Synopsis:
Despite significant advancements, the representation and achievements of women in the healthcare sector are continuously evolving. While noteworthy progress has been made, there remains room for improvement, highlighting an ongoing journey towards gender equity and inclusivity in the field.
The healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors are experiencing a positive shift with more and more women making big strides. But, it is still a challenge to reach leadership positions
When Namrata Vardam was researching career paths after her BSc in Zoology, followed by an MBA, she picked hospitality sales. But selling hotel rooms and banquets left her hungry. She switched to pharmaceutical sales. Today, Vardam, 33, is a product executive at Entod Pharma, a specialist in ophthalmic and ENT medicines, but has switched from sales to marketing. She is happy with her choice: she has a meaningful role in connecting science with people. “I’m fascinated by the blend of science and communication. The pharma industry offers a chance to make complex science understandable to a wider audience,” says Vardam.
Healthcare and pharmaceuticals are being transformed by the entry of women at all levels—women who are creating a new era of inclusivity and diversity.
Possibly more than any other sector, India’s healthcare and pharma have been known for a few decades now for women at the top, whether they were joining the family business (Sangita Reddy and her three sisters at Apollo Hospitals) or creating a world-class business (Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon).
More women are getting boardroom seats, as consultancy EY says in its October 2022 report ‘Diversity in the Boardroom: Progress and the Way Forward’. The EY report says India has made substantial progress, with women accounting for an average of 18 per cent of board seats in 2022, up from just 6 per cent in 2013.
In India, the life sciences sector took the lead, with women holding 24 per cent of board seats in October 2022, followed by the media & entertainment sector.
The Beckoning
Today’s educational landscape offers more opportunities for women in areas such as medicine and pharmacy. And not just in entry- or mid-level jobs: more women are getting into boardrooms at pharma and healthcare companies. While some get board seats by inheriting a business, others are gunning for management jobs.
Why are so many women getting into the healthcare and pharma industry? Is it driven by a personal calling, societal dynamics, or the sector’s unique opportunities?
Meenakshi Nevatia, Country President & Managing Director of Pfizer India, a subsidiary of the US major, says that given the extensive footprint of global pharma companies in India and the rise of their Indian counterparts, the sector offers women plenty of roles and career opportunities, ranging from office-based roles to customer-facing ones that require travel.
“We tend to see a greater diversity in the office-based roles including research & development, medical affairs, marketing, human resources, and finance primarily due to the predictability of working hours and the flexibility in working from home as needed,” says Nevatia, an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, with extensive experience in sales, marketing, and business leadership positions at McKinsey and Novartis Pharma, among others.
Ameera Shah, Promoter and Managing Director of Metropolis Healthcare, which runs a chain of diagnostic laboratories, slices the answer into two segments: women joining at the junior level and those in leadership positions. “The former’s motivation to have a career in the healthcare or pharma sector stems from job safety, job security, the absence of rigid timelines, and more predictable working hours, leading to a healthier work-life balance,” says Shah. “Moreover, the industry fosters a culture of care and empathy, creating a female-friendly environment,” she says. Shah says women looking for leadership roles in pharma and healthcare need business sense and the ability to integrate scientific principles into the business landscape.
According to government data, women are significant in India’s healthcare system, contributing to 70-80 per cent of the services. In India, women have historically dominated nursing and allied health professions.
Why women outshine men
Shah of Metropolis, a company founded by her father that she helped get listed in 2019, says women bring conscientiousness and sincerity, which align well with the healthcare and pharma sectors’ emphasis on empathy and compassion. “But women have historically confronted hurdles in these industries, especially at senior levels, which have traditionally been male-dominated and patriarchal,” says Shah. “Age is another factor to consider, given that many healthcare professionals are older, and being a young woman can sometimes pose challenges. Nevertheless, over the past two decades, I have witnessed significant strides in addressing these challenges, with an increasing array of opportunities and a more inclusive environment for women in healthcare and pharma businesses,” says Shah.
