Is India’s health research aligned with India’s health needs?

Two scientists used the World Health Organisation’s 2000-2019 ‘Global Health Estimates’ on disability-adjusted life-years to estimate the burden of diseases and the number of scientific publications (from the Web of Science database) to evaluate research efforts. They found that in most countries, health research focuses on diseases other than those whose burden is high in their countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic intensified discussions around health and well-being. The general method to gauge the health of a populace is to measure its mortality or life expectancy. But a more comprehensive understanding must also include morbidity – the incidence of diseases – to account for years of life partially lost.

A holistic approach to estimate the burden of diseases incorporates both mortality and morbidity, and is measured with a metric called disability-adjusted life years (DALYs).

Despite remarkable improvements in life expectancy and reductions in child mortality rates in the last few decades, India still faces a significant battle against various health issues. One worrying feature of the public health spectrum is the rapid increase in the prevalence of some non-communicable diseases, along with the persistence of some communicable diseases.

The crucial role of healthcare research in advancing public health is undeniable, yet India’s research spending remains low. A related concern is whether these funds effectively address the country’s health needs and prioritise the right disease areas.

Along with advancements in healthcare delivery, well-directed research is essential to improve public health. Public funding is the primary fund source for health research in India. Are these funds being spent on the local needs? Our recent study, presented at the European Forum for Studies of Policies for Science and Innovation (Eu-SPRI 2023), highlights some striking mismatches.

We used the World Health Organisation’s 2000-2019 ‘Global Health Estimates’ on DALYs to estimate the burden of diseases and the number of scientific publications (from the Web of Science database) to evaluate research efforts.

Relative disease burden (% of DALYs) v. research efforts (% of papers) for cardiovascular diseases, cancers, neonatal conditions, and tuberculosis for the world (W), high-income countries (HIC), upper middle-income countries (UMIC), India (IN), and lower income countries (LIC).