The manifesto of the BJP is centered around eulogizing the Ayushman Bharat which is said to cover 50 crore people for in patient care only. It nowhere talks of how to get the rest 80 crore people in the scheme in future. Moreover it does not give any proposal of bringing the people seeking outpatient care only in the scheme. Thus it sans any step towards universal healthcare. It talks of opening more medical colleges but does not give any information on whether they will be in the state sector or the private sector. This is important because the number of medical colleges opened in the last few years is more in the private sector. These colleges are charging exorbitant tuition fee which makes them out of reach of even the middle class families. The manifesto also does not talk of increasing public spending on healthcare which is essential for ensuring quality healthcare to the common citizens.

The manifesto of Congress party recognizes the healthcare as a right of every citizen. It promises to increase the public spending from present 1.1% to 3% of the GDP by the year 2023-24 with step by step increase in every budget. What is needed is immediate increase to 2.5% of the GDP to be raised to 6% in the next five years. The manifesto promises to enact Right to Healthcare Act ‘that will guarantee to every citizen the right to healthcare services, including free diagnostics, out-patient care, medicines and hospitalisation through a network of public hospitals and enlisted private hospitals’. That the manifesto recognizes insurance based model not a preferred model to provide healthcare is a welcome note. It promises to implement free public hospital model to provide universal healthcare. Increasing the number of doctors by establishing more medical colleges, providing scholarship and loans to the medical students.

The manifesto of the left parties highlights the right to free health as a fundamental right. Increase in the public health spending to 6% of the GDP, end to commercialization of medical education. Strengthening of public health facilities, fixing the drug prices based on their cost of production and enact patent laws favourable to our country.

However these are documents which are important in a way that the governments to come can be questioned on their performance based on the promises made in the manifesto. But what is lacking is special forceful emphasis in the public speeches by the political leaders. This reflects lack of sensitivity to the health issues to the required level even though it is admitted that nearly 6% of the population is pushed below poverty line because of catastrophic out of pocket expenditure on health. There are also reports that financial stress as a result of out of pocket healthcare expenditure is an important cause of suicide among farmers. It is time for public to act and force a pro-people healthcare discourse. (IPA Service)