A hole in the whole: On health sector woes (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2: Health
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Highlighted the health sector woes

Context:

• The lockdown, as it was conceived originally, was meant to be, at best, a stopgap arrangement that would help nations tide over the crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. But as the days rolled on, and the lockdown moved on from phase to phase, it has caused a paralysis in general health care.

Cases rising:

• As sparse health care resources in most parts of the country have been channelled towards the COVID-19 effort, the numbers have risen, but normal health care services have been in suspended animation for just under two months now.
• Staff running several national health program......................................

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Balancing the requirements:

• But the time has now come for the country to balance the different requirements of health care, along with efforts to continue to fight COVID-19. While health-care services themselves have been on the backfoot for non-COVID-19 conditions, except in emergencies, access too, for the bulk of the population, has been hampered by the non-availability of public transportation.
• Recent data from the National Health Mission pointed to less than normal coverage in key areas such as immunisation, institutional deliveries. Further, delay or failure, in delivering life-saving drugs to persons with HIV, tuberculosis, or inability to offer support for other chronic conditions have been documented.
• The usually robust private health system, which caters to various segments of the population, also took a back seat, or played a supportive role.

Conclusion:

• While the Finance Minister’s announcement on increase in health allocations as part of the ₹20-lakh crore relief package is welcome, more than money is required to set this right.
• If life after COVID-19 is not to be worse than life before the pandemic, the governments need to ensure that the country’s multi-layered health system is not sacrificed at the altar of one virus; they need to give it their whole attention, now.
• Health care services cannot be allowed to be overwhelmed by the pandemic.

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Prelims Questions:

Q1.  With reference to the scheme of Interest Subvention on Working Capital Loans for Dairy sector, consider the following statements:
1. Union Government has introduced a new scheme of Interest Subvention on Working Capital Loans for Dairy sector for supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organizations engaged in dairy activities for implementation during 2020-21.
2. The scheme has made provisions for providing interest subvention of 6% per annum, with an additional incentive of 3% per annum interest subvention.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer:

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Mains Questions:
Q1.  Health care services....................................................