Archive · 14 Aug 2026
Indian Doctors Urge Shift to Preventive, Early-Detection Healthcare
Doctors in India were asked what one thing they would change about the country's health.
Many doctors said the most important thing is to stop diseases before they start.
This idea is called preventive healthcare.
It means finding health problems early, before they become serious.
Right now, many people only go to the doctor when they feel very sick.
Some diseases get much harder to treat by that time.
One doctor said people should stop taking medicines without a doctor's advice.
Another doctor said cancer should be found early with screening tests.
Doctors also said eating well, staying active and getting enough sleep keep people healthy.
That way, fewer people would end up in hospitals with serious illness.
Indian doctors say the country's biggest health need is prevention and early detection, not more hospitals or technology.
Dr Shrikant Sharma of Kailash Healthcare says India should identify health risks before they develop into serious diseases like diabetes and hypertension.
Dr Chirag Tandon of ShardaCare-HealthCity warns that misuse and over-the-counter availability of antibiotics can contribute to antimicrobial resistance.
Dr Sumit Aggarwal of Sarvodaya Hospital says many people only see doctors when symptoms become severe, complicating treatment.
Dr Deepak Jha of Artemis Hospitals says cancer care must move from treating symptoms to detecting disease early, including breast, cervical and colorectal screening.
- Who
- Indian doctors including Dr Shrikant Sharma, Dr Chirag Tandon, Dr Sumit Aggarwal, Dr Ashmitha Padma and Dr Deepak Jha
- What
- A call for Indian healthcare to shift from a treatment-first model towards prevention, early detection and responsible medicine use
- When
- Not specified in the article
- Where
- India, including hospitals in Goa, Faridabad and other cities
- Why
- Because many patients seek care only after diseases have progressed, making treatment harder and health outcomes worse
- Core message
- India should shift from treatment-first to prevention-first healthcare
- Doctors quoted
- Five (Shrikant Sharma, Chirag Tandon, Sumit Aggarwal, Ashmitha Padma, Deepak Jha)
- Key concern
- Self-medication and antibiotic misuse driving antimicrobial resistance
- Chronic diseases
- Diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cardiovascular disease
- Cancer screening targets
- Breast, cervical and colorectal cancers
- Prevention goal year
- 2047 for improved health outcomes
- Hospitals involved
- Kailash Healthcare, ShardaCare-HealthCity, Sarvodaya Hospital Faridabad, Manipal Hospital Goa, Artemis Hospitals