Public hearing on denial of health care - World Population Day

Date: 11 July 2005

On 11 July 2005, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan Rajasthan organised a public hearing on the issue of denial of health care. 11 July is officially observed as the World Population Day and each year the State Government felicitates its personnel for achieving targets for population control (essentially sterilisation), JSA Rajasthan highlighted the dismal status of health care services in the state. 

About 150 people from all over the state participated and 15 women and men narrated their experiences of seeking health care from the public health system and the problems they faced in doing so. The panel comprised of activists and advocates who have been working on human rights issues in Rajasthan for a long time- Mamta Jaitley, Bhanwari Devi, Kavita Srivastava, Vijayalaxmi Joshi, Prem Kishen Sharma, B.M. Sanadhya and Sawai Singh. The testimonies were presented from the districts of Ajmer, Alwar, Dausa, Jaipur, Chittorgarh. Gaps were highlighted in health services being provided not only at PHC and CHC level but also at district hospitals and even the SMS Medical College and Hospital in Jaipur. The apathy of the administration in dealing with patients of HIV put a question mark on the government’s claim of making specific provisions for additional funds and services for HIV/AIDS. Mr. Vijay Goel from Budget Analysis and Research Centre presented the decreasing government expenditure on the health services in the state. He said that per capita expenditure on patients has reduced from Rs.182/- in 1998-1999 to Rs.172/- in 2003-2004.

Ms. Anuj from SAMA, New Delhi shared the findings of the study done by their organisation in Madhya Pradesh on the impact of two-child norm on women, the poor and tribals. 128 Panchayati Raj representatives were interviewed in 12 districts of the state and it clearly brought out the negative impact of such coercive norms on the status and political participation of those for whom the 73rd and 74th amendment were brought in.

The participants from various districts decided to form the Health Watch in their districts and at the state level.

A delegation then went and met the State Minister of Health and presented a memorandum to him urging the government to withdraw the two-child norm and advocated the formation of a Lokayukta in the state.

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