<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr"><br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">Dr Abhay Shukla</b> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:abhayshukla1@gmail.com">abhayshukla1@gmail.com</a>></span><br></div><br><div dir="ltr"><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif" align="center"><a name="m_-2047692324460680182__heading=h.gjdgxs"></a><b><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Cambria,serif">Jan Swasthya
Abhiyan (PHM-India): People’s Manifesto on Right to Health and Healthcare - 2024</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal;margin:0in;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif" align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;line-height:normal;margin:0in;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif" align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"><font size="4">Addressing the
health system crisis - Urgent need to advance people’s </font></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;line-height:normal;margin:0in;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif" align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"><font size="4">Right to health
and healthcare through transformation of health systems</font></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:12pt 0in;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">As India
approaches the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (People's Health Movement - India) circulates this
memorandum with a charter of policy proposals, appealing to all the political
parties and independents in the election fray to commit to these by
incorporating them in their election manifesto.
This is essential because of the critical state of our country's health
system, since more than 80 crore people of this country who today depend on
free ration also require protection for their health related vulnerabilities.
Despite the COVID experience, people’s health still remains very low on
priority for the Union government. Increasing commercialisation and decrease in
the government’s role has placed quality healthcare out of reach of the
majority of Indians.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;text-align:justify;margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">The Union
government's handling of the COVID pandemic was marked by serious mismanagement
on various fronts, exacerbating an already critical situation. Although the
pandemic underlined the outstanding need for stronger public health systems,
the Union government’s spending on health remains dismal. It continues to
restrict funds, along with neglecting the National Health Mission, while
eroding federalism and imposing hyper-centralised decision making. Refusal to
regulate profiteering by the commercialised private healthcare sector,
accelerated privatisation of health services, and failures of the much-hyped
PMJAY health insurance scheme have further worsened the situation, leaving the
vast majority of the population, especially marginalised communities at risk. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;text-align:justify;margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;text-align:center;margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Cambria,serif">Key Demands
Concerning Right to Health and Healthcare</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:10pt 0in 0.0001pt 14.15pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">1.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Our Health, Our Right! - Right to Healthcare legislation must be
passed to ensure guaranteed availability of free quality treatment of all
conditions, in close proximity to place of residence. Expand, improve &
strengthen public healthcare infrastructure to provide such essential care.
Denial, delay and incomplete treatment to be strictly prevented.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:10pt 0in 0.0001pt 14.15pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">2.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Increase Budgetary Allocation for Health – Increase Health Spending to
3.5% of GDP, with 1% of GDP coming from Centre; States should get special
financial envelopes for raised health expenditure. </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:10pt 0in 0.0001pt 14.15pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">3.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">No one should face financial hardship due to Out-of-Pocket (OOP)
Spending on health – Reduce OOP to less than 25% of Total Health Expenditure.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:10pt 0in 0.0001pt 14.15pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">4.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Fill Vacant Posts and Ensure Justice to Health workers – No health facility should have a vacant
position. No public health establishment should engage contractual staff, it is
essential to regularise all scheme based and contractual health workers. Ensure
adequate wages and protection under labour laws. A Human resources for health
policy would be enforced to ensure these measures. </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:10pt 0in 0.0001pt 14.15pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">5.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Devolve administrative and financial powers to local bodies and state
governments to enable them to conceptualise and manage health systems in their
jurisdictions, with support from national and regional bodies.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:10pt 0in 0.0001pt 14.15pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">6.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Immediately reverse the rebranding of Health and Wellness Centres as
‘Arogya mandirs’, in keeping with the constitutional values of secularism and
inclusivity.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:10pt 0in 0.0001pt 14.15pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">7.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Ensure availability of affordable and quality essential drugs &
diagnostics – Implement effective and rational price control; return to
cost-based pricing. Ensure availability of medicines as per the NLEM 2022,
eliminate all irrational medicines and Fixed Dose Combinations (FDCs). </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:10pt 0in 0.0001pt 14.15pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">8.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Healthcare is primarily the government’s responsibility – Phase out
Government-funded health insurance schemes such as PMJAY and Public Private
Partnerships.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:10pt 0in 0.0001pt 14.15pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">9.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Regulate Private healthcare sector by ensuring effective
implementation of an improved Clinical Establishment Act. All states must
ensure effective regulation of private healthcare while implementing the
Patients Rights Charter, along with transparency and regulation of rates, and
