to doctors without visiting a hospital, and the eSanjeevani platform has helped more than 45 crore people.

Health records are now digital through the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, so doctors can easily access patient information.

Hospitals are also increasingly using robotic-assisted surgery.

The government launched the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in 2018 to help economically vulnerable families get hospital care, covering more than 12 crore hospitalisations by June 2026.

India's healthcare system is growing stronger as the country looks toward its development goals for 2047.