Universal Health Coverage Policy and Practice Framework in India: A Review

Abstract

Universal health coverage has recently been listed on top of the worldwide health agenda backed by multilateral and donor organizations. Unless and until the concept is clearly understood, “universal coverage” (or universal health coverage i.e. UHC) can be used to define practically any health financing reform or scheme. All countries are concerned to provide better equity in the use of health services, service quality and financial protection for their people. Hence, the achievement of UHC is relevant to every country. It is the duty of ever nation to provide free and universal access to quality health-care services to its citizens irrespective of causing any economic burden on them. India as a country continues to be among the countries of the world that have a high burden of diseases. In a developing country like India, 39 million people are being impoverished because of Out-of-pocket health expenditures each year and a major share of these expenditures are contributed by hospitalization. Out-of-pocket expenditures are huge even after the financial protection given by a number of health insurance programs. These pose challenges along with a global discourse to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) – increasing access to quality healthcare services at affordable cost, by all people; and in times of fast economic growth in India. The Indian people deserve and demand an efficient and equitable health system which can provide UHC. UHC in India could only be achieved by increasing spending on health sector, if the primary health care facilities receive a minimum of 70% of health spending, public spending on the purchase of medicines increase from 0.1% to 0.5% GDP, and all the health facilities in India are upgraded to match the Indian Public Health Standards. This paper unfolds all the aspects related to policy and practice of achieving Universal Health Coverage in India.