New Delhi: India’s fast-growing digital health ecosystem is transforming diabetes management, but a new study warns that the benefits are not reaching all patients equally, with gaps in internet access, digital literacy and affordability creating a major barrier to care.
The concern comes at a time when India is facing a huge diabetes burden. With over 101 million people living with diabetes and millions more at risk, digital tools such as teleconsultations, continuous glucose monitoring devices, health apps and AI-enabled platforms are increasingly being used to help patients track blood sugar, access doctors remotely and manage the disease more effectively.
However, researchers have found that this digital shift is also exposing a new layer of inequality. Patients in rural areas, older adults, low-income families and people with limited digital skills are often unable to use the very technologies that are becoming central to modern diabetes care. As a result, many remain excluded from timely monitoring, specialist consultations and data-driven treatment support.
The study highlights that while urban and digitally connected populations are more likely to benefit from app-based monitoring and telemedicine, vulnerable groups may struggle with basic smartphone use, unstable internet connections, language barriers and the cost of devices or data plans. This can widen health disparities in a country where diabetes already poses a major public health challenge.
Experts say the problem goes beyond technology alone. Diabetes care requires regular follow-up, access to medication, lifestyle counselling and early detection of complications affecting the eyes, kidneys, heart and nerves. If digital care models are not made inclusive, they risk leaving behind precisely those patients who need stronger support from the health system.
The findings also raise broader questions for India’s digital health push, which has expanded rapidly in recent years through telemedicine services, digital records and AI-assisted screening programmes. While these innovations can improve efficiency and extend specialist care to remote areas, public health specialists caution that digital tools should complement—not replace—on-ground primary healthcare services.
They argue that bridging the digital divide in chronic disease care will require more than simply launching new platforms. It will involve improving digital literacy, designing simpler regional-language tools, ensuring affordable access to smartphones and internet connectivity, and strengthening community-level health support for patients who cannot navigate digital systems on their own.
For India, the challenge is especially urgent because diabetes is no longer confined to cities or affluent populations. Cases are rising across age groups and geographies, increasing the long-term risk of kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke and vision loss. In that context, equitable access to diabetes care—whether digital or physical—has become a key public health priority.
The study serves as a reminder that technological progress in healthcare must be matched by accessibility and inclusion. Without that, India’s digital diabetes revolution may improve outcomes for some, while leaving many others further behind.
