This is the fifth part in this series

Improved Health Care for all Sections of Society

What is the current position?

Health Care cost in India is  a significant cost for many families.  This is in no way a reflection of the work being done by Doctors, Nurses and others. They are all working very hard and doing a great job. But just the fact that it is difficult to spend for many families. One reason for this is the higher dependence on private health care. The Governments role in primary, secondary and tertiary health care is very important. Especially in primary and secondary care. Even for basic health problems people tend to go to private health facilities and in most cases to hospitals and not just health centers. Even with this, there are huge crowds in famous hospitals and it is not easy to see a good doctor. What is the problem? There are just not enough good public health centers and hospitals to take care of the sick people. So they are forced to use private facilities, putting more pressure on the system and also incurring higher costs. This is not a sustainable way to handle health care delivery.

What do we want?

An excellent public health care system at the primary and secondary levels, which all citizens of the country can proudly use. This must be fully funded by the Government/s as is the case in many countries. A healthy nation becomes a developed nation.

What needs to be done?

A massive effort and investment is needed in public health infrastructure or a government funded health care program but delivered through private infrastructure. In any case Government should take the onus of managing health care. The facilities, clinical parameters, hygiene  etc. must be on par with world and global standards. Every Indian Citizen must feel very happy to go to a public health facility or a public funded facility and not to a private facility. This will create a healthy nation and also improve the economic condition of most Indians, which they can then use for consumption and other needs. If this is possible in many countries why not in India? Private facilities can co exist, who ever wants to use them, pay for them, can do so.  A complete rethinking is needed. It is possible.

Note: Health Care is a complex matter and there are no quick fix solutions. What we want is a public health care program which all citizens are proud to use. How to deliver this is the question to debate?