Seminar Report: Strengthening of Public Sector Health System for Universal Access to Health Care (UAHC), Council for Social Development Seminar, New Delhi (July 16–17)

Abstract

The absence of a people-oriented approach in the planning process preceding the framing of the draft health chapter in the 12th Five Year Plan has triggered a widespread debate. In a country where poverty is linked with disease and the mounting cost of health care has pushed large sections of the population further into the abyss of penury, the unfortunate projection of a mere 1.58 per cent of GDP as public health expenditure is exacerbated by a skewed understanding of the basic idea of universal health care in the reports of the High Level Expert Group (HLEG) as well as the steering committee set up by the Planning Commission in the process of drafting of the health chapter in the 12th Plan. This seminar paper presents the various arguments against the proposed ‘managed care’ model of health care provision which necessitates dismantling of the public health system so that people are guided towards insurance.