Role of the Government in Health Class 7 Notes CBSE Political Science Chapter 2 (Free PDF Download)

The government in a democracy has to work in favour of the welfare of the people. The most important aspect of welfare is the health department. India being a developing country, the health requirements of all the different types of people can be quite a challenge.

What is Health?

Health is our ability to resist illness and injuries. Apart from these diseases, basic health criteria need to meet one's need to ensure health. For instance, a person drinking unclean water becomes ill even though he might not cause any disease.

Unsanitized living conditions make one more prone to illnesses. One must also take care of mental conditions also when discussing health.

Healthcare System in India

• The healthcare services and system of a country are responsible for maintaining the good health conditions of its citizens and their welfare.

• India has a very good healthcare system, with the highest number of medical colleges, the number of doctors, and a growing healthcare chain, it is regarded as one of the best healthcare services.

• Along with this, India is the largest producer of medicine which has contributed to the healthcare system of India.

• Despite this, there is no decrease in the number of people affected by tuberculosis and malaria. Apart from this, It is unable to provide clean water to all of the citizens; half of the children do not get adequate food and water.

• In order to overcome such difficulties, healthcare resources ought to be better. The healthcare system has both the required knowledge and experience required for successful execution.

Private and Public Healthcare Systems

The healthcare system is divided into two branches that are:-

• The public healthcare systems

• The private healthcare systems

The Public Health Service of India

• The public healthcare system in India is a network consisting of government health centres and hospitals. They are the connecting link between the rural and urban areas. This helps in treatment availability to people in the rural areas along with the urban areas. They are well equipped to provide treatment to general problems and specialised services.

• Whereas the village level healthcare centres have a nurse and a village worker to provide any type of care. The nurse and the villager work under the guidance of a doctor working at the Primary Health Care centre.

• The Primary Health Care centre provides healthcare services to many villages in rural areas.

• At the district level, hospitals supervise the health centres.

• The urban areas have a number of government hospitals and private hospitals.

Private Healthcare Services

• Private healthcare services are owned or controlled by private enterprises.

• They are not responsible for providing services to all the citizens of the country, they run for profit.

• In the cities, we might see a large number of private healthcare service centres like private nursing homes and private hospitals.

Healthcare and Equality

• Due to several reasons, India has seen major growth in the number of private healthcare service systems in comparison to the public healthcare service systems. But one main drawback to this is that the urban areas receive more private services than the people in rural areas.

• Private healthcare services are owned by organisations, and the cost of private healthcare services is higher. Due to the high prices of the available services, every person in the country is unable to afford them. People with a lower economic background borrow money when they need private health services.

• Private services encourage practices for profit. In government-owned hospitals, cheaper alternatives are available. Some examples of immoral practices are being practised by doctors in the private sector which include prescribing unnecessary medicines, injections or saline bottles when in fact cheaper oral medicines can suffice for treatment.

• According to data, around 20% of the population is capable of affording the medicines required for treatment in a private healthcare service centre.

• The cost of treatment in the private hospital might become an economical burden. According to a survey, 40% of the people who had to be admitted to a hospital for some kind of injury or illness either had to sell their property or borrow money to pay for the expenses of the treatment.

• For poor people, it might be a cause of anxiety and distress. 

• Most of the poor people are undernourished as they do not get the food that is required. They are unable to receive adequate housing, clean and hygienic surroundings, and so on. This is the reason why poor people are more prone to falling ill than other people. The cost of the treatment of the illness in the private sector is going to make their economic condition worse.

• Another point to be noted is the scarcity of available healthcare centres in remote places. Thus, it becomes difficult for the tribal people to avail healthcare services. There is also a scarcity of private healthcare service centres in these remote areas. 

What Can be Done?

• The health of most people does not get enough medical attention. The health condition of the general public is not in a good state.

• According to the Constitution, the government is responsible for providing equality in terms of healthcare services available to the citizens. The government takes care of the health of poor and backward people.

• Some of the famous approaches taken by different government systems to deal with the problems of the healthcare system are:-

• The Kerala approach in which government money was used to effectively plan the healthcare services needed.

• The Costa Rican approach was to invest in healthcare as the first priority than all to meet the health requirements of all its people.

The Meaning of Health

Good health is a person’s ability to stay free from illness and avoid injuries. Our health is affected by diseases and other factors like dullness, inactiveness, or anxiety.

Healthcare in India

Healthcare facilities such as health centres, hospitals, laboratories for testing, ambulance services, and blood banks are a critical need for every country. They help in preventing and treating illnesses. These facilities are established to provide adequate care and healthcare services to patients. Health workers, nurses, qualified doctors, and other health professionals are the backbone of healthcare facilities. They are trained to diagnose, advise, and treat illnesses.

