Jan Swasthya Abhiyan- and Jan Andolananchi Sangharsh Samiti
Our Resolve- Health Care for All!
Hamara Sankalp- Swasthya Ka Adhikaar!
Movement demands public health system strengthening, regulation of private hospitals, justice for health workers, and Right to Healthcare act
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has devastated Maharashtra, which has suffered the largest number of COVID cases and deaths in the country. Continued neglect of Public Health care system over last many years by Central and State governments, especially. Mumbai city with its dense population has suffered over 15,500 deaths and 7.26 lakhs have been infected. As usual, women, wage earners, people living in jhuggis, minorities, dalits, persons with disabilities, sexual minorities and other marginalized sections of society suffered the most. There has been criminal neglect by current Central government regarding vaccination and loot of patients by the unregulated private healthcare sector has resulted in huge number of avoidable deaths and untold financial loss and suffering for ordinary people in the city.
Given this context, coalition of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan Mumbai and Jan Andolan Sangharsh Samiti have launched a movement on Independence Day 2021 for ‘Freedom from healthcare deprivation and commercialization’. This movement seeks to initiate a major cycle of people-centered, rights-based change in health systems in Mumbai
Key objectives of this movement include – protectingpeople’s health rights in the current situation through improved access to health services and vaccination, working to prevent or minimize the Third wave of COVID, and building public awareness among various sections of people regarding Right to healthcare.
Increasing the budget and human-power to strengthen Public health care system is one major demand of the movement. To protect the interests of patients and to prevent malpractices the movement is demanding Private hospital regulation act in Maharashtra. Aim of the movement is enactment of a Right to Healthcare Act in Maharashtra, which would ensure access to free, quality healthcare for all residents of Maharashtra, based on strengthening and reforming public health services, and harnessing, regulating private healthcare under a publicly organised system. Doctors, nurses, Aasha and all other front line health workers are the backbone of health care system. Our movement will work to ensure honorable and secure livelihood and safe working conditions for them.
The Campaign activities will include collecting information about public health facilities, conducting audit, analysing gaps and existing level of adequacy of public health services. Conducting Survey of denial of healthcare in public and private sector in context of COVID-19. Ensuring rate regulated care for COVID treatment, and free care related to MPJAY in private hospitals and organizing physical / hybrid / online Jan Sunwai.
The Movement was launched on a social media campaign from 16th August to generate wide support from masses.
The aim is to ensure legal regulation of private healthcare in patient interests, and development of Universal Health Coverage What is required is a massive popular movement which would demand this range of people-centered transformations in the health system, which have sharply emerged as top priorities in light of the COVID-19 epidemic. They appealed a to all sections of people, and various social organizations and groups, to actively join the campaign. Let us all work together towards the goal of ensuring free healthcare to all as a right!
The Campaign shared some interesting posters and videos on social media
The Videos from Mumbra give peek into harsh Realities on the Ground Activists of Awaaz-e- Niswan organisation gave glimpse of Mumbra Health issues especially in context of Muslim Women
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