Health for all should not be the prerogative of the powerful

There is an adage that if health is lost everything is lost.  Similarly a healthy body can overcome any adversities is also true. However, in our country, health facilities still remain a dream to the poor and underprivileged. In such a situation Health Minister Ramesh Kumar’s ambitious project of integrated health care project providing free health care facilities for all is most welcome.  

This is a brave attempt to break through the tough maze created by a few selfish private medical professionals who are controlling the many.  Lack of service mindedness in medical professionals is resulting in medical care unattainable to the poor and underprivileged.

There is another face to the selfishness of the doctors. The medical education is not cheap.  Medical colleges are another mafia.  Becoming a doctor takes loads of money poured out to the colleges and naturally the doctors want to get it back.

It is for this reason that none of them are willing to serve at rural hospitals. They shun government hospitals too. Now in a desperate measure the government has asked the doctors to bid for salary and their choice of place. The ‘your bid our post’ is such a measure.

But does the government have any moral right to ask the doctors to go for rural service at the salary it is offering, after making medical education unreasonably expensive? The state of rural hospitals is another issue altogether.  

If staff is appointed equipments are not procured. If a hospital building is available the roads are unreachable. In emergencies a patient can never be shifted on time due to pathetic roads. Forget villages and hoblis, at district head quarters there are no good hospitals. Added to that the government doctors also indulge in private practice and it is anybody’s guess which they prefer.

The intention of providing free healthcare for all is noble. The government will be distributing 1.3 families with health cards irrespective of BPL and APL cards.  Under this scheme all other schemes like Yashasvini, Rajiv Health Bhagya, Atal Arogya Yojana and others will be brought.  At government hospitals even an Aadhaar card can get medical treatment.  Even medicines for one month is given fee under this scheme.  The minister has not clarified the extent of medical assistance offered but it would be good if it is entirely free.

An effective implementation of this scheme will naturally put down the private hospitals.  If government hospitals provide good medical care why will people go to private hospitals?  However, there is a danger lurking of some powerful lobby misusing this also for their personal benefits. The government has to watch them.

• Karnataka
• health