Ailing Health Sector of India

Poor state of Health results in economic loss due to lower productivity.

Way Ahead:

• Government responsibility of providing health services should be limited to primary sector, while for tertiary sector the Govt.'s role should be limited to regulation.
• Success in Polio.
• Technology enabled primary health workers can transform health sector. ANMs and ASHA, AYUSH workers should be deployed but the move is opposed by IMA lobby.
• Social Determinants like Kerala and Public Health System like Tamil Nadu is desired.
• Carry out social Audit of health facilities.

Indian govt. is moving towards universal health coverage. Better health contributes immensely to improved productivity. The govt. has regulated price of drugs, especially life saving drugs so that they are accessible to majority of the population. Health is a state subject. The Centre has a responsibility to correct uneven development and provide more resources where vulnerability is more. ICDS is govt.'s main weapon to combat child malnutrition. Generic drugs will be given a push through a renewed Jan Aushadi programme. Raise the level of nutrition to curb maternal mortality. Bring more people into the fold of insurance cover. Benefits of Electronic Health Record to reduce costs through decreased paperwork. Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana aims to set up 6 AIIMS-like institutions. We need to provide accessible, affordable and quality health care. We need to strive towards community owned, decentralised health delivery system. Safe Drinking water, Sanitation, awareness are equally important. We need to provide institutional, free and cashless deliveries. IMR, MMR, TFR. Mission Indradhanush, an initiative to vaccinate all unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children under Universal Immunization Programme by 2020.

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is an independent body responsible for price control of essential and life saving drugs. Drug Price Control Order and National List of Essential Medicines is required due to the limited outreach of government schemes. Also the health insurance schemes are focused on in-patient health care. Out-patient healthcare cost is largely met by the patients themselves by way of out-of-pocket expenses.

World Health Day- 7th April.

Yoga is a spiritual discipline which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. It is an art and science for healthy living. Incorporating Yoga into the curriculum of medical education is a much needed intervention.

AYUSH- Ayurveda,Yoga,Naturopathy,Unani,Siddha,Hoemopathy.Ayurveda roots in the ancient Hindu texts-Atharva Veda,Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita.It has now been proven that turmeric has anti-cancer properties.However ancient texts were written a long time ago and the environment has changed a lot since.Allopathic treatments are unaffordable to many and has terrible side-effects.The draft National Health Policy2015 suggests greater integration of AYUSH with modern medicine.
National Health Policy (NHP) recommendations -make health a fundamental and justiciable right; increase public expenditure on health from 1 per cent of GDP to 2.5 per cent of GDP; raise revenues mainly through general taxation while exploring the possibility of sin taxes (mainly taxes on tobacco and alcohol), and earmarks for health (akin to the education cess),patient-centred health care paradigm, regulations against medical malpractice and counterfeit medicines.

Funds of NRHM remain unspent.Chronic absenteeism of staff.