HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN INDIA

In a democracy, the government is responsible for the well-being of the people. Therefore, it is also responsible for developing, implementing and monitoring plans and programs for improving the health of the people, which has a large impact on the fitness of the nation. Therefore, it is vital for the government to arrange for medical facilities to care for and protect its citizens from a range of ailments.

HEALTH -

Health means to remain free from any kind of sickness or injury which could be physical or psychological. Good health in the broader sense, encompasses several other factors such as : 

* Access to clean drinking water

* Pollution free environment

* Adequate nutrition

* Hygienic living conditions

* An active stress free life

In order to combat health related issues, we need to have suitable health care services like hospitals, laboratories, blood banks, latest equipments, medicines and qualified doctors and nurses to promptly diagnose and treat all kind of ailments.

HEALTH CARE IN INDIA -

Let us look at some facts related to the health care services in India to understand the present scenario.

* India has the largest number of medical institutions in the world from where 15,000 medical experts pass out every year.

* Since 1950, there has been a considerable increase in the number of health care facilities,  especially hospitals. From 2,717 hospitals in 1950, it has grown to 18,218 hospitals in 2000.

* There has been a surge in medical tourism. People from all over the world come to get themselves treated at hospitals which are comparable with the best in the world.

* India is the fourth largest manufacturer and a leading exporter of medicines in the world.

* Almost half the children in India do not get sufficient food and stuffer from malnutrition.

* A majority of India's population do not have access to clean drinking water. It is a fact that 21 per cent of all infectious diseases are water borne. As a result, a number of people suffer from diarrhoea, jaundice, hepatitis, cholera, etc.

* Even after so many years of Independence, approximately five million people die from tuberculosis  every year. In addition, about two million cases of malaria are reported every year.

* In comparison to urban areas, the ratio of qualified medical professionals and health care facilities in the rural areas is apparently low. Moreover, in large parts of rural India people still have to travel long distance to consult a health care expert. Often people die due to lack of prompt and apt treatment.

Hence, it is obvious that as a result of extraordinary improvement attained in the field of medical sciences, and availability of good doctors, nurses and medical facilities, india certainly has the ability to take care of its large population. However, despite so many encouraging advancements, a large proportion of the population of our country suffers or dies due to delay in treatment or inaccessibility to proper health care facilities. In this chapter, we examine the reasons for this ironic state of affairs and also the measures government has adopted to resolve the issue.

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES -

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, the backbone of health care services in India, are a string of dispensaries and hospitals run by the government in rural as well as urban areas. Theirs purpose is to provide quality health care services either free or at low cost. It is called 'public' primarily for two reasons:

First, they are established to accomplish the pledge of providing superior health care services to all citizens; second, the taxes that We pay are used for running these facilities.

At the village level, we have small health centers with a trained nurse and a village health worker who deal with minor ailments. They work under the supervision of the primary health centre (PHC) . The doctors at PHCs normally oversee the work of many villages. At the district level, District Hospitals are there which have specific facilities for testing and treatment and watch over the functioning of health centers. In cities, there are large government hospitals. The treatment at these hospitals is cheap but most of these hospitals have shortage of medicines, beds, equipment and qualified staff.

Besides, public health services are also responsible for organising health camps in order to spread awareness about diseases like polio, hepatitis, malaria, chikungunya, jaundice and tuberculosis. For example, certain Sundays are assigned as polio days on which children below the age of five are vaccinated against polio virus free of charge all over the country. Campaigns on sanitation and waste management are regularly planned in local languages by the government.

As per our constitution, it is the prime obligation of the government to not only ensure the well-being of the people but also give essential health care services. It is the job of the government to preserve the Right to Life of every citizen and provide prompt and timely medical attention, it could cost someone's life. The neglect on part of hospitals could have cost Mukunda Bala his life. Moreover, as discussed earlier, hospitals cannot turn away emergency patients all forms of treatment in times of emergency.

PRIVATE HEALTH SERVICES -

Besides the public health services, in urban areas there are numerous private clinics, hospitals and nursing homes that provides specialised health services. In rural areas there are Registered Medical Practitioner (RMPs) to treat patients.

These days many large corporations run hospitals, laboratories, and even undertake research and development in the field of medicines. Even private medicine shops are part of this system. Unlike the public health system, they are expensive and not within everyone's reach.

HEALTH CARE AND EQUALITY -

In the last few decades, we have seen a remarkable growth in private services, especially in urban areas. As their prime objective is to earn profit, the cost of services is very high and it makes it out of bounds for the common people. Medicines have become so expensive that often illness in the family become a cause of worry. Doctors and hospitals too engage in unfair practices and encourage the most expensive treatment for the patient. For example, in the story you have read in this chapter, you noticed how for a simple case of diarrhoea, shirish was hospitalised, prescribed so many medicines and had to pay an inflated hospital free.

In fact, only a very limited section of the society can afford medicines that one requires during illness and it is also a cause of rural family debt in India. Forty per cent of the population admitted in hospital for sale some ailment, has to pay for the treatment. It causes suffering for even those who do not fall in the category of poor. Even though private health facilities are costly, a majority of the population prefer their services as they give better medical care and the surrounding is cleaner as compared to public health services.

For the poor, it is a major cause of worry and anguish. This is because due to poverty they are malnourished, do not have access to the basic amenities, which is, good food, clean drinking water, hygienic environment and so they have the probability of falling sick more often. The costs incurred on sickness worsen their condition and since it occurs frequently, the problems are compounded.

The government has taken some initiatives to improve the health of its citizens. Find out the main features of National Rural Health Mission (NHRM).

In addition to lack of funds, there are other reasons that prevent people from getting appropriate medical attention. Women's health continues to be neglected in many parts of the country. They do not get prompt medical attention. In tribal belts, there are few health centres and they too do not function properly. There is a need to change the mindset of the people too. In rural areas, people still feel more comfortable in visiting village doctors rather than qualified medical practitioners.

HEALTH CARE REMEDY -

Thus, it is quite apparent from the above discussion that health situation in our country needs to be improved. For that, the government has to play a pro-active role to provide essential health care facilities in the remotest parts of the country. However, as mentioned earlier, health is also dependent upon hygienic surrounding, pollution- free environment and clean drinking water.

The costa Rican Approach -

Let's read how Costa Rica, a country of South America, approached health issues which became an example for every developing country. Long back, the government of this country decided to dismantle it's army. The money spent on it was to be used on health, education and other basic needs of the countries. Later, the government Made an arrangement to provide basic services and amenities like safe drinking water, sanitation, nutrition and housing. Today they have been able to become one of the healthiest countries of South America.