Public Hearings on Access to Health Care Delivery System
The National Human Rights Commission, in partnership with the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan has begun holding Public Hearings on Access to Health Care Delivery System. This exercise consists of daylong Regional Hearings in five regions across the country followed by a two-daylong National Public Hearing in Delhi.
The objective of the hearings being allowing individuals or groups who have suffered denial of right to health care or have not received mandated health care from a public health facility to present their case before a panel consisting of the NHRC and the State level public health officials. Similarly, violation of health rights due to structural deficiencies at any health facility can be presented at these hearings.
The first such regional hearing on 'Access to Health Care Delivery System' took place in Bhopal on 29 July 2004. Cases from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Goa were presented.
The Bhopal hearing was inaugurated by Member, Justice Y. Bhaskar Rao, who expressed serious concern over malnutrition among children, prevalence of anaemia among women, high rate of infant and maternal mortality rates and lack of access to health care by tribals. He suggested a series of steps to further strengthen the public health delivery system. He also stressed on the need to adopt a rights perspective, observing that this required the ensuring of availability, acceptability, affordability and quality with regard to both health care as well as underlying preconditions for good health.
In his address, the Chairperson of NHRC's Core Group on Health and the National President of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Dr. N.H. Antia highlighted the importance of cooperation. He stressed the need for training of youth and the use of alternative strategies, which take into account our cultural values.
During the daylong public hearing at Bhopal, victims narrated their grievances. This was followed by presentations by State representatives of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan. Senior officials from the Health Departments of these States participated in the hearing as also senior officials from the State Human Rights Commissions of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Nearly 200 victims from the poor and marginalized sections of the society, many of whom were women, participated in the hearing as also non-governmental organizations and health workers from the rural areas of the country.
The second regional hearing at Chennai will follow the Bhopal hearing. Details of the remaining Regional Public Hearings are given below:
S.No Region States Covered by Public Hearing. Venue Date of Public Hearing
1 Southern Region Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala. Chennai 29 August 2004
2 Northern Region Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttranchal. Lucknow 26 September 2004
3 Eastern Region Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Sikkim, Orrisa, Chattisgarh. Ranchi 11 October 2004
4 North Eastern Region All Seven States of North East. Guwahati 28 November 2004
The objective of the hearings being allowing individuals or groups who have suffered denial of right to health care or have not received mandated health care from a public health facility to present their case before a panel consisting of the NHRC and the State level public health officials. Similarly, violation of health rights due to structural deficiencies at any health facility can be presented at these hearings.
The first such regional hearing on 'Access to Health Care Delivery System' took place in Bhopal on 29 July 2004. Cases from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Goa were presented.
The Bhopal hearing was inaugurated by Member, Justice Y. Bhaskar Rao, who expressed serious concern over malnutrition among children, prevalence of anaemia among women, high rate of infant and maternal mortality rates and lack of access to health care by tribals. He suggested a series of steps to further strengthen the public health delivery system. He also stressed on the need to adopt a rights perspective, observing that this required the ensuring of availability, acceptability, affordability and quality with regard to both health care as well as underlying preconditions for good health.
In his address, the Chairperson of NHRC's Core Group on Health and the National President of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Dr. N.H. Antia highlighted the importance of cooperation. He stressed the need for training of youth and the use of alternative strategies, which take into account our cultural values.
During the daylong public hearing at Bhopal, victims narrated their grievances. This was followed by presentations by State representatives of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan. Senior officials from the Health Departments of these States participated in the hearing as also senior officials from the State Human Rights Commissions of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Nearly 200 victims from the poor and marginalized sections of the society, many of whom were women, participated in the hearing as also non-governmental organizations and health workers from the rural areas of the country.
The second regional hearing at Chennai will follow the Bhopal hearing. Details of the remaining Regional Public Hearings are given below:
S.No Region States Covered by Public Hearing. Venue Date of Public Hearing
1 Southern Region Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala. Chennai 29 August 2004
2 Northern Region Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttranchal. Lucknow 26 September 2004
3 Eastern Region Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Sikkim, Orrisa, Chattisgarh. Ranchi 11 October 2004
4 North Eastern Region All Seven States of North East. Guwahati 28 November 2004