Why does the word “FREE” come to the
minds of people when it comes to health???
Free in healthcare could be:
J Health free state
J Free health tips
J Free health newsletters
J
Free
samples of health related products
But in verisimilitude it is not a five-finger exercise.
The conjecture behind it is that even
till date Health is not one of the FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS. We are ready to spend on
impedimenta in our day to day life even without actualizing its need in our
life such as gobbling out even when the meal is waiting for you at home, but
when it comes to health people are not ready to spend even a Rupee a day i.e.
Rs. 365 a year on preventive health check up.
The various reasons illustrated
for not doing so could be unavailability of quality health care, unawareness
about possible disease burden that the India is bearing, lack of time and interest.
As per World Bank Report India spends only a total of 4% of GDP on health
(2010-14). Also, as per WHO – Health Transition report of India the changing
pattern for disease burden for 2020 will be as shown below, if detected early
majority of the diseases could be prevented:
Injuries
|
19%
|
Communicable
|
24%
|
Non-communicable
|
57%
|
If “There ain't no such thing as a free lunch”,
the popular economic
adage is true then
“There ain't no such thing as a
free health”
Also
it has to come from heart that one needs to spend on one’s health not because
others are doing it but because as we have been taught since childhood PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE and
teachings are useful only when applied pragmatically. As is seen when we go to
a religious place and donate money voluntarily so is health an important facet
of our life which needs our heed. So why
not spend a penny a day on it and make health a fundamental and integral part
of our life. Government of India is also in favour of this and thus has amended
Income Tax Act to boost preventive healthcare outreach by giving tax exemption
up to Rs. 5000 under Section 80[D] for Preventive Health Check Up. We have to
condone this prodigious move and mete out to the Preventive Healthcare to get
the reward of a healthy futurity.