India has a large number of doctors, clinics, and hospitals. The public healthcare system is a system of hospitals and health centres run by the government. It has the ability to look after the health of a large section of its population scattered over hundreds of thousands of villages. However, even after having public healthcare systems, the government is not able to provide proper healthcare facilities to people.

Healthcare Under The Constitution of India

According to the Constitution of India, access to healthcare is a part of our fundamental rights. Healthcare comes under the Right to Life given to every citizen and it is the primary duty of the government to safeguard this right. The government must ensure the welfare of the people and must provide healthcare facilities to all.

Healthcare Facilities Can Be Classified Into 2 Categories:

• Public Health Services.

• Private Health Facilities.

Public Health Services

Public health services include the health centres and hospitals run by the government. These centres are linked together to cover both rural and urban areas. The village-level health centres have a nurse and a village health worker who are both trained in dealing with common illnesses. They work under the supervision of doctors at the Primary Health Centre (PHC). These village-level centres cover many villages. At the district-level healthcare centres, there is a District Hospital to supervise all the village-level health centres. There are many government hospitals and specialised government hospitals in large cities.

Public Health Services is called ‘public’ because:

• Public hospitals and health centres are set up by the government for the people of the country.

• Medical facilities are provided at a low cost so that everyone can avail of the treatment.

• The function of public health service is to take action to prevent the spread of diseases like TB, malaria, jaundice, cholera, diarrhoea, dengue, chikungunya, etc.

Private Health Facilities

Private health facilities include hospitals and nursing homes that are privately owned and not owned or controlled by the government. Patients have to pay a lot of money for every service that they use in private health facilities.

Adequate Healthcare for All: Need of the Hour

There is a rise in the number of private health services in India but there has been no increase in public healthcare facilities. This makes people approach private services where the cost of the services is very high. In some private healthcare services, malpractices are followed to earn more money. For the middle-class population and the poor of the country, medical expenses increase their hardships. The high cost of private healthcare services makes the situation worse for them.

The Role of Government in Healthcare

It is the primary responsibility of the government to ensure that all its citizens receive quality healthcare services, especially the poor and the disadvantaged sections of the society. It must work towards improving public health facilities and basic amenities. This will lead to an improvement in the health situation of the country.

Benefits of Studying the Revision Notes on CBSE Class 7 Political Science Chapter 2 - Role of the Government in Health

Our revision notes on CBSE Class 7 Political Science Chapter 2 - Role of the Government in Health are meant to help kids go through the important points in the chapter in an easy way, where they do not need to look up the internet to get hold of the necessary materials. Our concise yet comprehensive notes will help students in revising the topics covered in the chapter from a single PDF copy. Students can access these notes whenever they wish in the comfort of their homes.

Summary of Role of the Government in Health

The "Role of the Government in Health" Class 7 CBSE Political Science Chapter 2 explores the vital role played by the government in ensuring public health and well-being. The summary highlights key points covered in the chapter:

The chapter delves into the significance of healthcare as a fundamental right and the government's responsibility to provide accessible and affordable health services to all citizens. It discusses the importance of public health programs, vaccination drives, and sanitation measures in preventing the spread of diseases.

The role of government in setting up healthcare infrastructure, such as hospitals, clinics, and dispensaries, is emphasized. It explains the need for trained medical personnel and the allocation of resources for healthcare facilities.

The chapter also examines the various government initiatives and schemes aimed at improving health services, particularly for vulnerable sections of society. It discusses the role of NGOs and other stakeholders in supporting government efforts.

Additionally, the chapter highlights the significance of health awareness and education programs and the role of citizens in promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Overall, the "Role of the Government in Health" chapter in Class 7 Political Science underlines the crucial role of the government in ensuring a healthy nation and the collective responsibility of society in achieving this objective.

Conclusion

Vedantu's Class 7 CBSE Political Science Chapter 2 Notes on "Role of the Government in Health" provide a comprehensive and insightful understanding of the vital role governments play in ensuring public health. The free PDF download serves as a valuable resource for students, enabling them to grasp the significance of healthcare policies, infrastructure, and initiatives. With a focus on the CBSE syllabus, these notes cater to the specific needs of Class 7 learners, making learning engaging and accessible. By emphasizing the importance of a well-functioning healthcare system and government's responsibility in safeguarding citizens' health, Vedantu equips students with knowledge that fosters a healthier and more informed society.