Charting an agenda on the right to health, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• The National Convention on Health Rights is being held in New Delhi on December 11-12, 2025.
• Around 400 health professionals, community leaders, and activists will participate.
• The convention is organized by Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (People’s Health Movement – India).
• Key issues to be addressed include privatization of public health services, regulation of private healthcare, and low public health funding.
• The convention will also focus on justice for health workers and access to affordable medicines.
• Discussions will include strategies for eliminating discrimination in healthcare access.

Detailed Insights:

• The push for public-private partnerships is leading to the privatization of medical colleges and health facilities, threatening public health services.
• Commercial private healthcare has expanded rapidly but lacks necessary regulation, leading to overcharging and violations of patient rights.
• India's public health allocation is low, with only 2% of the Union Budget allocated for health services and $25 annual per capita spending.
• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of frontline health workers, who often face low wages and insecure employment.
• Medicines constitute a significant portion of household medical spending, with over 80% remaining outside price control.
• The convention aims to advocate for public health systems capable of delivering universal, quality services, especially for the 80 crore people dependent on public provisioning.
• Discussions will address how social hierarchies impact healthcare access for marginalized groups like Dalits, Adivasis, and LGBTQ+ persons.
• The event is timed with the winter session of Parliament to facilitate dialogue between delegates and Members of Parliament on health policy issues.
• Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA) is celebrating its 25th anniversary, having worked across 20 states to advance health rights and pro-people policies.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Right to Health: The basic human right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.
• Universal Health Coverage: Ensuring all people have access to needed health services without financial hardship.
• Public-Private Partnership: Collaboration between a government agency and a private sector company to finance, build, and operate projects.