Every Indian deserves good health (not just healthcare) ft. Dr Srinath Reddy

Episode 5 | Decoding Impact - Season 4

Host: Rathish Balakrishnan, Co-founder & Managing Partner, Sattva Consulting

Guest: Dr K. Srinath Reddy, Cardiologist & Founder, Public Health Foundation of India, Recipient of Padma Bhushan in 2005

We’re consulting doctors over video calls. Tracking our sleep on smartwatches. Decoding health reports in seconds on ChatGPT.

Technology is reshaping how we learn about and engage with healthcare. With information at our fingertips, it’s tempting to assume that tech is automatically advancing health equity, the right of every individual to live as healthily as possible.

But health equity isn’t just about access to healthcare services. In its truest sense, it’s about circumstances, recognising how social determinants like class, caste, gender, and environmental exposure shape health outcomes long before someone enters a clinic.

India’s urban mobile phone penetration stands at 125%; however rural penetration is only 58.8% (Mapping India’s Digital Landscape - Mobile Connectivity and Its Impact on Rural India, Affandy Johan, Ookla, 2025). The digital divide is stark, spanning device ownership, internet access, and digital literacy. This raises a critical question: will technology bridge healthcare gaps, or risk widening them further?

To unpack this complexity, we’re joined by Dr. K. Srinath Reddy, Founder and former President of the Public Health Foundation of India, to explore the nuanced intersection of health equity and technology.

Topics of discussion

1. Introducing health equity in India, the role of technology, and Dr Srinath

2. Why health equity doesn’t end with healthcare access

3. New challenges to our healthcare system + the impact of climate change on health

4. How do we build state capacity to deliver quality, accessible healthcare?

5. What's coming up in health-tech & what impact can these innovations have?

6. Why contextual health data matters for accurate diagnoses

7. What risks does tech carry? Which gaps can it widen in healthcare?

8. How do we design an equitable health system using technology?

9. The role of digital public infrastructure & building state capacity

10. AI in healthcare (pros & cons)

11. Financing an equitable health system

12. The power of Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts