Ujjwal, 52, residing in Latur, a remote town of Maharashtra suffered a cardiac condition and was advised to undergo an angiography. The hospital in his village lacked facilities to conduct the angiogram procedure, and the patient was asked to get admitted in a multi specialty hospital based out of Mumbai to get the right treatment. The vegetable trader’s family was clueless about the city and did not know which hospital to get admitted to, the cost of treatment they would incur, the number of days required for the treatment and the post-treatment care. Also, given the poor condition of roads in the country, his family was very wary of letting him travel to a far off city in his critical condition. Rural areas across the country have ill-equipped healthcare centres and patients are forced to travel to far off cities to get the right treatment. Even as India attracts hordes of tourists to its shores, the country’s own citizens do not have access to affordable and quality healthcare services. With an ever-increasing population, adequate medical intervention is required to fulfill all the primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare needs of Indian citizens.

Most of the multi specialty hospitals are situated in metro cities and several health tech start-ups have cropped up in these cities to transform lives and make healthcare easily accessible to all. People are able to consult a doctor online and book a medical service at the click of a button! Those residing in metro cities are now able to save a lot of time and get advanced healthcare services even in the comfort of their own homes. Despite the technological advancements made by health tech start-ups in terms of services, user-friendly and accessible devices, quality healthcare is a distant dream for many. Rural healthcare is a cause of concern as a majority of the Indian population still resides in non-metro geographies.

While private hospitals exist in a few villages and are able to provide excellent care, they are usually beyond the reach of the common man. With government hospitals being overcrowded and lacking responsiveness, people have to wait indefinitely to get their desired treatment. The demand for quality healthcare services in the country continues to grow due to the ever-increasing population, growing health awareness and rising income levels. Several entrepreneurs have realized the underlying potential in the healthcare sector and are tapping this segment to come up with innovative products and services. But, what is required of them is to turn to small towns for making healthcare accessible and affordable to all Indians.

With e-pharmacies expanding their presence in rural areas, customers will no longer have to worry about the high cost of medicines or exponentially increasing monthly expenses.

A flurry of health tech start ups already exist in urban areas and they have been successful in changing the way people purchase medicines, book diagnostic services and save medical reports. From online doctor consultation to providing care for the elderly, along with palliative care and other home healthcare services online, several top health tech start ups are shifting their focus in rural areas. Most of the times, patients in these localities are unable to afford the high cost of medical services and medicines. The advent of e-pharmacies has made it possible to get affordable medicines delivered right at one’s doorstep and this service has been particularly beneficial for the elderly or those who stay alone and have little help during medical emergencies. With e-pharmacies expanding their presence in rural areas, customers will no longer have to worry about the high cost of medicines or about exponentially increasing monthly expenses. The online pharmacies, unlike the physical ones, offer attractive discounts along with other efficient services.

In the healthcare service business, private equity investors have increasingly shown a lot of interest in smaller cities. As tier II and III markets generate a high demand for quality healthcare with low operating costs, the chance to earn high financial returns is also greater. Start-ups are keen to provide low cost diagnosis and services to patients in these areas. Several entrepreneurs are tapping on to this segment due to the limitless opportunities in store for them in rural areas.

The healthcare start-ups are trying to cut down the costs of certain services such as eye care, dental care and preventive screenings in order to attract more people to their services. While innovation is essential, health tech start-ups must also pay attention towards their service quality and prices. It is essential to identify the current needs and the existing gaps to spread healthcare to more towns and remote areas and make India a country with a healthy population.