Dr. Justice A.S.Anand, Chairperson, NHRC has said that the state of health care facility in the country is appalling and that the public and private sectors need to act in partnership to bring health care facilities to the common people. He said that the Commission acknowledges the various constraints of the Governments in providing health care to all but this cannot be accepted by the citizens as an excuse for the denial of their right to health. The State cannot avoid its constitutional obligation with regard to providing health care on account of financial constraints. He said that in terms of health care facilities the country faces three-basic challenges-accessibility, availability and affordability. Dr. Justice Anand was addressing the participants of the Review Meeting of the Recommendations of NHRC Core Group on Health and Public Hearing on Health organized by the Commission on 4 March 2006 in New Delhi.
Justice Anand stressed that health care facilities must be upgraded and that the civil society be involved in the matter of preventive health care in rural areas. Let the civil society feel that issues of public health require their public support and come forward to do the needful, he said.
The Commission has consistently taken the view that the right to a life with human dignity, enshrined in the Constitution must result in the strengthening of measures to ensure that the people of this country, and particularly those belonging to economically disadvantaged sections of society, have access to better and more comprehensive health facilities.
The Commission has focused on the issue of 'Right to Health' especially on issues related to silicosis, organ transplant, blood transfusion, HIV/AIDS related issue and Emergency Medical Care. It had organized five Regional Public Hearings on Health followed by a National Hearing in December 2004.
The day long deliberations were aimed at consolidating the efforts of the past and of all the stake holders and role players like the Department of Health and Family Welfare both at Central and State Governments, the members of the core group of Health and the Commission so as to list out the road map for the coming years and to give practical recommendations.
Senior officials of the Commission, members of the NHRC Core Group on Health, senior officials of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, representatives of State Health Departments and the Members of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, an NGO took part in the deliberations.