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India's 2047 Health Vision: Essential for Achieving 'Viksit Bharat'

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  Published in Science and Technology on Thursday, November 13th 2025 at 11:51 GMT by ThePrint

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Health of India in 2047: The Cornerstone of a “Viksit Bharat”

The Indian government’s centenary vision—Viksit Bharat (a prosperous, self‑reliant India)—cannot be achieved without a parallel evolution in the country’s health system. In a thought‑provoking article published on ThePrint (link: https://theprint.in/india/health-of-india-in-2047-will-be-key-to-viksit-bharat-jitendra-singh/2783531/), Dr. Jitendra Singh, a noted health policy expert, lays out the epidemiological trajectory, policy imperatives, and a roadmap that will decide whether India’s health outcomes in 2047 will match its economic ambitions.

1. The Current Landscape: A Mixed Picture

Singh begins by underscoring that India’s health indicators, while improving, still lag behind many peers. According to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS‑5), maternal mortality has fallen from 104 per 100,000 live births in 2016 to 71 in 2021, yet neonatal mortality remains stubbornly high. The national life‑expectancy index sits at 70.5 years—a figure that will only reach the 78‑year mark by 2047 under the current trajectory.

Key challenges enumerated in the article include:

The stark rise in NCDs—diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease—mirrors a global shift, yet India's ageing population will exacerbate the problem. Singh stresses that by 2047, 20% of the population will be above 60 years, a demographic that demands robust geriatric care and chronic disease management.

2. Policy Backdrop: From “Universal Health Coverage” to “National Health Stack”

The article situates the discussion within the broader policy ecosystem:

1. National Health Policy 2017 – Emphasised universal health coverage (UHC) but left implementation gaps.
2. Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY) – The flagship insurance scheme, covering 500 million families.
3. Digital India & Health Stack – A set of interoperable platforms, including eSanjeevani, Aarogya Setu, and the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), which aim to make health data, diagnostics, and tele‑consultations seamless.

Singh critiques the fact that while the policy documents promise radical transformation, the actual on‑ground execution remains uneven. Rural districts still report fewer primary health centres (PHCs) per capita, and the ratio of community health workers (ASHAs) to beneficiaries has slipped below the WHO recommended threshold.

3. The Road Ahead: Five Strategic Pillars

To achieve a health system that can support Viksit Bharat by 2047, Singh proposes a multi‑layered strategy. Each pillar builds upon the other, creating a synergistic ecosystem.

3.1 Strengthen Primary Care & Preventive Services

• Task‑shifting: Equip PHC staff with skills to handle chronic disease management and basic diagnostics.
• Community‑based programs: Expand Home‑Based Care (HBC) to include nutritional counseling, immunisation, and mental‑health screening.
• Data‑driven surveillance: Leverage NDHM to monitor disease outbreaks in real time, a lesson learnt from the COVID‑19 pandemic.

3.2 Health Financing Reforms

• Cap‑ex & OPEX balance: Transition from a heavy reliance on public out‑of‑pocket spending to a mix of social health insurance, private co‑insurance, and public subsidies.
• Tax‑based funding: Increase health tax to 2.2% of GDP, as suggested by the National Health Policy, to make the system self‑sustaining.
• Value‑based care models: Adopt outcome‑based payment systems that reward quality over quantity, a model pioneered in countries like Germany.

3.3 Human Resource Development

• Upskilling: Introduce continuous professional development modules for nurses, midwives, and paramedics, ensuring they are equipped to handle NCDs and geriatric care.
• Retention incentives: Offer loan‑repayment schemes and rural posting bonuses to mitigate the brain‑drain from public to private sectors.

3.4 Technological Leap: AI, Genomics & Telemedicine

• AI‑driven diagnostics: Implement machine‑learning algorithms for early detection of cancers and diabetic retinopathy, especially in underserved regions.
• Genomics: Build a national genomics database to facilitate personalized medicine and pharmacogenomics.
• Tele‑medicine expansion: Scale eSanjeevani to include specialty care for mental health, oncology, and pediatrics, making specialist access equitable.

3.5 Social Determinants & Health Equity

• Nutrition & sanitation: Target malnutrition by 2028 with fortified foods and community kitchens.
• Water‑Sanitation‑Sanitation (WSS): Integrate WSS initiatives with primary health centres to reduce diarrhoeal diseases.
• Health education: Promote health literacy through school curricula and mass media campaigns, especially for women and adolescent girls.

4. Linking to the Wider Narrative

Singh’s article does not exist in isolation. He references several linked sources to provide context:

• National Family Health Survey (NFHS‑5) – for mortality data.
• World Health Organization (WHO) reports – on NCD burden and workforce recommendations.
• National Health Stack architecture – linking to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s official portal.

These links serve to illustrate that the path to Viksit Bharat is anchored in evidence‑based planning, not aspirational rhetoric. The article’s call to action is clear: India must treat health as an economic asset, not just a social good.

5. Conclusion: A Call for Systemic Thinking

By 2047, the health of an entire nation will be the barometer of Viksit Bharat. Dr. Jitendra Singh’s article deftly maps the challenges and offers a structured, multi‑pillar strategy to turn the vision into reality. While the journey is fraught with funding gaps, workforce shortages, and entrenched inequities, the blueprint—rooted in primary care, financing reforms, human‑resource development, technology, and equity—provides a roadmap that policymakers, stakeholders, and the public can rally around.

In a world where health increasingly determines productivity, innovation, and resilience, the article reminds us that India’s centenary celebration must include a health celebration of its own. The future of Viksit Bharat will be, without doubt, a health‑first future.