grievance redressal systems for patients. </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:10pt 0in 0.0001pt 14.15pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">10.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Stop
Commercialisation of Medical Education – Review & reform National Medical
Commission and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Ensure highest
standard of medical, nursing and other allied medical services education and
one common uniform system of admissions and fee structures</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:10pt 0in 0.0001pt 14.15pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">11.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Protect Workers’
Health – Properly implement National Policy on Safety, Health and Environment
at Work. Ensure effective implementation of laws and related measures to
prevent serious diseases like silicosis caused due to hazardous occupations,
ensure full rehabilitation of families affected by ailments. Strengthen, reform
and expand the ESI system. </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:10pt 0in 0.0001pt 14.15pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">12.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">A public-centred
system for universal health care, ensuring a common system to provide health
care for all residents of India, must be developed in the foreseeable future.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:10pt 0in 0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Cambria,serif"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;text-align:justify;margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (PHM-India) proposes the following range
of policy actions in the health sector</span></b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">, which should be
committed to by all political parties and candidates in context of upcoming Lok
Sabha elections. JSA will mobilize and campaign among different sections of the
people around these proposals, and call upon all social movements, civil
society organisations and people to build a consensus around these actions,
which must become the highest political priority in India today.<b><span style="color:rgb(33,33,33)"> </span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;text-align:justify;margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(33,33,33)"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 9pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">I.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Make the Right to healthcare a justiciable right through
the enactment of appropriate legislations at Union and State levels. Retain
health services as a state subject with strong emphasis on federalism</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 9.35pt;text-align:justify;border:none;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">There is a need to
ensure all-encompassing healthcare access from primary to tertiary services,
for the entire population by enacting Right to healthcare legislations at State
level. This should be supported by an appropriate legal, financial and operational
framework at national level. In a complementary manner, public health laws must
secure access to health determinants, protecting people’s health from various
influences. The overall direction should be to establish healthcare as a
fundamental right in the Indian Constitution.</span><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black"> Health services should remain with the State List as enshrined in
the Constitution and should not be made part of the concurrent list.</span><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 9.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 9pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">II.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Rapidly increase public expenditure on Healthcare to reach
3.5% of GDP, with at least 1% of GDP being spent by the Union Government. </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 8.65pt;text-align:justify;border:none;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><a name="m_-2047692324460680182__heading=h.1fob9te"></a><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Overall
public health expenditure must be majorly increased to reach 3.5% in the short
term. While enabling this, the Union government should </span><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">transfer a much<span style="color:black"> larger share of resources to
states through the Finance Commission (FC), and a special financial envelope
for states should be created for implementation of Right to Health and
Healthcare under the XVI Finance Commission. Special grants under XV FC to local
bodies should be augmented further, to foster decentralised governance and
delivery of healthcare services. Allocation towards the National Health Mission
should be enhanced to facilitate upgradation and expansion of rural and urban
health services, and dealing with communicable as well as non-communicable
diseases and climate related health challenges. Greater flexibility should be
accorded to states to decide on the priorities within NHM and the process of
participatory, decentralised planning should be strengthened. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 8.65pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 8.65pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">III.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Out-of-pocket expenditure on health must be minimised and
brought down to below 25% of health spending in next five years</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 8.65pt;text-align:justify;border:none;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Out-of-pocket (OOP) spending on healthcare should be
minimised so that no one is pushed into poverty, or faces catastrophic health
spending and indebtedness due to healthcare expenses. Current decline in
utilisation of health services due to high spending by households is
unacceptable and must be reversed to ensure that no one has to forgo healthcare
due to unaffordable costs. The objective of reducing OOP to less than 25% of
health spending should be adopted as a national goal.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 8.65pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 9pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">IV.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Expand and strengthen the public healthcare system to
ensure free availability of quality health care at all levels, including entire
range of medicines, diagnostics and vaccines</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 9pt;text-align:justify;border:none;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Strengthen and
enable public health systems at all levels in rural and urban areas to provide
free comprehensive services, essential drugs and diagnostics, expanding both
quantity and quality based on health services standards. This would require
upgradation of public health </span><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">facilities,
with matching human resource policy and improved governance and management.
