| Well(?!), it has become an industry! A | | | | demand for medical devices in third world and drew |
| business!!...Health!!! | | | | the foreign companies to India. The Mantra 'Local for |
| Years back there was no such words as Wellness | | | | Local' which means all Indian. A spokesman for PWC |
| Industry or Health Care business. Today it is a very | | | | says, in place of Dollars and Cents, it should be |
| common thing. Yes, today with most innovations and | | | | Rupees and Paise; first world technologies at third |
| discoveries that were unthinkable just a few years | | | | world costs. Apart from GE, many medical device |
| back, health costs have spiraled up sharply. But who | | | | manufacturing companies such as Siemens and Philips |
| is to bear the cost for the poor lot in third world and | | | | have stepped in with local carrier Wipro in |
| developing countries like India? The Govt. is doing its | | | | collaboration. |
| bit but it still falls far short of want. Sheer population | | | | These companies through PPP model are determined |
| is a major cause of concern for both diseases and its | | | | to take quality health services to the rural masses. |
| cure. Successive Governments at the center and | | | | GE has launched a mobile CathLab with a leading |
| states have totally failed to provide health to the | | | | cardiac surgeon on duty. Indian Army Engineers |
| needy. According to reliable statistics, India spends | | | | helped in building the lab on wheels, no bigger than a |
| just 5% of its GDP annually, largely on primary health | | | | bus. It is reported that it has already served 2500 |
| care focusing on basic needs such as immunizations | | | | patients performing routine tests and complex |
| and common seasonal illness. This has created space | | | | angiograms. |
| for participation of NGOs and public-private | | | | I have a heart condition after suffering mild attack |
| partnership (PPP). Also the Govt. has introduced free | | | | three years back. I had been to the United States on |
| or for a token payment, health insurance for the | | | | a six month visiting visa in July 2008. My two |
| poorest of the poor. There seems to be some | | | | daughters with their families are living there,- one in |
| distant light in view on the horizon for the poor. | | | | Texas and the other in California. During the last leg |
| On the other side of the spectrum, India is emerging | | | | of my stay in Texas I developed some heart |
| as a Health Tourism Destination for developed | | | | complications for which my daughter took me to the |
| countries because of the costs that are but only a | | | | Texas Heart Foundation for examination. An ECG |
| small portion of what it costs in developed countries | | | | (they call it EEG in America) cost me 80 dollars each |
| like America. But there are just 0.7 hospital beds and | | | | and I had to take ECG three times before any |
| 0.6 doctors per thousand people. Now this gaping | | | | seriousness is finally ruled out. Half a dozen visits to |
| space is slowly being filled by PPP including | | | | the center, tests, consultations and treatments cost |
| participation by multinational companies in health | | | | me over $ 4,000/- It is a different matter that my |
| sphere. A case in focus is GE Healthcare. GE | | | | Indian Insurers paid a major portion of it. But contrast |
| manufactures diagnostic machines such as X-Rays | | | | the costs in India for the same quality service, |
| and Electrocardiogram machines. This company is | | | | perhaps with even better medical fraternity. An ECG |
| located in electronic city of Bangalore. This company | | | | by that portable machine developed by GE costs just |
| is intensely concerned with bringing down costs | | | | Rs. 10/-, an equivalent of around 30 cents in today's |
| without compromising quality. As a result their | | | | exchange rates. Though normally hospitals charge |
| engineers, all Indians, have developed, manufactured | | | | anywhere between Rs.100 to 400 for an ECG |
| and marketed two models of ECG machines at one | | | | depending upon the standard of the hospital and its |
| third cost of their imported equivalent. Both are | | | | demographic location. Even then it is less than ten |
| portable machines - MAC 400 and MACi. MAC 400 is | | | | dollars. |
| a little bigger and costs Rs. 50,000/ and MACi Rs. | | | | All things in medical field seem to be going well for |
| 25,000/- More than 8000 units are already sold in the | | | | the poor of this country. But then there is an ugly |
| market in less than two years into its production. | | | | side too to the Wellness Industry and I will explain it |
| MACi weighs just above a Kilogram! | | | | in my next article. |
| PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) first saw the huge | | | | |