Primary Healthcare in India Today: A Conversation with General Medicine Expert

Primary Healthcare in India is going through huge changes to make sure that the people across the country can get better treatment and more reliable medical care. Small clinics and primary healthcare centers were the main providers of healthcare in the past. However, many changes have occurred in rapidly growing cities, leading to new challenges such as long-term diseases like diabetes and heart disease, as well as an increased expectation for better health services.

To deal with these challenges, the Government of India launched the Ayushman Bharat program. The main function of this program is to convert 150,000 local health care centers into health and wellness centers. These new centers will offer more services, such as mental and physical health care, and they will focus more on preventing diseases than just treating them.^{1, 2}

General medicine doctors play a key role in India’s healthcare system. They are the first person to whom people turn when they feel unwell or feel health-related issues in village areas or areas with limited health resources. These doctors help patients get the right care and make sure that health services are always available and reliable.

To improve the health care system, many steps are being taken, such as providing additional training to doctors and including mid-level health workers. These changes show that strong primary healthcare is important for making sure that everyone in India can receive the medical care they need, no matter where they live. It’s a big step toward getting everyone in the country health insurance^{. 2, 3}

To understand how these changes are being experienced on the ground, we spoke with Dr. Madhuvan H.S, MBBS, MD, Professor and Head of General Medicine at Akash Hospital in Devanahalli, Bangalore. Dr. Madhuvan talks about the real-world challenges that doctors face as well as the new opportunities that are improving healthcare for people all over the country. He has been teaching medical students and treating patients for more than a decade.

Q. Dr. Madhuvan, could you tell us about your journey into general medicine and what inspired you to pursue this field?

Dr Madhuvan H.S: I started my medical journey in MS Ramaiah Medical college, where I completed my MBBS. I always interested in general medicine because it covers many areas and forms the base of medical care. After that I did my MD in MVJ Medical collage and also got training in treating diabetes. The opportunity to mentor young physicians and assist various patient types was what mostly inspired me. I have been teaching students and working to improve healthcare in rural areas at Akash Institute of Medical Sciences for the past 11 years.

 Q. What are the most common health issues you encounter in your practice today?

Dr. Madhuvan H.S.: I usually treat many different health problems, but the most common diseases, like diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity, are becoming more common even in young adults. I also see a lot of patients with breathing problems, stomach problems, and stress. More patients are coming in with long-term symptoms and mental health issues since COVID.

Q. What preventive health measures do you recommend to the general public?

 “It’s always better to stop illness before it starts.”

I suggest doing exercise, eating healthy food, and recommend regular health checkups. Taking care of your mind is as important as your body, like stress management, getting good sleep, etc. I also suggest getting tested for diabetes, cholesterol, and cancer early on, as these tests can help find problems early and save lives.

 Q. How has technology changed the way you practice medicine?

During the pandemic telemedicine made a big difference, especially for people in rural areas. It really helped doctors to reach patients easily. Healthcare is now faster and more organized thanks to digital records and AI tools. Even with all this technology, it’s still important to remember that medicine is all about taking care of people.

 Q. What challenges do you face in delivering care in semi-urban or rural areas like Devanahalli?

Poor infrastructure and awareness are major problems in health care. A lot of people don’t get treatment on time because they don’t have the money or the knowledge. To help them, our team organizes health camps, trains local health workers, etc. During the COVID pandemic, we treated patients in Devanahalli and Chickballapur.

 Q. What advice would you give to young adults about maintaining long-term health?

Please take care of your health from a young age. Avoid smoking and drinking too much. Maintain good relationships and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Maintaining your health is important for the rest of your life.

 Q. What do you see as the future of general medicine in India?

General medicine will stay at the heart of healthcare. We should promote collaboration between public and private hospitals and make insurance more beneficial. Above all, we must help and educate passionate physicians.

Thank you for your time, Dr. Madhuvan.

Dr. Madhuvan H. S.’s thoughts show that general medicine is still the main pillar of India’s healthcare system. Strong primary care is more important because many people face health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure. His experience shows that raising awareness, early health checkups, and reaching out to communities can all help people stay healthy. To build better health care system in India combination of skilled doctor, useful technology, govt health programme is very important