Combined with this, it is important to ensure nationwide access to essential
medicines and diagnostics in all public facilities, based on models of successful
state level schemes such as those operating in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and
Rajasthan. Along with ensuring genuinely autonomous public corporations with
adequate and competent staff and various measures for transparency and
responsiveness, public budgets on medicines must be </span><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">substantially <span style="color:black">upscaled to meet the
requirements. </span>The government must provide all essential medicines,
diagnostics, and medical devices, free of charge, in publicly run hospitals for
life-threatening diseases, in order to fulfill its constitutional obligations
under Article 21.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">
</span><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Ensure
regular, adequate availability of essential vaccines through the public health
system.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 9pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 9.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">V.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Eliminate corruption, ensure community accountability and
democratise the health system</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 9.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">It is essential to
ensure transparency and social accountability while eradicating corruption in
the Public health system, based on processes for broad based participation and
democratisation. Ensure empowered participation of people through generalisation
of community-based planning and monitoring, with involvement of public
representatives, people’s organizations, women's groups and health sector CSOs
at all levels from village to state. Develop a community-driven health system
with active, diversified participation and strong grievance redressal
mechanisms. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 9.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 9.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">VI.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Replace Government funded health insurance schemes with a
Public centred system for Universal Health Care, eliminate PPPs and
privatisation of health services</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 9.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Phase out the
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana - based on the discredited insurance model -
in a phased manner, and replace this with a Public centred system for Universal
Health Care. In the interim, all admissions under the scheme in private
facilities must be based on gatekeeping by public health facilities, regarding
those conditions where services are not available within the public system.
There is clear need as well as potential to develop a public centred system for
Universal Health Care, based on major expansion and strengthening of public
services, while engaging regulated private providers to address current gaps.
This system will provide ready access to quality healthcare, which will be
available free of charge to everyone. Eliminate existing PPPs which weaken
public services, abolish privatization of government health services, no
government hospitals or services should be handed over to private companies. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;text-align:justify;margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 9.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">VII.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Reverse the rebranding of Health and Wellness Centres as
‘Arogya mandirs’</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 6pt 9.35pt;text-align:justify;border:none;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Without any significant expansion in number of SCs and HWCs and
augmenting the provision of services in those facilities, the Union government
has arbitrarily renamed these public institutions built over the last several
decades, as ‘<i>Arogya mandirs’</i> </span><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13)">with religious connotations. <span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">This is clearly a violation of principles of
secularism enshrined under the constitution, and must be immediately reversed.
It must be e</span>nsured that public institutions remain secular and
inclusive, focusing on the overall well-being of all citizens. <span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Instead of making such negative
and superficial changes, efforts should be made to substantially strengthen and
upgrade the Sub-centres and PHCs now designated as HWCs, to provide
comprehensive primary care.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;text-align:justify;margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 6pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">VIII.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Ensure justice for all health workers, upgrading and
regulating training of health force </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">All scheme based
and contractual health workers, including ASHAs and Anganwadi workers, must be
regularised while ensuring them adequate wages and protection under labour
laws. The policy of contractualisation must be replaced by systematic
regularisation of all types of contractual employees in health services. All
vacancies in Health Departments must be filled and new posts created as per
requirement. All health workers including ANMs, Nurses, Doctors and Paramedics
must be paid decent wages while working in a supportive environment. There must
be complete transparency in the processes of recruitment, transfers and
promotions of officers and employees in the health system. Increase public
investment in health professional education and training and regulate private
institutions providing training for healthcare personnel. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;text-align:justify;margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 8pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">IX.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Need for major reforms in medical
education and National Medical Council</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 6pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> There
is an urgent need to control commercialized private medical colleges, while not
sanctioning further such private colleges and mandating their fees to be not
higher than government medical colleges. </span><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">There is need for
independent, multi-stakeholder review and reform of the structure and
functioning of the National Medical Commission, which has come under major
criticism for lack of representation of diverse stakeholders, promoting high
degree of centralisation in decision-making with erosion of state autonomy, and
promotion of further commercialisation of medical education. There is a
particular need to review and restructure the National Eligibility cum Entrance
Test (NEET) which tends to place candidates from rural areas, those from
non-English medium schools and less privileged backgrounds at a disadvantage.
