Health Services in Madhya Pradesh

Health in Madhya Pradesh

It just not a coincidence that Madhya Pradesh tops the list with highest Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of 72, Lowest life expectancy of 57.7 Years in comparison to Indian average of 63.2 years. 80 percent of the expenditure comes out of private pocket and this is the biggest cause of indebtedness among tribal, dalit and other marginalized communities. We just have one hospital bed for the population of 5.6 villages in public health institutions. In the collapsed health system even doctors do not want to work, interestingly in last 4 years average post of 39 CMHOs have been filled by in charge doctors, so that they could be exploited by the authorities. Only 137 posts of gynecologists and obstetricians are approved in the entire state, many of which were vacant for years. After a long battle, the government began the process of filling the vacancies last year: 78 posts of gynecologists and obstetricians, and 112 posts for anesthetists. But only 31 applications were received for the former and only 12 anesthetists’ posts could be filled. Expenditure in health services has increased enormously in comparison to any other services because it is essential but not fully provided by the Government. Alarmingly provision for Health sector has been stagnant to 2.40% of the total Madhya Pradesh budget expenditure; it simply means that strengthening public health sector is not a priority for the Government. Presently Madhya Pradesh allocates approximately 900 Crore rupees for the State Health services, for the population of 6.50 Crore. It means only an amount of Rs. 138 has been allocated per person per year. Interestingly, even out of this amount Rs. 114 just goes in Salary and overheads account and one person gets Rs. 2 for medicine, checkups, investigations and other care.
There has been a need to create more and more infrastructure and new institutions in the State, but again not a singe Primary Health Institution has been created in last five years in the State. The state of Madhya Pradesh needs 478 PHCs and 1528 Sub Health Centers for last 8 Years, but no improvement could be seen. Normally data does not give a very real picture, but here it will!! According to population we require 916 Medical Specialists, but only 49 in place, out of 4708 posts of Medical Officers 1659 are laying vacant, there are only 216 pharmacists in Health department against the need of 1421, and 1098 posts of ANM are still to be filled. The reality on political side is very depressing, because political parties or even peoples representatives never came out on road for people’s right to Health Care. It very difficult to say that now doctors will come and join the state health services at any COST, because now they are bound to spend Rs 25-35 Lakh to become a doctor, and a salary of Rs. 40 thousand will not support them to pay the interest against the education loan. In other words, if Government have human character and wants to provide genuine health services to poor, they will have to subsidies and control the medical education.