HealthTech and Telemedicine have played crucial role during COVID-19
Access to healthcare is a chronic challenge around the region. The number of doctors and hospital beds available per thousand population is overwhelmingly low. Take Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam for example, there are only 0.4-0.8 doctors available for every one thousand people in the country
HealthTech is a nascent sector that has played a crucial role during lockdowns.
The growth of this industry has rapidly accelerated due to COVID-19 with the help of lowered barriers and new impetus for usage.
The HealthTech sector is well-poised for wider commercial adoption with widespread collaboration between existing healthcare providers (hospitals) and Telemedicine startups.
HealthTech usage has grown by 4 times and has retained its users post-lockdown.
There is also a budding interest from regulators as they have recognized the efficacy of Telemedicine and e-Pharmacy solutions and are willing to lend greater regulatory and policy support. Consumer interest for Telemedicine is also on the rise which marks a first step towards building a trusting relationship between remote providers and patients.