Kerala tops in global health coverage, say experts at summit

Kerala has been thefirst in the world to effectively invest in primaryhealthcare to achieve the standards of the universal healthcoverage laid down by the WHO (World Health Organisation), aglobal summit noted.

The summit, a virtual international conference on'Kerala Health: Making the SDG a Reality' organised by thestate Health Ministry, said the focus of the state onintegrated services enables its welfare system to nullifyconventional socio-economic inequities owing to urban-ruraland the elite-poor divide.

The development of family health centres (FHCs) in thepast four years under Keralas Aardram Mission as apioneering people-friendly project is set to eliminate suchvariations, speakers opined here on Wednesday,an officialpress release said.

UNICEF Chief of Health (India) Luigi D'Aquino, who waspart of the discussion,said the universal health coveragecannot ignore the private sector from regulation toparticipation to delivery of services.

''All the same, public financing for health mustprioritise PHCs (primary health centres),'' he said.

State Health SecretaryRajan Khobragade said theincredible transformation of a PHC in hilly Wayanad into amodern medical facility since 2017 exemplifies the successfulprofile of Aardram as a pioneering people-friendly project.

''The FHC in the tribal belt of interior Noolpuzha with itsnew OP and in-patient blocks, physiotherapy and antenatalwings, telemedicine facilities and e-rickshaws besideschildrens park and an open-air geriatric corner stands proofto the critical role of community participation indevelopmental initiatives,'' he said.

He said Kerala has succeeded in making communities awareof their entitlements and promoted a healthcare system thatis accountable.

The 2017-initiated Aardram has by far upgraded 767 PHCs inKerala to FHCs as first-level health delivery points of highquality, Khobragade said.

''The rest of the 200-odd PHCs in the state will be madeFHCs by the end of 2020. The process generates 4,000 postswhich are getting filled,'' he said.

Medical Officer of the Noolpuzha FHC Dr Dahar Muhammedrevealed that the Aardram-triggered enhancement in thecentres health services has raised OP count from 40-60 a dayto close to 250.

Daily lab tests have risen by five times from what was 20four years ago, he added.

At the discussion moderated by NHM Kerala Mission DirectorDr Rathan Kelkar, ex-lead health specialist, World Bank, Dr GN V Ramana spoke on the UHC experiences from the Africancountries.

The webinar series that began on February 17 with focus onthe prospects of achieving sustainable development goals(SDGs) amid an added challenge posed by COVID-19 is beingheld across five days this month and early March.