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Health Care
Although there have been some spectacular achievements in the health sector, the overall picture is rather grim. While we have sophisticated world-class tertiary care facilites, our primary healthcare is riddled with problems due to a resource crunch and poor management of manpower and equipment. Communicable diseases, life style diseases, accidents and injuries and newer emerging infections seem to have overwhelmed the healthcare industry.
Heavy burden of patients, lack of medicines and equipment, high absenteeism and shrinking Government fundsthese are some of the roadblocks to implementing successful health programmes at primary healthcare centres (PHCs). Are Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives a solution to help the Government achieve its development goals of access to healthcare by all? How can such ventures work?
Lets look at the financials. Indias healthcare spend is nearly 5.2 per cent of the GDP. The annual spend for healthcare delivery is approximately $ 25 billion, of which the Government spends a hefty $ 5 billion or approximately Rs 22,000 crore. What is critical is that this fund must reach the bottom of the pyramid. Basic healthcare itself is at a premium today, considering the poor coverage across the country.