As India strides towards its vision of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the role of healthcare technology, especially diagnostics, is no longer peripheral—it is foundational. In a country of 1.4 billion people, equitable access to timely and accurate healthcare remains both a public priority and a complex logistical challenge. Innovations in diagnostics and digital infrastructure can bridge this divide, turning India’s ambitious healthcare goals into a tangible reality.

Diagnostics: The Invisible Engine Behind Clinical Decisions

Diagnostics form the backbone of evidence-based medicine, guiding over 70% of clinical decisions. And yet, in many remote corners of India, diagnostics remain elusive. A telling example: a mother walking miles to reach the nearest doctor with her feverish child might still be left without a definitive diagnosis: typhoid, malaria, dengue, chikungunya, or hepatitis? Without lab access, treatment devolves into guesswork, often resulting in a cocktail of outdated drugs, known colloquially as the GSH 5C treatment—a practice not just in rural India, but even in urban clinics.

By contrast, access to diagnostic tools empowers healthcare providers to move from uncertainty to clarity, enabling targeted and effective interventions. It is this power of diagnostics, both as a lifesaver and a cost-saver, that India must scale and democratise.

Ayushman Bharat and the Digital Shift

India’s flagship health schemes under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) and the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (formerly Health & Wellness Centres) are already reshaping the healthcare landscape. PM-JAY has brought financial protection to over 50 crore citizens, while Arogya Mandirs are focusing on preventive care, including screenings for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), a critical intervention given the rising burden of lifestyle-related ailments.

These chronic diseases, accounting for 65% of all deaths, can only be detected and managed through a consistent, reliable diagnostic infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic further spotlighted this, with the Test-Track-Treat strategy reinforcing how vital diagnostics are to disease control and preparedness.

Strengthening Infrastructure: Smart Labs and Digital Innovation

India’s diagnostic infrastructure is vast, with over 3 lakh private labs and numerous government facilities at PHC, CHC, and district levels. Yet, challenges such as equipment shortages, lack of skilled staff, supply chain delays, and inconsistent quality continue to plague the sector.

A pragmatic solution lies in launching government-run smart labs, which are digitised, automated, and quality-controlled. These labs can serve as national demonstration models, integrated with:

• Digital inventory systems,
• Automated testing instruments,
• Remote validation capabilities (telepathology),
• Skill development platforms for lab technicians and pathologists.

In fact, ‘telepathology,’ the remote review and validation of lab tests, can be a game changer, especially with India having only 8,000 qualified pathologists. Much like the telemedicine revolution during COVID-19, telepathology needs formalised national guidelines to enable safe, scalable implementation.

The Imperative for Quality and Accreditation

Despite the dominance of private labs, only less than 1% are NABL-accredited, raising serious concerns about service quality. The Clinical Establishments Act (CEA), which aims to regulate and standardise health facilities, is not uniformly implemented across states, allowing “testing shops” to thrive unchecked.

A two-pronged strategy is needed:

1. Accelerated accreditation: Target accreditation of 2 lakh labs in the next decade through bodies like NABL and other emerging agencies.
2. Mandatory compliance with CEA: Until accreditation scales up, strict implementation of the Act is essential to eliminate non-credible labs and safeguard patient outcomes.

Public-Private Partnerships: Bridging Gaps Through Collaboration

Public-private partnerships (PPP) in diagnostics offer transformative potential. While the government sets policy frameworks and ensures reach, private labs can offer:

• Cutting-edge technology,
• Rapid scalability,
• Skilled workforce,
• Innovations like lab-developed assays and AI-powered diagnostics.

Dr. Lal PathLabs operates over 300 labs and 5,500 collection centres. Under its CSR initiatives, the company has trained 8,000+ phlebotomists, with more than 80% successfully employed, demonstrating diagnostics as both a public health enabler and a livelihood generator.

Diagnostics as a GDP Driver

The diagnostics industry isn’t just about health—it’s about economics. The sector is projected to reach $20 billion by FY2030, and healthcare is already India’s fourth-largest employment sector. Diagnostics alone can contribute an additional 1.5–2% to GDP by preventing the long-term economic drain from undetected NCDs and by creating thousands of jobs for youth in labs across the country.

Also read: Revolutionising Healthcare with AI: A Glimpse into the Future of Medical Technologies

The Road Ahead: Decentralisation, Prevention & Innovation

To fully harness the potential of healthcare technologies in India:

• Decentralised diagnostic access: Through hub-and-spoke models in Tier 2/3 towns and rural India.
• Promote preventive screenings: Especially for diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.
• Digitise and integrate: Use LIMS, AI, telepathology, and remote monitoring to connect patients, labs, and providers across geographies.
• Empower community health workers: By equipping them with portable, point-of-care testing devices.

Diagnostics are no longer just a support service in medicine—they are the fulcrum of an effective, equitable, and efficient healthcare system. As India races toward becoming a $5 trillion economy and a global health innovation hub, diagnostics must take centre stage—not only for better health outcomes but for stronger economic and societal resilience.

Views expressed by (Hony) Brig. Dr. Arvind Lal, Padma Shri, Executive Chairman, Dr. Lal PathLabs Ltd., at the Elets Patient Centricity Summit & Awards.

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