Introduction
Universal health coverage refers to the provision of quality, affordable, accessible healthcare to all the citizens.
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Main Body
This leads to affecting its effectiveness and independence as:—
– shortage of staff to take several matters at a time.
– only three cases that happened in past 1 year taken up by it.
– lack of funding and autonomy
– only advisory powers and thus without teeth.
Several human rights violator cases such as Siddhi unsheatuni incident, death of students, discrimination on minorities are not fully taken up.
Universal health coverage refers to the provision of quality, affordable, accessible healthcare to all the citizens.
Right to health forms an important part of right to life (Article 21).
Persistent health equity challenges:
(eg) 0.75 psychiatrist per lakh population (WHO recommends—3/lakh).
Around 47% of the expenditure today on healthcare by citizens is out of pocket.
Role of public sector in healthcare:
i) Ensuring access to healthcare in rural areas setting up of primary health institution. (eg) Aarogya Mandirs.
ii) Affordable secondary and tertiary healthcare. (eg) PM-Ayushman Bharat providing treatment upto ₹5 lakhs
iii) Preventive healthcare facilities–Vaccination (eg) Mission Indradhanush.
iv) Mental healthcare services (eg) Mental Health Policy – Manodarpan initiative.
v) Health services in care of epidemics, pandemics and disaster.
—under Disaster Management Act.
vi) Promotion of healthy diets and lifestyle. (eg) Millets (native, khelo India, fit India movement.
Role of private sector in healthcare:
– To provide high quality health services
– Mostly situated in urban areas and tier-II cities.
– Provide alternate options of healthcare to citizen.
– Research and Development in new drugs and diagnostics.
– Provide diagnostic services.
Further steps that can be taken:
– Insurance facility for healthcare to be made more accessible and affordable.
– Right to health to be made an Act similar to Rajasthan Government Efforts
– Regulating of private sector on overcharge.
– generic medicine at centers – provide under
Healthcare facilities are necessary to productive functioning of the citizen and need efforts of both public and private sector. To reap demographic dividend, a healthy and productive citizenry is necessary.
Conclusion
There is a need to follow UN guiding on human rights therefore enhancing the effectiveness of NHRC. Healthcare facilities are necessary to productive functioning of the citizen and need efforts of both public and private sector. To reap demographic dividend, a healthy and productive citizenry is necessary.
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Diagram
Mind map showing Persistent health equity challenges with branches: low availability of healthcare institutions in rural and remote areas, High cost of private medical services, Poor quality of healthcare infrastructure, low focus on mental health, low number of healthcare professionals, Poor access by lower income strata
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Page 38
Aditya Agarwal
Constitutional Posts and Bodies - Appointment, Powers, Functions and Responsibilities
NHRC
Effectiveness and Independence Challenges
435
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