Azim Premji University releases report on ‘Health Care Equity in Urban India’
In the light of disproportionate health vulnerabilities faced by the urban poor in India, Azim Premji University (APU) in collaboration with 17 regional NGOs released a report titled ‘Health Care Equity in Urban India’ to tackle the problem.
“The report explores the understanding of the health vulnerabilities of the urban poor, the availability, access and cost of healthcare facilities, and the possibilities in future-proofing services over the next decade,” APU said in a statement on November 19.
Calling for significant investments to enhance health facilities and infrastructure in cities, the report found that the poor have a higher disease burden, chaotic urban health governance, financial burden on the poor and less investment by urban local bodies in healthcare. Is.
To address these issues, universities and NGOs have focused on strengthening community participation and governance, creating a comprehensive and dynamic database on health and nutritional status, strengthening health care provision through the National Urban Health Mission, and helping the poor. Called for policy measures to reduce the financial burden on ,
Among other findings, the report noted that the life expectancy of the poorest in urban areas was lower, compared to the richest, by 9.1 years for men and 6.2 years for women.
Cost-wise, the report found that evidence from Bengaluru showed that even 30% of the poorest quintile seek healthcare from private sources. Since there is a 10-fold difference in cost between public and private facilities, this significantly adds to their financial burden.
“Urban healthcare has received relatively little research and policy attention. This report is an important contribution to increasing our understanding of the health vulnerabilities of the urban poor, revealing the challenges of health system governance in various cities and towns, and provides a road map to remodel our urban health systems,” said APU Professor Arima Mishra.
Universities and NGOs pointed out that the 74th Constitutional Amendment, 1992 mandated a central role for urban local bodies to invest in healthcare, but this was hardly visible, except in parts of Bengaluru, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram. Give.
“APU aims to contribute to a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society. The pandemic has exposed huge inequalities in healthcare for disadvantaged sections in rural and urban India. This comprehensive report on Health Care in Urban India Health This exposes major deficiencies in the system which leads to inadequate health access for the urban poor,” said Richa Govil, Director, School of Development, APU.
The report drew insights from data collected through detailed interactions with civil society organizations in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Surat, Lucknow, Guwahati, Ranchi and Delhi.
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