Consider this:
- You as an Indian, do not have the Right to Health, although our Direc-tive Principles of State Policy, the Preamble of the WHO and the Univer-sal Declaration of Human Rights of the UN mention it categorically.
- Most countries which care for its people, including Russia, France and US, have granted such a Right many decades ago.
- Progressive Five Year Plans of the Indian Government have reduced gov-ernment spending on health as a percentage of the GDP.
- National Health Policy was hardly debated on the floor of the house when tabled, probably because it was a soft political issue.
- There are strong forces in the medical establishment, which in the name of upholding standards, may not want greater dispersal of services.
- Governments and medical institutions may have conflicting interests, and the citizens’ interests may get side-lined in the process.
- Greater health awareness and care are signs of a more evolved society. People, governments and medical institutions will work in tandem only with greater development coming in their country in other walks of life as well.
- If we have to achieve the goal of Health for All, we must have the cour-age to make the commitment: All for Health. Otherwise slogans like ‘Health for All, All for Health’, become one more cliche to mouth on suit-able occasions.