Dr. Nikhila Pinjala

Dr. Nikhila Pinjala completed her MBBS MS in General Surgery and currently works as Consultant- Vascular & Endovascular Surgery. She was previously working with Apollo Hospital and is an active member of Rotary Club of Mavericks, Hyderabad.

According to you, what are the problems in the Indian healthcare system and how can we improve it?

Being a doctor by profession, I see a huge inequality in medical services in India between the rich and poor. The current scenario of COVID-19 has exposed this issue like never before. Only a section of society can afford good treatment in private hospitals, while others have to rely on government services that are highly deficit. I think this shortage of government healthcare services is due to the inadequate outlay to the healthcare sector, which is only 0.9% of GDP, leading to low health standards in our country. This issue needs to be tackled at priority and more funds need to be diverted to the healthcare sector to bridge this divide, reduce disparity, provide equipment and resources and advanced facilities in the government hospitals.

The second point that I want to highlight is about feminine health and hygiene. While this an important issue, only 18% women in India have access to sanitary hygiene. The lack of understanding and awareness about sanitation and good hygiene practices amongst adolescent rural girls is very concerning and education in this area is something I have always been keen on doing.

What cause are you most passionate about impacting in today’s world?

Another area that I am passionate about that I look forward to taking up is empowering girls and women. Female education and vocational training to build skills such as stitching, knitting, running small enterprises and making them independent is of utmost importance in today’s world. I will quote the example of my house staff, a 23-year-old woman with 2 children. She is one of the most business savvy people I have met. She has done so much for her house by managing her finances exceptionally well. I think all women need to learn the skill of independently managing their finances and families. Having women train in various vocational skills will boost their confidence to lead successful and independent lives.