{"id":39720,"date":"2025-03-24T19:12:07","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T13:42:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=39720"},"modified":"2025-03-24T20:50:41","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T15:20:41","slug":"universal-equitable-health-coverage-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/24-03-2025\/universal-equitable-health-coverage-need","title":{"rendered":"Need for Universal and Equitable Health Coverage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Health<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Universal and equitable health coverage ensures that every individual, regardless of their socio-economic status, has gained momentum, but significant challenges remain in achieving equitable access for all.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Understanding Universal Health Coverage (UHC)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to the <strong>World Health Organization (WHO),<\/strong> Universal Health Coverage (UHC) ensures that all people receive the health services they need, including prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care, without suffering financial hardship.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>UHC is based on three core principles:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Equity in access:<\/strong> Everyone, regardless of economic status, should receive quality healthcare.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quality of services:<\/strong> Healthcare services must be safe, effective, and responsive to people\u2019s needs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Financial protection:<\/strong> No one should be pushed into poverty due to medical expenses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-3)<\/strong> focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The right to health is enshrined in various international agreements, including the <strong>Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Health and Constitution of India<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>State List (List II, Schedule VII): <\/strong>Public Health and Sanitation, Hospitals, and Dispensaries.<br>&#8211; <strong>Concurrent List (List III, Schedule VII): <\/strong>Family Welfare and Population Control, Medical Education, Prevention of Food Adulteration, and Quality Control in the Manufacture of Drugs<br>&#8211; The <strong>Central Council of Health and Family Welfare<\/strong> (set up under <strong>Article 263 of the Constitution<\/strong>) enables consideration and recommendation of broad lines of policy in regard to matters concerning health and family welfare.<br><strong>Right to Health<\/strong><br>&#8211; While the Constitution of India does not explicitly mention the right to health, it has been interpreted by the judiciary to be an <strong>integral part of the right to life under Article 21.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Barriers to Achieving Universal Health Coverage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Financial Constraints (High Out-of-Pocket Expenditure):<\/strong> According to a <strong>National Health Accounts Report (2017-18),<\/strong> nearly 55% of total healthcare expenditure in India is borne by individuals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Low Budgetary Allowance: <\/strong>Government health expenditure (GHE) as a percentage of GDP<strong> <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/20-03-2025\/govt-spending-for-healthcare-increased-union-health-ministry\"><strong>rose from 1.13% to 1.84%<\/strong><\/a> between 2014-15 and 2021-22.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Resource Constraints:<\/strong> There is a notable <strong>shortage of financial, clinical, managerial, and infrastructural resources,<\/strong> particularly in <strong>low- and middle-income regions, <\/strong>hindering the effective delivery of healthcare services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Limited Health Insurance Coverage:<\/strong> A significant segment of the population, often referred to as the <strong>\u2018missing middle\u2019,<\/strong> lacks any form of health insurance, leaving them vulnerable to financial distress due to medical expenses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Diverse Health Systems Across States:<\/strong> For instance, states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu have relatively advanced healthcare systems, while states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh lag behind in terms of healthcare expenditure and outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Digital Transformation:<\/strong> Leveraging digital technologies is crucial for improving healthcare accessibility, efficiency, and quality, yet implementing such transformations poses its own set of challenges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Political and Policy Challenges:<\/strong> Healthcare policies often suffer from inefficiency, corruption, and lack of political will.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Initiatives Driving UHC in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ayushman Bharat &#8211; Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY):<\/strong> It is the <strong>world&#8217;s largest <\/strong>government-funded health insurance scheme.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It provides <strong>free secondary and tertiary care<\/strong> hospitalization for over 50 crore (500 million) economically vulnerable individuals.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It covers a range of treatments with an annual coverage of \u20b95 lakh per family.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs):<\/strong> As part of Ayushman Bharat, India is strengthening primary healthcare through HWCs.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These centers offer free diagnostic services, essential medicines, and preventive care, reducing the burden on higher-level healthcare facilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Health Mission (NHM):<\/strong> It has <strong>two sub-missions<\/strong> \u2014 <strong>National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) <\/strong>\u2014 aiming to provide equitable, accessible, and affordable healthcare.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It focuses on maternal and child health, communicable diseases, and non-communicable diseases.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Digital Health and Telemedicine:<\/strong> The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) is creating a digital ecosystem for seamless healthcare services, including electronic health records and teleconsultation.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>eSanjeevani,<\/strong> a telemedicine platform, has facilitated millions of remote doctor consultations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strengthening Public Healthcare Infrastructure: <\/strong>New AIIMS institutes are being set up under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Investments in district hospitals and primary health centers aim to improve service delivery in rural areas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Strategies to Achieve Universal and Equitable Health Coverage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Government Investment:<\/strong> Countries must allocate a higher percentage of GDP to healthcare.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>WHO<\/strong> recommends <strong>at least 5% of GDP<\/strong> for public health funding <strong>and National Health Policy (2017<\/strong>) for <strong>2.5% of GDP.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strengthening Primary Healthcare: <\/strong>The government needs to focus on expanding and modernizing <strong>Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and Community Health Centers (CHCs), <\/strong>ensuring that quality healthcare reaches every village and town.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Affordable and Inclusive Insurance Schemes:<\/strong> Expanding public health insurance and reducing out-of-pocket expenses is crucial.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Public-Private Partnerships:<\/strong> Collaborations between governments and private entities can improve healthcare reach and efficiency.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Digital Healthcare Solutions:<\/strong> Telemedicine, mobile health apps, and AI-driven diagnostics can bridge the urban-rural healthcare divide.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Universal and equitable health coverage in India is not just an ideal but a necessity for national progress.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strengthening the public healthcare system, improving financial protection, and integrating technology-driven solutions are crucial steps in achieving this goal.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If India can successfully implement UHC, it will not only enhance the well-being of its people but also contribute to a more robust and inclusive economy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> Why is universal and equitable health coverage essential for achieving social justice and sustainable development, and what measures can governments implement to ensure its effective realization?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/lead\/the-need-for-universal-and-equitable-health-coverage\/article69365827.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Source: TH<\/a><\/p>\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\/2025\/03\/UPSC-Editorial-Analysis-24-March-2025.pdf.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Universal and equitable health coverage ensures that every individual, regardless of their socio-economic status, has gained momentum, but significant challenges remain in achieving equitable access for all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39720","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\/39720","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\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39720"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39720\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39752,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39720\/revisions\/39752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}