NEET encroaches on the autonomy of states in determining their own medical
admission processes, and the imposition of NEET is perceived as an infringement
on state level educational policies.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 6pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 8pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">X.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Adopt a people-centred, rational pharmaceutical policy and
make medicines affordable for all</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 6pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">A pro-people
pharmaceutical policy must be implemented which would bring all essential
medicines and devices under effective and rational price control. The
comprehensive price control regime should restore cost-based pricing for all
medicines, along with banning irrational drugs and combinations, regulating
pharma marketing practices, and promoting generic medicine outlets. It is
important to implement a comprehensive generic medicine policy, which covers
labelling as well as prescribing of all medicines. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 6pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Resist dilution
of Patent Law provisions that protect national interests and use public health
safeguards in the Indian Patent Act. Reject provisions being pushed through
Free Trade Agreements which affect the production of low-cost generic drugs.
Utilize compulsory licensing provisions to reduce the costs of high-cost
treatments for diseases such as cancer and rare diseases. Additionally, address
regulatory barriers to the entry of costly biosimilar medicines. Monitor online
medicine trade, and effectively promote fair-priced drug outlets.<span style="color:rgb(13,13,13)"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 6pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Strengthen public
pharmaceutical industries and public sector vaccine production units, while
rolling back their privatisation. Addressing Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
issues, coupled with scaling up production through Indian public sector
companies would enhance vaccine accessibility. Reinstate funding for
Open-Source Drug Discovery (OSDD) initiatives, promoting collaborative research
for affordable and accessible medications. It is also recommended to abolish
GST imposed on sale of medicines<span style="color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">, as part of the wider spectrum of measures required to
ensure affordability of medicines, which are essential life-saving products.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 2pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">XI.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Protect workers health</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 2pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Ensure health protection for all workers
in unorganised as well as organised sectors. Formulate and enforce a
comprehensive occupational health and safety (OHS) policy, while integrating
OHS into the medical curriculum. Properly i</span><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">mplement the National
policy on safety, health and environment at work (2009), adopt all ILO
conventions concerning workers health and safety. It is important to integrate
occupational health services with general health services at all levels.
Strictly implement laws and related measures to prevent occupational diseases
like silicosis and other occupational lung diseases. Ensure full rehabilitation
of families affected by these ailments as done in the instance of the Bonded
Labour System Abolition Act.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Implement health
impact assessments for all corporate projects, ensuring transparency and
participation. Majorly strengthen and reform the ESI system, expanding this
system to provide healthcare protection for all workers in both organized and
unorganized sectors.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 2pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:6pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Cambria,serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 8pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">XII.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Regulate the Private healthcare sector and safeguard
patients’ rights</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Effectively
regulate the private healthcare sector by amending the Clinical Establishment
Act-2010, towards ensuring patient rights, quality of care, transparency and standardisation
of rates. To check irrational and unnecessary interventions, treatment
practices need to be more standardised, with these measures people will not
have to pay huge bills in private hospitals. States should adopt such improved
regulation or should enact their own acts with similar positive provisions. It
is important to establish well-staffed, dedicated mechanisms for effective
implementation of these regulations, which include people’s representation. The
complete 'Patient Rights Charter' must be strictly enforced in all hospitals
and health facilities, display of indicative rates will be mandatory and
user-friendly grievance redressal system should be operationalised. Rates for
diagnostics also must be regulated, and “cut practice” should be effectively
banned. It is also important to implement a publicly managed admission system
for charitable hospital beds, so that referrals from government facilities to
charitable trust hospitals can optimize utilisation of beds for economically
weaker sections.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 8pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">XIII.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Promote medical pluralism and AYUSH systems of healing</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">It is necessary to support medical pluralism so that people have a
choice to access non-allopathic systems of healing, including safe
home-based birthing practices. Substantial encouragement and funds must be
given to research and documentation, to promote evidence-based use of AYUSH and
traditional community-based systems of healing. At the same time, certain
commercialised Ayurvedic companies have been found to make exaggerated health
claims about their products, although these claims may not be demonstrated.
