Towards Universal Healthcare

Syllabus: GS2/Health

In News

• Investing in healthcare boosts resilience and productivity, helping India achieve affordable universal care and a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

• Universal health coverage (UHC) means that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. 
• It covers the full continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care across the life course.
• It is a central goal of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, reaffirmed by global leaders in 2019 as essential to sustainable development. 
• The WHO aims to extend UHC to 1 billion more people by 2025, alongside improving health emergency protection and overall well-being.

Why UHC Is Needed?

• India’s vast and diverse population faces significant health disparities. With over 60% of the population dependent on government welfare schemes for basic needs, access to affordable healthcare becomes a critical determinant of well-being. 
• It aims to ensure equitable access to essential health services across rural and urban areas. UHC aims to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure, which often pushes families into poverty.

Various Steps

• The National Health Mission—launched in 2005—establishes community-owned and decentralised health systems to provide accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare services to vulnerable populations.
• The Government of India launched the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)  to achieve universal health care.
  • It is the world’s largest public healthcare scheme with crores of vulnerable Indian families enrolled in it.
• The National Health Policy 2017 addresses changing healthcare challenges in India as technology advances, socio-economic conditions evolve, and disease patterns shift — such as the rise of lifestyle diseases like non-communicable diseases alongside traditional infectious diseases. In line with this policy, 

Challenges

• Uneven distribution of healthcare infrastructure across states and districts.
• Shortage of skilled health workers, especially in rural and tribal regions.
• High out-of-pocket spending, which still accounts for a significant portion of health expenses.
• India faces rising non-communicable diseases alongside infectious diseases.
• While platforms like eSanjeevani offer telemedicine, many lack access to reliable internet or devices.

Suggestions and the Way Ahead

• Achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is vital for India’s moral, economic, and national progress. 
• To reach this goal, India must expand coverage to all ages, especially the elderly, strengthen primary healthcare, build public-private partnerships, ensure sustainable health financing, and promote health literacy and preventive care to create an inclusive and resilient health system.

Source: PIB