JAA issues Maharashtra healthcare report card; flags severe shortcomings 

The Jan Arogya Abhiyan (JAA) has issued a damning report card on health for Maharashtra, highlighting severe shortcomings in the state’s healthcare sector under the current government. The report, which rates the state government’s performance in health at 23 out of 100, points to insufficient public health funding, widespread staffing issues, and a lack of effective regulation for private hospitals. JAA has concurrently released a People’s Health Manifesto for the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections, urging political parties to adopt comprehensive healthcare reforms and guarantee the Right to Healthcare for all citizens.

The report reveals that public health has been given inadequate priority in Maharashtra, despite its large urban population. JAA criticised the low allocation of the state budget to healthcare – only 4.2% placing Maharashtra among the lowest-ranked states for per capita health spending. While presenting the report on Tuesday, Dr Abhay Shukla, a public health expert from JAA, pointed out that this limited funding contributes to a significant lack of resources in urban areas. Though Maharashtra ranks first in urban population, it ranks only 13th in terms of public hospital beds in cities. “While programmes like the Aapla Dawakhana (AD) clinics are active, their reach remains limited, covering only 10% of urban outpatient care and concentrating largely in Mumbai. JAA awarded Maharashtra a low 2.5 out of 10 for urban health infrastructure,” reads the report.

In human resource, the state continues to face severe shortages, particularly in rural hospitals, where 61% of specialist posts remain unfilled. Deepak Jadhav, a public health expert from JAA, said, “While the government has made some permanent appointments, many healthcare workers are still on contractual terms, affecting the quality and sustainability of services. The shortage of full-time medical staff has led to overburdened facilities, with many of Maharashtra’s public hospitals struggling to meet demand, especially in underserved areas.”

Private healthcare regulation remains another pressing issue. Despite legal mandates requiring transparency in pricing and patient rights, JAA’s report indicates that few private hospitals are compliant. Only a limited number of cities have operational patient grievance cells, and the state government has shown little initiative to enforce existing patient protection laws. JAA’s report card rated private sector regulation at just 1 out of 10.

Dr Shukla further stated that the report additionally, pointed out 54 percent of women in Maharashtra are anaemic, and child malnutrition levels are alarmingly high, with the state recording the second-highest stunting rates in India. “Despite these severe issues, the state has reduced the budget for child nutrition programmes, further constraining the already limited resources,” he said.

In response to these findings, JAA’s “People’s Health Manifesto” lays out recommendations for urgent reforms, including enacting a Right to Health Act for Maharashtra to ensure free, quality healthcare for all residents. The manifesto calls for expanding public health services, doubling the health budget to 8% of the state’s budget, developing a health workforce policy to address staffing issues, and creating a transparent medicine procurement system. Additionally, JAA urges political parties to commit to establishing a Universal Health Care System that minimises out-of-pocket costs and prioritises patient rights.

Girish Bhave, a public health expert of JAA, said, “With Maharashtra set to hold assembly elections, JAA’s report and manifesto call on political leaders to make healthcare reform a top priority, advocating a more equitable, transparent, and accessible system for all residents. We had meetings with several leaders of all political parties, requesting them to highlight these in their party’s manifesto.” Hindustan Times