There have also been concerns about some Ayurvedic products related to quality
control and safety issues. Hence there is need for effective, appropriate
regulatory oversight of Ayurvedic and other AYUSH systems of medicine in
context of growing commercialisation and certain kind of political patronage to
specific companies. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 8pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">XIV.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Ensure gender sensitive health services and social support
systems</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Recognize
gender-based violence as an important public health concern, providing prompt
rescue, comprehensive medical care, and sustained support. Address gender-based
violence and harassment concerning health workers urgently. Ensure equitable,
quality healthcare for women, adolescents, children, and LGBTQ individuals from
all backgrounds, including those experiencing violence. Universalize maternity
benefits for all, including contractual and daily wage workers, and provide
workplace creche and restrooms for working mothers with small children.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 8pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">XV.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Ensure comprehensive healthcare for vulnerable groups and
sections with special health needs, eliminate all forms of discrimination and
exclusion in health care </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Implement special
measures to provide comprehensive, quality health services for vulnerable
populations and those with special needs, addressing vulnerabilities related to
social background, health status, lifecycle position, occupation and other
factors. This must address </span><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">the health needs of </span><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">women, dalits,
adivasis, Muslims and minority communities, particularly vulnerable tribal
groups, LGBTQ persons, refugee and migrant populations, people in conflict
areas, people living with HIV, manual scavengers, waste pickers, differently abled persons, children
and elderly persons, and all other vulnerable groups. <span style="color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Urgently eliminate all forms of
discrimination including caste, community, religion, tribe, or ethnicity-based
discrimination in the health sector, while ensuring the right to healthcare for
all with dignity. Remove mandatory Aadhar linking for accessing health
services, and ensure access to healthcare for all without barriers based on
state domicile, citizenship proof, etc.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 8pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">XVI.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Address mental health in comprehensive manner, upgrade
disease control and preventive health programmes</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Ensure
comprehensive treatment for mental health problems, community-oriented care and
wider promotion of mental health, through enhanced implementation of an
expanded District Mental Health Programme within the National Mental Health
Policy framework. Address inadequacies in dealing with major diseases, like
HIV-AIDS and Tuberculosis through expanded and reoriented health programs.
Upgrade preventive health programmes and enhance mechanisms to handle
communicable diseases based on a review of current systems.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 8pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">XVII.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Regulation of clinical trials, promoting people-oriented
health research</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Implement strict
regulation and fair compensation for clinical trial participants, which would
be effectively monitored by CDSCO. Develop a justiciable charter of rights for
clinical trial participants. Upgrade public health research capacity, while
facilitating the use of findings to guide action and improve health systems.
Ensure effective regulation of conflicts of interest, ensure adequate </span><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">national sources of funding for Indian research institutions <span style="color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">to prevent
dependence on transnational agencies and corporations. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 8pt 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:107%;border:none;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">XVIII.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">Multi-dimensional initiatives to ensure social
determinants of health</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Enhance the
capacity of the Public health system to monitor and advocate for multi-pronged
action on social determinants of health, involving various concerned
departments. Foster inter-sectoral coordination to improve social determinants,
considering factors like food security, nutrition, sanitation, environmental
pollution, climate change, working conditions, road safety, substance abuse,
and violence. Ensure effective implementation and amendment of various laws for
people's rights and gender justice. Universalize and expand ICDS to cover
under-3 children and establish community-owned programs and daycare services
for majorly improved nutrition, health and well-being of women and children.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Reclaiming public health as part of the broader
movement for defending democracy</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in 0in 0in 7.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Today <span style="color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">India
faces a critical juncture in our history, with democracy coming under
unprecedented attack, growing communalisation and social exclusion, and an
aggressively pro-corporate political economy. Expanding democracy and
overturning the pro-corporate policy framework is now crucial to ensure
people’s health rights and strengthen public health systems. As Jan Swasthya
Abhiyan we resolve to integrate our actions for advancing public health with
various broader movements for defending and expanding democracy and secularism,
while promoting peace and social harmony in India and our region. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;text-align:justify;margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif;color:rgb(13,13,13);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>
<div style="font-size:small;border:1pt solid black;padding:1pt 4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;border:none;padding:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Cambria,serif">We
strongly appeal to all political parties believing in democracy and social
justice, </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:6pt 0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;border:none;padding:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Cambria,serif">to
place Right to health and healthcare centrally on their agenda for elections in
2024!</span></b></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:11pt;margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"> </span></p></div></div>
</div></div>