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Despite health allocations crossing Rs 1 lakh crore, nearly half of Indians still avoid government healthcare facilities—a paradox highlighted by veteran health editor Sneha Mordani on Health360. She pointed to public distrust driven by staff shortages and uneven quality of care.
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00:00Hello and welcome. You've tuned in to Health360. On the show this week, in spite of a lacro-plus being allocated on health, why are 50% of Indians not availing of government facilities?
00:13Also on the show, how does cutting the cost of 17 cancer drugs help cancer patients?
00:19Is India now doing the groundwork to lead in research and development in the field of medicines after consolidating its position as the pharmacy to the world?
00:28Also, an AIM study suggests depression can be detected through sound.
00:34We're also going to be telling you about the unseen dangers inside our own homes that could be raising cancer risks.
00:41I'm Srinya Mordani. This is Health360.
00:58With the week gone by, we commemorated World Cancer Day.
01:15The WHO, the World Health Organization, says four in every ten cancers are preventable.
01:20Some are known causes of cancer, some are silent chemicals lurking around your house.
01:27This report puts the spotlight on the silent causes of cancer and endocrine disruptors.
01:32The World Health Organization says that four in every ten cancers are preventable.
01:48You don't smoke, don't drink and live in a clean environment.
01:51Of course, you've reduced your risk.
01:53But what else can one do to cut down their risk of cancer?
01:57Well, I'll tell you.
01:58The thing is, if it is in your house, it's in your body.
02:02Start with scratch non-stick pans.
02:06They release toxic chemicals when heated.
02:09Trash them.
02:10So, see, all these teflon coated and any artificial coating over any cooktop,
02:16what happens gradually is they lose that coating.
02:20And from those coatings, you have those compounds which is known as, you know, forever chemicals.
02:25So, it's not like that if you have cooked it one time and the next day you are going to get cancer.
02:30No, it is going to be a long-term exposure of long-term peeling of that particular teflon layer
02:36which causes this particular problem.
02:40Next, plastic food containers.
02:43Heat plus plastic equals chemical soup.
02:46Throw them out.
02:47If we are using plastic, which has BPA, and if we are especially heating some, let's say, some drinks, some coffee or water,
02:56then it becomes very harmful.
02:58Non-BPA alternatives are there.
03:01Non-BPA food grade plastic products are there, which are usually considered a safer option.
03:05Or else, again, as I just mentioned, glass bottles are perfectly fine.
03:10Stainless steel or copper, these things are, if they can be used, that is the best thing.
03:15Airfreshers and scented candles, they don't clean the air.
03:18They poison it.
03:19For scented candles, you have the compounds like benzene, formaldehyde, toline.
03:25These are those compounds, you know, which are generally linked with the leukemias and the blood cancers.
03:30If you have repeated exposure to the scented candles, that means every day in and day out,
03:36you are getting exposed to these, you know, abnormal, harmful perfumes,
03:41your body will start to mount an oxidative response towards them.
03:45And once that response outweighs the body's immune mechanism,
03:51then obviously you are going to land up with the abnormal cells and ultimately cancerous generation.
03:57Harsh cleaners and bug sprays under the sink designed to kill, why keep them?
04:03All these chemicals, we can inhale them because they are continuously being released in the air.
04:08And the person who is exposed to them constantly on a long time,
04:14they can, again, on the same logic, the chemical get inside the lung,
04:19irritate the lung, and it can lead to cancerous changes inside the lung on repeated exposures.
04:25So not harsh chemical-based things should be used.
04:28We can go for light or herbal things.
04:31We can, soda and vinegar solution is one, or mild chemical-based.
04:35An old makeup and personal care products expire, hormone-disrupting, dangerous, toss it.
04:43At any point, if you have old makeup products,
04:46so the carcinogen, you know, the active compounds become inert
04:52and it starts to accumulate inside that particular, you know, product.
04:56So that's why every, you know, beauty supplement or, you know, beautification,
05:02you know, you can say product comes with a label of expiry.
05:06And we are now an educated class.
05:09So why can't we be aware about, you know, that before buying,
05:14always look for the expiry.
05:15And if something is expired, why are you even using it?
05:19Cancer risk isn't always allowed.
