This post has been written as a response to this post. Do check the comments section of that blog too.
We must look to the government on this one. Frankly, the civic community of India as of now is too poor to keep pace with the medical technology and the accompanying costs.
Problems
1) Infrastructure - The Primary health centres barely function, not to talk about Sub Centres
2) Doctors - Too few. The government cannot train enough doctors and cannot pay the trained doctors to come work in CHCs, forget the PHCs.
3) System - For all the guidelines that state govts have for monitoring, the current systems seem not to work (this may be a non problem - ie if decent doctors with good infra available- the community will ensure that the health centres are utilised)
Solutions
1) Investment - A big push like the one in Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan is needed. ICDS is useful, but it doesn't covers the community's overall health
2) Health Workers Training Program- At the SC and PHC level, Health workers may be trained and utilised. - This will be basically an exercise in expectations management - Devise a practical training and education program for producing general physicians- dont call them doctors and expect them to work on contract in lieu of lower pay than the one you have for doctors.
3) As i said, the systems are in place, but since hardly anything works now, you cannot apportion blame to any one stakeholder which allows everyholder to have slack. General awareness and communication of all the facilities and govt schemes available may be one step forward as of now
As you can see, the solutions seem very simplistic, but i dont think we lack in identifying the solutions here. Our basic shortcoming is the lack of capacity - Investment wise, Technolgy wise, and Community sense wise, which has made it such a big problem. I believe that its not that the health spending in India is through Private sector, its just that the govt has failed to fulfill its side of the bargain
PS-
SC- Sub Centres at Village/Mouza Level
PHC- Primary Health Centres - at Block level
CHCs - Community Health Centre - at Sub District Level
ICDS - Integrated Child Development Scheme- Basically- Looking at the health of children, pregnant women and new mothers
We must look to the government on this one. Frankly, the civic community of India as of now is too poor to keep pace with the medical technology and the accompanying costs.
Problems
1) Infrastructure - The Primary health centres barely function, not to talk about Sub Centres
2) Doctors - Too few. The government cannot train enough doctors and cannot pay the trained doctors to come work in CHCs, forget the PHCs.
3) System - For all the guidelines that state govts have for monitoring, the current systems seem not to work (this may be a non problem - ie if decent doctors with good infra available- the community will ensure that the health centres are utilised)
Solutions
1) Investment - A big push like the one in Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan is needed. ICDS is useful, but it doesn't covers the community's overall health
2) Health Workers Training Program- At the SC and PHC level, Health workers may be trained and utilised. - This will be basically an exercise in expectations management - Devise a practical training and education program for producing general physicians- dont call them doctors and expect them to work on contract in lieu of lower pay than the one you have for doctors.
3) As i said, the systems are in place, but since hardly anything works now, you cannot apportion blame to any one stakeholder which allows everyholder to have slack. General awareness and communication of all the facilities and govt schemes available may be one step forward as of now
As you can see, the solutions seem very simplistic, but i dont think we lack in identifying the solutions here. Our basic shortcoming is the lack of capacity - Investment wise, Technolgy wise, and Community sense wise, which has made it such a big problem. I believe that its not that the health spending in India is through Private sector, its just that the govt has failed to fulfill its side of the bargain
PS-
SC- Sub Centres at Village/Mouza Level
PHC- Primary Health Centres - at Block level
CHCs - Community Health Centre - at Sub District Level
ICDS - Integrated Child Development Scheme- Basically- Looking at the health of children, pregnant women and new mothers
amazing....simply amazing
ReplyDeleteI agree with all that u r saying. It is a classic problem. The Govt. goes ahead to establish a lead in providing service and while at it creates an enabling environment for the market forces to take over. I am sure history will repeat itself.
ReplyDeleteBut is the pace at which the government acts- Good enough..
ReplyDeleteOr should we look for some complimentary aleternatives also..
i dont kno..but at current levels of investment, Health is going to be one of the biggest problems. THe sad part is- Most of the costs will not be estimated as it will be borne by the poorest sections of society..which sadly do not form part of Govt's mechanism
I think it has more to do with robust and agile execution structure. The 'overheads' I am sure is literally 'killing' us. I think the Govt. shd either really reform the delivery structure or introduce some kind of PPP. The red bastards wont let it happen for some time at least.
ReplyDelete"I think the Govt. shd either really reform the delivery structure or introduce some kind of PPP. The red bastards wont let it happen for some time at least."
ReplyDeleteBut govt. retiring from health sector--are you serious...plus forget PPP (Not enuf purchasing power in hands of rural folks)...
The answer is simple- Better systems....Health and Education are two sectors where the tolerance level for throwing good money bafter bad should be higher
Yeah..very similar to what is done with garbage collection in cities. I am not for a second suggesting abdication. I am just talking about last mile execution which can be privatized. I think the Govt is better in regulating than doing it.
ReplyDelete