International healthcare consultant Vijay Dhawangale proposes an accessible diagnostic initiative which can make preventive healthcare a way of life across the world.
According to an estimate, chronic diseases may contribute to over 70 percent of global deaths by 2030. And one of the most effective ways of nipping lifestyle diseases in the bud, is preventive healthcare.
To aid the development and practice of preventive healthcare across the world, global healthcare consultant Vijay Dhawangale opines and proposes a revolutionary Public Private Partnership (PPP) model to ease the burden of disease on people, by offering them accessible diagnostic services through public health facilities.
“We care for our automobiles more than we care for our own health! Just as we ensure that our cars go for regular servicing, rather than awaiting a breakdown before hauling it to the service centre, we need to ensure that our bodies too, get a regular check-up. If diagnostic healthcare services are made more accessible, the shift towards preventive healthcare can be faster,” says Vijay Dhawangale.
His model of Healthcare Diagnostics Programs around the world involves nuanced strategies for local and state-level implementation, overseen by a central agency designated by governments. The initiative envisions providing a package of essential diagnostic services free-of-cost across all public health facilities using innovative, low-cost technology.
As per the proposed model, the government’s role is limited to enabling these diagnostic laboratories to be set up, while the responsibility of providing quality diagnostics can lie with the relevant laboratory partners.
Dhawangale has earlier piloted a PPP healthcare project by setting up over 200 diagnostic laboratories across five states in India, spanning both private and public sectors. Over 10 million citizens in remote locations across India are supposed to have availed free diagnostic services from these labs, which are attached to more than 3,000 government hospitals. Dhawangale believes that this model has the potential of being scaled and implemented globally.
“Both, availability and access to quality diagnostic healthcare, along with regular sensitization and awareness programs, are the need of the hour. These can ensure that people make their trips to hospitals, not just when they are unwell, but as a regular ‘wellness’ activity. Such preemptive diagnostics can help doctors catch the onset of a disease early on and prevent it altogether,” Dhawangale elucidates further.
Moreover, he points out that preventive healthcare, aided by timely and quality diagnostic services, can ease the burden on healthcare infrastructure and services. This can result in access to better care for those who need it the most, while ensuring that the majority of people remain in good health.
Who is Vijay Dhawangale?
Vijay Dhawangale is a venture capitalist and a global healthcare consultant who has successfully helmed multiple ventures across a multitude of domains and industries. He is particularly vocal about access to quality healthcare for all.
As part of a pilot PPP healthcare project, Dhawangale has set up over 200 laboratories, attached to more than 3,000 government hospitals across five states in India. More than 10 million citizens from remote locations across the country are supposed to have accessed free diagnostic services through these.
During the pandemic, Dhawangale has also been instrumental in setting up more than 15 COVID testing labs for quick and precise testing at critical locations across the country.
