HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN PANDEMIC:EXPOSED!

See,the Covid-19 has exposed the shortcoming of India's public healthcare system.In the coming month,we are going to require a few 1000 or few lakh hospital beds,and also require advance healthcare facility such as-

ICU,VENTILATORS AND BEDS.

  

But a large proportion of it is available in private sector than public sector.The question is who has created this polarization?Here are some possible reasons-

REASONS

Post independence like any other country,India has different set of priorities for its public healthcare system.Initially, we were busy in building the primary health care system, In order to cater basic healthcare reach to population,and this approach has left the building of secondary and tertiary healthcare                                                                            system over the year.

In the initial year just like any other developing country,India has been carrying out immunization program,to more and more people,under cover of vaccination.

It was focused on reducing its maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate,by investing heavily on maternal health and Paediatric(branch of medicine dealing with children and disease) health care.

Over the year India has been battling common infection such as TB,POLIO etc.So,over the year,India's most investment in public healthcare has gone into these priority areas,leading neglect of other areas,such as secondary and tertiary healthcare. 

 

HOW THIS IS NOT JUSTIFIED

Over the year the investment of India in public healthcare system has stagnated and it stands at just 1.3% of India's GDP.Investment in public healthcare system,this happens to be lowest in the world.Upon this lack of accountability,corruption and lack of regulation  in public healthcare system has resulted in severe shortage of ICU,ventilators and other advanced equipment in public sector.

The low investment of government in public healthcare system has also affected the public healthcare,as the specialized doctor who are poorly compensated in public sector,they take up attractive positions in private hospitals,leading to critical shortage in public sectors.In contrary to all these private healthcare system are expensive and unaffordable  and majority of India's population that continues to be poor,cannot access the private healthcare system.Hence,they are contained to low quality of services provided by public healthcare system.