05:21Sometimes it's hiding in your kitchen, your bathroom, your air.
05:26Development of cancer is a very long process, right?
05:29And these products, these chemicals, they can speed up that process.
05:34So that is why repeated exposure of any harsh chemical we should avoid.
05:39Preferably, we should be using more of a steel in kitchen,
05:44more of glass bottles for drinking,
05:46rather than using other synthetic things because they can still be harmful.
05:53Safer alternatives are always there.
05:56We only have to identify them and be more open to these options.
06:01So safer alternatives, number one, use, you know, plastic as much as less possible.
06:09Use, you know, ceramics, use glass wares whenever possible.
06:16Avoid excessive heating of plastic in microwave because that can cause leaching.
06:22So if we talk about safer, so anything which doesn't have plastic is a good option.
06:28Preferably cast iron for making, preparing food.
06:32For storage, I think we can go for steel or glass-based containers or bottles.
06:37They are perfectly safe.
06:38If at all we have to use plastic, use non-BPA containing food grade plastic.
06:44Biopharma Shakti stands for Strategy for Healthcare Advancement
06:48through knowledge, technology and innovation.
06:51The government of India is funding it with 10,000 crores.
06:55It actually is a national initiative aimed at transforming India
06:59into a global hub for pharmaceutical,
07:02biopharmaceutical manufacturing, research and innovation.
07:06This, remember, will eventually reduce dependence on imports
07:10and enhance access to advanced therapies.
07:13A big ticket announcement, this budget was a whopping 10,000 crore allocated
07:27to the government's biopharma Shakti scheme.
07:30So what is this scheme and how does it really add to India's position
07:35as the pharmacy to the world?
07:46Simply put, this is more money being spent in research funding.
07:50It aims to push India beyond generics and position it as a global hub for innovation.
07:57We are very pleased to, as you have mentioned,
08:02that there is a 9% increase in the overall health budget.
08:07However, the importance of research, particularly health research,
08:12is very obvious by the fact that the increase from last year is 24%.
08:18We have had a 24% increase in just one year.
08:23And it has been the health budget, research budget has doubled in the past three to four years.
08:30And this shows the commitment of the government of India to innovation
08:35and to make sure that the health sector innovation in science and technology
08:42will contribute not only to Vixit Bharat, but also make India a powerhouse,
08:48a global powerhouse for research.
08:52Experts say increase in health research funding is far more striking
08:55than the overall budget rise.
09:01And India has been doing fairly well in the biopharma sector.
09:07We have been doing very well with generics, very well with biosimilars.
09:11However, again, to make new biosimilars and to make new indigenous products
09:19that are not even copies of anything globally available,
09:24we need to invest in research and development.
09:27And we need that Indian industry as well as Indian academia work together
09:34and both are encouraged to do this kind of development.
09:38So, the biopharma shakti is going to put together the power or the shakti
09:45of all these different players together.
09:50So, why is this move futuristic in many ways?
09:55Of course, this will be the future because in our country,
09:59the non-communicable diseases are growing.
10:03So, non-communicable diseases means these diabetes, obesity,
10:07cardiovascular disease, majority is cancer drugs.
10:13So, cancer.
10:14Cancer are growing.
10:15So, most of the cancers and the non-communicable diseases
10:19are treated by biology, biopharmas.
10:22This is monoclonal antibodies.
10:25So, by that only, we are treating majority of the cases.
10:29There are hundreds of bioproducts are getting off-patented
10:41in another 5 to 10 years time.
10:44So, India has the potential to manufacture those hundreds of drugs
10:49internally, in-house.
10:51So, it will increase our economy
10:54and it will be easy for us to treat the patient at the lower cost.
10:59This will be very helpful for us.
11:01And this is the future for next 5 to 10 years.
11:04Why is R&D so important?
11:09So, it is
11:09it is important to
11:12improvise this
11:14more people coming in
11:17doing this research,
11:19doing this study,
11:20the clinical trials,
11:22which are very important.
11:23A lot of our pharma companies
11:25goes to China
11:26to find out
11:27what are all the new molecules available
11:29for the cancer treatment
11:30and other diseases treatments.
11:33So, our companies are going and asking China
11:35what are all the new molecules there
11:37so we can import it and use it in India.
