Amarjeet Sinha
Designation: Outgoing joint secretary, ministry of health and family welfare
Career Path: Played a key role in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and National Rural Health Mission.
Education: BA History-honours, Delhi University
Interests: Reading, meditation, music, walking, jogging, travelling across India. Has visited 570 out of 643 districts to understand social development
(This story appears in the 28 January, 2011 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)
Amarjeet Sinha's contribution to NRHM has been like a missionary for improving health services in India. He has contributed through direct actions as well as promoting basic health system research. I completely agree with his suggestion that fulfiling the budgetary commitment of 3% of GDP as health expenditure. A small step of universal access to essential medicines at all levels - primary, secondary and tertiary level would require not more than 0.5% GDP but alleviate the major cause of out of pocket expenditure which both urban and rural patients suffer today.
on Jan 27, 2011Amarjeet Sinha's contribution to NRHM has been very high. He was one of the key architects and supporter of the program and all its innovation. NHRM shows what can be achieved by even slightly increasing health budgets - it has gone up from 0.9 to 1.1 %, but has made a lot of difference. But the road ahead is very long - we as a nation must spend 3% or more of GDP in public spending on health. But we have been very weak in monitoring mortality impact of NRHM - i.e. reduction in MMR and IMR. I hope this will be done at some point.
on Jan 19, 2011Completely agree with his point that the facilities need to be accountable to the catchment area it serves. This will gradually bring in accountability for higher functionaries in the government as well. Also, government need to change processes for monitoring the public health or education institutions. We have be give them more autonomy and at the same time monitor them on critical parameters.
on Jan 18, 2011Yes I certainly agree with Amarjeet's observation that the urban health prong needs urgent looking into and strengthening. Equally important as the hike the health care budget needs, the possibility to have stakeholder meetings between the state level players and the urban health authorities must be realised quickly. As cities expand, the lack of co-ordination between these bodies leaves people, particularly the poor, vulnerable to the private-for-profit sector in the outer expanding city precincts.
on Jan 16, 2011