Right To Health (English)

The Pandemic is perhaps the best time for global citizens to answer a key question that has so far remained on the sidelines of our national policy. Is health care a commodity that can be bought and sold, or is it a right bestowed upon us by the constitution?               While the constitution doesn't explicitly recognise it  as a fundamental right, our judiciary and a large majority of people see healthcare as a right and doctors as performing the hollowed duty of saving lives. But 70% of patient care in our country today is handled by private hospitals and health insurance companies that have profit as their main motive.                           The result is that health care is trapped in a strange contradiction. We call health a right but  allow private hospitals to sell that right as a commodity, akin to a pair of bathroom slippers if the old ones break, but you can't buy your health afresh every few month.                            Governments work on statistics which can be manipulated. But the right to health should be constitutionally guaranteed without ifs and buts.                    If Parliament and global leadership want it can pass a new law that clearly defines health as a fundamental right, though the indian supreme court has interpreted the Directive Principles of State Policy to make health policy to make health part of fundamental rights.                                The indian top court has given a number of judgements stating that health can not be separated from the right to life and liberty. The fundamental right to life means a life of dignity and not merely subsistence. Dignity comes from a basic standard of living which includes sanitation and access to healthcare.Supreme court of india in it's various judgement reaffirmed the government's constitutional responsibility to provide health services.                             We have given up  on many socialist values, liberalised our economy and allowed private hospitals and insurance companies  to run as business.                     The problem though is not with privatization but how healthcare has become a seller's market in india.We don't have enough government hospitals to cater to a majority of our citizens, creating a massive gap in supply that private hospitals fill. In the process, even those who can't afford private hospital rates  land up there for treatment even if it means they have to beg, borrow or crowd fund. The pandemic only aggravated this, forcing thousands into debt over unpaid medical bills. In one public intrest litigation, the petitioners wanted  minimum standard of health care to be defined and hospitals  to display rate cards. Supreme court observes "These hospitals have become like a huge real estate industry instead of serving the cause of humanity in the face of human tragedy."     But even as we accuse private hospitals of profiteering  in the pandemic, should we also not ask why we have allowed our government hospitals to operate with some of the worst infrastructure? Afterall, it is the government's responsibility to protect health as a right. The Human Development Report 2020,says india has just five beds per 10000 people, ranking 155th among 167 countries in bed availability.           Even health insurance companies  in India are giving poor performance. They are very quick in making objections and reluctant in paying bills.                     Health is cause of concern for both rich and poor. It is also major cause of poverty.                            It is high time india and countries of world should recognise "Right To Health" for every citizens.