11:40But that will be definitely reduced.
11:42So, that's very important.
11:44So, we should have our own.
11:46To have our own,
11:47we need a lot of talent also on our own.
11:50So, this is the right time.
11:51We can start now
11:52maybe in another 5 years time
11:53we will get the right benefit
11:56we can enjoy.
11:59India has allocated
11:591 lakh crore to health
12:01in the budget.
12:02But in spite of this,
12:0450% of Indians
12:05are not using
12:05government health facilities.
12:07And there is
12:08little trust
12:10and reluctance
12:11to use these services.
12:13Why so?
12:14We report.
12:15A lakh crore plus
12:17that is how much
12:18has been allocated
12:19to health
12:20in the budget this year.
12:21A 9% increase.
12:24Do you know
12:24the last time
12:25India allocated
12:25a lakh crore
12:26was when we were
12:28in the peak
12:28of the pandemic.
12:30But I had to ask myself this.
12:32Ye paisa
12:33akhir
12:34why isn't there
12:37an improvement
12:38in services
12:39even optically?
12:40Why can't we see
12:41public health service
12:42get better?
12:44And why are 50%
12:45Indians still
12:46only trusting
12:47the private sector?
12:49Well, the answer
12:50may lie in this.
12:52Staff shortages
12:53and poor utilization
12:54of funds.
12:55You just cannot
12:57build a hospital
12:58by building
12:58a structure
12:59and say
13:00calling it a hospital
13:01unless and until
13:02you staff it
13:04with the required
13:05nurses,
13:05paramedical staff,
13:06doctors,
13:07specialists,
13:08super specialists.
13:09This happens
13:10because the money
13:11is being spent
13:12in physical infrastructure
13:14rather than
13:15in staffing it
13:16with proper people
13:17who will be able
13:18to run the show
13:18properly.
13:20Think of it.
13:21Over a lakh
13:22health centers
13:22have been upgraded.
13:24157 medical
13:25colleges approved
13:26but most people
13:28aren't using them.
13:30See, it is not
13:31correct that people
13:32are not using
13:33to the public hospital.
13:34If there are good
13:35public hospital,
13:36people are going
13:36to them.
13:37It's important
13:37the government
13:38should invest
13:38more and more
13:39in the medical
13:40college,
13:41in government
13:41medical college
13:42and the public
13:43health system
13:43so that people
13:44can get access
13:45to there.
13:45Now, in the year
13:462022-2023,
13:48only 65%
13:50of allocated
13:51national health
13:52mission funds
13:53were spent
13:53declining further
13:54through 62%
13:55in 2024-2025
13:58as per January
13:592026 analysis
14:01by the Foundation
14:02for Responsive
14:03Governance.
14:04The funds
14:05which are
14:05exclusively for
14:06health and
14:07education,
14:08the 1%
14:08out of
14:094%
14:10health education
14:111%
14:12was for
14:12the health.
14:13If you see
14:14as per the
14:15CAJ report
14:152025,
14:18from
14:182018
14:19to 2021-22,
14:22the amount
14:23which is collected
14:23in the name
14:24of health
14:25says it has
14:26been not
14:26transferred
14:27to the
14:28public account.
14:29The entire
14:29money is going
14:30for the
14:30insurance schemes
14:31and the
14:32other schemes.
14:32Here's more.
14:34For health
14:34and wellness
14:35centres,
14:35only 40%
14:36of allocated
14:37funds were
14:37spent in
14:382024-2025.
14:40Another analysis
14:41has found.
14:42We have
14:43faced a
14:43problem with
14:44utilization and
14:45transparency,
14:46not currently
14:46but for all
14:48possible period
14:48that we can
14:49remember.
14:50There should
14:50be real-time
14:51tracking of
14:52funds,
14:53staffing and
14:53patient outcome.
14:55That is,
14:56we should as
14:57individuals or
14:57as citizens
14:58know where
14:59the money is
14:59being spent,
15:00how much money
15:01was spent for
15:02each particular
15:02activity,
15:03where is
15:04currently that
15:04money which
15:05is being spent,
15:06how is it
15:06being used,
15:07how is the
15:08project running
15:08and how soon
15:09will the project
15:10achieve finalization.
