Diabetacare - Dr Sanjiv Agarwal, Founder & MD - Diabetacare
"As a medical tech startup, we are quite happy with the budget announcement of 3 year tax exemption for startups as well as the overall policy focus on encouraging the start-up environment and improving ease of doing business. On the health front, the National Dialysis Program is very important, and it needs to be implemented properly. Lack of affordable and accessible dialysis centres is a major problem that makes life very difficult for patients of end-stage kidney failure. A large number of patients have to travel long distances for dialysis and it can be very difficult. It is estimated that as many as 2.2 lakh renal patients are added every year in India, and ensuring dialysis centres in every district hospital will be a major relief. There is a direct link between diabetes and renal failure as the insulin disorder makes patients more vulnerable to kidney failure. With a whopping rise in prevalence of diabetes in India, we estimate a subsequent increase in renal failure patients as well. This program is relevant in this light as well. Also encouraging is the health protection scheme of Rs 1 lakh per family." Says Dr Sanjiv Agarwal, Founder & MD, Diabetacare.