Q5. Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: India’s public sector health care system largely focuses on curative care with limited preventive, promotive and rehabilitative care.
Statement-II: Under India’s decentralized approach to health care delivery, the States are primarily responsible for organizing health services.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
a. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
b. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
c. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
d. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Question from UPSC Prelims 2023 GS Paper
Explanation :
Correct Answer – b
Assessment of India’s Public Sector Health Care System
Statement-I: This statement is considered correct. India’s public sector health care system extensively focuses on various aspects of health care, including preventive measures (such as the Pulse Polio Campaign – Do Boond Zindagi Ki), promotive, curative, and rehabilitative care. A key initiative in this regard is the National Health Mission (NHM), which aims to offer comprehensive primary health care services. These services encompass preventive, promotive, and curative care, along with rehabilitative care, demonstrating the system’s wide-ranging focus.
India’s Decentralized Approach to Health Care Delivery
Statement-II: This statement is correct. The decentralized approach to health care delivery in India primarily places the responsibility of organizing health services on the State governments. While the central government contributes through financial and technical support, the actual implementation of health programs and the delivery of services are managed by the States.
State List (List II – Entry 6): This entry specifically assigns “public health and sanitation; hospitals and dispensaries” to the State governments. It underscores that States have the primary responsibility for organizing and managing health services, allowing them to tailor health care systems to local needs and priorities.
Therefore, the correct answer is b. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I