Health

In the present global context health status of an individual, a community as well as a country is an important factor to decide the development indicator. It represents the actual situation of a particular country.

Health is "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity", used by the World Health Organization (WHO) since 1948. In 1986, the WHO in the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion said health is "a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities". Classification systems such as the WHO Family of International Classifications (WHO-FIC), which is composed of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) also define health. Overall health is achieved through a combination of physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being of an individual (1).

By looking into the above statements health is includes the nutritional level, reproductive capacity, thinking ability, control over once own behavior, access to safe drinking water, hygiene, sanitation, mental ability. All these factors lead to physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being of an individual. This situation can achieve the economic prosperity in the country. Compared to the international standards unfortunately the health status of the general population in India is not satisfactory.

Description of the module

This module mainly focused on the general perception, the determinants, present status of health in India as well as in the global scenario. It also concentrated on the health care service and its delivery system, quality, impact on the general, advantages and disadvantages. During the module fellows came to know the major diseases which are badly affecting on the health of the people. HIV/AIDS is a disease which is causing many deaths and worldwide affecting socially, economically and psychologically too many families. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV is transmitted through direct contact of a mucous membrane or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid ,preseminal fluid, and breast milk.  AIDS is now a pandemic. In 2007, an estimated 33.2 million people lived with the disease worldwide, and it killed an estimated 2.1 million people, including 330,000 children. Over three-quarters of these deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, India and China, retarding economic growth and destroying human capital. These data shows the severity of the problem.

On the second day reproductive health topic was taught. It brought a clear picture about the condition of reproductive and child health in India. Reproductive health is nothing but a state in which people have the ability to reproduce and regulate their fertility, women are able to go through pregnancy and child birth safely, and the outcome of pregnancy is successful in terms of maternal and infant survival and well being. And couples are able to have sexual relations free of the fear of pregnancy and of contracting diseases.

Key points of the module

Health module succeeded in bringing the actual realities of India’s approach towards health care services, promotion of health of the general population and prevention of some diseases and conditions. Accountability in health care services is nothing but the obligation to demonstrate and the responsibility for performance in the light of agreed expectations.  Especially accountability of health practitioners is very essential to establish a sound and effective health system in the country. The instructor with suitable examples made to think towards the eradication of bad practices and systems which are prevailing in the medical field. In the global scenario India stands 118^th place in terms of efficient health care services, whereas 136^th in life expectancy and 127^th in governmental expenditure on health care. The most common medical mistakes that found in the past are leftover during surgery, wrong surgery, unnecessary tests, cosmetic goof ups, not enough anesthesia, delayed treatment, unnecessary drugs, secondary infections, drug dependency and bad handwriting of doctors.

At the same time we could find out the causes for poor accountability in the health sector in India. First thing is bane of present day medical education, it is financially oriented and educational institutions are charging heavy fees. Secondly lack of promotion of rural health care. Thirdly in India there is a gap of using information technology in health sector. we can find out the lack of updated knowledge among medical practissioners and the is gap of favorable relationship between  the doctor and the patient.

Major Learnings of the module

Majority of the population living in rural areas and the medical practissioners are staying in urban areas. This is the drawback of Indian health system. At the same time government is primarily focusing on health care services rather than prevention of the diseases. The equipments and use of technology is of old one.

To improve the and achieve the economic and social progress there should be a major shift in policy making and the health needs to be enforced. Epidemolocal data needs to be gathered for many recent diseases. And the solution for these entire problems is to enhance the publis-private partnership in Indian health care services; prevention should be done in   this sector. These are the main factors which we learnt in the health module.