Withdraw the Planning Commission's recommendation to privatize healthcare and implementation of Universal Health Coverage (HLEG recommendations)

Dear Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, "Sixty-five years after the Joseph Bhore Committee on health recommended that the State take full responsibility for providing preventive and curative services to all Indians, another opportunity to take a step in that direction is with us. The High Level Expert Group (HLEG) on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for India, constituted by the Planning Commission, has offered a blueprint for introducing a National Health Package that would entitle all citizens to primary, secondary and tertiary care that is paid for by the state. This comes at a time when there is a momentum the world over – other than in the United States and China – to provide universal healthcare. India, which has one of the most indifferent records in the world in this area, must embark on the 10-year path laid out by the HLEG to move to universal care." "It does not require mention that the health status of India’s people is poor. There are economic, social and regional differences but the larger picture is one of high mortality (of infants, children and mothers), low life expectancy and high morbidity. Only nine out of 191 countries spend less than the 4.4% of total government expenditure that India nowdevotes to health. The limited volume and quality of public services has been driving people to private health services. These are booming, but the large out-of-pocket expenses on healthcare and drugs are imposing a heavy burden on patients. Such expenditure is estimated to push 30 million people a year into poverty." (EPW - Dec 10,2011) As per the recent news reports in major news dailies, the Planning Commission has asked for reversal of the HLEGs recommendations from the 12th plan onwards ending governments' dominant role in providing health services and transiting to greater privatization of the health sector, something along the lines of the 'managed care' system which is followed in the US and Mexico. Its our duty and responsibility to oppose such a move by the Planning Commission which will push more people into poverty. The GoI should implement the HLEG recommendations in toto for a healthy India. P.S: It was commendable that you actually created a HLEG to give recommendations only to do tangentially opposite to their recommendations.