Paediatric Medicine in India and Bottlenecks of Development in Nurturing Demographic Assets

Abstract

This article argues that the poor state of paediatric medicine in India still restrains and often prevents the healthy development of far too many young Indians. Infants as junior-most citizens deserve diligent care, as they have legal entitlements to specialised medical services, ensuring their survival and healthy growth, ultimately for the benefit of the entire nation. The article first traces the somewhat stunted colonial institutional development of paediatric medicine in India. It then proceeds to perform a critical analysis of the continuing harm of negligence concerning the health and upbringing of India’s vulnerable infants, challenging the state to become more committed to integrated child development.