Quality healthcare facilities are very important, says Jain

At a time when private healthcare service is out of bounds for many, Health minister Satyendar Jain has emphasised on the importance of developing quality healthcare facilities and its relevance for public at large. 

Jain expressed his views at a conference hosted by Associated Chambers of Commerce of India (ASSOCHAM) which in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare discussed on the issue of challenges, solutions and opportunities for providing health security for all.

Jain, who was invited as the Chief Guest, highlighted that the expensive healthcare facilities are economic, social, political and medical challenges and therefore, must be tackled as a top priority

Dr Nutan Mundeja, State Programme Officer of Delhi State Health Mission, was also among the list of speakers. She said that there was a need to bring back the faith of people towards public healthcare system in the city. 

The statement was made in context of complaints on high and non-transparent costs at private hospitals. When asked whether the government had the jurisdiction to intervene over fixing a price for private healthcare facilities, Dr Mundeja said: “Barring a few occasions like dengue crisis, government cannot intervene in the functioning of private healthcare system.”

Speaking to Millennium Post, Dr Mundeja said: “Public healthcare system due to its affordability will always be the first preference for the poor. Effort must be made to make it more preferential for the middle class.”

At the conference, besides the challenge of low penetration of people having health insurances, the issue of insurance companies not providing claims to patients with high medical expenditures like robotic surgeries was also raised.