Written by Ankita UpadhyayNew Delhi | January 1, 2026 06:20 AM IST 3 min readTHE CHALLENGEConversations over the last two months have been dominated by the city’s poisonous air, the annual seasonal emergency of smog-filled mornings, school closures, and emergency advisories that doctors, the people and the courts agree can no longer be treated as just a winter crisis. This is Delhi’s foremost healthcare challenge.The second major challenge lies in the shortage of key human resources in the sector. “There are hospitals with buildings in place, but without enough radiologists, specialists, or trained staff, so they cannot function at optimal capacity,” said Dr Randeep Guleria, former AIIMS director, and one of the country’s most eminent pulmonologists.WAY FORWARDSpeaking in the context of the year-round threat to public health from air pollution, Dr Guleria said Delhi in 2026 must make a decisive move away from a system focused on treating illness to one that prioritises prevention, early detection, and sustainable environmental action.Air quality is bad on most days of the year, which makes respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and other pollution-linked conditions one of Delhi’s biggest healthcare concerns, Dr Guleria said.Preventive healthcare must begin outside hospitals. “Clean air, safe drinking water, and accessible public spaces for physical activity are as important as medical treatment,” Dr Guleria said.A major focus area should be aggressive screening to ensure early detection and timely intervention in non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic respiratory illnesses, and cancer, which are becoming increasingly common in urban populations, particularly in the economically weaker sections. Screening camps will help, he said, because “Preventive health is not just about awareness but also about access.”A pressing structural issue is the overwhelming pressure on tertiary hospitals. “Even patients with minor ailments end up at tertiary hospitals, waiting for hours due to massive patient loads,” Dr Guleria said. The solution, he said, lies in strengthening primary healthcare centres, from where they are referred to higher facilities only when necessary.Story continues below this adThe elderly population in Delhi, like in the rest of India, is rising. Hospitals must become more elderly-friendly, with easier access, shorter wait times, and better mobility support, Dr Guleria said.He also flagged outreach and home-based care models for senior citizens: “We need systems that take care of people, and not always expect people to come to hospitals.” Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:New Delhi