The Hindu Business Line : Indian-model of `social entrepreneurism' in healthcare to be replicated

IT may baffle policy-makers how to provide healthcare to a "satellite and bullock-cart economy." But Dr William Haseltine, a reputed name in the global scientific community and former chief of Human Genome Sciences, believes that healthcare-models in central and southern India may be the answer.

There are medicines and procedures and yet access to medicines is a problem across the world. But novel models in central and south India have shown that medicines and healthcare can be made accessible to the population that needs it, he told Business Line. Innovative models seen in cardiac-care, gastro and eye-care have shown that quality healthcare can be delivered at one-twentieth to one-fiftieth the market price, he said.

And these models of "social entrepreneurism" can be replicated in other developing and developed markets, he said.

Dr Haseltine, in fact, wants to take this model to the next level by setting up a fund in India and overseas to support or directly set up green-field hospital projects in Hyderabad and Bangalore. They would be speciality hospitals in segments like maternal and child-care, oncology etc, he said, underlining that the hospitals will cater to people who cannot afford to pay the price of corporate hospitals.

"Healthcare cost-price increases 1.5 per cent for every one per cent of GDP. You have to have a better system of healthcare delivery. At present healthcare accounts for 16 per cent of the US GDP and could increase to 30 per cent (over the next 20 years). We are already rationing healthcare, people are already being shipped to lower-cost countries," he said, pointing out how managing healthcare costs was an issue in developed markets too.

The Indian generic drug industry will play an integral part of this innovative model that offers high quality healthcare at low-costs, he said. The productivity of the industry should be leveraged to make novel solutions to different problems.

The idea is to have a hybrid model between the public sector, private and non-profit institutes that would be low-cost and high-volume with a greater reach, says Mr John-Michael-Lind, founder and chief of The Strategic Partners Group of Companies (TSPGC).

Citing the global spread of HIV/AIDS, Dr Haseltine points out that one could not depend on international or government funding always to support healthcare initiatives.

Stressing the need for a self-sustaining and self-replicating systems, he said, low-cost drugs and an effective delivery mechanism would help make healthcare more affordable and accessible.

Dr Haseltine will be participating in a two-day event on social entrepreneurism in Delhi starting on Saturday, co-organised by his foundation, TSPGC, The Aspen Institute, The Lind Family Trust and The Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS.

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