New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has called for annual health checkups to be made a legal right for every citizen in India, arguing that preventive healthcare should become a central part of the country’s public health policy.
Raising the issue during a Special Mention in the Upper House on Monday, Chadha said that routine health checkups have become a “luxury” affordable only to the rich, while the majority of citizens remain excluded from this vital aspect of healthcare.
“Annual health checkups have become a luxury in our country – something only the affluent can afford,” Chadha said, recounting common stories of people only discovering serious illnesses when it’s too late. “A mother who never knew she had cancer, a son who discovered his blood pressure only after a stroke, a sister whose vision loss revealed diabetes — these stories are far too common.”
Citing the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and a rise in reported cases of sudden cardiac arrests, especially among the youth, Chadha argued that India must urgently shift toward a state-sponsored, structured preventive healthcare model.
He highlighted a deeply concerning statistic from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5): only 2% of Indian women have undergone cancer screening. He described this as “alarming,” underscoring the urgent need for proactive healthcare measures.
“In many developed countries, governments routinely invite citizens for preventive screenings. Illnesses are caught early, improving outcomes and saving lives. India needs to adopt a similar approach,” he told Parliament.
Speaking to NDTV after his remarks in the Rajya Sabha, Chadha emphasized that early diagnosis can drastically reduce long-term treatment costs, especially in government hospitals.
“This is standard practice in developed nations. If implemented here, it won’t be a financial burden — in fact, it will reduce healthcare expenditure in the long run by avoiding costly, prolonged treatments,” he said.
He also pointed to a study published in The Lancet, which found that 55% of heart attack-related deaths in India occur due to delayed diagnosis — an issue that structured checkups could help prevent.
Chadha urged the government to implement affordable, accessible, and routine health screenings across both urban and rural India, ensuring no one is left behind.
“Jaan hai, toh janch hai. But janch hogi, tabhi toh jaan bachegi,” he concluded — “If there is life, there must be diagnosis. But only if diagnosis happens, can lives be saved.”
Chadha’s appeal marks a significant push toward reimagining healthcare in India, shifting the focus from reactive treatment to proactive, preventive care for all.
