The goal of public health is to protect and improve the health of people. The approach of Indian health infrastructure is still curative than promotive and protective. The initiatives like National Health Mission(NHM) and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna have not been able to bridge the gap between treatment based care and public health practices.
Public Health is equalised with medical care in India. For Example the district hospitals release data on procedures and OPD consultations performed under NHM and get recognised as high performing institutions based on these indicators.
The real measure of success of public health approach lies in decreased disease incidence, promoting health awareness, and addressing the social determinants of health. Without a dedicated public health infrastructure, this goal becomes difficult to achieve.
The fundamental difference lies in the approach toward disease. The biomedical model focuses on treating diseases by removing the causative agent, while the public health perspective focuses on other determinants of health (social, economic, and cultural) and on addressing the environmental and behavioural factors that influence the health of a population.
The major portion of the health budget is focused on hospital infrastructure and medical equipment. Preventive services like health education, community based interventions and disease surveillance get lesser funding. This also highlights the curative bias of the policy makers.
India has a high burden of non communicable diseases which require patient education and life style modification along with the medications. Managing conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases demands continuous community engagement and awareness-building. Educating communities will empower them in making health-related decisions and improve overall health outcomes.
India’s health system does not suffer from a lack of programs or institutions. It faces an imbalance between medical care and public health ideology.
As healthcare professionals, how can we integrate public health principles into routine clinical practice to reduce disease incidence rather than merely manage it?
MBH/AB