The Healthcare Model We Need: Lessons from Praava Health in Bangladesh
Recently, while my mother was visiting in Vienna, Austria, she had an accident that necessitated a visit to our local ER. Austria is lauded as having a strong healthcare system, even by European standards. The nation is known for providing excellent medical care and great access. Yet while I sat in the ER waiting for tests and speaking to doctors, I longed for the convenience and thoughtful patient experience I had seen a few weeks earlier in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
This may be surprising to some. The healthcare system in Bangladesh is known as highly challenged; this young and growing country has not always had the time and resources to invest in infrastructure. Bangladesh has developed faster over a longer period of time than even China, and has in recent years been one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Despite, and to some extent due to, the incredibly rapid expansion of its economy, the lack of a quality public healthcare system and institutional oversight has been unable to keep up with the growing demand for quality healthcare. There is marked lack of access, quality care, and trust in the overall system. The scarcity of regulated laboratories and the ever-growing distribution of fake medication is shocking, particularly as it contrasts so highly with my experience in Europe as a medical technology entrepreneur. The challenges are particularly pronounced in rural areas and among the poor, but also exist for the average middle-class person in urban areas, even in the capital of Dhaka. The issues are so deep that many have traditionally been forced to turn to “medical tourism,” visiting nearby countries for more reliable care when possible.
While both public and private investments are taking place in the Bangladeshi healthcare sector, they often are small-time projects and band-aids, not sustainable systems enabling quality healthcare for the population. Part of the problem is that many provide access to the basics of medical care, but give little attention to overall infrastructure or oversight — and the result is a lack of control that can end up leading to low-quality care which can have an even worse impact than it not existing at all.
For these reasons, my visit to the healthcare start-up Praava Health in Dhaka was all the more startling. I had met Founder & CEO Sylvana Sinha in late 2021, and was immediately taken by her passion and dedication to bringing high-quality care to the people of Bangladesh. What I saw when I visited Praava for myself was simple, but unexpected: state-of-the-art medical technology, a best-in-class pharmacy, modern diagnostics, and a group of highly-trained medical professionals with a focus on service. Moreover, every aspect of these healthcare offerings were connected. The result? A patient registration does not “get lost” (as has happened to me in Austria, several times). Patients don’t have to wait for long periods and are helped by caring, informed staff. Medications are ready to be picked up at the integrated pharmacy as you exit the building, and follow-up care can be provided by a video call/message. Follow-up tests are in person, at home, and results are given the same day. This is how a healthcare system should work, anywhere in the world. Why did I need to go to Bangladesh to find it?
Praava’s small facility has seen nearly half a million patients in the last three years, and is changing expectations for the standard of healthcare in a country of 170M people. Frankly, this should be the standard for healthcare anywhere in the world.
My deepest desire would be for Praava’s system to be adopted as the example in countries around the world — particularly in those with far fewer resources than my adopted Austria or native Sweden. It’s a dream that can become a reality, if we’re willing to take our lead from this scrappy and passionate team in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
