Q.2) What are the issues facing the public healthcare system in India? Is privatisation an answer to these issues faced by the healthcare system? (10 Marks)

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Swatantra

“Mentor’s Comments”

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/a-cardinal-omission-in-the-covid-19-package/article35454756.ece
In the intro, mention the figures about exorbitant out of pocket expenditure by the Indians on health.
In the body, mention issues such as low investment and allocation on health and resultant issues such as inadequate infrastructure, inadequate health professionals, lack of research, disparities in urban and rural areas, disparity among the rich and poor states etc. In the next part, mention the limits of privatisation in India where the poor stands to lose most in the expensive healthcare.
Conclude by mentioning the need to invest in the public healthcare system.

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10 responses to “Q.2) What are the issues facing the public healthcare system in India? Is privatisation an answer to these issues faced by the healthcare system? (10 Marks)”

July 23, 2021

subhashree mallick

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1. July 29, 2021
  
  Swatantra
  
  Subhashree
  
  You have totally omitted the 2nd part of the question that is privatisation the solution to issues in public health care.
  Mentioning a separate issue at the cost of something which has been directly asked in the question will NEVER fetch you extra marks.
  You can mention brain drain somewhere in either issues, or pros of privatisation(it might stop brain drain) very briefly.
  
  3-4 core demands of the question-
  1. Intro- yours is fine, you can mention some more common data like investment just 1.6% of GDP, 60% out of pocket expenditure of Indians on health.
  2. Issues in public health care- you have written fine, points can be added depending on marks
  3. Will privatisation help- Yes! (2-3 points- better technology, infrastructure, management, quality improvement etc)
  No! (3-4 points- already high Oop exp, increase gap between rich and poor, no answerability, profit motive, unregulated etc)
  4. Way forward- add points- make hub-spoke diagram- need of universal health care, increase govt investment, PPP model can be tried, increase human resource (you can mention stopping brain drain here too) etc
  
  Finally conclude, yours is fine, to value add you can mention initiatives like Ayushman Bharat, ppp model in managing beds etc
July 24, 2021

Sehaj Singh

Please check
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1. July 27, 2021
  
  Sehaj Singh
  
  pls check @swatantra
2. July 29, 2021
  
  Swatantra
  
  Sehaj
  
  In introduction after the opening statement mention data like public investment just 1.6% of GDP, 60% out of pocket expenditure of Indians on health.
  
  Issues are fine, you can mention more points like low doctor-patient ratio, lack of preventive healthcare, poor infrastructure etc. Use hub-spoke diagram to adjust more points if need be. Rather than explaining a single point in detail, including various dimensions will give you more marks.
  
  Give more space to the 2nd part of the question, way forward can be written after that. Mention both dimensions- Will privatisation help- Yes! (2-3 points- better technology, infrastructure, management, quality improvement etc)
  No! (3-4 points- already high Oop exp, will increase gap between rich and poor, no answerability, profit motive, rural areas might be further neglected, unregulated sector etc)
  Then come to a conclusion of yes/no, directly writing no is not recommended.
  
  Then write a way forward- ppp model can be mentioned here only, you can talk of universal health care also here, finally conclude.
  
  Your answer is looking very generic, everyone will be writing this much, so try to incorporate data, improve presentation by giving sub-headings etc(you can use keywords from question only for subheadings) to get those 1-2 extra marks.
  
  Keep practicing. 🙂
July 26, 2021

Sailakshmi

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1. July 29, 2021
  
  Swatantra
  
  Sailakshmi
  
  Introduction is fine, in issues mention some data like public investment very low(1.6% of GDP), high out of pocket expenditure of Indians on health(nearly 60%), low doctor-patient ratio as compared to WHO standards etc. You can also mention low attention to preventive health care. Rest of the points are good.
  
  While writing about privatisation, very briefly you can mention how they can help(2-3 points- better technology, infrastructure, management, quality improvement etc) and then list down the negatives and finally mention that privatisation is not a solution. Try to cover both dimensions. In negatives you can add more points (already high Oop exp, will further increase gap between rich and poor, no answerability,rural areas might be further neglected, unregulated sector). The points you have written are also fine.
  
  Instead of mentioning stakeholders as a sub-heading, write it as way forward, in addition to cooperative federalism you can add points like need of universal health coverage, PPP model can be explored where some functions in public sector are outsourced to private sector etc
  Use hub-spoke diagrams to mention more points instead of writing in paragraph format especially in questions where you have enough content.
  
  Conclusion seems incomplete, you can finish by mentioning SDGs/some govt initiatives like Ayushman Bharat, infra packages etc
  
  Keep practicing.
  
  4.5/10
July 26, 2021

Fun Learning with Rajlaxmi.

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July 27, 2021

ankita thakur

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July 28, 2021

Kartikey Singh

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