Written By: Pavitra Sampath | Published : February 10, 2015 7:29 AM IST
With everyone predicting AAP s win in the Delhi assembly elections 2015, it is about time we take a look at what the party promised the city of Delhi in terms of health care.
But apart from that, the party has also promised the following in its Health and Education manifesto. They said:
India s public health system is in a crisis. A common man does not have access to good quality healthcare facilities, and one serious illness can throw a family into a serious financial crisis. Aam Aadmi Party is firmly committed to ensuring that every citizen of this country has access to high quality healthcare, irrespective of whether they are rich or poor. Towards this AAP will:
1. Introduce a comprehensive legislation Right To Healthcare enabling access to high quality healthcare for all the citizens of the country irrespective of whether they are rich or poor. This would be along the lines of the Right to Education Act.
2. Improve accountability of public health systems towards its users by decentralization of funds, functions and functionaries to the appropriate level of local government.
3. Guarantee that all essential drugs are available on a regular basis to public health facilities and made available free to cost to the people. AAP will incentivize states to adopt a transparent procurement system for bulk procurement of generic drugs.
4. Improve the accountability of Private health providers by making it mandatory for private hospitals to display and observe a charter of patients rights and to display rates and charges of various services. Ensure that private healthcare subsidised by the government honour their commitment to the aam aadmi.
5. AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) and local health traditions to have a significant role in public healthcare; greater public investment into research into these systems of medicine.
6. Investing in human resources by ensuring that all vacancies are filled at the Primary Health Centres; developing a well-trained cadre of frontline grassroots workers.
While the AAP results and BJP results are still to be seen, the Delhi elections have been pretty interesting. What we have to see is if the winning party actually lives up to its promises.
Image source: Getty Images
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