Veloxx Health Perspectives is a thought-leadership series by Veloxx Media, bringing together voices from across the healthcare ecosystem, including policymakers, clinicians, public health practitioners, innovators, institutions, and organisations working to strengthen healthcare systems.
In the lead-up to the Himalayan Healthcare Innovation Summit (HHIS) 2026, being convened on 19 March at Hyatt Centric, Dehradun, this series features perspectives from individuals and initiatives engaged in designing, delivering, and executing healthcare solutions on the ground, particularly in challenging and underserved geographies. The aim is to surface practical insights, implementation experiences, and emerging ideas that can inform stronger, more resilient healthcare systems.
Healthcare systems are often designed with the geography of the plains in mind, where population density is high, connectivity is relatively strong, and hospitals are within reachable distance for most people. But the Himalayan states of India demand a very different policy imagination because of their steep terrain, scattered settlements, fragile ecosystems, and increasing climate vulnerabilities. These realities profoundly influence the delivery of healthcare. As India continues to expand its public health infrastructure, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Himalayan region cannot rely solely on a conventional hospital-centric model. Instead, the future of mountain healthcare needs to explore preventive, decentralised, technology-enabled, and community-driven health systems that bring care closer to the people.
India has expanded rural health infrastructure to over 157,000 sub-centres, 25,000 PHCs(primary health centres), and 5,000 CHCs (community health centres), with a doctor-population ratio of 1:834. Yet stark rural disparities persist; some areas have ratios near 1:10,000, and specialist shortages remain high. For Himalayan states, these shortages are compounded by geography. Villages are often small and dispersed, located across valleys and high-altitude slopes where travel to the nearest hospital may take several hours or even a full day.
In the Himalayan region, the assumption that patients can easily access hospital services often does not hold. Roads are frequently disrupted by landslides, snowfall, or extreme weather, particularly during the monsoon and winter seasons. In such circumstances, medical emergencies related to childbirth, trauma, or cardiac conditions can quickly become life-threatening when transport to a distant hospital is delayed. This reality highlights a fundamental policy challenge: healthcare systems in the mountains must reach the patient rather than waiting for the patient to reach the hospital. For Himalayan states, the focus therefore needs to shift from a predominantly hospital-based system toward preventive and primary care delivered closer to communities.
Preventive healthcare is particularly critical in remote mountain regions where specialised treatment facilities are scarce. Early screening for conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, tuberculosis, anaemia, and maternal health complications can significantly reduce hospitalisation and prevent avoidable deaths. India’s expansion of more than 1.6 lakh Health and Wellness Centres under the Ayushman Bharat represents an important step in strengthening primary healthcare. These centres provide services such as non-communicable disease screening, maternal and child healthcare, and health education. In the Himalayan context, such facilities can become the backbone of a preventive health ecosystem, supported by regular village health camps, school-based health initiatives, and community awareness programmes focusing on nutrition, sanitation, and mental health.
Technology also offers significant opportunities to bridge the distance between remote villages and specialised medical expertise. Telemedicine platforms have begun transforming healthcare delivery in rural India. The government’s national telemedicine service, eSanjeevani, has already enabled more than 100 million teleconsultations, allowing patients in remote areas to consult doctors without travelling long distances. For Himalayan states, the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence could further strengthen these systems. AI-enabled diagnostic tools can assist frontline health workers in identifying high-risk pregnancies, detecting tuberculosis through digital imaging, or screening patients for chronic diseases. Mobile diagnostic devices and digital health records can also improve continuity of care, particularly in regions where populations are mobile and specialist doctors are scarce.
Bhavna Shinde
Senior Advisor, SETU Aayog
About the Writer: Dr Bhavna Shinde is a development and public policy professional with over two decades of experience in governance, education, and social sector reforms across India. She currently serves as Advisor at SETU Aayog, Government of Uttarakhand, contributing to policy innovation, institutional strengthening, and cross-sectoral initiatives for inclusive development. She has worked with organisations including PwC, Grant Thornton, Room to Read, and The Education Alliance, and has led programmes supported by the World Bank, JICA, USAID, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, focusing on public systems, community-led development, and women’s leadership.
