Page 125 - Journeys Through Society-7

undernourished. These families are not eating as
much as they should. They are not provided basic
necessities like drinking water, adequate housing,
clean surroundings, etc., and therefore, are more
likely to fall ill. The expenses on illness make their
situation even worse.

Wow Fact

On 27 March, 2014, the World Health
Organisation (WHO) declared India a polio
Private Hospital
free country.
own clinics. There are also many privately run
hospitals and nursing homes which provide good and
specialised treatment for many diseases. They have Gender Discrimination
the most modern equipment, and also have skilled Despite the growth in health facilities, many women in
doctors. However, as most of these hospitals and India do not have access to it. One of the reasons
nursing homes are in cities, they are not easily attributed to this problem is patriarchy. Women are
accessible by people living in far-off villages. They are socially, culturally and economically dependent on
costly too, so their services cannot be utilised by poor men for the provision of health services. This prevents
people. them from getting proper treatment. Gender
The government alone would not be able to cater to discrimination makes women more vulnerable to
the huge demand of the services required. Therefore, various diseases and a high maternal mortality rate.
the government allots land at subsidised rates to The women living in remote areas of the country,
private entities to set up hospitals. This is with the especially women belonging to the weaker sections,
understanding that the hospital will cater to the needs barely have access to health services. They are rarely
of a certain percentage of underprivileged population taken to hospitals or nearby health centres in case of
by providing free healthcare services to them. illness. The government is working with NGOs to
educate women in rural India on health issues.

AI Fact Technology Literacy

Healthcare applications of AI algorithms now include
early illness detection, drug, development trails, precise
patient monitoring and self-care.

Equality in Healthcare

In India, we face a situation where private services are
increasing but public services are not. What is then
available to people are mainly private services. These
are concentrated in urban areas. The cost of these
services is rather high. Medicines are expensive. Many A lady doctor examining her patient
people cannot afford them or have to borrow money
Ayushman Bharat Yojna
when there is an illness in the family.
This scheme came into existence because of
For those who are poor, every illness in the family is a
recommendations made by the National Health
cause of great anxiety and distress. What is worse is
Policy. It is designed keeping in mind Universal Health
that this situation tends to happen again and again.
Coverage (UHC).
Those who are poor are in the first place
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