Healthcare privatization has not served India well

Synopsis: Our failure to invest in public health facilities has resulted in a disproportionately large role for private services in this industry. 

Introduction 

India opened its markets to private participation 30 years ago.  Overall, sectors dominated by private players boast of a reasonable degree of competitive intensity. The value delivered for prices charged or value for money has increased.

However, two crucial sectors are the cause of concern: education and healthcare. They require oversight because neither can operate on a relaxed model and provide us with the human capital base required for long-term economic success.

What is the state of India’s healthcare?

The current Oxfam Inequality Report 2021 indicated India’s sad state of healthcare. It draws on data from the National Family Health Survey and the National Sample Survey to show large differences in health and healthcare access.

1. Firstly, these discrepancies occur along with parameters that are not surprising. The wealthy are healthier than the poor, just as the general population outperforms Scheduled Castes and Tribes, etc. Nearly two-thirds of our health infrastructure is located in Indian towns and cities, which serve just approximately a third of our population.
2. Secondly, one major disadvantage is a socially perceived aversion among chief household decision-makers to seek medical help for women. Our poor data on maternal mortality and female life expectancy at birth, unequal sex ratio, indicate the inadequacy of women’s care.
3. Thirdly, some of these issues are beyond the scope of fiscal allocations. However, greater utilization of public funds can make a significant effect. 

What should be done?

States that spend more money on healthcare appear to have less inequitable outcomes. These states have a greater recovery rate from covid, according to Oxfam research.

• The Indian government has adopted the 15th Finance Commission’s recommendation to roughly double public investment to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2025 in order to attain universal health care by 2030. It should be implemented in letter and spirit.
• While health may be the province of state governments, it is up to the federal government to lay forth a comprehensive plan that moves the focus from insurance coverage to actual service delivery.

Conclusion 

• For millions of people, it’s still partly a nutrition issue. Recent studies, however, imply that prior advances in human development indexes have been lost. A major overhaul of public healthcare is required. Covid should have an electoral appeal now that it has alerted voters to this neglected area.