Walk into any hospital or clinic in India, and you'll notice something almost instantly-women are everywhere. They're the ones caring for patients, running wards, managing communities, and holding the system together in ways that often go unnoticed. And yet, when it comes to who's making the big decisions, their presence suddenly fades.
At a time when India's healthcare system is evolving rapidly with new technologies, policies, and pressures, the voices shaping its future don't always reflect the people who sustain it every day. That gap isn't just about representation; it quietly influences how care is delivered, what gets prioritised, and who gets left behind.
While the sector employs more than 7.5 million people, senior roles remain largely male-dominated, a gap that merits closer attention as India works towards building a more responsive and effective healthcare system. We spoke to Dr Sabine Kapasi, CEO, Enira Consulting, Founder of ROPAN Healthcare Pvt Ltd, and UN advisor, who shared her insights on why women's leadership is key to building a more inclusive and effective healthcare system in India.
Women as the Backbone of Healthcare Delivery
Women are in charge of most frontline jobs. "They make up 29% of doctors, more than 80% of nurses and midwives, and over 100% of ASHA workers. This strong presence at the bottom does not mean increased authority at the top of the pyramid. Structural hurdles and ingrained biases hinder advancement into more senior, higher-paying positions," said Dr Kapasi.
Dasra's report, "An Unbalanced Scale," puts numbers to what many already sense. Women are still missing from the top in healthcare; just 18% make it into leadership roles. Even when they do, they are often paid less-about a third lower than men doing the same job. Globally, women hold about a quarter of senior positions in healthcare and only 5% of leadership roles overall. India reflects this imbalance, but the impact runs deeper here because so much of the system depends on women at the community level.