15:11India's public
15:13health infrastructure
15:13remains overstretched.
15:15India's community
15:16health centres
15:17have an estimated
15:1880% shortfalls
15:20in specialists,
15:21meaning only
15:21about one in
15:23five surgeons,
15:24physicians,
15:25gynecologists
15:26and paediatricians
15:27is actually in
15:28place.
15:30Because there are
15:30long waiting
15:31times,
15:32there is a
15:32poor experience,
15:34there is lack
15:34of specialists
15:35and most
15:37importantly,
15:38the quality
15:38is inconsistent.
15:39If you go to
15:40the senior most
15:41person in the
15:41department,
15:42you may find
15:42one of the
15:43best doctors
15:44globally as
15:45far as reputation
15:46and expertise
15:46is concerned
15:47is available.
15:48But at the
15:49other end of
15:49the spectrum
15:50may be somebody
15:50who is improperly
15:52trained,
15:52who is not
15:53properly guided
15:54about the
15:55various procedures
15:56and the
15:56experience with
15:57that particular
15:58individual may
15:58be very poor.
15:59The infrastructure
16:00related to
16:02cleanliness,
16:03sanitation is
16:04very, very
16:05poor.
16:06Millions of
16:07Indians who
16:07need imaging
16:08studies,
16:09specialists
16:10actually end
16:11up spending
16:12more money
16:12to reach
16:13district
16:13hospitals,
16:14increasing the
16:15burden at
16:16the tertiary
16:16care level.
16:18What about
16:18the doctor-patient
16:19ratio?
16:20In 2022,
16:22there were
16:227,908 people
16:24per government
16:25allopathic
16:26doctor,
16:27eight times
16:28higher than
16:29the World
16:29Health Organization's
16:30recommendation.
16:31As per the
16:32analysis by
16:33Rescalf,
16:33and in 2023,
16:35India had
16:361,666 people
16:38per government
16:39hospital bed.
16:41But when it
16:42comes to
16:42minimum standards
16:43for infection
16:43control,
16:45diagnostics and
16:45patient safety,
16:46most public
16:47facilities are
16:48found wanting.
16:50What about
16:50out-of-pocket
16:51expenditure?
16:52Now, for every
16:53rupees 100 spent
16:54on healthcare in
16:55India,
16:55rupees 60 is
16:57being spent by
16:58the government.
16:5917 cancer
17:01drugs will
17:02become cheaper
17:02under the
17:03budgetary
17:04announcements.
17:05Why is this
17:06move important
17:07and much
17:07needed?
17:08What does it
17:09really mean for
17:09cancer patients?
17:11Let's tell you
17:11more.
17:12To provide
17:13relief to
17:13patients,
17:14particularly
17:15those
17:16suffering from
17:17cancer,
17:18I propose to
17:19exempt basic
17:20customs duty
17:21on 17
17:23drugs or
17:24medicines.
17:25A round of
17:26applause from
17:27MPs and
17:28health experts
17:29alike.
17:3217 cancer
17:33drugs are
17:33exempted from
17:34customs duty
17:35bringing in
17:35much needed
17:36relief for
17:37family members
17:38of cancer
17:38patients and
17:39to the
17:40patients
17:40themselves.
17:42The immediate
17:42impact cut in
17:43prices of
17:44these very
17:45expensive
17:46medicines.
17:48Imported
17:49cancer drugs
17:49in India
17:50attract a
17:50basic customs
17:51duty of
17:5210%.
17:52Some
17:53categories of
17:54life-saving
17:54drugs and
17:55vaccines attract
17:56a concessional
17:57rate of 5%
17:58which has
17:59now been
17:59made zero
18:00for these
18:00drugs.
18:02So these
18:03are the new
18:04generation of
18:05drugs which
18:05are immunotherapy
18:06targeted medicines
18:07and these
18:08drugs were
18:09previously not
18:10accessible to
18:10our patients
18:11because the
18:12cost was
18:13high.
18:13now with the
18:14decrease in
18:15excise duty
18:15the affordability
18:17of these
18:17drugs would
18:18decrease.
18:18So many
18:19more patients
18:19who could not
18:22afford these
18:22drugs previously
18:23will have access
18:24to these
18:24drugs and I
18:26can see that
18:26there is a lot
18:27of precious
18:28lives which
18:28can be saved.
