The access to healthcare should not depend on place or how we live as healthcare is global. In spite of the modern advancements in healthcare, the socio-economic gap due to poverty in developing nations have enabled poor access to quality and efficient healthcare.
Recent study analyses have shown that lack of financial protection for the costs endured due to healthcare services has pushed people below the poverty line. This situation can be changed by making healthcare affordable through universal healthcare packages.
Universal Health Care focuses on three important things: Equity in access to health services, Quality of health services, and financial risk protection. The benefits of Universal Health Care includes equal access to healthcare, improvement in public health, boost in economy, lesser paper work, and increase in entrepreneurs.
A good healthcare system contributes to a better economy besides ensuring a strong economy. In many societies, out-of-the-pocket hospitalization has exposed whole populations to huge cost burdens, giving rise to poverty. On the other hand, subsidization has made many private players cry foul, leading to decreased performance, corruption, and lack of competitiveness. Policymakers have to strike a very delicate balance in handling these issues. There are other challenges like state-subsidized insurance is rarely given any attention by private players.
It is time that policymakers ensure that healthcare companies consider people as partners of growth rather than view them as markets. This will help healthcare to become more accessible, affordable and available. Presently, top notch healthcare remains a privilege and is focussed only on urban pockets. In fact, in most developing countries, a majority of people live in rural areas with little access to healthcare, yet they contribute to more than half their country’s GDP. The abysmal doctor-to-patient ratio in the rural areas of most developing countries remains a cause for concern. Technology, governmental initiatives, and community participation play an important role in giving perspective to healthcare organizations. In India, the government’s Aspirational District Program (ADP) works in empowering communities to rebuild their lives. The program reaches out to over 200 million people—about 15% of India’s population—engaging with communities to take responsibility for their own health and welfare.
Technology has opened up a lot more opportunities in serving people and healthcare sector should consider investing in people as primary goal. With technology and universal health care many developing nations can save millions of lives.