Right to Health and Health Facilities

10.12.2025

Right to Health and Health Facilities

Context

The core challenge surrounding the Right to Health in India is the rapid commercialization of healthcare facilities coupled with insufficient public spending. This duality has created significant barriers to equitable access for the general population.

Challenges in India’s Health Sector

Access and Affordability Gap: There is a critical mismatch between the demand and supply of doctors and diagnostic centers.

• Regional Disparity: Health facilities are not uniformly accessible, often forcing patients to travel 100–150 km for serious medical treatment.

Commercialization & Privatization: The government's willingness to step back has encouraged privatization.

• Profit vs. Care: Private hospitals often prioritize profit over patient care, making facilities unaffordable for the masses.

High Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE): India continues to have one of the highest rates of OOPE globally.

• Major Costs: The bulk of patient spending goes toward medicines, diagnostic tests (often prescribed unnecessarily), and travel expenses.

Low Financial Allocation: India’s financial commitment to public health is among the lowest in the world.

• Budget Share: Only about 2% of the Union Budget is allocated to health services.
• Per Capita Spending: The annual per capita public spending on health is merely $25.

Medicine Costs:

• Price Control: Over 80% of medicines in India remain outside price control mechanisms.
• Market Issues: This leads to high retail markups, unethical marketing practices, and the proliferation of irrational drug combinations.

Government Schemes vs. Infrastructure

Ayushman Bharat Yojana: The government supports health access through schemes like Ayushman Bharat, which provides ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.

Infrastructure Deficit: Despite this financial cover, funds often flow into private hospitals because World Class Government Hospitals are lacking at the district level. The absence of robust public infrastructure forces reliance on the private sector.

Way Forward

Universal Coverage & Infrastructure:

• Universal Health Coverage (UHC) needs to be aggressively expanded.
• Health infrastructure must be built rapidly and processes streamlined to reduce bottlenecks.

Workforce & Regulation:

• Medical Workforce: There is an urgent need to increase the number of doctors and health professionals.
• Price Regulation: Costs for medical tests and diagnostics should be regulated to prevent exploitation.

Policy Measures:

• Price Ceilings: Implementing price caps on private hospitals could be considered, though care must be taken not to disincentivize private investment in underserved areas.
• Focus on Equality: Prioritizing universal access to both health and education is crucial for achieving societal equality.

Technology:

• Digital Health: Leveraging solutions like AI and online primary care can significantly bridge the access gap in remote areas.

Conclusion

While government schemes provide financial protection, the Right to Health cannot be fully realized without addressing structural deficits. Strengthening public health infrastructure and regulating commercial practices are essential to ensure healthcare is a service, not just a commodity.