Makkal Nalavazhvu Iyakkam (MNI), which is associated with People’s Health Movement-India, on Wednesday released a list of demands — prepared in consultation with different stakeholders — for consideration of all political parties during the upcoming Parliamentary elections.
The key focus of the manifesto was to discourage privatisation of healthcare and make quality healthcare affordable to the masses.
D. Suresh, State steering committee member, MNI, said discussions were conducted with doctors, paramedical staff, pharmacists, civil society and public while framing the demands. A discussion was organised in Madurai on Wednesday.
The 23 demands made by the organisation included amendments to Tamil Nadu Private Clinical Establishments (Regulation) Act so that private hospitals could be stringently monitored, implementation of uniform rates for diagnostic services in laboratories, ending all measures towards privatisation of healthcare, including government-run insurance scheme, and increase in expenditure on healthcare to 5% of the GDP.
It also demanded filling up of all vacancies in government-run medical institutions.
C. Anand Raj, a health rights activist, who took part in the discussion, stressed the need for transparency in filling up vacancies. “Under existing government orders, vacancies of doctors, nurses and other staff in all institutions must be displayed on the website every month,” he said.
MNI appealed for strengthening and expanding of primary health centres and setting up of speciality hospitals depending on local needs. “For instance, burns-related institution in Virudhunagar and hospitals to treat thalassemia, which is prevalent in places such as Dharmapuri,” Mr. Suresh said.
The organisation highlighted the need for district-level nodal officers to control vector-borne diseases, particularly mosquitoes, since such diseases were on the rise.
Demanding the need for adequate focus on alternative systems of medicines such as ayurveda and siddha, it also stressed for focus on addressing mental health-related issues.
The demands also included stringent monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to curb corruption prevalent at all levels.
