25 PRIORITIES: ONE HEALTHCARE FUTURE

As Express Healthcare completes 25 years of shaping conversations and driving thought leadership in India's healthcare sector, the January 2026 special issue offers an opportunity not only to reflect on this transformative journey but also to spotlight the path ahead.

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It highlights 25 healthcare priorities that can accelerate India's progress towards becoming a global healthcare powerhouse by 2047, aligning with the vision of Viksit Bharat

Strengthening primary care

Recognising the importance of strengthening health and transitioning towards prevention and wellness, the Government of India had launched the Ayushman Bharat Comprehensive Primary Health Care Programme in 2018, which transformed primary health care delivery by upgrading existing health sub-centres and primary health centres into Health and Wellness Centres, now renamed as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.

Many companies have supported it through their CSR budgets. Abbott's aim to upgrade over 300 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across 12 states in India by the end of 2026 is one such venture. This initiative, in collaboration with Americares India Foundation, will potentially benefit 9.8 million people by enhancing access to quality and affordable healthcare in underserved communities. Since the programme's inception in 2022, Abbott has upgraded 216 PHCs.

Poonam Sharma, Director-Global Citizenship and Sustainability, Abbott India said, "Upgrading PHCs advances access to affordable healthcare services and infrastructure, and fosters proactive health-seeking behavior within communities, promoting early diagnosis and effective treatment. This is particularly crucial to help address India's significant burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Demonstrating the impact, we have seen positive outcomes with increased footfall for availing health services in these upgraded centres. This effort aligns with Abbott's goal of expanding access to quality care in India."