For @livemint I looked at the data on the healthcare-seeking behaviour of Indians to understand what we need to overcome in the fight against the spread of the novel coronavirus. Thread:
The poorest and most marginalised are most likely to report ill-health especially - and this is worrying in the current context - coughs and fevers 
At the same time, the rich are most likely to be hospitalised
The vast majority of the poor go to private clinics for coughs and fevers and that's very important in the current context. They also pay a lot - so much so that medical debt is the highest share of household debt for the poorest.
The poor are - or rather were in 2017-18 - the leaslt likely to get reimbursed for medical expenditures. We have Ayushman Bharat now which will cover COVID-19 treatment, but its coverage is quite narrow - if you have a scooter or a fridge the scheme won't cover you.
So here's what we know: the poor get respiratory illnesses often, go to private clinics, and pay much more for medical treatment than they can afford. That's the treatment-seeking behaviour we need to keep an eye on. All this in my piece today: livemint.com/news/india/ind…
