VOI World/ Desk
Britain should learn from India’s healthcare system, the chair of NHS England, Dr Penny Dash, has said, praising India’s use of technology to deliver high-quality healthcare at scale and at significantly lower costs.
Dash said India could soon become a “global exemplar” in healthcare provision, with other countries looking to emulate its model.
Speaking on the HealthTech Hour podcast, she highlighted India’s ability to use technology to expand access to healthcare while serving its vast population.
“India is probably going to become the global exemplar in healthcare provision,” Dash said, adding that India was using technology in ways that Britain and even the United States could “only dream of.”
She said one of the most significant aspects of India’s healthcare model was its ability to democratise access to treatment. According to Dash, technology has helped Indian healthcare providers deliver quality care to large numbers of patients while keeping costs comparatively low.
Dash also praised India’s early adoption of standardised operating processes, saying technology had further strengthened these systems.
“By using technology you can reduce the unit cost of care,” she said, noting that India was now delivering “outstandingly good healthcare” at dramatically lower unit costs than many other countries.
Her remarks come as the NHS looks to improve productivity and accelerate digitalisation to manage the challenges of a growing and ageing population.
India has increasingly expanded its digital healthcare infrastructure in recent years, with technology playing a larger role in telemedicine, healthcare delivery and access to medical services.
Dash’s comments underline the growing international recognition of India’s healthcare and health technology ecosystem, particularly its ability to combine scale, technology and cost-effective delivery.
