The ‘KPMG-OPPI report on healthcare access initiatives’ said that India’s total healthcare expenditure is about 4.1 per cent of the GDP, which is among the lowest in the world.(Reuters)

Around 80 per cent of doctors and 75 per cent of dispensaries are serving urban India which is home to only 28 per cent of the country’s population, a new report said today.

According to the report, India is estimated to lose USD 4.58 trillion by 2030 due to Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which account for nearly 60 per cent of deaths in India annually.

The ‘KPMG-OPPI report on healthcare access initiatives’ said that India’s total healthcare expenditure is about 4.1 per cent of the GDP, which is among the lowest in the world.

“75 per cent of dispensaries, 60 per cent of hospitals and 80 per cent doctors are located in urban areas, serving only 28 per cent of India,” the report said.

“Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for nearly 60 per cent of deaths in India annually. The country is estimated to lose $4.58 trillion by 2030 due to them,” it said.

The report said that India clearly faces a “large and looming” economic and wellness burden and prioritising healthcare has never been more critical.

“It is imperative that all stakeholders collaborate and increase their commitment towards a patient-centric healthcare ecosystem,” it said.

The report analyses the current healthcare scenario in India and the future burden in access initiatives and also summarises the interventions undertaken by member companies of the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) in this regard.

Highlighting India’s poor health indices, the report said that India’s life expectancy (68 years in 2015) and its number of hospital beds per 1,000 population (0.9) were among the lowest in BRICs nations.

Noting that the country has the lowest number of physicians per 10,000 population among BRICs nations, the report said that in rural India, only 37 per cent of people had access to In-Patient Department (IPD) facilities within a 5 km distance while only 68 per cent had access to an Out-Patient Department (OPD).

“Nearly 63 million people are in debt due to health expenditure,” it said.

The report said that nearly 75 per cent of the population is is out of insurance coverage.

India spends less on healthcare than most other middle income countries, the report said, adding that Out-of-pocket (OOP) contributes close to 86 per cent of private and 60 per cent of overall healthcare expenditure.

“While the government plays a laudable role in providing healthcare, human life lost due to lack of awareness is staggering. Often, disease detection is so delayed that neither access nor affordability can play any role,” said Utkarsh Palnitkar, Head, infrastructure, government, healthcare and life sciences, KPMG, India.

“Only a long-term, proactive strategy with education and awareness at its centre, involving all stakeholders can achieve the desired vision of a healthy country,” Palnitkar said.

The report said that India had also not been able to meet most of the health targets under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), defined by the UN Summit in 2000.

Shailesh Ayyangar, President, OPPI, said that Universal Healthcare was a social priority and the country’s healthcare strategy requires a holistic approach and a critical evaluation of our existing systems.

“We need sustainable policy solutions to address healthcare financing, infrastructure and human resource challenges,” he said.