Sejal Singh B G, Correspondent, Siliconindia

• India rolled out landmark healthcare reforms under PM Modi, including Ayushman Bharat, Jan Aushadhi Kendras & Digital Health Mission.
• Key public health campaigns like Swachh Bharat, Jal Jeevan Mission & Poshan Abhiyaan improved sanitation, nutrition & safe water access.
• India’s COVID-19 response with the world’s largest vaccination drive & indigenous vaccines strengthened its image as the ‘Pharmacy of the World’.

Before 2014, India’s healthcare system was grappling with multiple structural challenges. Public health expenditure was low, primary health centers were often understaffed, and a large section of the rural population had limited access to quality care. Out-of-pocket expenses pushed millions into poverty each year, as health insurance coverage was negligible.

Inequity between urban and rural healthcare meant that while metropolitan cities had access to world-class hospitals, villages and small towns struggled with even basic medical facilities. Preventive healthcare was often overlooked, while non-communicable diseases were on the rise. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014, he recognized healthcare as central to India’s development story. His vision went beyond curative care to a holistic approach that emphasized affordability, accessibility, and preventive health.

By embedding digital innovation and strengthening infrastructure, the government sought to ensure that healthcare was not a privilege but a right available to all citizens. Over the past decade, landmark initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat, Jan Aushadhi Kendras, and the Digital Health Mission have transformed the healthcare landscape.

From empowering rural health centers to leveraging technology for telemedicine and electronic health records, the government’s efforts have bridged critical gaps. Public health campaigns like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Poshan Abhiyaan connected healthcare with cleanliness, nutrition, and safe water, improving overall health outcomes. Today, India stands at a turning point where healthcare is no longer confined to urban centers but has truly begun to penetrate every district, every village, and every household.

1. Major Policy Reforms & Schemes

• The introduction of Ayushman Bharat (2018) transformed healthcare access, providing Rs 5 lakh per annum insurance coverage to more than 50 crore beneficiaries. It's the largest government-sponsored healthcare program in the world, providing economic security to the poorest of families.
• The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (2021) has also further spurred innovation by establishing digital health IDs, spreading telemedicine, and facilitating electronic health records. These measures are providing hassle-free medical treatment and empowering patients with control over their health information.
• Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana has taken affordable generic drugs to the farthest corners of the nation, lowering the cost of medicines by as much as 90 percent. Likewise, the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission has invested in upgrading district-level secondary and tertiary care, lowering the reliance on metropolitan hospitals.
• The National Health Mission has also been strengthened to augment primary and community health services across both rural and urban sectors.

2. Digital Health & Technology Push

• PM Modi’s vision has placed technology at the heart of healthcare transformation. The eSanjeevani telemedicine platform has enabled millions of remote consultations, particularly benefiting rural areas. Digital Health IDs are being rolled out for citizens, allowing them to maintain a complete medical history accessible anywhere in the country.
• The confluence of AI and data analytics has enhanced pandemic surveillance, epidemic control, and pandemic preparedness. The digital-first strategy has set the stage for a contemporary patient-centric healthcare ecosystem.

3. Public Health Initiatives

• Healthcare reforms under PM Modi were not limited to hospitals alone but even reached down to day-to-day life. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (2014) linked sanitation with health, decreasing disease burden through cleanliness and construction of millions of toilets.
• The Jal Jeevan Mission ensured safe drinking water, meeting waterborne diseases that plagued rural India in the past. With Poshan Abhiyaan, nutrition deficits among women and children were filled, combating malnutrition comprehensively.
• Mission Indradhanush immunization program also increased the coverage of vaccines so that no child would remain susceptible to preventable diseases.

Also Read: How Public-Private Partnerships Resolve to Drive Indian Healthcare Access

4. COVID-19 Response

• The pandemic tested India’s healthcare system like never before. Under PM Modi’s leadership, the country executed the world’s largest vaccination drive, administering over 200 crore doses. India developed indigenous vaccines Covaxin and Covishield which not only protected its citizens but were also supplied to nations worldwide.
• Huge investments were put in the installation of oxygen plants, hospital beds, and ventilators at record pace. The crisis solidified India's image as the ‘Pharmacy of the World’, with Indian firms shipping vital medicines and vaccines all over the world.

5. Strengthening Infrastructure

• Health care infrastructure has experienced unparalleled expansion over the last decade. Expansion of AIIMS centers and opening of new medical colleges have added opportunities for training doctors and enhanced access to superior care in states.
• Under Ayushman Bharat, there have been thousands of Health & Wellness Centers developed to offer low-cost primary and preventive care across rural areas. Furthermore, public-private partnerships have facilitated specialized care facilities, eliminating the gap between demand and supply.

6. Affordable Medicines & Preventive Care

• The proliferation of Jan Aushadhi Kendras has driven basic medicines up to 90 percent lower in cost, reducing the burden on poor families. India has meanwhile welcomed conventional systems of medicine through mainstreaming AYUSH Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy providing patients with holistic options.
• Preventive health drives such as the Fit India Movement have propagated fitness, yoga, and lifestyle modifications to make sure that healthcare is not only about hospitals but also starts with personal responsibility.

Also Read: Quality & Safety Frameworks to Prevent Medical Errors and Improve Patient Outcomes

7. Economic & Social Impact

• Healthcare reforms have had broader social and economic impacts. Through lowering out-of-pocket costs by means of insurance coverage and affordable drugs, millions of families have been spared medical bankruptcy.
• The medical industry has become a principal job creator, and a large contributor to GDP. In addition, India's image as a destination for medical tourism has increased, inviting foreign patients for world-class care at reasonable rates.

Challenges Ahead

Despite success, the challenges yet to be undertaken are still there. The urban-rural disparity in healthcare, the improvement of the doctor-patient ratio, and the treatment of non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and cancer will be the issues that will persist. Affordability without jeopardizing high standards of quality will be one of the priorities.

Conclusion

A decade of reforms under PM Modi has changed the model of healthcare in India turning it into preventive instead of curative, inaccessible into inclusive, and fragmented into digitally integrated. His mission of bringing about Healthcare for All has been the tipping point of the India growth story, giving millions of people dignity and a sense of safety. The future of AI in healthcare, universal digital health systems and enhancing medical infrastructure is going to see an even more significant transformation in India over the next decade. It is still in progress, yet there is one thing that is evident: the leadership of PM Modi has created the basis of a healthier, better, and more stable India.