United organisations oppose privatisation of health services in Madhya Pradesh

By A Representative 

In a strong show of opposition, multiple health associations under the umbrella of the United Organisations for Action against Privatisation of Health Services have condemned the Government of Madhya Pradesh’s recent moves towards privatising public health facilities. They argue that these actions, including outsourcing and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, will compromise the availability and accessibility of essential health services for the state’s citizens.

According to a recent press release, Madhya Pradesh’s public healthcare system is already strained, with thousands of critical positions vacant across community health centers and district hospitals. Nearly 63.73% of specialist positions and 55.97% of medical officer posts remain unfilled, leading to a lack of essential services such as gynecology at numerous facilities. The National Health Profile reveals a worrying shortfall, with only 43 specialist doctors, 670 General Duty Medical Officers, 191 radiographers, 474 pharmacists, 483 lab technicians, and 2,087 nursing staff in the state's Community Health Centers.

The government’s decision to allow private entities to establish medical colleges in ten district hospitals under a PPP arrangement, alongside plans to outsource 348 Community Health Centers and 51 civil hospitals, has sparked serious concerns. This approach, based on a proposal by NITI Aayog in 2020, was previously opposed by several states, including Madhya Pradesh. Critics argue that handing over hospitals to private institutions might create barriers for people who rely on affordable healthcare and question the transparency of this decision-making process.

Representatives from health organizations, including Dr. Rakesh Malviya, Dr. Madhav Hasani, and S.R. Azad, emphasized that the privatization and corporatization of healthcare have not been shown to improve accessibility. They cite Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and dignified living, and Article 47, mandating the state’s responsibility to enhance public health. This coalition believes that commercializing health services could severely restrict the rights of citizens to accessible healthcare, especially those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

“We call on the government to reconsider these policies, which may compromise the state’s ability to provide essential healthcare. The decision should involve a transparent discussion with all stakeholders to improve health services under government control,” said Dr. Malviya, President of the MP Medical Teachers Association.

The organizations involved urge the government to halt any privatization efforts and instead focus on strengthening the public health system to ensure that health services remain under government oversight, benefiting all citizens equally.