For a healthcare revolution

Primary healthcare is the backbone of any healthcare system. It provides comprehensive, longitudinal and coordinated care that holds together the fragmented components of healthcare. This includes care delivered by specialists to whom the primary-care physician may refer patients. It also provides opportunities to screen for chronic lifestyle diseases that may otherwise go undetected. India's move towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is predicated on access to high-quality primary healthcare. However, universal primary healthcare coverage remains a dream. Rural areas, where 70% of the population lives, account for 34% of India's doctors. Even if we could magically conjure up more doctors, it is unlikely to make a difference: the new doctors will want to reside and practise in urban areas.