Dear Vinod Bhanu

The issues are not new and they have been well addressed under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). What is more important is that we need policy corrections rather than new policies. We need strict supervision and monitoring of programmes instead of developing any new system. Since health is a State subject, the federal government has little scope of interference in functioning and implementation of public health schemes.

In NRHM, huge funds have been pumped in for development of infrastructures at village, block and district level health institutions. Hence, the picture has been visibly fine in terms of infrastructure development.

On Preventive front, convergence of various link departments is envisaged in NRHM. Nevertheless, it is an uphill task yet to be made realistic. The main bottle neck for convergence is the lack of understanding among Departments about the concept of convergence and merger. Similarly, as per the mandate of ICDS three out of six services are provided by the Health department. However the Department of Women and Child Development is not recognizing the position of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) who is a link worker under NRHM. They are going their own way and health department is working on its own. Similar is the situation of Panchayat Raj Department.

Lastly, on Communicable Diseases, a very comprehensive and ambitious project is the Integrated Diseases Surveillance Project (IDSP), which is also under NRHM. But after four years of launch of NRHM, this very project has not taken off properly. Few states like Gujarat has taken up this project seriously otherwise it is still in incubation phase.

So, my submission is that, we have to advocate for proper implementation and strengthening of existing systems and programmes. Above all, ensuring quality of service delivery to the Indian poor masses in order to ensure a healthy and disease-free India needs to be our priority.

Abid Siraj
UNICEF
Rajasthan