Why is it in the news?
→ Lancet report “A Citizen-Centred Health System for India” released a roadmap aligned with Viksit Bharat @2047.
→ Highlights governance gaps in India’s health system.
Category
Polity
Important Points
- Public health expenditure remains below 2% of GDP versus the National Health Policy 2017 target of 2.5%.
- Out-of-pocket expenditure accounts for nearly 50% of total health spending.
- The health system operates in silos (TB, malaria, maternal health etc.).
- Governance relies on rigid line-item budgets.
- Insurance schemes remain hospital-centric, leaving outpatient care uncovered.
- “Missing middle” faces catastrophic health expenditure.
- Recommends publicly financed and publicly provided primary healthcare.
- Suggests shift to global budgets and decentralisation to districts.
- Calls for empowering PRIs and ULBs in health management.
- ASHAs to be treated as core staff; expand Community Health Officers.
- Advocates Federated Data Structure aligned with DPDP Act, 2023.
- Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission highlighted for interoperable digital health.