HealthcareEvolution of Healthcare in India

Hospitals are not a colonial idea. They existed in India as far back as the 6th century. Travellers from Arabia and Europe wrote about the depth of medical knowledge they saw here. Today, the system looks very different. India, now the world’s most populous country with 1.46 billion people, has a vast mix of public and private healthcare institutions. Doctors and professionals are highly skilled, and the industry is competitive. India has also become the world’s largest exporter of generic medicines. But there is a paradox. Most people still buy branded medicines. And nearly a fifth of medicines sold in India are fake or spurious. This is where the evolution of Indian healthcare becomes important to understand. And if you want to know how to make sure you are buying genuine and effective medicines, then this blog is for you.

Ancient Vedic Period

The roots of public health in India traced back to the Atharvaveda, which described diseases, their causes, and rituals intended to prevent the spread. From these early teaching emerged Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine. The Charaka Samhita recounts the devastation of towns through Janapadodhwansa, and emphasizes protecting water sources to keep illness at bay.
By the time of the Mahabharata, healthcare had advanced further and It was considered a sacred duty of the king. Bhishma, in his counsel to Yudhishthira, spoke of its importance and asked him to build healthcare into the foundation of his rule.

Medieval Periods
The Buddhist period carried forward these ideals, as monasteries translated Ayurvedic texts into Pali and established hospitals, reflecting leadership guided by empathy and service. In medieval India, Maratha emperors recognized the need for healthcare accessible to all citizens. The Mughals introduced Unani medicine, a system with Greek origins under Hippocrates and Galen, enriched by Arab and Persian scholars. Unani medicine was based on seven natural principles known as Umure Tabiya: arkan (elements), mizaj (temperament), akhlat (humours), aaza (organs), arwah (vital spirit), quwa (faculties), and afaal (functions). The arrival of the British marked a setback for indigenous systems, as long-standing traditions were pushed aside in favor of imported models.

India’s Introduction to West’s Medicine

Western medicine entered India with the Portuguese in the 16th century, and by 1600, medical officers accompanied the East India Company. Initially, surgeons served mainly military troops, but by 1775, hospitals in Bengal, Madras, and Bombay employed general physicians and surgeons, marking the shift from military care to institutionalized healthcare. After the rebellion of 1857, the British Crown replaced the Company and introduced structured medical services, including central, provincial, and subordinate divisions to expand healthcare and improve public health. What began as a military necessity gradually laid the formal foundation for modern medical practice in India.

The Post- Independence Era of Medical Education

After independence, India faced enormous challenges. Death rates were high, life expectancy was low, there were too few doctors and medical facilities were insufficient. The Bhore Committee marked a turning point by laying the foundation for a three-tier healthcare system aimed at institutions that focused on both prevention and treatment.

This was followed by National Health Policies that introduced schemes and campaigns to eradicate and prevent disease. While some programmes saw only partial success, the polio eradication drive became a landmark, and by 2014 India had eliminated polio completely.

Public health services and hospitals expanded in the decades that followed. That effort, combined with economic growth, created a healthcare industry that today is estimated to reach over 600 billion dollars by 2026. India’s healthcare system also serves patients from abroad who cannot afford treatment at home.

Yet this progress has a darker side. Alongside world class doctors and a thriving generic drug industry, malpractice thrives. The recent Agra case, where counterfeit medicines were manufactured and supplied across several states, highlights the menace of fake drugs. Many people have lost their lives to spurious drugs and there is still no reliable way for a consumer to know if what they are about to take is genuine. These risks can be reduced if pharmacies ensure proper quality checks after procuring medicines from their distributors. A third-party testing through an NABL accredited laboratory can verify the safety and purity of medicines, giving consumers more confidence and helping prevent harmful interactions.
Conclusion

The story of Indian healthcare has always been about scale and trust. From rituals in the Atharvaveda to the Bhore Committee’s blueprint, the challenge has been to deliver care that people believe in. Medicines are central to that trust. SayaCare is betting that consumers will not just look at price but also proof. A lab report attached to a strip of tablets may sound simple. In a market where fake drugs still circulate freely, it could become the difference between doubt and confidence. For India, a country that already supplies medicines to the world, the next leap may not be about making more. It may be about making sure every citizen knows exactly what they are taking.