What is Karnatakas Health Adalats All About?

On 2nd September 2014, Indian State, Karnataka for the first time in the
country came up with a new concept of launching Health Adalat in all the districts
of the state. The basic idea behind the launch is to address the many health-related
problems and issues that the people of the State is facing and how these problems
can be solved at the grass-roots level.
Health and Family Welfare Minister UT Khader stated that he has been hearing
a lot of people complaining about the lack of facilities in the government hospitals,
how difficult it is for them to avail medical facilities, to avail the various benefits
that are being announced from time to time in Govt health programmes and many
more such health related issues.
Some health programmes in Karnataka
Since the last so many years, many health programmes have been announced
by the Government in the State. The Department of Health and Family Welfare
Services is implementing several State health programmes to provide
comprehensive health services to the people of Karnataka such as:
Task Force on Health and Family Welfare
Management of Primary Health Centres by NGOS and Medical Colleges
Telemedicine scheme for cardiac emergencies
Smart Card Initiative for sex workers
Community Health Insurance Programme
Village Health Committees
Vajpayee Arogyashree programme
Scheme for Assistance to Families in Exigency (SAFE)
Setting up a Vigilance Cell for the health sector
School Health Programme, and many more
Problems faced by the people
However, it is very sad to state not all these programmes have been properly
implemented and people of the State face a lot of difficulties in getting access to
these benefits and facilities of healthcare services. Many programmes are still not
known to the public. Even today, the school health programme under which doctors
should assess the health status of all schoolchildren by regularly visiting the schools
is not given any publicity. There is shortage of doctors and lack of treatment
facilities in hospitals and health centres. There are also other major concerns like
increasing infant deaths, maternal mortality, communicable diseases and so on.
First health adalat at Gulbarga Zilla
The first-ever Health Adalat in the State took place in Gulbarga district. At
Gulbarga Zilla, it was launched in the presence of the Health and Family Welfare
Minister, elected representatives from the Gulbarga Zilla Panchayat, leader of
Opposition, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Health
Commissioner, Health Director and senior officers of the health department.
Some hard-hitting facts that came to light in this adalat were as follows:
A large number of infant deaths in Gulbarga and other parts of North Karnataka

Government hospitals in Gulbarga sell medicines for treating snake bites at

expensive rates to medical stores. In such a case, people are more willing to die
rather than pay a higher price for these drugs.
Lack of doctors. Low salaries paid to the doctors.
Lack of infrastructural facilities which make the doctors difficult to stay or come
to the district on a regular basis.
There was a shortage of nurses in certain public healthcare centres.
People have to walk long distances to get medical help.
Some doctors give prescriptions without examining the patients and recommend
them to buy medicines from outside and not from the Govt hospitals where they
are available free or at a low price.
Steps to be taken
After the first adalat at Gulbarga district and hearing the publics complaints and
pleas, Khader had ensured the following:
The Government would definitely take stern measures to prevent
malpractices in the hospitals in the coming days.
Two lakhs will be given to each PHC so that it could provide better treatment
facilities to patients.
The State Government has also decided to take private gynaecologists and
pediatricians services in the high risk districts, at least once a week in the
community health centres and district hospitals.
The State Government is willing to pay more salaries to doctors if they are
willing to serve in rural areas.
Idea behind the launch of the health adalat
The idea is to reduce the gap between the Health Department and the elected
representatives whose role is to act as intermediaries between the government and
the public. By organising health adalats in various towns and districts of Karnataka
on a regular basis, it will provide a chance to the health officials to study, analyse
and introspect on the health situation as well as on the successful running of the
Government health programmes. U T Khader, the health minister of the State, also
announced that the State Government will not launch any new health programmes
for next three years but will focus on effective implementation of the Government
schemes and programmes already announced. The major concerns were lack of
implementation and reach to the beneficiaries. He directed all representatives to
provide details to the public on the various programmes announced so far and how
they can avail themselves of the benefits.
Well, no doubt this is indeed a very good initiative on the part of the Karanataka
State Government and this should be followed by other States as well. But mere
launching of a programme is not enough. All measures should be taken so that such
health adalats can improve the health scenario of our country.