Experts Discuss Universal Health Coverage at PGI Public Health Symposium

By 121 News

Chandigarh 10^th March:- School of Public Health, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education Chandigarh organized the 2^nd Annual Public Health Symposium on the theme of Universal Health Coverage: A Step towards Sustainable Development. The symposium was inaugurated by Smt. Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Government of Punjab, who apprised the audience on the initiatives of the Punjab Government for assuring health services to all the citizens. Dr. Hendrik Jan Bekedam, WHO Representative to India who delivered the keynote address demonstrated the linkage between health and development. He informed that nearly 60 million individuals in India are impoverished as a result of health care expenditures, which is as bad as the agrarian crisis. He stressed the need for greater investment by the Government on health care, which in turn contributes to overall development. Dr. Viroj Tangcharoensathien, Secretary General of the International Health Policy Program in the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand explained the various stages through which Thailand passed in its attempt to ensure health care for all Thai citizens.

The highlight of the 2-day Symposium was the release of the Punjab State Health Accounts Report, which was presented by Prof Rajesh Kumar, Head, PGI School of Public Health and released by the Mrs Vini Mahajan and Dr Bekedam. The report maps all health care expenditures in the state of Punjab. Out of a total of 13414 crores spent on health care through Government and private sources, only 21.1% is spent by the former, i.e. Government. The per capita spending on health by the Government is INR 1340 as against a total per capita spending of INR 5995 on health care. Nearly 76% is paid directly by households as private out-of-pocket expenditure. A significant part of the total health expenditure is spent on drugs and other medical goods.

Several experts in the field of health care financing from Delhi University, IIT Madras, WHO, USAID, Gates Foundation, German Development Bank, National Health Systems Resource Centre and the Ministry of Health Government of India deliberated on various contentious issues related to how to finance health care, how to provide health care services and how to prioritize among various competing issues. Specific sessions were held to discuss in detail about the evidence on universal health coverage in the context of Punjab, Haryana & Himachal Pradesh. Dr. Rakesh Gupta, Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Haryana, explained the various strategies being undertaken in the field of governance and health care in Haryana. He informed the success of the Beti Bachao Beti Padao program which has led to the monthly sex ratio in Haryana crossing the 900 mark in December 2015. More than 250 delegated from all over India participated in the Symposium.