Child and Maternal Health Issues in India

Since its independence, India has become a world leader in medical advancement due to its incredible medical education system and state-of-the-art private medical facilities. It is now a major provider of health services and contains some of the most highly skilled and qualified medical providers in the world. Quality health care, however, remains inaccessible for many undeveloped Indian regions. For example, in rural communities it is estimated that only 18 hospital beds are available per 100,000 people. Even when medical treatment is available, public hospitals are frequently understaffed and under supplied. The poor are forced to rely on overburdened, unsanitary facilities as their only source of health care.

Lack of national care has produced severe health issues throughout the nation: the highest prevalence of tuberculosis in the world; over 1.5 million children dead each year before their first birthday; and nearly 500 million lacking sufficient nutrition along with the second highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS. Growth of HIV/AIDS is a particular concern since there is not a secure infrastructure to measure the virus’s spread and impact, particularly with women in rural areas. While prevalence is not high, the country is extremely susceptible to a massive epidemic if left unchecked.

This lack of national healthcare infrastructure is having severe and lasting effects on the livelihoods of Indian citizens. In Rajasthan, about half the children suffer from malnutrition, 49 percent of women are anemic, and about one-third of children are born with a low birth weight. Additionally, only 14 percent of children between 12 and 23 months receive the necessary vaccinations to prevent diseases such as small pox and polio. Public hospitals have insufficient funds to support their communities, and since only 15 percent of Indian citizens have health insurance, quality health care remains unattainable for millions in dire need (Bhagat, 2004).

Thousands of public health NGOs are intervening to provide the necessary medical care, support, and treatment. In Udaipur and Jodhpur, FSD collaborates with local organizations that interview the local community to identify weaknesses in rural health care and then provide the underprivileged with the necessary supplies and medical advice. Additionally, FSD supports programs that host educational workshops to promote the importance of hygiene and sanitation, and assists healthcare centers that provide immunizations to at-risk children. FSD partner organizations are working within the communities with the greatest need to ensure that all citizens are guaranteed their basic right to continued health and physical well-being.