That health is not 'merely the absence of disease or infirmity', but 'is a fundamental human right'.
India
has to move from vertical to comprehensive programmes, improve
quality and access, hire more mid-level health workers and increase
funding to improve primary care for achieving universal health
coverage, public health experts told IndiaSpend.
That
health is not “merely the absence of disease or infirmity”, but
“is a fundamental human right” was proclaimed 40 years ago in the
Alma-Ata declaration in Kazakhstan in 1978. On October 25 and 26,
2018, the declaration was reiterated by 197 countries around the
world as they signed the Declaration of Astana that vowed to
strengthen primary healthcare as an essential step for achieving
universal health coverage.
India,
also a signatory to the Astana
declaration, has to strengthen primary healthcare if it has to
achieve health for all since it accounts for 17% global burden of
maternal deaths, the highest number of tuberculosis cases and deaths
in the world and the highest number of stunted children in the world.
As many as 55 million Indians slipped into poverty in 2011-12 because
of health catastrophes they could not afford.
The
Declaration of Astana makes four key pledges:
(1)
make bold political choices for health across all sectors
(2)
build sustainable primary
health care
(3)
empower individuals and communities
(4)
align stakeholder support to national policies, strategies and plans.
“[Astana
declaration] is very important for not just India but the world as a
whole to be reminded of the importance of primary healthcare as the
foundation of a health system and as the critical component for
achieving universal healthcare. It’s a timely reminder,” said K
Sujatha Rao, former union secretary of health, public health expert
and author of Do We Care: India’s Health System.
Shift
from vertical programmes to holistic care
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