As the impending Lok Sabha elections loom, Jan Arogya Abhiyana, a coalition of NGOs and health professionals based in Maharashtra, is actively engaging in discussions across various districts. Their mission is to collaborate with frontline workers and health activists in formulating the ‘People’s Health Manifesto-2024.’ This comprehensive document is poised to be presented to political leaders, with the objective of ensuring a fair representation of health-related issues in political dialogues.
In the aftermath of the Nanded hospital tragedy, where 32 patients lost their lives within 24 hours, the organization is advocating for the ‘Right to Health Care and Health for All’ in the upcoming election manifesto.
Dr. Abhay Shukla, the national co-convenor of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, discussed their on-ground efforts in Nanded, Amaravati, Solapur, and Kolhapur, aiming to understand the ground reality for manifesto inclusion. Their engagements have recently expanded to Sangli, Pune, Nashik, and Osmanabad, with plans to submit the manifesto and their findings to politicians by mid-February.
The manifesto focuses on several key concerns, including a substantial increase in public health expenditure, enhancement of the scope, quality, sensitivity, and accountability of services, adoption of the Tamil Nadu model for pharmaceutical procurement, institutionalization of community-based monitoring and health service planning, prioritization of mental health services, and crafting policies for various marginalized social groups.
“We aspire to establish a universal health system in Maharashtra, mirroring Thailand’s model, ensuring fair and free healthcare for all. Despite its affluence, the state’s health budget allocations are among India’s lowest. The current Ayushman Bharat scheme falls short in providing comprehensive coverage, revealing numerous discrepancies in healthcare accessibility,” said Dr. Shukla. “Drawing inspiration from Tamil Nadu’s successful medicine procurement model, we advocate for a centralized infrastructure,” he added.
During field visits, Dr. Shukla observed that health workers face immense pressure to meet government-imposed data targets, hindering their patient care and essential clinical and fieldwork. The persistent need for data collection, including Ayushman Bharat and Health and Wellness Centre statistics, restricts health workers’ capacity to prioritize crucial clinical and field responsibilities, questioning the overall effectiveness of healthcare delivery.
Deepak Jadhav, a member of JAA, highlighted the critical issue of over 32,000 vacant positions in Maharashtra’s health and medical education departments, with 17,000 for public health and 15,000 for medical education. This shortage is evident on the ground, with one person handling tasks meant for three health workers.
“The health workers are complaining how due to shortages of staffers like nurses and doctors, the patients are losing faith in government hospitals. The patients are left unattended. We have learnt nothing from the Nanded disaster,” said Jadhav.