THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN INDIA

1
THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN INDIA

• Mala Rao
• Director,
• Indian Institute of Public Health
• Hyderabad
• 23 September, 2008

2
INDIA TODAY

• More a continent than a single country
• 35 states and union territories significantly
  larger than European countries
• 1600 dialects
• Rich blend of cultures, traditions, religions
• Remains a vibrant democracy with a highly
  sophisticated and visionary government.
• Ambitious, Can Do attitude reflected in
  Eleventh Five Year Plan 2007-2012.

3
ALSO A LAND OF IMMENSE CONTRASTS

• A third of the worlds poor, nearly 400million
  living on less than 1/day
• 46 of children malnourished
• Highest number of illiterate people in the world
• Maternal mortality rate of 301/100,000 live
  births and the infant mortality rate of 57/1000
  live births.
• Sex ratio of 933 females/1000 males

• Very Rich
• Levels of rising overnutrition
• World class academies and institutes.
• World class health care facilities and booming
  health tourism
• Women with education, power and influence

Source 1) Sample Registration System 2003-
Annual Report, Office of the Registrar General,
India 2) census of India
2001 3) Department of
International Development (DFID) Department for
international develpoment.
4
INDIA IS ON THE MOVE

• Strategies which will improve public health
  include
• Community empowerment
• Panchayat Raj Institutions as delivery
  mechanisms.
• Indian Legislative Support for women.
• Self-Help groups.
• Directly Targeted Poverty Reduction Programmes
  include
• National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
• Rural Housing Programme.
• Safe Water and Sanitation.
• Electricity, Telephone, and Broadband
  Connectivity.
• All weather road connections.

5
EDUCATION

• Targeted schemes include
• Midday Meal Scheme vastly extended as a means to
  increase enrollment and reduce dropout.
• Increasing Girls Only Schools especially in rural
  areas.
• Improving adult literacy.
• Improving the school infrastructure and quality
  of teachers.

6
HEALTH

• National Rural Health Mission launched 2005.
• Integrated Child Development Services Scheme -
  cares for mothers, children and adolescent girls.
• National Health Programs
• - National TB Control Program, National
  Blindness Control Program etc..
• Reproductive and Child Health (RCH)
• Rajiv Aarogyasri Community Health Insurance
  Scheme.
• 
  
  
  

7
INDIA WINS A GOLD MEDAL AT THE OLYMPICS!!
Abhinav Bindra
8
Mortality in India
Death and DALY Estimates by Cause,
2002 http//www.who.int/whosis/mort/profiles/mort_
searo_ind_india.pdf
9
URBANISATION GLOBALISATION Increasing
challenges of

• Urban slums, poor access to water and sanitation
• Urban housing
• Transport
• New stress of working in Call Centres and IT
• Fast Food

10
IT Helping India leapfrog into 21st century
Health and Social care

• EMRI (Emergency Management and Research
  Institute)
• HMRI (Health Management and Research Institute)
• Social Audit (NREGA)
• Rajiv Aarogyasri Community Health Insurance
  Scheme

11
CLIMATE CHANGE Puts everything at risk.
www.careclimatechnage.org/files/maps_all_hazards_p
opdenisty_world.jpg
12
A comparison of Indias per capita GHG emissions
with some other countries.(2004)
SOURCE National Action Plan On Climate Change.,
Government Of India, 2008.
13
HOW THE RSPH MIGHT HELP

• Sanitation, water, engineering skills and
  capacity building.
• Food Safety.
• Experience of Accreditation.
• Building global awareness
• to address climate change.