Consider the following statements : Statement-I :India’s public sector health care system largely focuses…
Consider the following statements : Statement-I :India's public sector health care system largely focuses on curative care with limited preventive, promotive and rehabilitative care. Statement-II: Under India's decentralized approach to health care delivery, the States are primarily responsible for organizing health services. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- ABoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
- BBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
- CStatement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
- DStatement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Statement-I is Correct: India's public healthcare system has historically prioritized curative care through hospital-based services, while preventive, promotive, and rehabilitative services (such as early screening, health education, and post-treatment recovery) receive significantly less budgetary and structural emphasis.
Statement-II is Correct: Under the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, 'Public health and sanitation; hospitals and dispensaries' are listed under the State List (Entry 6). This decentralized framework makes State governments primarily responsible for the organization and delivery of health services.
Relationship: While both statements are factually accurate, Statement-II describes the administrative and constitutional division of power, which does not serve as the reason for the curative-heavy nature of the system described in Statement-I. The focus on curative care is a result of historical policy choices, infrastructure development patterns, and funding models rather than the fact that States manage the services. Therefore, Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I.