4th Feb 2020 : The Hindu Editorials Notes : Mains Sure Shot
No. 1.
Question – Discuss the impacts of attaching medical colleges to existing district hospitals in the PPP mode.
Context – The proposal.
Proposal:
- Setting up of medical colleges in existing district hospitals under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
- The States which fully allow the facilities of the hospital to the medical college and wish to provide land at a concession would be eligible for viability gap funding.
Reasons:
- To address the shortage of doctors.
- It is practically not possible for Central and State governments to bridge the gaps in medical education with their limited resources and finances, necessitating the formation of a PPP model.
Benefits:
- It combines the strengths of both sectors – public and private.
- It augment the number of medical seats available.
- moderate the costs of medical education.
Criticisms:
- Allowing private parties to “operate and maintain the district hospital and provide healthcare services” could seriously dent public health services
- The draft indicates that the private firm “can demand, collect and appropriate hospital charges from patients”.
- It destabilizes people’s access to affordable public health services, which can be disastrous.
Way forward
- The government must consider raising health-care spending beyond the usual under 2% of GDP.
- It should ensure more resources are available to provide free, quality health care to all.
No. 2.
- Note – The other articles of today on cooperative federalism and Brexit have already been covered earlier. Refer to the articles of 23rd October, 31st August and 24th December.
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