Preventive Healthcare: The Bedrock of a Healthy and Prosperous India - A UPSC Perspective

Preventive Healthcare: The Bedrock of a Healthy and Prosperous India - A UPSC Perspective

Introduction: Beyond Political Freedom to Health Freedom

As we celebrate our hard-won political independence, the article rightly points to a more profound, often neglected form of freedom: freedom from preventable diseases. For a UPSC aspirant, this isn't just an opinion piece; it's a critical analysis of India's public health policy, deeply intertwined with the GS Paper II and III syllabus. This blog deconstructs the imperative of preventive healthcare, transforming it from a general topic into a potent tool for your Mains and Interview.

Why is Preventive Healthcare a High-Yield Topic for UPSC?

This issue sits at the strategic intersection of:

• GS Paper II (Governance & Social Justice): Issues relating to health, government policies and interventions for development in various sectors, and the role of NGOs.

• GS Paper III (Economy & Disaster Management): Issues of poverty, human capital formation, inclusive growth, and disaster management (health pandemics are biological disasters).

• Essay: Themes like "Health is Wealth," "Human Capital vs. Economic Capital," or "The True Meaning of Independence" are classic favourites.

• Ethics (GS Paper IV): It touches upon the ethical obligation of the state towards its citizens' well-being and the individual's responsibility towards their own health.

Mastering this topic provides analytical depth for answers across papers.

Deconstructing the Issue: Syllabus Mapping

Let's break down the article's arguments into core UPSC themes.

1. The Dual Disease Burden (GS Paper II - Health)

• The article highlights India's challenge: battling infectious diseases (like TB, Malaria) while simultaneously facing a tsunami of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases.

• Key Data Point: NCDs account for over 60% of all deaths in India (WHO). This statistic is crucial for answers to demonstrate factual knowledge.

• This dual burden strains our public health system, which is still largely oriented towards reactive, curative care rather than proactive, preventive care.

2. Economic Implications (GS Paper III - Economy)

• The High Cost of being Reactive: Late diagnosis leads to catastrophic healthcare expenditures, pushing families into poverty (a direct link to issues of poverty). This is a vicious cycle where illness causes poverty and poverty exacerbates illness.

• Impact on Human Capital: A sick workforce is an unproductive workforce. NCDs affect the most productive age group, reducing overall economic output and hampering inclusive growth.

• Strain on Public Finances: Treating advanced-stage diseases is exponentially more expensive for the public exchequer than funding preventive screenings. This links health policy to fiscal management.

3. Governance and Policy Interventions (GS Paper II - Governance)

• The article calls for the government to "incorporate screenings into national health programmes." This is a direct reference to existing and needed policy interventions.

• Existing Schemes to Reference:

  • National Health Mission (NHM): Has components for screening for NCDs at the Ayushman Bharat - Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs).

  • Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY): While largely curative, its success hinges on reducing the burden of expensive treatments through prevention.

  • National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NP-NCD): A direct central government programme for screening and management.

4. Social and Behavioural Aspects (GS Paper I - Society & GS Paper IV - Ethics)

• Cultural Mindset: The article identifies a key challenge: the cultural reluctance to see a doctor when "feeling fine." This touches upon social attitudes, awareness, and education.

• Individual vs. Collective Responsibility: It argues for a shift where preventive care is viewed as a responsibility. This is a core ethics question: the ethical duty of an individual towards their own health and its impact on society.

Previous Year Questions (PYQs) - Connecting the Dots

Understanding how this theme is indirectly asked is key to effective preparation.

Prelims (Fact-Based)

1. Which of the following are the objectives of the ‘National Nutrition Mission’? (2017)

1. To create awareness relating to malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers.

2. To reduce the incidence of anaemia among young children, adolescent girls and women.

3. To promote the consumption of millets, coarse cereals and unpolished rice.

4. To promote the consumption of poultry eggs.
   Select the correct answer using the code given below:
   (a) 1 and 2 only
   (b) 1, 2 and 3 only
   (c) 1, 2 and 4 only
   (d) 3 and 4 only

Explanation: While about nutrition, this question tests knowledge of a preventive health mission. Malnutrition and anaemia are underlying causes for many diseases. The correct answer is (a) 1 and 2 only, as options 3 and 4, though good, are not the primary objectives of NNM (now POSHAN Abhiyaan).

2. In the context of any country, which one of the following would be considered as part of its social capital? (2019)

(a) The proportion of literates in the population

(b) The stock of its buildings, other infrastructure and machines

(c) The size of its population in the working age group

(d) The level of mutual trust and harmony in the society

Explanation: This question tests the understanding of "social capital," which is the glue that holds society together. A culture of preventive health, built on trust in systems and community harmony, is a form of social capital. The answer is (d).

3. With reference to the ‘National Intellectual Property Rights Policy’, consider the following statements: (2017)

1. It reiterates India’s commitment to the Doha Development Agenda and the TRIPS Agreement.

2. Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion is the nodal agency for regulating intellectual property rights in India.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
   (a) 1 only
   (b) 2 only
   (c) Both 1 and 2
   (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation: This seems unrelated, but IPR is crucial for the pharmaceutical industry. The cost of medicines and medical devices (like screening equipment) is a major barrier to preventive care, and IPR policies directly impact this affordability. The answer is (c) Both 1 and 2 are correct.

Mains (Analytical)

• 2023 (GS II): “The Right of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 remains only a legal document without intense sensitisation of government functionaries and citizens regarding disability.” Comment. (This highlights the gap between policy and implementation, similar to the gap between having screening programs and their actual uptake).

• 2022 (GS II): Besides the welfare schemes, India needs deft management of inflation and unemployment to serve the poor and the underprivileged sections of the society. Elaborate. (Catastrophic health expenditure is a key driver of poverty. Managing inflation makes healthcare and healthy food more affordable, a core preventive measure).

• 2021 (GS III): What are the salient features of the National Food Security Act, 2013? How has the Food Security Bill helped in eliminating hunger and malnutrition in India? (Nutritional security is the first step of preventive healthcare).

Key Terms and Concepts for Notes

• Preventive Healthcare vs. Curative Healthcare

• Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

• Dual Disease Burden

• Catastrophic Health Expenditure

• Human Capital Formation

• Ayushman Bharat Scheme (AB-HWC and AB-PMJAY)

• National Health Mission (NHM)

• Social Determinants of Health

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-being

Way Forward: A Holistic Approach for Mains Answers

In your answers, propose a multi-stakeholder strategy:

1. Government: Strengthen the NP-NCD program. Integrate mandatory basic screening into all interactions at AB-HWCs. Use Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to create individual health records that track key parameters over time.

2. Employers & Insurance: Promote Workplace Wellness Programs that include annual health check-ups. Design health insurance products that offer premium discounts for those who undergo regular preventive screenings.

3. Awareness & Education: Launch public health campaigns (like the successful Pulse Polio campaign) to demystify and promote preventive health. Introduce basic health literacy in school curricula.

4. Community Participation: Leverage ASHA and ANM workers not just for maternal health but also for NCD screening and creating awareness in rural areas.

5. Personal Responsibility: Encourage a cultural shift where regular health check-ups are seen as a norm, not a luxury.

Conclusion

For the UPSC aspirant, the call for "freedom from preventable ailments" is a powerful framing of a core governance challenge. It moves the discourse from treating sickness to nurturing wellness. By viewing preventive healthcare through the lenses of economics, governance, and social change, you equip yourself to write answers that are not just factually accurate but also visionary and holistic—exactly what the UPSC demands.

True independence is a healthy independence.

Stay Informed. Stay Prepared.

- Team Suryavanshi IAS