PROMOTING HEALTH RIGHTS , PATIENT’S RIGHTS AND COMMUNITY ACTION FOR HEALTH

Our respected guest Dr. Abhay Shukla, Senior  Coordinator of SATHI-CEHAT, provided us with a highly interactive and informative session pertaining to community health, the fundamental rights of a patient and how these can be promoted.

Dr. Shukla emphasized on the relationship shared between patients and the healthcare providers. Private sector plays a major role in healthcare delivery in India. However there is no regulatory act governing the standardization of rates in these private  hospitals. For example, a simple Cesarean  section may cost anything between 15000 rupees to 1 lakh rupees. This may lead to  an explosion on healthcare costs in highly commercialized private corporate hospitals. We must have a comprehensive regulatory body.

A patient has following FOUR BASIC RIGHTS- 

The following issues related to RTI were  addressed  during the lecture -

•       Doctors do not give back reports to patients who want a second opinion. But a second opinion is a patient’s right.
•      There should be an Emergency care in every hospital for immediate help in case of a casualty.
•     Sexual harassment of women patients must be curbed.
•     Patients having AIDS must not be refused treatment.
•     JAN SWASTHYA ABHIYAAN aims at removing these discriminations.
•    There are various trust hospitals that do not obey rules that should be followed by trust hospitals.
•     20% beds must be reserved for backward classes but that does not happen.
•    The corporate hospitals have a trait of trying to out do the smaller hospitals. This is called Corporatization. 

He Also mentioned, according to the PROFIT LOGIC only the one’s with money get healthcare. According to SOCIAL LOGIC healthcare is a human right. Dr Shukla highlighted the ventures  of SATHI teaming  up with JADS in Barwani in MP since 2000.In the Community health centre in Pati, the people were unsure about the workings of the hospital. There were no proper doctors and no rules and schedules were followed. The needles were reused. No proper hygiene was maintained. Due to the help rendered by SATHI and the villagers the following changes could be achieved-

•     Doctors were on time
•     Ambulance services started
•     Separate needles were used
•     No illegal charges were demanded
•     New hospital building was being constructed.

LEVELS OF PLANNING – STATE PLANNING AND MONITORING BY SATHI-

The levels of monitoring begin from the District level where a body of people especially doctors monitor a particular district. All affairs under the district are planned by this body. These people assign delegates to a smaller area or the Block inside the district. Inside each block there are the smaller and more compact  People’s health care units that cater to the healthcare needs of various small villages. This is a chain of events that is closely monitored and followed.

Overall the session gave us a comprehensive idea about how collaboration can help our community in terms of health, especially in rural areas. It was highly enjoyable and had a very practical approach to spreading awareness and other health issues. 

Ms. Tanima Debmallik

MBA HHM 2014-16