Evaluatethe role of theSwachh Bharat Abhiyanand National Health Policy 2002in improving the health conditions of the people.
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Answer:
initiatives taken in the public health field are reflected in the ... seen an increase in mortality through 'life-style' diseases- ... role of the Central Government in designing broad-base
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Health is wealth' is old adage reflecting wisdom and a healthy population is the goal of each and every country. No country can afford to neglect the issue of health, as health status of an individual plays an important role in human capital generation. The state's intervention in the area of public health comes with a clear cut logic that healthy workforce means productive workforce; and illness episodes can lead to loss of human capital, economic productivity as well as out of pocket expenditure. . For the delivery of their positive duties, the state needs guidelines and directions. Policies serve this purpose by providing specific guidelines, which will help in guiding the intervention in prioritized areas
Past Efforts to Provide Health Care
Initial systematic efforts to provide health care in India were guided through five year plans as well as recommendations of high level committees such as Bhore committee, Sokhey committee, and Mudailar committee etc. After 30 years of its independence, Government of India introduced its' first national health policy in 1983. The aim of the NHP, 1983 was to achieve 'Health for all by 2000 AD'. NHP, 1983 clearly articulated 'state as service provider' and 'public provisioning as a model of service delivery'.. NHP, 2002 has promised to tackle not only the regional health inequalities, rather it has also promised to increase expenditure on health and improve rural health infrastructure in the country. Policy directions of NHP, 2002 resulted in interventions like National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and National Urban Health Mission (NUHM).
From 'Health for All' to 'Health in All'
In the backdrop of renewed global effort under Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for action in health and high rates of mortality and morbidity, Indian government renewed its effort and released a draft of national health policy document in 2015. Comments were sought from the general public, stakeholders and public health experts. Various rounds of discussion and reviews of the draft health policy have given shape to the current NHP, 2017. NHP, 2017 promises 'assured health care for all at affordable cost' and changes the discourse of 'Health for all' to 'Health in all'. Provision of health care at affordable cost needs further discussion and review by policy experts as well as by public health managers. NHP 2017 acknowledges the change in epidemiological profile of the country and the situation that had arisen due to double burden of disease.
NHP 2017 articulates its goals as follows :
"The policy envisages as its goal the attainment of the highest possible level of health and wellbeing for all at all ages, through a preventive and promotive health care orientation in all developmental policies, and universal access to good quality health care services without anyone having to face financial hardship as a consequence. This would be achieved through increasing access, improving quality and lowering the cost of healthcare delivery" (NHP, 2017, p. 1).
Key Policy Principles
NHP 2017 proposes ten key policy principles to attain policy objectives. These key policy principles are: 1) Professionalism, Integrity and Ethics, 2) Equity, 3) Affordability, 4) Universality, 5) Patient Centred & Quality of Care, 6) Accountability, 7) Inclusive Partnerships, 8) Pluralism, 9) Decentralization, and 10) Dynamism and Adaptiveness. NHP 2017 states that these key policy principles will help in reducing mortality and morbidity as well as in improving wellness in population.
Specific Quantitative Goals
NHP 2017 also sets specific quantitative goals in three core areas to track attainment of policy objectives: a) Health Status and Programme Impact, b) Health Systems Performance, c) Health Systems strengthening. Some of the key quantitative indicators are following:
Maternal and Child Health
NHP 2017 has an emphasis to bring down maternal, neonatal, and infant deaths. This is in continuation to the past efforts of tackling maternal and child deaths as well as to fulfil its global commitment towards the issue under SDGs.
Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases
NHP, 2017 also sets targets for TB and HIV. Tackling TB and HIV is important due to two specific reasons. First, India has significantly higher TB case loads i.e. 2.2 millions cases (WHO, 2015). Situation for TB is much more challenging due to drug resistant TB (Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) and Extreme Drug Resistant (XDR)) cases. Second, TB is one of the major sources of opportunistic infections among HIV patients; is a reason for shortening their life expectancy, and affecting their quality of life. NHP 2017 also intends to tackle premature deaths due to non-communicable disease such as cardio-vascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases.