English Typing
Paragraph
The
cornerstone
of
a
Shining
India
must
be
the
healthcare
of
the
nation.
Our
country's
demographic
dividend
can
accrue
only
if
we
accord
priority
to
healthcare.
A
good
place
to
begin
would
be
to
enhance
public
expenditure.
The
country
needs
to
augment
financial
outlay,
in
line
with
the
stated
objective
to
increase
healthcare
spends
from
the
current
1.2%
of
GDP
to
2.5%.
Public
expenditure
on
health
has
been
declining,
a
trend
that
must
be
reversed.
Several
studies,
including
findings
from
the
World
Bank
and
the
World
Health
Organisation,
show
that
greater
public
spending
on
health
has
a
positive
impact
on
GDP
growth.
The
IMS
Institute's
study
on
healthcare
access
in
India
has
identified
the
elements
that
constitute
access
to
healthcare
as:
the
proximity
of
a
healthcare
facility;
the
capacity
and
functionality
of
that
facility;
and
the
quality
of
the
resources
providing
care.
These
elements
come
ahead
of
the
price
of
treatment
or
medicines.
The
study
across
12
states
showed
that
two
thirds
of
our
rural
population
travels
over
five
km
to
reach
an
in-patient
facility
and
85%
of
respondents
would
use
public
facilities
if
they
were
close
and
offered
quality
treatment.
The
study
shows
that
the
real
barrier
to
access
is
the
inability
to
pay
out-of-pocket
and
the
lack
of
insurance
cover.
A
viable
public
healthcare
model
requires
a
combination
of
financing
and
non-financing
measures.
Besides
more
public
expenditure
on
healthcare,
we
need
focus
on
infrastructure
and
capacity
building
as
well
as
more
doctors
and
nurses.
State
governments
could
procure
medicines
in
bulk
following
the
example
of
the
Tamil
Nadu
Medical
Services
Corporation,
where
an
efficient
mechanism
provides
access
to
medicines
at
affordable
prices.
The
long-term
solution
to
India's
healthcare
challenges
requires
a
holistic
approach
and
a
critical
evaluation
of
existing
systems.
We
need
sustainable
policy
solutions
to
address
financing,
Typing Editor Typed Word :