Friday, April 15, 2011

Sing a Song of Action for Healthcare

By Vinod Varshney
India is the place of spectacular economic growth on the planet earth, much lauded and glorified. Many rejoice when news of high growth numbers breaks in quarter after quarter. But for millions it carries no swish of cheer and therefore for them no drink and dance of celebration. Their struggle and challenge remain as ever; rather get worsened with their finances shriveling quarter after quarter. Many of their dreams fall flat on the ground as prices of things they need most to survive increase quarter after quarter. 

Politicians of all shades seem to have forgotten that they have some responsibility towards them. All those who sing drinking songs of growth need to know that true growth lies in human happiness. And there can be no happiness in any unjust society. When I write this, the Finance Minister Pranab Da might have finalised his budget proposals, and I as an earthy dreamer can only wish he does something for them.   

I also pray that he pays attention and do something for the most neglected basic human right, the right to health. Ancient Indian dream used to be to live happily to hundred years. But what we witness around! Millions take birth, grow a little and die even before they are five and add to the bad statistics making it even  worse and lowering India’s rank further in the index of human development. Who is to blame? My negligence! Your negligence!! Or their negligence!!! Or everybody’s forgetfulness of Indian Constitution, which enshrines right to life. 

Twin sister of right to life is right to health. And health in India is surely neglected. I don’t say so, the statistics scream. We spend just 1.05% of our GDP on health, the developed world 7-9 %. We as a country rank 171thout of 175 countries surveyed by World Health Organisation in terms of GDP spend on healthcare. 

Healthcare does not mean just doctors, medicines, nurses, costly diagnostics and procedures. For hundreds of millions it also means sanitation, safe drinking water and basic nutrition. Half of our children suffer from malnutrition. On this count parts of India are worse than sub-Sahara Africa. Yet economists would brag of our healthcare industry standing at rupees 1, 60,000 Crores and positioning to make a pole vault jump to reach 7, 00,000 Crores by 2017. 

Many proud Indians would forget to count how many more millions would be excluded from the net of affordable healthcare by that time. Currently more than 80 percent of healthcare is in private sector, which is just another business to make money, devoid of any humanitarian mission rendering it inaccessible for most Indians.   

We signed Alma Atta declaration. And by doing so we committed ourselves to the goal of ‘health for all’. Where is buried this promise, resolve and national commitment!  Why this goal remains elusive? It is great that Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen has taken up the cudgel to make it an issue for all. 

He is able to hear what people ask for, here and there, in distant parts of India and I dream he succeeds in making our rulers listen their voice through him. After food, desire for health is the voice, unheard so far. It is not just a sweet idea to serve humanity, but should be a solemn duty for all. 

Cheapest & commonest it is to advise and sermonize and say you do it. My dream is we all hear the voice unheard so far and covert into a song of action. This will be the only convincing act, my dear leaders. Improving public health is our prime constitutional duty.
(This article was published in March, 2011 issue of Lokayat)