India, Feb. 5 -- The launch of the Lancet Commission on Reimagining India's Health System late January prompted the question: Are we building a health system for yesterday's diseases or tomorrow's India? India's health challenge is not just about paying for care, but ensuring that people are guided through the system with dignity and continuity.

As the founding CEO of Ayushman Bharat, I have witnessed both the promise and the limitations of health reform firsthand. When the scheme was launched in 2018, many doubted whether India could pull off the world's largest government-funded health assurance programme. Eight years on, the outcomes are hard to ignore. More than 10 crore hospital treatments have been provided, and by one estimate, ho...