India: Health sector in bad shape at Chhattisgarh, warns Social Watch

Photo: Social Watch India

Central and local authorities’ failures are responsible for the gloomy performance of the health sector in Indian state of Chhattisgarh, according to the most recent report produced by the local Social Watch coalition. The governments must be held accountable for the fulfillment of this Constitutional and basic right, but the citizens also have the responsibility to monitor its implementation, activist said while they released the study.

The figures that picture the pitiful situation of Chhattisgarh health sector are due to the lack of governance and good management, said Vishal Nayak at the launching ceremony of the Health Watch Report on 27th August in Raipur. The unavailability of basic health facilities dedicated to the poor tribes shows the half hearted work done by the government and the lack of infrastructure and human resources, Nayak added.

On the other hand, several institutions were created to ensure the quality of health care and effective participation of citizens in implementing the services, but they all are not working at the groundroots level.

On the occasion of release of this report, Dr Dalla, former secretary of the Red Cross Society, challenged the government authorities for not working against the Sickle Cell anemia. Half of the patients of this illness live in Central India, and Chhattisgarh tops the list of the most affected states. Chhattisgarh Social Watch played an important role in monitoring this disease and others such as Balod eye, Dairia and dengue.

Trade unionist Arun Kumar Sukla warned that doctors, officers and the whole system break the common patients’ trust every day due their negligence and greed.

Dinesh Marotia, an environmental economist, recommended the abolishment of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the health sector. Dr Biplava Bandhopadhyay said that the PPP system reveals the government’s will to get rid of their own responsibilities. The monitoring efforts should be converted into a mass movement, according to social activist Gautama Bandhopadhyaya and Dr Rama Kant Srivastava, Secretary of the Progressive Writers Association.

Chhattisgarh Social Watch coalition includes several civil society organizations such as CART, SAMRTHAN, CASA, CARE and Chetna Child.

More information
Chattisgarh Social Watch Report 2011: http://bit.ly/NOrYGs

Source
Social Watch India: http://bit.ly/OQ7KN9