Over the past three decades, India has emerged as a major medical hub globally. The mushrooming of private hospitals and nursing homes has certainly improved access to healthcare, but it has also earned notoriety for exploitation and mistrust. Across the country, the healthcare system is in shambles. In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court severely criticised the central and state governments.

Indeed, a section of India's medical professionals seems to need treatment themselves. Critics allege that rot has set deep within the medical field. “Commerce first, care later — hypocrisy overshadows the Hippocratic Oath”, they say. The growing nexus between pharma mafias, private hospitals, and some doctors is an emerging threat, yet the government appears inactive.

Read in Hindi: भारत के ‘बीमार’ स्वास्थ्य तंत्र को खुद इलाज की है जरूरत

In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court drew attention to the unaffordable cost of medical care, medicines, and medical kits in hospitals. It highlighted how private hospitals force patients to buy implants, stents, and other items from in-house pharmacies at exorbitant prices. The court noted that both central and state governments have failed to set up effective regulatory mechanisms or corrective measures. Their inability to ensure affordable medication has only strengthened the private sector. If the same medicines are available for cheaper outside, why are doctors forcing patients to buy them from expensive in-house stores?

The apex court reminded that under Article 21 of the Constitution, every individual has the right to access affordable and appropriate medication. However, efforts to curb this decay and bring transparency are being obstructed by the powerful pharmaceutical lobby.

The central government claims to be committed to eradicating poverty, ensuring quality education, and providing universal healthcare, as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman hinted in her budget speech. But the stark pledges made in parliamentary halls and courtrooms stand in sharp contrast to the harsh realities of India’s healthcare landscape.

While the Supreme Court rightly called out the ‘rotting’ system and the Finance Minister promised inclusive healthcare, the situation on the ground is a cry for help from a system plagued by greed, corruption, and a failure to serve the very people it was meant to help. The medical profession, once considered noble, is now accused of placing commerce above care.

The Supreme Court’s accusations are grave. They expose the predatory practices of private hospitals, their unholy alliances with big pharma, and the sky-high costs that have turned healthcare into a luxury rather than a right for millions. The court’s observation that patients are being forced to purchase overpriced items from hospital pharmacies — even when cheaper options exist outside — reveals an entrenched system of exploitation.

This isn’t about isolated incidents; it reflects systemic rot. The collusion between pharma mafias and private hospitals — involving some doctors as well — paints a disturbing picture where profit has eclipsed the duty of care. Doctors, who are meant to heal, allegedly act as agents of exploitation, pushing patients toward overpriced in-house services and prescriptions, often in exchange for incentives or kickbacks. This erodes the sacred trust between patient and doctor, replacing healing with suspicion and financial strain.

The government’s inaction, as highlighted by the Supreme Court, is equally condemnable. Its failure to ensure access to affordable medication and rein in exploitative private practices has inadvertently empowered these unchecked players. The court's reminder of the right to affordable healthcare under Article 21 is a scathing indictment of the state’s failure to uphold a fundamental right.

At the root of the problem lies the unholy nexus between pharmaceutical companies and doctors. Reports suggest that many doctors prescribe expensive medicines in return for commissions, even when cheaper alternatives are available.

The central government has launched schemes like Ayushman Bharat and Jan Aushadhi Kendra to provide affordable medicines, but their ground-level impact remains negligible. Though the Supreme Court has directed the government to strengthen regulatory systems and ensure transparency in the medical sector, no concrete action has been taken yet. In this regard, both the Medical Council of India and the government must strictly monitor private hospitals.

There is also an urgent need to cap the maximum retail prices of medicines, stents, and medical equipment. Hospitals should be required to provide transparent billing to avoid deceiving patients. Moreover, public awareness must be increased to inform patients of their rights.

Despite the Supreme Court’s intervention, India’s healthcare system continues to suffer from greed, corruption, and chaos. Until the government and citizens join forces to reform the system, the dream of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ will remain unfulfilled.