Why is health care industry not affected by the current economic meltdown?

I was recently talking to one of my cousins who is a nurse at one of the big private hospitals of New Delhi. We were discussing the economic slowdown and how it has affected our professions. I said I have been directly affected as both the IT industry and Travel industry have been hit. Information technology in fact has taken a heavy beating. Its like 1998 when I was in school and heard engineers avoiding IT and IT related fields. Travel has been indirectly affected due to a decrease in people's spending power. Now I was somewhat surprised when my cousin said that there were no such visible slowdown symptoms in the health care industry. In fact they are doing better every year since last five years.

This induced a train of thoughts in my mind. What is special about health care industry that keeps it recession proof? Well its kind of obvious if you think a bit logically from the social angle.

Even tough there is recession there is no dearth of diseases, accidents, criminal damages to life so why should the health care industry be affected. Yeah may be fewer people will now want to do a full body diagnosis but that does not count much.

It has been historically seen that rise in unemployment directly boosts the population growth. Don't ask me why are there so many babies during recession I would say no comments.

Another noteworthy fact is that due to lighter wallets people tend to eat more of cheap (junk) food which takes them to the doctor eventually.

A poor economic condition provides a breeding ground for criminals. So related medical cases also rise.

No wonder my cousin is so recession proof. In fact they say they are pestering Medical Recruitment Agencies to hire more doctors and nurses for a higher growth target this fiscal. Expansions are underway in their hospital. At least we hope the medical and health care industry will do well this meltdown.