18:30Like for
18:30example melanoma
18:31is a disease of
18:32younger patients
18:33and these are
18:35protective age
18:36groups.
18:37So that is why
18:38this is a very
18:38welcome step and
18:39government has
18:40particularly chosen
18:41those 17 essential
18:43drugs which make
18:44a lot of
18:44difference in
18:45cancer control.
18:47Cancer is a
18:48major and
18:49growing public
18:50health challenge
18:51in India.
18:52The disease
18:53imposes
18:53catastrophic
18:54health expenditure
18:55in India with
18:56medicines
18:57constituting more
18:58than 60% of
19:00out-of-pocket
19:00expenditure.
19:03If I find a
19:04mutation and I
19:05use this drug
19:06so the cancer
19:07control is much
19:07better, the
19:08survival is much
19:09better,
19:09secondly I
19:11don't, my
19:11use of toxic
19:13treatment like
19:14chemotherapy,
19:15radical surgeries
19:16become lesser,
19:18it becomes, the
19:19surgery becomes
19:19precise if needed.
19:21So not only we
19:22increase the
19:23survival, we also
19:24de-escalate the
19:25toxicity of cancer
19:26treatment and this
19:27is the kind of
19:29when we say it's a
19:30precision technology,
19:31so precision
19:31medicine.
19:32So we are able to
19:33identify why the
19:34cancer has happened
19:35and we nullify the
19:37reason why the
19:38cancer is happening
19:38through this drug.
19:39cancer drugs,
19:41very, very expensive
19:42medicines in the
19:42country will now
19:43become cheaper by
19:44removal of duties.
19:45Talk to us about
19:46that move, why was
19:47that absolutely
19:48essential.
19:49Also exemptions
19:49given for diseases
19:51like medicines for
19:53rare diseases which
19:54again are very
19:55expensive in the
19:56country.
19:56So to me, this reflects
19:59the empathy and the
20:03thinking of the
20:04government of India
20:05led by our
20:06Honourable Prime
20:07Minister to make
20:09sure that people who
20:10are suffering, who are
20:11unfortunate to suffer
20:12from diseases like
20:14cancer and these
20:15rare diseases for
20:17which there are
20:18medicines available
20:19outside India but
20:21somehow for these
20:22conditions if we do
20:23not have those
20:24medicines which are
20:25made in India and
20:26we have to
20:27unfortunately at the
20:28moment import them.
20:30It is to help those
20:31people to think about
20:32equity, to think about
20:34the financial pain that
20:36those people are going
20:37through and to make
20:39sure that the
20:40citizens of India are
20:42helped by the
20:43government as much as
20:44possible.
20:44Delhi's All India
20:46Institute of Medical
20:47Sciences has now
20:48come up with a
20:49research that
20:49indicates that the
20:50tone of a patient's
20:52voice can actually
20:53be a diagnostic
20:54tool in depression.
20:56Speech analysis
20:57combined with
20:58artificial intelligence
20:59is changing
21:00healthcare in many
21:02ways.
21:02Papa,
21:04I don't listen to
21:05a song.
21:06Huh?
21:07Sir?
21:09The truth.
21:10I forgot.
21:11Where are you
21:11coming from?
21:12Hey!
21:12What if your voice
21:32could reveal what
21:33your mind is going
21:34through?
21:35Researchers at
21:36Ames in Delhi say
21:37it just might.
21:39Depression doesn't
21:40only affect how we
21:41feel.
21:42it affects and
21:43changes how we
21:45speak.
21:46What is it?
21:48I'm not okay
21:49with it.
21:51This world
21:52is like this.
21:54Slower speech,
21:56flatter tone,
21:57less energy,
21:58subtle signs
21:59most people
22:00miss.
22:01I don't know
22:02anything.
22:04Everything is
22:05mixed.
22:07Everything is
22:09confusion.
22:09When you have
22:11people who
22:11have more
22:11moderate to
22:12severe depression,
22:14you'll find
22:14that usually
22:15either they
22:17speak less,
22:17so a person
22:18is just
22:18sitting,
22:19they don't
22:20have spontaneous
22:20speech.
