Guwahati: According to a pan-India report titled ‘State of Healthcare in Rural India – 2023’, 73% of Indians suffering from non-communicable diseases from the northeastern states of India migrate to other states for treatments.

The report, conducted by the Development Intelligence Unit (DIU), a collaboration between Transform Rural India and Sambodhi Research Pvt. Ltd was released on Tuesday at the India Rural Colloquy – A Rural Renaissance in Delhi.

The report offers a comprehensive overview of the current healthcare scenario in rural areas and gives valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities for transforming rural healthcare delivery. Conducted with a sample size of 6,478 respondents across 20 states, the survey represents a diverse range of rural communities across India.

As per the report, India, over the past decade, has gained a reputation for providing high-quality medical services at low costs to medical tourists travelling from across the globe, with the country’s health and wellness industry booming under Government’s increased focus.

However, while services for international medical professionals have gained momentum, ‘Domestic Medical Tourism’ has been overlooked. This is evident from the significant 63% of Indians with family members suffering from NCD (non-communicable diseases) choosing to migrate to states outside of theirs to access better healthcare services.

The report stated that 73% in the North East travel for treatments of NCD (non-communicable diseases). This statistic is at 60% for people in the northern states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab 44% in central India’s states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, 29%, 28%, & 27% in the West, South, East, respectively.

Shyamal Santra, Associate Director of Public Health and Nutrition at Transform Rural India, said, “Echoing the experiences and expectations shared by the people living in Rural India, it is evident that there are no alternatives to improved, modernised and transformed healthcare services at primary level with a specific focus on under-developed regions to improve patient satisfaction and reducing the need of long-distance travel for treatment”.

Source: East Mojo