World Health Day, which is observed every year on April 7, unites us around health equity
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared health to be a fundamental human right.
The theme this year is “My Health, My Right”
Health equity
Health equity ensures that every person has an equal opportunity to achieve their highest health potential, no matter what their circumstances.
Recognising that social, economic, and environmental factors impact health outcomes, this idea goes beyond genetics.
WHO’s mission is to eliminate unfair and preventable disparities in health among different social and economic categories.
True health equity addresses the root causes of health inequities such as poverty, discrimination, limited access to high-quality education, a healthy diet, clean water, fresh air, and housing, and merely grants equal access to health care.
The disparity in health access are made worse by pandemics, climate change, and sociopolitical unrest.
To guarantee that everyone may live a healthy life, attaining health equity necessitates a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond legislative reform to address the socioeconomic determinants of health.
Realising each person’s potential for health demands a concerted effort by governments, communities, and individuals to tear down these obstacles.
The COVID-19 pandemic has starkly revealed that infectious diseases target marginalised and vulnerable groups the most, thus widening the health equity gap.
Climate change poses a serious health risk since it disproportionately impacts low-income and vulnerable people.
The health-care provision is severely hampered by conflicts, which destroy infrastructure, uproot communities, and shut off access to vital medical services.
India’s health equity challenge
India is diverse and has wide socioeconomic gaps.
Access to health care in rural areas is significantly less than in metropolitan areas.
Social and economic barriers exacerbate this disparity.
According to the 2011 Census, urban slums make up over 17% of India’s metropolitan areas, and exhibit serious health disparities.
Health risks are increased by overcrowding, poor sanitation, and restricted access to clean water.
India’s health equity challenge
Infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, are 1.5 times more common in slums than in non-slum areas, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research.
Disparities across caste and gender are profound.
National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-21) data indicates that Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes experience higher child mortality and lower immunisation rates.
India’s health equity challenge
Also 59% of women in the lowest wealth quintile suffer from anaemia, almost double the rate in the highest quintile, demonstrating the intersection of caste, gender, and economic status in health outcomes.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for more than 60% of all fatalities in India
A critical shortage of doctors exacerbates these issues, with WHO data indicating only 0.8 doctors per 1,000 people, which is below the advised ratio
India’s health equity challenge
India’s health equity issues require a comprehensive approach beyond improvements in health-care facilities to address more extensive socioeconomic determinants of health.
To move India toward universal health coverage and a more equitable future, the government, civil society, health-care providers, and communities need to work together.
Governments and officials may influence the state of health through funding, creative policies, and laws
India’s health equity challenge
The National Health Mission (NHM), which includes both the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM), reduces the health-care gap between rural and urban India by expanding access, strengthening infrastructure, and providing essential services to vulnerable populations
Achieving health equity requires raising health literacy.
India should turn health equality into a shared, community-driven goal by including health education in the NHM, enabling its people to seek equitable care and make educated health decisions
Way Forward
Organisations with a strong local presence are essential for health equity.
They actively participate in every phase, from planning to evaluation, to guarantee the relevance and effectiveness of health programmes.
They also have a thorough understanding of their community’s requirements.
Effective collaboration among many sectors, ranging from policymakers to grassroots organisations, may significantly enhance health equity and pave the path for a time when access to high-quality health care would be a shared reality rather than a privilege
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