India has a young and growing workforce, which lacks universal access of health care and financial assistance.
Government need to take measures to address such health care concerns of the citizens.
What are the concerns in Indian health care?
India ranks 131stin the Human Development Index (HDI) and at 141strank in global gender gap out of 144 countries in its health and survival index.
Almost one-third of the Indians do not have access to primary healthcare facilities and about 63 million fall back into poverty due to spending on illnesses.
Health insurance currently covers only about one-sixth of the population, there is also lack of focus on prevention of diseases.
What are measures taken by the government?
The National Health Policy was introduced in 2017, to raise the level of public expenditure in the sector from the current 1.5% to 2.5% over three years.
The policy also aims to provide free primary care and all public hospitals would ensure free drugs, diagnostics and emergency care services.
Union government is working to set a target of reaching 50 in the HDI in a specified period.
NITI Aayog is working on an innovative strategy of public-private partnerships in three non-communicable diseases of cardiology, pulmonology and oncology.
State governments are being encouraged to set up joint ventures with private sector institutions to provide services at certain district hospitals.
What are the further measures needs to be taken?
Non-communicable diseases, malnutrition and lack of timely and affordable healthcare are the key issues need to be addressed.
For better healthcare infrastructure land should be identified for specialty hospitals in small towns under the Smart Cities and AMRUT schemes.
Schemes by public sector insurance companies should be offered to low-income households at varying subsidies to provide assistance for illnesses.
To address the healthcare workforce gap more teaching hospitals needs to be set up with seats for specialisation at the post-graduation level.
The government must accord high priority to preventive and curative programmes and ensure universal access to medical facilities in the shortest time.
Source: the Hindu
Quick fact
HDI
The Human Development Index (HDI) was developed by the United Nations as a metric to assess the social and economic development levels of countries.
Four principal areas of examination are used to rank countries:
Mean years of schooling.
Expected years of schooling.
Life expectancy at birth.
Gross national income per capita.
This index makes it possible to follow changes in development levels over time and to compare the development levels of different countries.
