Report of State Health Assembly, Odisha
The State Health Assembly started with the welcome address of Sri Ajaya Tripathy eminent public health expert of State JSA. Gournaga Mohapatra, Convener JSA, Odisha presided over the inaugural session and briefly presented the objective of the Health assembly and how the JSA born and it’s journey from 1999 to till date. He also informed the participants about the activity undertaken by Odisha JSA to make health for all. Dr. Madan Mohan Pradhan, Deputy Director Health, Government of Odisha the chief speaker of the programme who has been closely associated with Jan Swasthya Aviyan from the beginning requested to gave the keynote address and set the context of the assembly. He spoke about the initial days of public health movement why it came and how people voices need to raised for appropriate health care. Government both centers and state have been focusing on schemes. They have been forgetting about comprehensive health care to all. NGOs are becoming project oriented. Projects and funds are necessary but it is not that when they don’t have funds withdrawn from the place saying we have no more funds. That’s like suicidal. In that way, NGOs are doing more harm to the people. NOGs are also working vertically they confined within their project and programme. If they haven’t see the health, education, environment, livelihood in an interrelated manner or never raise the voice in the proper manner and proper time then it will not be possible to stand health for all. Health is not confined with 3Ds (Dieses, Doctor, and Drug). NIRAMAYA needn’t considered as free medicine scheme of Government that is comprehensive health. Each people of the state should live with a healthy life physically, mentally and spiritually. To have that we as a group have to raise the felt health need of people before concerned authorities. For that a strong movement is required and for movement evidence is essential. If the free medicine scheme launched and there are sufficient medicines procured and supply we then have to understand why and how the chemists’ shops are grooming. There is the visible and invisible cause behind every outcome. So, if out of pocket expenditure of common men is increasing then we need to realize what happens underneath. For that, we need to study on that point. Its’ may take as one instance. Certainly, there are ‘N’ number of issues we need to work. India has the unique feature of fighting against growing NCD and communicable diseases those are not inclined to go away. So the double burden has the serious impact on the society as a whole. India is in the bottom line of countries investing in health which is merely one percent. And we can’t imagine with meager on percent the dream like health for all. Tusharkanti Ray senior Public Health Expert told its’ contrary that we have been shuttling between the logic of preventive and curative health care without thinking about the determinants of health. When a small neighboring country can able to give own people the best primary health care and education why not India. WASH, education, road, communication, nutrition, livelihood, environment along with the drugs, doctor, and disease combined form health. So, health can’t think in isolation and we can’t close our eyes to the vicious circle of profit, corruption, exploitations in healthcare sector contributed an increase of poor to poorer population. Dr. Rashmi Ranjan Satapthy, Joint Director Public Health, in his address told he is coming in a short notice and prior to this occasion. He is the State nodal office or non-communicable disease. Out of pocket expenditure increased in non-communicable diseases. Government is all set to introduce an AAP so that patient can know where the service facility is available. Very shortly population base screening will available at people’s point. TB and other lifestyle diseases will be identified in a early stage and treatment can be start immediately. The timing and facilities everything can access by the patient. There is a huge information gap. In 22 urban PHCs of doctors, medicines and other services are available but people are keeping coming to Capital Hospital. In that way they are losing time, money in travel and increasing caseload in Capital Hospital also hampered the service. He promised for all king of support to JSA in future. Dr. Amit Sengupta told health is our right. It should be the country agenda. Health should get the prominent place. Fact is that malnutrition children are getting diabetes and hypertension at a very tender age. Jan Swastha Aviyan is not only isolating from basic facilities like livelihood, food, nutrition, drinking water, cleanliness etc. Man is not a beast and no man like to live in the filthy place if the situation is not forced on them. But our tendency is victim blaming. Illiterate and uneducated people are not idiots. People need to live with dignity. Giving medical services may help to give health 10% but 90% of health depend on health determinants? Government is emphasizing on maternal health and that also begins when a female conceived. What about women health? What about last 20 years before she gets married? What is primary health institution? Where are 24×7 services? The ASHA and Anganwadi workers are the primary caregivers in the rural pocket. Private health service is becoming the part and partial our life. There is a time when doctors were opening the clinic but today anybody can open a hospital. Tractor Company started Escort Hospital. There is no law to restrict. Doctors are nothing but one part of the entire private health system. Mow Health service is purely commercial. In corporate system, Doctors are nothing but servants to fulfill the quota or target given to them in a month by the owner. In India, people are spending money from their pocket from private health care. We are calling it 70:70 paradoxes. 70% of out of pocket money spending in private healthcare and out of that 70% spend on medicines. Treatment is becoming a market policy. The first session came to an end with vote of thanks given …