Saroj, a affected person from a distant space, travels 30–60 km to the closest diagnostic facility simply to get a primary check performed. He spends a complete day, pays ₹200–350 on journey, and makes two journeys — first to submit the pattern after which to gather the report. Within the course of, he loses a day’s wages and waits 24–36 hours for the outcomes, delaying well timed remedy.
Primarily based on this preliminary check, the physician prescribes remedy, however after 30–40 days of medicine and follow-ups, there’s no enchancment within the affected person’s situation.
Ultimately, the affected person visits a bigger metropolis for a extra superior diagnostic check. The outcomes reveal a very totally different analysis, indicating that the preliminary check was inaccurate. Sarcastically, the right diagnostic check prices solely a lot much less however as a result of delay and misdiagnosis, the affected person finally ends up spending ₹10,000–₹20,000 on ineffective remedy.
This case examine from a tier 3 metropolis in India underlines a rising concern over the substandard diagnostic companies, excessive prices, outdated tools, and restricted entry to important companies. It has turn out to be a serious concern as a result of all these have led to undermining belief, thereby resulting in misdiagnosis, and weakening public well being efforts.
Solely 17 per cent of diagnostic service suppliers are from the organised sector, 37 per cent are hospital-based labs and a whopping 46 per cent are from the unorganised standalone labs. This fragmentation has led to disparities in high quality, with many labs working with out assembly rigorous high quality requirements.
As diagnostics play a central function in illness prevention, remedy, and monitoring, guaranteeing high quality and compliance is just not elective—it’s important to strengthen high quality and compliance of the business.
Low-High quality Diagnostics Difficult India’s Healthcare System
The widespread presence of low-quality diagnostic laboratories in India is impacting our healthcare system. Within the absence of stringent authorities rules and obligatory accreditation, many labs proceed to function with out adhering to straightforward high quality protocols. This ends in inaccurate check outcomes, misdiagnoses, and ineffective remedies—in the end compromising affected person security and resulting in lack of time, cash, and lives. The dearth of high quality management has broader implications.
It contributes to inefficiencies in healthcare supply, undermines belief within the system, and offers all the diagnostics business a nasty status. Furthermore, a extreme scarcity of expert professionals reminiscent of pathologists and radiologists additional weakens diagnostic accuracy. For bold public well being schemes like Ayushman Bharat to succeed, it’s critical to make sure that solely credible, high-quality diagnostic suppliers are empaneled. Constructing strong regulatory frameworks, imposing strict monitoring, and selling the adoption of superior diagnostic applied sciences are important steps. With out these measures, the healthcare system can not ship on its promise of equitable, efficient, and well timed care.
Lack of Diagnostic Accreditation Impacting India’s Healthcare System
India’s healthcare system is present process important transformation, but a important element stays largely unregulated—the diagnostic sector. The absence of obligatory accreditation for diagnostic laboratories severely compromises the standard, accuracy, and reliability of check outcomes. Since there’s a lack of regulation, anybody can begin a pathology lab or an imaging centre with none authorized penalties. At the moment, accreditation by our bodies like NABL (Nationwide Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) is voluntary, and solely a minority of laboratories meet these high quality benchmarks.
This hole permits unaccredited labs to function with out adherence to straightforward protocols, resulting in inconsistencies in testing practices, use of subpar tools, and lack of expert personnel. Inaccurate check outcomes may end up in misdiagnosis, delayed remedy, and even avoidable fatalities, deepening distrust amongst sufferers and burdening the healthcare system with repeated checks and ineffective interventions.
The fragmented regulatory panorama provides one other layer of complexity. With solely 12 states and UTs adopting the Scientific Institutions Act, diagnostic oversight stays inconsistent throughout areas. This regulatory vacuum is in stark distinction to the hospital section, which is commonly over-regulated, making a skewed compliance atmosphere the place organized gamers bear the brunt whereas a big unorganized section—comprising over 85%—operates unchecked.
Manner ahead
The journey of this sector is just not merely a chronological development however a fancy interaction of things which are reshaping the contours of healthcare supply. It wants a balanced, enforceable framework to carry uniformity to diagnostic practices. Obligatory accreditation, minimal operational requirements, digitisation, and workforce coaching should be prioritised.
Adoption and enforcement of the Scientific Institutions Act by all of the state governments is totally important to usher in uniformity of requirements and enforcement throughout the nation.
Strengthening diagnostic infrastructure and governance is not only about bettering care high quality, it’s about constructing belief, lowering healthcare prices, and enabling early, life-saving interventions. With out it, the aim of equitable, environment friendly healthcare for all stays.
The author is former Well being Secretary and Former UN Secretary Common Particular Envoy on AIDS
Printed on Might 27, 2025
