Patient Voices & Health Systems in India — A Conversation with Deepak Shukla

In this episode

You’ll meet Deepak Shukla—a software engineer, yoga trainer, and Type 2 diabetes patient expert from India. Diagnosed at 25 with an HbA1c > 15, Deepak takes you from a rural diagnosis to life in Delhi, mapping the reality of care across India: long trips for insulin, limited primary care in villages, and the quiet power of WhatsApp and peer groups when formal systems fall short.
You’ll hear how patient communities fill the education and motivation gap, and what respectful, prevention-first, listening-led care would look like if we built it with patients, not just for them

Guest Bio

Deepak Shukla — Type 2 diabetes patient expert; software engineer based in Delhi; yoga and meditation practitioner; community speaker supporting diabetes education in India. Born in Jharkhand (rural India), diagnosed in 2019 at age 25. Active in patient peer networks and advocacy; passionate about prevention, mobility, and mental health in chronic-disease care.

Host: Helena Binder

Key Topics

• Rural vs. urban diabetes care: one physician, limited meds vs. multidisciplinary support
• Access realities: insulin storage without fridges, out-of-stock drugs, 200–400 km medicine trips
• Where patients actually learn: Google, Facebook groups, WhatsApp, and Coffee Connects
• Stigma and silence: why “Don’t tell anyone” hurts self-management
• Prevention over cure: routine check-ups, mobility (not “sport”), stress management, yoga
• What good looks like: doctors who listen first, explain the “why,” and co-plan next steps
• Mini-communities that motivate: peer stories turning numbers into action

What you need to know

If you design programs or medicines for diabetes—especially in growth markets—this conversation helps you see the operational gaps (supply, education, respect) and the human levers (motivation, peer support) you can actually influence.

About Merakoi

At Merakoi we see patients as co-creators, not numbers. Our mini-community model embeds diverse patient experts alongside life-science teams to shape trials, content and digital therapeutics from concept to launch. Ready to swap one-dimensional journey maps for stories that move hearts and markets? Let's chat!