Evolution of Health Policy in India (original) (raw)
Related papers
2016
The health sector must play a paramount role in development policy, a priority clearly documented in the Millennium Development Goals. This article summarises health policies in India. Overall, these are characterised by an increasing role of the private sector, often at the expense of services to less powerful sections of the population and the neglect of crucial and populous regions. The core stakeholders in the health sector in India, at both national and state level, are described. These include the national- and state-level ministries and their line agencies at the sub-state and local levels, also private stakeholders, including pharmaceutical industry. The article also provides a selection of voices critical of the policy reforms, and the most crucial arguments are put forward. The article concludes by briefly sketching some potential areas for further research.
An Overview of Health Policy in India
Indian Journal of Health Studies
The nation-states across the world endeavor to maintain health of their citizens for better development. The last few decades witnessed decolonization process, making many countries independent. The political parties that came to power in these newly formed countries announced their commitment to social sectors goals especially in achieving “Education for all” and “Health for all”, which as yet appears to be a mirage. India made appreciable progress in industry, self-sufficiency in agriculture, and evolving policies on safety nets. However, it seems to have a long way to go in the health sector. This article attempts to analyze the major health policies in India. It also focuses on the status of health policies and the new challenges in the wake of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an international policy agenda.
Lumping and splitting: the health policy agenda in India
Health Policy and Planning, 2003
India's health system was designed in a different era, when expectations of the public and private sectors were quite different. India's population is also undergoing transitions in the demographic, epidemiologic and social aspects of health. Disparities in life expectancy, disease, access to health care and protection from financial risks have increased. These factors are challenging the health system to respond in new ways. The old approach to national health policies and programmes is increasingly inappropriate. By analyzing interand intra-state differences in contexts and processes, we argue that the content of national health policy needs to be more diverse and accommodating to specific states and districts. More 'splitting' of India's health policy at the state level would better address their health problems, and would open the way to innovation and local accountability. States further along the health transition would be able to develop policies to deal with the emerging epidemic of non-communicable diseases and more appropriate health financing systems. States early in the transition would need to focus on improving the quality and access of essential public health services, and empowering communities to take more ownership. Better 'lumping' of policy issues at the central level is also needed, but not in ways that have been done in the past. The central government needs to focus on overcoming the large inequalities in health outcomes across India, tackle growing challenges to health such as the HIV epidemic, and provide the much needed leadership on systemic issues such as the development of systems for quality assurance and regulation of the private sector. It also needs to support and facilitate states and districts to develop critical capacities rather than directly manage programmes. As India develops a more diverse set of state health policies, there will be more opportunities to learn what works in different policy environments.
Health Policy and Programmes in India- a shift from public to private health care
In India, since its independence, even after the successive planning and introducing various programmes, the government has failed to provide free universal accessible health care to all. Still various old health problems are persisting and new health problems are arising. The government has tolerated poor standards of quality, efficiency and accountability in the health care. The neglect of community participation, no emphasis on preventive measures, non-integration of the health system with related heath promotive programmes-safe drinking water, sanitation, hygiene and nutrition etc remained the main drawbacks. Under the neo-liberal economic policies health and education were considered to be the non-profitable sectors and high level of disinvestments was started. It became the subjects of the private sectors solely for profits. Health became more costly and out of the reach of the masses leads further to high level impoverishment in terms indebtness and selling their property. Major causes of health problems are inherent in the Indian social systems like poverty, poor employment, poor environmental conditions, agrarian crisis etc. The technology-based approach is not fitting to the Indian environment and ecological conditions rather increase the dependency on the curative aspects of health. Access to health care should not be left on the mercy of the providers rather it would be the rights of the people. India, being welfare state, it is the government's responsibility to provide free access to health services to all. The health planners and professionals should learn for planning in future from the failure of the pasts.
A Mess Called India's Health Sector
Mainstream Weekly, 2022
Underfunded and neglected for decades, the public health services in India are being increasingly outsourced to the private sector which remains overwhelmingly unregulated. Besides affecting the efficiency of allocation of public funds, it leaves the structural inefficiencies unaddressed. To fix this, a systemic approach is needed.
Old priorities and new agenda of public health in India: is there a mismatch?
Croatian medical journal, 1998
Structural adjustment programs and health sector reforms in India create new agenda in health services. The aim of this study is the analysis of the mismatch between the new health services agenda and epidemiological priorities, and exploration of the possible alternatives, such as decentralization. Analysis of the disease pattern, health, and demographic indicators versus the pattern of investments and policy changes was performed. The possible alternatives were explored by the study of decentralization process attempted in Kerala, by anthropological field work and examination of primary documents. The post-reform period has witnessed a rise in the cases of communicable diseases and an increase in the frequency of epidemics in different parts of the country. The infant mortality rate has risen or decline has slowed down in many states. The new agenda, which includes gradual withdrawal of the State in the provision of health services and the process of privatization, has already bee...
Health System in India: Opportunities and Challenges for Enhancements
One of the basic vitalities of good living is quick access to essential services like health care. But many times it could mean a condition of life and death for an individual who is unable to get the access to these services. Thus an important part of social sector development is incomplete without adequate health care facilities. The quality of human health is the foundation upon which the realization of life goals and objectives of a persona, the community or nation as whole depends. It is both an end and means of development strategy. The relationship between health and development is mutually reinforcing-while health contributes to economic development, economic development, in turn, tends to improve the health status of the population in a country. India as a nation has been growing economically at a rapid pace particularly after the advent of New Economic Policy of 1991. However, this rapid economic development has not been accompanied by social development particularly health sector development. Health sector has been accorded very low priority in terms of allocation of resources. Public expenditure on health is less than 1 per cent of GDP in India. This research paper focuses on the current status of the Indian healthcare industry, the challenges faced plus the comparison of few selected Indian states based on health indicators. Furthermore comparison of India with some developed and developing countries is also employed in order get the clear picture of the health sector. In order to boost the development line, some opportunities in the health care industry are also discussed and necessary policy implications. Regarding in this connection India lags behind in regard of health improvement as compared to U.S.A, Canada, China, and Brazil, but contrary to other developing countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh the scenario is better with life expectancy, Mortality ratios, health care spending speak volumes about the healthcare status. When analyzed through the prism eye, within India there are large disparities amongst states in achieving health outcomes as well. Before liberalization the improvement was at a snail's pace, but after liberalization the whole picture changed because the key initiatives to improve the current healthcare standard a two prong strategy focusing on the infrastructure needs and the technology solution were implemented, which resulted in the healthy scenario of the healthcare industry. Healthcare sector, a leading weapon as the contributor to GDP (approx.8%) is thus the matter to be deeply looked into, so that golden harvest is reaped.