Dr. V Chandramowli Memorial Lecture by Dr. Sangita Reddy Advocates Health Equity in India’s Moonshot
In a compelling address during the Dr. V Chandramowli Memorial Lecture, Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Group, Global Healthcare Influencer, Healthcare Technocrat, Social Entrepreneur, and former President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industries (FICCI), passionately discussed the imperative need for health equity in India.
Under the aegis of Essential Medical Services, the lecture titled “Health Equity – India’s Moonshot” began with Dr. Reddy reflecting on the inception of Apollo Hospitals, narrating the challenges faced by her father, Dr. Pratap Reddy, and the chairman, in securing funding for the hospitals’ development half a century ago.
Highlighting a stark reality, Dr. Sangita Reddy emphasized that 50% of the world’s children are undernourished, with 51% of India’s children facing the same predicament. Stressing the importance of clean drinking water and sanitation, she asserted that the new normal in the healthcare ecosystem must focus on advancing health equity, marking a paradigm shift in the thought process.
Under the aegis of Essential Medical Services, the lecture titled “Health Equity – India’s Moonshot” began with Dr. Reddy reflecting on the inception of Apollo Hospitals, narrating the challenges faced by her father, Dr. Pratap Reddy, and the chairman, in securing funding for the hospitals’ development half a century ago.
Highlighting a stark reality, Dr. Sangita Reddy emphasized that 50% of the world’s children are undernourished, with 51% of India’s children facing the same predicament. Stressing the importance of clean drinking water and sanitation, she asserted that the new normal in the healthcare ecosystem must focus on advancing health equity, marking a paradigm shift in the thought process.
Dr. Reddy elucidated four trends driving health equity:
1. Changing Disease Profile: Shifting from infectious to non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
2. Shifting Point of Care: Transitioning from hospitals to clinics, homes, and telehealth.
3. Reducing Cost of Care: Leveraging technology and local manufacturing to reduce equipment, medicine, and consumable costs.
4. Ubiquitous AI: Enabling quality access at scale and focusing clinical talent where it is needed most.
The address concluded with insights into Apollo Hospitals’ Total Health program, a holistic community development initiative demonstrating sustained NCD management. Over 62,000 people across 189 villages benefitted from healthcare services, with 31,350 individuals classified by risk, and 1,980 diabetic and hypertensive patients receiving regular follow-up.
Dr. Nirmalya Bagchi, Director General (I/c), ASCI, extended a warm welcome and introduced Dr. Sangita Reddy. Sri K Padmanabhaiah, IAS (Retd), Chairman-CoG, ASCI, provided opening remarks and presented a memento to the esteemed speaker. Dr. P Nagabhushanam, President of Essential Medical Services, expressed gratitude in a vote of thanks.