Though there have been significant improvements in areas such as infant mortality and maternal mortality over the years, the rural-urban divide has not been addressed and inter-district and regional disparities continue, said Maheshwarappa, the District Project Management Officer.
He said rates of malnutrition among children aged under five and anaemia among pregnant women continue to remain high. Furthermore, indicators disaggregated for vulnerable groups show a persisting high degree of inequality in terms of access to healthcare services and health outcomes. Prevention and control of many infectious diseases such as tuberculosis remain a challenge and it is further complicated by drug resistance and the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases, he said.
He added that incidence of catastrophic expenditure owing to healthcare costs is growing and a large proportion of the population continues to live without any financial protection.
It is in this context, Mr. Maheshwarappa said, that the Karnataka government has recognised UHC as a mechanism of achieving better health and well-being standards. The government has chosen T. Narsipur in Mysuru district and Lingasaguru in Raichur district for the pilot phase.
Another key objective of UHC is to expand healthcare coverage to include the population that is currently left uncovered/partially covered. This will be done through systematic mapping and prioritisation based on vulnerability. The authorities also hope to determine a complete package of essential health services that can be guaranteed to people and to widen the coverage of financial risk protection, Dr. Maheshwarappa said.
