CAN INDIA AFFORD THE LUXURY OF UHC? | Pharmainfo.net

What is Universal Health Care?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term UHC or Universal Health Care, otherwise known as Social Health Protection, here?s how the proposed system works. The UHC of any country is a health care system that provides free healthcare facilities and medical coverage to the citizens in question. These benefits may be in the form of packages for members of the society, including financial risk protection, improved health care services and overall curbing of diseases and combating of malnutrition and sickness.

This system does not cater to all the people at all times, and certain factors have to be kept in mind before it is ordained. The universal health care is provided to people of all castes and class without any discrimination whatsoever. Additionally, only certain health care services come under the purview of this system such as commonplace illnesses and diseases. In most cases, the patient is treated wholly under the system, while in others, the health care services provided are minimal in assistance if the ailment is long-term.

The universal health care system operates on a mixed model of funding, where both the public and the private sectors join hands together for the betterment of the state and by extension, the nation at large. The private funding is obtained through taxation and certain compulsory insurance monetary gains. The larger problems and issues are handled by the municipal and healthcare funding respectively. Through a universal health care system, the primary aim is to create a healthier India, by making medicines and drugs available to a large section of society, at minimum costs for the execution of the same.

Universal Health Care in India and its Need:

This system is usually implemented through legislation, regulation and taxation, and is highly country-specific. As the adage goes, one man?s poison is another man?s meat. What works in the other countries need not necessarily be the model that India needs to follow. Keeping in mind the growing population and rate of mortality, including sanitation and hygiene, India?s health care services need to be revamped for the better. The UHC is run by the local governments in India, and the government in turn is funded by the tax payers of the state and territories. A number of medicines are administered free of cost, but this depends on the severity of the medical condition.

Government hospitals lack hygiene and sanitation and very poor infrastructure as compared to private healthcare centres. This is due to lack of human resource as well as revenue. The PHC or the Primary Health Care institutions take care of immunization, malnutrition, pregnancy, child birth, post-natal care as well as common illnesses that afflict the general public. For people suffering from terminal or grave illnesses, treatment should be provided on a long-term basis, and this becomes a cause of worry as far as the affordability is concerned. Government hospitals require better funding and support, and need to utilize their resources more effectively and efficiently.

The most common health problems faced in India include malnutrition among growing children, high infant mortality rate due to the mother?s health being ignored or lack of proper facilities after child birth; diseases that are rampant due to lack and neglect of sanitation; water borne diseases due to impure drinking water, rural health suffering a setback due to lack of technology and medical support, and numerous other concerns.

How much would the implementation of Universal Health Care cost in India?

President Pranab Mukherjee wishes to make universal health care a reality in India, and urged stakeholders to make this mission and vision come true at the earliest, at the Heal Annual International Conference 2012. The private sector strongly believes that the revenue needed for such a course of action would be anywhere between 5.5%-6% of the country?s overall GDP, over a 10 ? year time frame, by the year say, 2022.

The crucial question we need to ask is with the rising expenditure on UHC, will this hamper the country?s growth in any way? For instance, will the other sectors like IT, technology and infrastructure be at a loss if attention is switched wholly to health care services? The government needs to strike a balance between the different needs of the nation and ensure overall development in vital fields.
By making healthcare facilities available to all the people in society, fitness and wellness becomes the primary goal and this plan needs to be executed at both the rural and the urban level. Instead of continuing to build hospitals, these hospitals should come to the aid of the poor and the needy and even be implemented in medical colleges, nurses, training schools and the like. The President even went as far as suggesting that UHC should use technology like telemedicine to further its ends.

The new system should be satisfactory for both OPs and IPs in terms of consultation fees, drugs, diagnostic tests, et cetera. The key factors that will make the UHC a success in India is increased focus on primary health care, quality IP care and effective utilization of the existing infrastructure in terms of technology, ample availability of wards, sanitary needs and the like.

Apart from focusing on increasing the availability of health services, it is vital and crucial to keep a constant check on the levels of nutrition and overall wellness of the nation. If the private and public sectors jointly co-operate in terms of funding, execution and maintenance, the UHC could indeed be one of India?s greatest achievements.

Suggestions for further reading:

http://health.india.com/news/prez-wants-private-public-partnership-to-be...

http://www.mizonews.net/nation/president-pranab-mukherjee-stresses-unive...

http://presidentofindia.nic.in/pr280812-1.html

Source: http://www.pharmainfo.net/shloka-shankar/blog/can-india-afford-luxury-uhc

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