Healthcare is often associated with hospitals, doctors and the treatment of disease. But what if the most important step towards better health is taken before a person falls seriously ill? And how can hospitals ensure that the cost of treatment does not become a financial crisis for families already dealing with a medical emergency?
These questions were at the centre of a conversation between Ambika Singh Kahma of NDTV Lifeline and Rajiv Mehta, Permanent Trustee for Life at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital & Research Centre, at the NDTV World Summit 2026. Speaking in a session titled Building Community Resilience through Health and Livelihood, Mehta discussed preventive healthcare, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical treatment, affordability, health insurance and the responsibility of hospitals towards patients.
Drawing from the personal loss that contributed to his family's decision to establish Lilavati Hospital, Mehta spoke about why healthcare must extend beyond treating illnesses. He also shared how technological advances are changing patient experiences and argued for greater sensitivity in the way the healthcare and insurance sectors approach medical treatment.
His central message was captured in the hospital's motto: "More than healthcare, human care." The discussion brought into focus a wider challenge for India's healthcare system: making medical services not only technologically advanced, but also accessible, affordable and centred on people.
Rajiv Mehta's Personal Loss And The Origins Of Lilavati Hospital
Mehta traced his association with healthcare to a family tragedy that shaped the origins of Lilavati Hospital. Recalling the death of his grandmother following a stroke, he said she was just 52 when she passed away during a holiday in Chandigarh.
"She had gone for a holiday in Chandigarh, and at the young age of 52, she passed away having a stroke," he said. The experience prompted his grandfather and father, Kishore Mehta, to establish an institution that could help prevent others from facing similar circumstances. Lilavati Hospital marks 30 years since its inception in 2026, Mehta noted.
He said the hospital has a medical faculty of more than 400 doctors and a staff of approximately 3,500 people. He also outlined plans to expand its presence beyond Mumbai, with new hospitals and international outreach facilities planned.
The personal story offered a starting point for a wider discussion on the importance of timely medical attention and the role healthcare institutions can play in serving patients and their families.
READ | Who Is Rajiv Mehta? Lilavati Hospital Permanent Trustee To Speak At NDTV World Summit 2026
Preventive Healthcare Must Become A Priority, Says Rajiv Mehta
One of the central themes of the conversation was the need to shift from a predominantly treatment-led approach to preventive healthcare. Mehta argued that people should not wait until symptoms become serious before paying attention to their health.
"Our beloved Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modiji, has hit the nail exactly on the right spot. Today, prevention is the best form of medicine," he said.
To explain the importance of preventive health check-ups, he compared healthcare with maintaining a vehicle. "You don't go to your garage when the car is broken down," he said, adding that timely servicing can help ensure a smoother and longer ride. "That's exactly what we evaluate with our health."
The comparison highlighted a familiar challenge in healthcare: people may postpone check-ups until an illness affects their daily lives. Mehta argued that regular preventive assessments should become a routine part of looking after one's health.
For Indian families, this approach is particularly relevant when a serious illness can affect not just the patient but also household finances, caregiving responsibilities and the ability to work. As the conversation's opening remarks noted, the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how a health emergency can quickly become a financial crisis.
How AI And Medical Technology Are Changing Patient Care
Mehta also discussed the growing role of artificial intelligence in healthcare, emphasising its potential to improve treatment and patient experience. "AI is not of the future. AI is of the very near future. It is of today," he said.
According to Mehta, AI can support the personalisation and precision of treatment while helping make services more seamless for patients. He cited investments Lilavati Hospital has made over the preceding two years in medical equipment. One example was its MRI technology, which he said had substantially reduced the time patients spend undergoing a scan.
Recalling how the experience could previously take between 38 and 43 minutes, he said the hospital now has an MRI system that can complete the process in approximately eight-and-a-half minutes. Mehta also described the availability of equipment that can accommodate young children alongside their mothers, potentially making the experience less distressing for patients and families.
His examples illustrated how technological advances can have a practical impact beyond clinical capabilities: they can also influence the time, comfort and emotional experience involved in receiving care.
Rajiv Mehta Calls For Treatment Price Caps And A More Sensitive Insurance System
Affordability emerged as another important issue during the discussion. Asked about capping treatment costs, particularly for expensive and prevalent diseases such as cancer, Mehta supported the idea of price limits.
"There should be a capping done as far as, you know, the patient's treatment," he said. He also called for a different approach from health insurance companies, arguing that healthcare should not be treated like an ordinary commercial transaction.
"The medical world is much more than just another business," Mehta said. "It's concerning life, and it's concerning about the welfare of human beings." He added that insurers needed greater engagement and education to understand the realities of medical treatment and patient welfare.
His comments brought attention to a concern many Indian households face: the financial uncertainty associated with serious illness. Hospital bills, insurance coverage and the cost of continuing treatment can add to the stress experienced by patients and caregivers.
Mehta's position was that healthcare financing requires a more sensitive approach, recognising that medical decisions often arise during vulnerable moments in people's lives.
Trust, Expansion And The Meaning Of Human Care
Responding to a question about the hospital's high-profile patients, including celebrities, Mehta said Lilavati attracted patients from different sections of society because of the trust they placed in its doctors and institutional reputation.
"The amount of trust people have in our brand name, our faculty of doctors," he said, explaining why people from different backgrounds sought care at the hospital.
He also outlined expansion plans, saying a hospital in Ahmedabad was expected to open by the end of 2026, with Indore and other locations also mentioned as part of the plans. He spoke of proposed outreach hospitals in Africa, Europe and Russia, with the broader aim of extending healthcare access.
The conversation concluded with a reminder that hospitals have responsibilities extending beyond clinical treatment. Prevention, affordability, access and public awareness all contribute to healthier communities.
At the NDTV World Summit 2026, Rajiv Mehta's remarks connected a personal family experience with larger questions about the future of healthcare in India. From preventive check-ups and AI-enabled medical equipment to treatment affordability and insurance reform, his message was that healthcare must account for the needs and circumstances of patients, not just the illnesses they bring to hospitals.
His closing words captured that philosophy: "More than healthcare, human care." The challenge for healthcare institutions is to translate that principle into everyday practice, ensuring that medical progress is accompanied by compassion, trust and a sustained commitment to patients.
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