Asian Journal of Development Matters
Year : 2013, Volume : 7, Issue : 1
First page : ( 136) Last page : ( 149)
Print ISSN : 0973-9629. Online ISSN : 0976-4674.

Is Assurance of Health Care a Distant Dream for the State

Dr. Sahu Skylab

Independent Researcher, New Delhi

Online published on 28 September, 2013.

Abstract

Towards the late 1980s, HIV/AIDS has emerged as an epidemic in India and has put forth several challenges; medical, developmental and socioeconomic, before the state and the society at large. More importantly, HIV/AIDS has more adverse effects on women. Under the banner of national health problem, the Indian state has taken several measures to tackle the contours of the health issues. At one hand, some new socio medical institutions are set up to deal with the problem and on the other hand, already existing institutions are handed over new responsibilities of dealing with the health problem meticulously. At the policy and programme level, when the central government is intending to address the issue uniformly, implementation of the programmes and the performance of the states vary based on its prior experience, expertise, capacity and most importantly willingness. A high and a low HIV prevalence states (Karnataka and West Bengal) are selected to observe the difference in performance towards ensuring health care to HIV positive people, especially women. The paper has tried to identify the missing links or gaps persisting commonly and differently in the approach of the States towards assurance of health care to HIV positive women.

Top

Keywords

Accessibility, Availability, Denial of treatment, Discrimination, Administrative failure.

Top