Addressing Healthcare Issues During Election Campaigns

Abstract

Healthcare is one of the most important issues in India, but often overlooked and not discussed during election campaigns. Poor medical infrastructure, insufficient public health services, and unmet healthcare needs persist in the country. Though people do want the right, high quality, and cost-effective medical treatment when they fall sick, this is put on the backseat when they are healthy, thereby the demand and struggle for health care in the future remains un-articulated by both the people and the administration. India has a heavy disease burden especially in children under 5 years and women and of lifestyle diseases like stroke, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and cancer, now affecting younger adults. Increased dependence on private health care result in high out of pocket expenditure and a huge economic burden. Budgetary allocation for health consistently remains low and has not achieved 2.5% of GDP as recommended under the National Health Policy 2017 and 15th Finance Commissio. Improving the public healthcare infrastructure and access, as well as addressing private healthcare costs, is the need of the hour especially during formation of a new democratic order in our country.