The issue of physical reach exists but it is not as big as the issue of availability in the public channels.
Inadequate infrastructure, lack of availability of healthcare workers and medicines, quality of facilities and longer waiting time in public sector continue to push people into seeking private care Affordability is a consequence of the unintended overuse of the private health channel
As we improve availability of healthcare services, we also need to augment the governance systems to drive higher performance. There is a need to set up measurable standards of performance, provide necessary training for healthcare workers and create efficient and transparent work and decision-making processes. This needs to be followed up with creation of monitoring and adjustment systems and providing proper incentives and drive effective enforcement
There is a need for active collaboration between government and private sector to improve quality of care and healthcare service. To effectively address gaps across dimensions of access, the government needs to work together with private players – the key principle being that the government act as the payer while the private sector taking care of delivery. To control costs and ensure standards are maintained, this needs to be accompanied with adequate monitoring /checks
Private participation (NGOs, corporations, private providers, equipment manufacturers, etc) across the healthcare chain will be very much required to drive accelerated implementation of reforms.
As we add infrastructure, we will also need to increase penetration of healthcare insurance at an accelerated pace. Until the usage of public health facilities increases, the poor need to be insulated by providing insurance at a faster rate. To make this more effective for the poor, awareness of the programs and schemes for the poor need to be elevated further.
– Amit Backliwal, MD – South Asia, IMS Health