Health syestem in India

India has a vast health care system but it also has the differences in quality between urban health care system and rural health care system. India has quality in medical treatment and here it is much cheaper than their country that’s why India is a popular destination for medical tourist. India has quality in medical treatment as well as in medical education. India has 3^rd largest no. of doctors in the world which are working not only in India but across the country.

Indian ministry of health was established with the independence from Britain in 1947. The government has made health priority in its series of five-year plans. First health policy was introduced by the Indian government in the year 1983. By the year 2002 government launches 2^nd health policy it was the advanced version of 1983 health policy. In 2005 government launches NRHM (NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH MISSION) and NHM (NATIONAL HEALTH MISSION) to fulfill the medical needs of rural people. This mission focuses on resources of rural areas and poor state which have weak health services. Indian healthcare system is divided in two sectors government and private some non-government and nonprofit organization and trust are also working in health sector. Health is a service for some but it is also the business for some.

If I talk about the distribution of health system at primary level we have sub-center, after that we have PHC (PRIMARY HEALTH CENTER), after that we have CHC (COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER), after that we have District hospitals in every district of every state and after that we have some national and international hospitals. In another side, we have AIIMS (ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCE). AIIMS is a semi-government but an autonomous body. AIIMS is situated in the different part of India where we have best doctors across the world.

India is also a top destination for medical tourist seeking alternative treatment such as Ayurvedic medicine.  Ayurvedic is a big alternative to Allopathic  medicine because it has no side effect and treated in India from the ancient period

Indian constitution guarantees free health for every citizen of India. Government hospitals are providing free health services but in other side private hospitals are very much costly, recent world health statistics have indicated that India has the highest out of pocket private healthcare costs for families, among many other developing nations.

If I talk about the quality of healthcare we have quality in health but we also have non-availability of diagnostic tools and increasing reluctance of qualified and experienced healthcare professionals to practice in rural, under-equipped and financially less lucrative rural areas are becoming big challenges.   

According to a study conducted by Martin Patrick, CPPR chief economist released in 2017 has projected people depend more on the private sector for healthcare and the amount spent by a household to avail of private services is almost 24 times more than what is spent for public healthcare services.

Pushpendra Sachan