for both end-users and providers, billing at an average of 10.5% of GDP on a global basis. (World Healthcare Outlook, Economist Intelligence Unit). The costs support several ancillary industries, be it pharmaceuticals on one end or the health insurance segment on the other. Currently, India stands at a cross-road of high-end, multi-specialty private healthcare services on one end and lack of doctors, support staff, medicines and facilities at the other. High-end facilities and education platforms are concentrated near metropolitan centers (World Health Organization in its 2012 report said that only 26% of healthcare professionals were available to address the needs of 72% of the countrys population). SCOPE Considering the demand, the domestic healthcare sector is expected to rise to $100 billion by 2017, according to the India Brand Equity Foundation. And 71% of this growth is expected to take place in hospitals. Investment in private healthcare is going up too. The sector was the second favorite destination for foreign investment in 2013, receiving 27 investments worth $181 million from the US. Overall, hospitals and diagnostics centers received an FDI of $2191.91 million, while medical and surgical appliances (medical equipment) received $741.80 million in the last 13 years. (April 2000-December 2013) according to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. Challenges facing Indian healthcare Year-on-year, the challenges facing the sector have remained the same. While we are looking at a $100 billion growth by 2017, the perennial problems facing India are still those arising from malnutrition (infant mortality, lacking overall development), sanitation and access to affordable hospitalization and clinical care. On the other end of the spectrum, availability of a skilled workforce both doctors and nursing and support staff is cringing. Doctor-nurse density per 10,0000 persons of the Indian population is an abysmal 19 (6.5 doctors + 13 nurses). Most of the skilled medical workforce is being sought out by countries in Europe and the Middle East and retained by attractive compensation packages there vs India.