Hyderabad: Dr JA Jayalal, president of the Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA), has expressed concern over quality of drugs circulating in India and said the spurious and low quality drugs pose a serious health risk to citizens.
Despite better accessibility to healthcare, Dr Jayalal said there is lack of a system to ensure quality of drugs. “This has contributed to rise in antimicrobial resistance due to misuse and overuse of drugs. More cases of drug-resistant TB and respiratory infections are being reported,” he said in an interview with TOI.
Calling for stringent regulations and quality assurance mechanisms to combat this problem, Dr Jayalal, currently attending a conference in Hyderabad, also stressed on the need for increased govt spending on healthcare. While India made progress in improving healthcare accessibility, the next step is enhancing the quality of services, he observed.
He pointed out that many developed countries allocate 5-15% of their GDP to healthcare, whereas India’s healthcare budget is under 2%. “A larger investment in healthcare is essential to improve quality, especially in rural areas,” he said.
Emphasising India’s strong accessibility to healthcare services, especially when compared to other Commonwealth nations like the UK and Canada, he said: “In India, a person with any illness can easily meet a specialist, a level of accessibility not seen in many Western countries where immediate care is often reserved only for critical emergencies.”
“Although urban hospitals often boast better infrastructure, rural areas struggle with inconsistencies in the standard of healthcare, a challenge India needs to address immediately,” he said.
Dr Jayalal said India’s role as a medical tourism destination led to an influx of international patients, but the sector remains largely unorganised. “We need a centralised platform where international patients can easily access information about hospitals, treatment options, and costs,” he said. He also highlighted the need for govt support to integrate healthcare services with tourism, providing a more streamlined experience for international patients.
He highlighted the limitations of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, particularly its coverage in private healthcare facilities. “The scheme covers only govt hospitals, but most patients seek treatment in private hospitals. This gap must be addressed,” he said.
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Despite better accessibility to healthcare, Dr Jayalal said there is lack of a system to ensure quality of drugs. “This has contributed to rise in antimicrobial resistance due to misuse and overuse of drugs. More cases of drug-resistant TB and respiratory infections are being reported,” he said in an interview with TOI.
Calling for stringent regulations and quality assurance mechanisms to combat this problem, Dr Jayalal, currently attending a conference in Hyderabad, also stressed on the need for increased govt spending on healthcare. While India made progress in improving healthcare accessibility, the next step is enhancing the quality of services, he observed.
He pointed out that many developed countries allocate 5-15% of their GDP to healthcare, whereas India’s healthcare budget is under 2%. “A larger investment in healthcare is essential to improve quality, especially in rural areas,” he said.
Emphasising India’s strong accessibility to healthcare services, especially when compared to other Commonwealth nations like the UK and Canada, he said: “In India, a person with any illness can easily meet a specialist, a level of accessibility not seen in many Western countries where immediate care is often reserved only for critical emergencies.”
“Although urban hospitals often boast better infrastructure, rural areas struggle with inconsistencies in the standard of healthcare, a challenge India needs to address immediately,” he said.
Dr Jayalal said India’s role as a medical tourism destination led to an influx of international patients, but the sector remains largely unorganised. “We need a centralised platform where international patients can easily access information about hospitals, treatment options, and costs,” he said. He also highlighted the need for govt support to integrate healthcare services with tourism, providing a more streamlined experience for international patients.
He highlighted the limitations of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, particularly its coverage in private healthcare facilities. “The scheme covers only govt hospitals, but most patients seek treatment in private hospitals. This gap must be addressed,” he said.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don’t miss yearly career horoscopes 2025 for Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.