22:21Many of us
22:22speak spontaneously.
22:23Somebody says,
22:24oh, hi,
22:25hello, how are
22:25you?
22:26Somebody comes
22:27into your room,
22:28you say, good
22:28morning.
22:29They will not
22:30have a very
22:30spontaneous speech.
22:31They'll sit
22:32there, they're
22:33usually reserved,
22:34quiet.
22:34And then
22:35when they do
22:36speak, the
22:38speak is quite
22:38monotonous.
22:39It'll be at
22:40times hypophonic.
22:42Hypophonic means
22:43the volume of
22:44the speech is
22:45very low.
22:46So sometimes
22:46they're speaking
22:47very slowly,
22:48mumbling.
22:49It's hard to
22:50understand them.
22:52So depression,
22:53especially when
22:54you have major
22:55depression, the
22:56speech will be,
22:57the speech
22:57pattern will
22:58change.
23:00Scientists are
23:01using artificial
23:02intelligence to
23:03analyze speech
23:04patterns,
23:05stunning pitch,
23:06rhythm, pauses,
23:07and fluency to
23:08detect early
23:09signs of
23:10depression, making
23:12speech analysis
23:12an assistive tool.
23:16Usually you
23:17don't do blood
23:18tests or MRIs to
23:20make a diagnosis
23:20of depression, but
23:22let's assume we
23:24have, we are
23:25able to recognize
23:26specific speech
23:28patterns and we
23:30are able to
23:31identify a speech
23:32pattern which
23:33we feel, the
23:35research shows
23:36that it really
23:37is able to
23:38diagnose depression
23:39with a good
23:40amount of
23:40certainty.
23:42Then I think
23:42that will be
23:43very helpful.
23:44Like you said,
23:44it will help
23:45to, along with
23:47the clinical
23:48history, the
23:50examination, it
23:51will help the
23:51psychiatrist, the
23:52neurologist, the
23:53psychologist to
23:54confirm the
23:55diagnosis of
23:56depression.
23:56artificial intelligence
23:59based speech
23:59analysis can
24:00identify depression
24:01with up to 75%
24:04accuracy.
24:06264 million
24:07people all over
24:09the world suffer
24:09from depression.
24:10In India alone, by
24:11various estimates, it
24:13is being said that
24:14about 40 to 45
24:15million people suffer
24:17from depression,
24:18which is one in
24:19every 20 people.
24:21Hence, early
24:22detection is
24:23absolutely
24:24imperative.
24:25With the help
24:26of the speech
24:27pattern, the
24:28doctor can
24:29identify the
24:29depression earlier
24:31with more
24:33sensitivity.
24:34That means you
24:35are more sure
24:35this is depression,
24:36this is not
24:37something else.
24:37Because please
24:38remember, speech
24:39patterns can
24:40change in many
24:41other neurological
24:41disorders.
24:42And if that
24:43indeed is true,
24:45then early
24:46diagnosis will
24:47lead to early
24:48treatment, whether
24:49with antidepressant
24:51or psychotherapy,
24:53and a better
24:53quality of life for
24:55the patient and
24:55the family.
24:59Speech-based
25:00screening could
25:00provide a
25:01non-invasive
25:02objective tool to
25:03flag potential
25:04issues earlier
25:05than traditional
25:06symptom-based
25:07questionnaires.
25:09From that point
25:10of view, the
25:11latest study by
25:11All India
25:12Institute of
25:13Medical Sciences
25:13becomes very
25:15significant.
25:20That brings us
25:21to the end of
25:21this edition of
25:22Healthy 60.
25:23We hope you
25:24enjoyed watching
25:24the show as
25:25much as we
25:25did, putting it
25:26together for you.
25:27You can find all
25:28these reports and
25:29much more up on
25:29our website.
25:30It's indiatoday.in.
25:32You can download
25:32the app.
25:33These reports are
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25:35It's YouTube,
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25:38Facebook.
25:38Our hashtag is
25:40Healthy 60,
25:41Healthy 60+.
25:42Do not forget
25:43to like,
25:43subscribe, and
25:44share.
25:45Until next time,
25:46take very good
25:46care of yourself.
25:47Thank you for
25:47watching.
25:47Bye for now.
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