Mathur Ritika Passi

The Comptroller and Auditor General’s report
containing the results of the Performance
Audit of Water Pollution in India, 2011-12,
paints a grim picture of the country’s water
bodies. 15 In the absence of strict provisions in
policy and legislative frameworks, pollution
levels are alarmingly high with little or
no signs of improvement. The situation
is similarly worrying with respect to air
pollution. With Prime Minister Narendra
Modi launching the National Air Quality
Index this April, data for 11 cities is now
available in the public domain. The health
implications of the same should act as
robust drivers to make the Central and local
governments accelerate policy and legislative
initiatives.
Challenges and the Road Ahead
One of the biggest challenges in the field
of healthcare policy formulation is lack of
sufficient data. Data gap, periodicity and
coverage issues at sub-state level hamper
assessment and monitoring efforts. The
current government’s thrust on digital
governance should address this concern.
Efficient implementation of government
initiatives and schemes is another challenge.
The health sector in India is particularly
prone to corruption and pilferage, both
of which need to be tackled urgently. For
example, insurance benefits targeting BPL
families in rural areas do not reach the
intended beneficiaries due to malpractices.
More transparency in the operation of such
schemes is needed by using technology
optimally. The government must also ensure
accountability of health services delivery and
related institutions. Attitudinal hindrances
are also a big factor limiting implementation,
for instance non-compliance as observed in
reproduction and women’s health-related
schemes.
healthcare personnel are not available in
sufficient numbers. The situation is particularly
grim in villages where absenteeism, despite
government policy on mandatory service of
newly qualified doctors in rural areas, has
assumed an alarming proportion.
As per WHO estimates, almost 65% of
India’s population is still dependent on
traditional medicines for health-related needs
as well as sustenance. Lifestyle, poverty,
lack of timely access to public healthcare
and religion beliefs are some of the factors
responsible for this. The UN Development
Progamme has recognised this potential, and
has been partnering with the government to
promote sustainable use and conservation
of medicinal plants since 2008. 17 With the
formation of the Ministry of AYUSH in
2014, prospects of traditional medicine
can be further tapped and regulated. For
example, the practice of patenting traditional
medication by multinational pharmaceutical
companies, thus restricting access, needs to be
paid due attention to. Alongside, there needs
to be a crackdown on quackery and spurious
drug usage. Regulation of drug prices by
facilitating fair competition among bulk drug
suppliers and retailers needs special attention.
Additionally, means may be devised for
enhancing the purchasing power and incomes
of the poor through direct subsidy transfers.
India’s health policy has been fairly
progressive. Fixing the lacunae at the level
of implementation and close monitoring
are likely to result in a positive healthcare
scenario in the country. The approved SDGs
will draw attention towards these issues,
thereby hopefully propelling the Indian
government to act upon these concerns very
much in consonance with the Indian reality
of healthcare.
A skewed sex ratio and the worrying rate of
population growth are further manifestations
of this phenomenon.
In the context of the MDG on maternal
health, a report of the UN Rapporteur on
Health identified the lack of “health work
force [as] a major bottleneck in India.” 16 This
holds true largely for all the health initiatives
that the government has launched. In a sad
paradox, India has not been able to utilise
its demographic dividend optimally. Despite
various training and recruitment drives, skilled
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