Private health sector in India: Line between profit and profiteering is often thin

doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7528.1339-b

BMJ 2005;331:1339 (3 December), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7528.1339-b

Letter

Private health sector in India

Line between profit and profiteering is often thin

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—The private health sector in India undeniably suffersfrom many drawbacks.¹ However, if the private sector is a partof the problem, it is also a part of the solution.

The health needs of a billion people simply cannot be managedby the public sector in a country that lacks basic infrastructure.The public health sector needs a boost in investment so as toprovide quality care to the patients and to preserve the moraleof the staff. It is appropriate and desirable for the privatesector to shoulder some of the burden of the population's healthneeds.

The authorities need to regulate the healthcare delivery standardsexpected of the private sector. The private health sector magnatesmust realise that the line between profit and profiteering isoften thin. Much can be achieved if both the government andthe private sector respect this boundary.

Abhijit M Bal, specialist registrar

Department of Medical Microbiology, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen AB25 2ZN abhijit.bal@nhs.net

Competing interests: None declared.