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NHP 2017: affordable, preventive healthcare

Last Updated 21 May 2017, 18:13 IST

The Union government announced its much-awaited National Health Policy (NHP) 2017 in March. After two years of deliberations on the draft policy with all stakeholders, we finally have an updated health programme for the country. It’s a momentous occasion because we have had only two health policies so far – in 1983 and 2002.

Although the government calls the latest policy a “huge milestone in the history of public health in the country,” there are critics who disagree, especially since the policy has failed to give the status of a fundamental right to health.

But it is pertinent for us to consider what this new development means for a growing economy like India that’s battling the dual burdens of communicable as well as non-communicable diseases. What does the NHP 2017 have in store for us?

The NHP 2017 seeks to promote quality of care, focus on emerging diseases and invest in promotive and preventive healthcare. That’s a worthwhile goal, particularly in today’s day and age when lifestyle-related chronic diseases are on the rise. Once the emphasis is on prevention — as simplistic as it may sound — healthcare expenditure will automatically come down.

Incidentally, the new policy also aims to increase public spending on health to 2.5% of the GDP by 2025. Right now, India spends a meagre 1.15% of its GDP on health — way below the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation of 5%.

One of the key goals of the NHP 2017 is to make primary healthcare comprehensive and universal. The policy aims to achieve universal health coverage at affordable cost. Drugs, diagnostics and emergency care services are to be offered free of cost in all government hospitals.

For a country like India, where most patients are used to paying out of their pockets — 70% of healthcare is provided by the private sector — such objectives may seem very utopian. However, it’s a vital step in bridging the healthcare divide, especially between urban and rural India.

Arguably, the most remarkable feature of the new policy is that it has made the private healthcare sector an active participant in the nation-building process. The NHP 2017 states that it seeks to ensure improved access and affordability of quality secondary and tertiary care services through a combination of public hospitals and strategic purchasing in healthcare deficit areas from accredited non-governmental healthcare providers.

It’s a huge incentive for private players to get on board and do their bit to make a difference. Of course, there’ll be questions about monetary motives and corrupt practices. The way out is to have regulatory and accreditation agencies in place to ensure credibility and transparency.

Catching them young
When it comes to child and adolescent health, the new policy is all for pre-emptive care (aimed at pre-empting the occurrence of diseases). It not only envisages school health programmes as a major focus area, but also aims to make health and hygiene a part of the school curriculum.

Unlike the other ambitious objectives of the NHP 2017, this one is easily workable and its results can be far-reaching. For instance, oral health can be made a part of school health programmes to prevent (or at least, better manage) future health issues. Numerous studies have shown how the condition of one’s teeth and gums are closely linked to ailments such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s, to name some.

We need to take this awareness, along with our best clinical practices and world-class technologies, to the schools and villages in every nook and corner of the country. For any change to be sustainable, it must happen in an organic and inclusive manner. Urban and rural India, tier I and tier II cities, elite townships and resurgent slums; they all need to be a part of the healthcare plan.

The NHP 2017 introduces a worthy initiative called ‘giving back to society,’ whereby it supports voluntary service in rural and underserved areas on a pro bono basis by recognised healthcare professionals. There are many doctors who would be more than willing to join in, though there has to be a practical plan in place.

Because, among the many challenges facing a populous nation like India, the insufficient number of qualified healthcare professionals is a serious issue. We have a ratio of 0.7 doctors and 1.5 nurses per 1,000 people.

When it comes to dentists, the statistics are far worse: one dentist per 8,000 people in urban areas and one per 50,000 in rural areas! According to the Dental Council of India, about 72.6% of the rural population does not have access to even basic oral health.

On the other hand, you may be surprised to know that there are innumerable skilled medical professionals struggling to find employment. The suicide rates among doctors in India, and dentists in particular, due to financial hardships is worrisome. Can the NHP 2017 help change these ironic ground realities? Only time will tell…

(The writer is Founder and Chairman, Vatsalya Dental, Bengaluru)

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(Published 21 May 2017, 18:13 IST)

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