Growing number of Indians expect better heathcare: Survey

A growing number of Indians expect better healthcare and are willing to pay for it, a new survey indicated on Thursday. The survey of citizens in India, US, UK and Germany showed that healthcare is high on the list of public concerns.

A growing number of Indians expect better healthcare and are willing to pay for it, a new survey indicated on Thursday. The survey of citizens in India, US, UK and Germany showed that healthcare is high on the list of public concerns.

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While India lags behind much of the world in healthcare, the majority of urban Indians are more optimistic than people in the US, UK or Germany about receiving good healthcare.

Although they show concern about the costs, they are more willing than their counterparts elsewhere to pay for better and faster hospital treatment, the new survey found.

Globally, nearly one in five respondents surveyed said they are not satisfied with any aspect of their country's healthcare system.

This is one of the key findings in the report, Health Reform: The debate goes public, written by the Economist Intelligence Unit and commissioned by Philips, a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting.

"The survey shows India's growing middle class of some 250 million people has rising expectations about the quality and speed of treatment," said Iain Scott, the editor of the report.

Nearly three out of four people surveyed in India agreed that a greater role for private sector operations would improve the country's healthcare system.

Among others, forty per cent of Indians think that their government has the right approach to healthcare, more than any other country in the survey.