{"id":23581,"date":"2024-04-08T18:17:16","date_gmt":"2024-04-08T12:47:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=23581"},"modified":"2024-04-09T11:02:51","modified_gmt":"2024-04-09T05:32:51","slug":"indias-path-to-inclusive-health-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/08-04-2024\/indias-path-to-inclusive-health-care","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s Path to Inclusive Health Care"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS 2\/Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-0cb2d8d8970fcc76e5fb15bd21ee6252\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>With a large and diversified population, India faces persistent obstacles to health equity.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recently, World Health Day (WHD) was&nbsp; celebrated to mark the anniversary of the founding of<strong> WHO in 1948&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8900e6201e7d8b930c1a0e643f7a7797\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Health Equity&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Equity is the absence of avoidable, unfair or remediable differences among groups of people due to their social, economic, demographic or geographic circumstances.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3c7027a28c7db0f791a4c4b955eb8b47\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Importance of Health Equity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It ensures that every person has an <strong>equal opportunity<\/strong> to achieve their highest health potential, no matter what their circumstances.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It <strong>addresses the root causes of inequities<\/strong> such as poverty, discrimination, limited access to high-quality education, a healthy diet, clean water, fresh air, and housing, and merely grants equal access to health care.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is a fundamental component of <strong>social justice.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Health and development :They <\/strong>are interlinked. The health of a population is a fundamental need for economic and social well-being. Thus, the developmental trajectory of a nation hinges significantly on its capacity to furnish top-tier healthcare services to its populace.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Doing so enhances productivity, encourages better lifestyles, and creates a more informed and mature labour force, thereby enriching the overall standard of living.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-15f9bfb316b0dcfa4152813fcfb418cc\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Initiatives&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201c<strong>Public Health and Hospitals\u201d<\/strong> being a <strong>state subject,<\/strong> the primary responsibility of strengthening the public healthcare system lies with the respective State Governments.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>However, under the<strong> National Health Mission (NHM)<\/strong>, technical and financial support is provided to the States\/UTs to strengthen the public healthcare system at public healthcare facilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ayushman Bharat initiative :<\/strong>Ayushman Bharat was&nbsp; recommended by the National Health Policy 2017, to achieve the vision of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This initiative has been designed to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its underlying commitment, which is to &#8220;leave no one behind.<strong>&#8220;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>National Health Mission (NHM<\/strong>), which includes both the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM), reduces the health-care gap between rural and urban India by expanding access, strengthening infrastructure, and providing essential services to vulnerable populations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Constitutional Provisions&nbsp;<\/strong><br><br>&#8211; The<strong> Directive Principles of State Policy in Part IV<\/strong> of the Constitution provides a basis for the right to health.&nbsp;<br>&#8211; <strong>Article 39 (e) <\/strong>of the Constitution directs the state to secure the health of workers;&nbsp;<br>&#8211; <strong>Article 42<\/strong> emphasises just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief; and&nbsp;<br>&#8211; <strong>Article 47<\/strong> casts a duty on the state to raise the nutrition levels and standard of living, and to improve public health.&nbsp;<br>&#8211; The Constitution not only mandates the state to enhance public health but also endows the panchayats and municipalities to strengthen public health under <strong>Article 243G.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-da20051a81471deafc0d0f99dadfd28b\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Existing Issues&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Global: <\/strong>The <strong>COVID-19 pandemic<\/strong> has revealed that infectious diseases target marginalised and vulnerable groups the most, thus widening the health equity gap.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>&nbsp;Climate change<\/strong> poses a serious health risk since it disproportionately impacts low-income and vulnerable people.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The health-care provision is severely hampered by <strong>conflicts<\/strong>, which destroy infrastructure, uproot communities, and shut off access to vital medical services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>&nbsp;Indian Scenario: <\/strong>India is diverse and has <strong>wide socioeconomic gaps.&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Access to health care in rural areas is significantly less than in metropolitan areas.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Social and economic barriers exacerbate this disparity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>According to the 2011 Census, urban slums make up over 17% of India\u2019s metropolitan areas, and exhibit serious health disparities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Health risks are increased by overcrowding, poor sanitation, and restricted access to clean water.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&nbsp;Infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, are 1.5 times more common in slums than in non-slum areas<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disparities across caste and gender<\/strong> are profound.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>NFHS-5 (2019-21) data indicates that Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes experience higher child mortality and lower immunisation rates.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Additionally,<strong> 59% of women in the lowest wealth<\/strong> quintile suffer from anaemia, almost double the rate in the highest quintile, demonstrating the intersection of caste, gender, and economic status in health outcomes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)<\/strong> account for more than 60% of all fatalities in India.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A critical shortage of doctors exacerbates these issues, with WHO data indicating only 0.8 doctors per 1,000 people, which is below the advised ratio.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Even though over 75% of health-care professionals work in metropolitan regions, which only account for 27% of the population, the shortage is particularly severe in rural areas.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-bb65be90b9abdccdafed38ff0500a5ea\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Suggestions and Way Forward&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Even though access to health care has improved over the past 20 years, there is still much work to be done in rural India.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India\u2019s health equity issues require a comprehensive approach beyond improvements in health-care facilities to address more extensive socioeconomic determinants of health.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&nbsp;To move India toward universal health coverage and a more equitable future, the government, civil society, health-care providers, and communities need to work together.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Governments and officials may influence the state of health through funding, creative policies, and laws.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Achieving health equity also requires addressing social determinants of health and health disparities.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It involves acknowledging and addressing racism as a threat to public health and the history of unethical practices in public health that lead to inequitable health outcomes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Mains Practice Question&nbsp;<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> In a rapidly changing world, the pursuit of health equity and inclusion remains at the forefront of various countries&#8217; goals.In light of the above statement, examine the status of Health Equity in India .<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Daily-Editorial-Analysis-08-04-2024.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With a large and diversified population, India faces persistent obstacles to health equity..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23581"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23598,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23581\/revisions\/23598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}