The Crisis in India's Public Healthcare Infrastructure and Governance
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Social Development (Public Health, Health Indicators - Nurse-patient ratio); Social Sector Initiatives & Schemes (National Health Mission); Indian Polity and Governance (Statutory Bodies - NHRC, NCPCR; Role of Judiciary).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 2 (Health, Governance, Social Justice): Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health; Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections; Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability. The state of the public health system is a core GS2 topic.
General Studies Paper 1 (Society): Population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues.
Key Highlights from the News
Two newborns died from rat bites in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a major government hospital in Indore, a city repeatedly chosen as the cleanest city in India.
This tragic incident exposes the deep-seated and systemic problems facing India's public healthcare system.
Key reasons for this crisis:
Poor hygiene and safety standards in hospitals.
Crumbling infrastructure due to age and lack of maintenance.
Overburdened system due to more patients than affordable capacity.
Severe shortage of nursing staff and other healthcare workers.
Lack of accountability and corruption when outsourcing services like cleaning.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court took suo motu cognisance of this issue, and NHRC, NCPCR sent notices to the government.
This incident is not merely a local problem but a symbol of the plight of the poor and marginalized in government hospitals and a representation of administrative failures in the country.
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