Editorial: Modi govt must heed RSS chief Bhagwat’s advice

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s call to treat healthcare and education as fundamental societal duties and not as profit-driven ventures deserves serious attention

Healthcare and education are the two areas that need to be freed from the clutches of market forces. It is the bounden duty of the governments to take care of the healthcare and educational needs of the people, as they form the foundation for an all-round progress of any society. It was heartening that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat recently spoke candidly on these pressing national issues and called for resurrecting the ethos of dharma that treat healthcare and education as fundamental societal duties and not as profit-driven ventures. The Centre must heed the advice of the Sarsanghchalak, who is the ideological mentor of the BJP. His candid assessment of where the country’s performance stands in this regard is quite welcome. While inaugurating an affordable cancer-care centre in Indore, he lamented how healthcare and education were increasingly becoming inaccessible to the common man as they have been commercialised. Bhagwat’s critique, coming amid reports of strain between the RSS and the BJP leadership, signals a call for policy redirection, emphasising access, affordability and service. It is an everyday experience that the growing healthcare expenditure crushes millions of Indian households. Only around 17 per cent of health spending nationwide comes from public coffers, leaving an overwhelming 82 per cent to be met through out-of-pocket payments. The consequential burden on the pockets can be very severe, and in many cases, hospitalisation can push families into lifelong debt. It is estimated that a visit to the hospital pushes 5.5 crore people below the poverty line every year.

India’s expenditure on healthcare accounts for just over 1.17 per cent of the GDP, one of the lowest in the world. It also has one of the lowest health workforces in the world. Over the years, the public health spend in terms of percentage to the GDP has not moved much despite increasing overall allocation for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Unless the public expenditure on healthcare, particularly in semi-urban and rural areas, is increased significantly, ground realities will remain the same. Often, the patient’s loss of income compounds the problem. The disproportionate concentration of specialists in urban areas adds to the woes of the ailing masses. The disparity in medical expenses between government and private hospitals is too glaring to ignore. Unfortunately, this important public issue doesn’t get the attention of political parties, nor does it find a mention in their manifestos. The same is the case with the education sector. India’s spending on the education sector has always been low. Demographic dividend is often touted as one of the key advantages that India enjoys. However, this power of the youth can be fully harnessed only if it is nurtured as an educated workforce. Since the development of human resources holds the key to progress, any government spending on education must be treated as an investment for a better future.

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