Hindu Editorial Analysis : 19-December-2024
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is an essential global health goal that seeks to ensure all individuals can access the health services they need without facing financial difficulties. UHC aims to cover a full range of services, from prevention and health promotion to treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care. Achieving UHC is a key target under the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG-3), which focuses on promoting healthy lives and well-being for all.
Key Components of UHC
UHC has four main components that must be met to ensure comprehensive healthcare for all:
- Availability: Sufficient quantity of health services should be available.
- Accessibility: Health services must be accessible to everyone, irrespective of their location or income.
- Affordability: Services should not lead to financial hardship for individuals.
- Quality: Health services must be of high quality and meet the population’s needs.
Current Status of UHC in India
India has made significant strides towards UHC, as outlined in the National Health Policy 2017. However, healthcare access and quality vary significantly across states. For example, states like Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu spend more on healthcare per capita than Uttar Pradesh or Bihar, highlighting the disparity in healthcare resources and outcomes.
Challenges in Achieving UHC in India
India faces several challenges in realizing UHC, primarily due to its diverse and complex healthcare system:
- Diverse Health Systems: Healthcare systems vary widely between states. While Kerala and Tamil Nadu have relatively better infrastructure, states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh lag behind.
- Inequities in Health Outcomes: Even with similar population sizes, health outcomes vary significantly across regions. For instance, West Bengal has low fertility rates but high teenage pregnancy rates, showing the disparity in healthcare services.
- High Out-of-Pocket Expenditure: A significant portion of healthcare expenses comes from individuals themselves, especially in states like West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, indicating that increased government spending alone is not enough.
- Infrastructure Gaps: Rural areas particularly face a lack of healthcare facilities, medical equipment, and essential medicines. This issue is more pronounced in states with lower health spending.
- Workforce Shortages: India faces a shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly in rural areas, which makes it harder to provide equitable care.
- Policy and Governance Issues: Bureaucratic inefficiencies and corruption at various government levels hinder the implementation of UHC.
Government Initiatives for UHC
The Indian government has launched several initiatives to address healthcare challenges and move towards UHC:
- Ayushman Bharat: Aimed at providing healthcare coverage to over 500 million people, it includes:
- Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs): Focused on providing comprehensive primary healthcare.
- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY): Offers insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family for hospitalization.
- Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM): Strengthens healthcare systems and capacities for emerging diseases.
- National Health Mission (NHM): Focuses on reducing maternal and child mortality, controlling diseases, and improving healthcare access, particularly in rural and urban areas.
- National Digital Health Mission (NDHM): Aims to create a digital health ecosystem for easy access to health records and services.
- Increased Public Health Expenditure: The government plans to increase public health spending to 2.5% of GDP.
Path Forward for UHC in India
To make UHC a reality for all Indians, the following actions are needed:
- Strengthening Primary Healthcare: A stronger focus on primary care will ensure better health outcomes across the population.
- Reducing Out-of-Pocket Expenditure: Expanding insurance coverage and subsidizing healthcare costs can reduce the financial burden on individuals.
- Addressing Regional Disparities: Tailoring UHC strategies to meet the specific needs of each state, considering their unique challenges and resource availability, is crucial.
Why In News
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a critical goal for India, as it aims to ensure equitable healthcare for all citizens. However, achieving UHC presents a complex array of challenges due to the diverse and multifaceted nature of the country’s healthcare landscape, including regional disparities, varying healthcare infrastructure, and socio-economic inequalities. These challenges require tailored solutions that account for the unique needs of different states and populations.
MCQs about Challenges and Path to Universal Health Coverage in India
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What is the main objective of Universal Health Coverage (UHC)?
A. To reduce the cost of healthcare for individuals
B. To provide access to health services without financial hardship
C. To promote the development of healthcare infrastructure
D. To increase the number of healthcare professionals
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Which of the following is NOT a key component of Universal Health Coverage (UHC)?
A. Availability
B. Accessibility
C. Affordability
D. Profitability
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What is one of the major challenges in achieving Universal Health Coverage in India?
A. Lack of interest from the government
B. Disparities in healthcare expenditure across states
C. Overabundance of healthcare professionals
D. Uniform healthcare infrastructure across all regions
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Which government initiative is aimed at providing health coverage to over 500 million people in India?
A. National Health Mission (NHM)
B. Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM)
C. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)
D. National Digital Health Mission (NDHM)
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