While the private sector put forth its wish-list of investment-friendly policies, single-window clearance system and a dedicated SEZ for the healthcare sector, a government representative provided a reality check pointing out the “serious erosion in ethical standards” in the sector and the need for non-profit organisations.
The HealthCon-2010, organised jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Andhra Pradesh government, however, saw agreement on private sector participation in modernising the health system, especially in digitising the health records of every citizen.
Presenting the ground situation in Andhra Pradesh, PV Ramesh, principal secretary (Health & Family Welfare), said the picture was a complex one, in which the state figured closer to the North Indian states in terms of infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate, though it was the third biggest economy in the country. Contrary to expectations, the rural areas were recording marginally higher incidence of diabetes and hypertension compared with urban areas, he said.
India produces 27,000 doctors a year but would face a shortage of 45,000 doctors by 2012 and 350,000 nurses by 2015, said Shakti Sagar, chairman, CII-AP. While the recent increase in the number of super specialisation seats was good, evening shifts in existing colleges would help in better utilisation of resources, according to Varma Vegesna, convenor of the CII's healthcare panel. He also wanted the government to look at single-window clearances, healthcare SEZ and PPP model given the very high initial infrastructure costs in the sector.
Ramesh invited ideas from the private sector for improving the primary healthcare system and also investments in advanced care at district and sub-district levels. But he laid emphasis on a bigger role for non-profit organisations in healthcare provision, saying it was the need of the hour and the health department would offer partnerships at all levels.
“There is a serious erosion in the ethical standards. People are being subjected to unnecessary therapeutic procedures like ceasarian sections etc. Money alone should not be the motivating factor,” he said.
Describing the government healthcare system as medieval, Ramesh said, "there is a virtual lack of information. We could easily have a digitised health record of every individual citizen. This is a huge opportunity for the private sector partnership." In the emergency services too, the 108 service was found to be impressive in transport but the same could not be said about the emergency care, he said.
